Liked your cost analysis. I've been comparing by the Median Family Income.
In 1947 (when my Coupe was built) the median family income was $1,700 according to my Almanac. The Coupe sold for about $3,500. Now, in 1999, the national median family income is $39,000- ($42k in Midwest) and by that measure, a factory new Coupe would run about $78,235. That makes current low-end factory planes seem equivalently priced to what was paid for a Coupe way back then. Those people back then wanted their Coupes enough to invest TWO YEARS worth of median family income. That wasn't a cheap plane. And get this: Fred Weick told me that no one expected the fleet of coupes to be flying ten years after manufacture. He expected them to be superseded by newer, better designs. So the cost of buying was expected to be just for a 10 year use. I've had my plane for 20.7 years. Bought it for $4,500 in 1979. Overhauled it and recovered it for ~$6,500 in 1983. Got a _thorough_ annual in 1998 to correct lots of airframe, rigging, and other items for $5,500. In the early years, I budgeted about $500/annual and often got one improvement within that budget. My last annual (a year after the big killer one) was $350 (with no upgrades). Flying isn't cheap. Your analysis of the cost of ownership matches mine pretty closely. I'd fly cheaper if I rented. It may come to that one of these days. In the meantime I do love my Coupe. -- Ed Burkhead Peoria, Ill. N3802H
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