Advice

[TrapAv8r]

I will try to make this short, but I would appreciate some advice. I will be finishing my CFI/CFII/MEI before Christmas this year. Additionally, my cousin has always wanted to learn how to fly and owns a business. Over the last several years, my wife and I rent aircraft (usually 172/182) for Angel Flights. I am looking for a way to teach my cousin and continue to fly Angel Flights by the most cost effective means available. He would also like to fly his family (wife and 4 kids), after getting his license and has some time under his belt.
My initial vector is to encourage him to buy an aircraft to earn his license and even his instrument rating to keep him and his passengers safe. In order to do Angel Flights, I was thinking a Cherokee Archer II (180) would be a good, affordable training aircraft that could carry a good amount of useful load with sufficient speed and low enough cost. Then, at a later date, he could look into trading for a Sartoga or Cherokee 6.
I also need to know about insurance as an instructor to teach him in his own aircraft. Again, my thought would be that we might be co-owners in the aircraft and I would carry CFI insurance. Would it be better for his "company" to buy the airplane as a business expense? Again, any advice would be helpful. We live in Central Indiana.

 

[Wiggums]

I wouldn't buy an aircraft until your cousin has at least gotten his private. You don't want to go co-owner with him and then find out after ten hours that he has lost interest.

 

[Andrew_VT]

I disagree. Buy a plane, its a great experience, you will both learn a ton and you will both be satisfied as long as you do a bunch of research. It is 10 times more fulfilling to fly your own plane than rent from shady operations that are just ripping you off. When you rent, the more you fly the more money you waste, when you own, the more you fly the more money you SAVE. Do your research, run the numbers. For someone in your position, with a partner, its a no brainer. I wish these $70 grand wonderkids would smarten up, buy a 150, hire an independant CFI (leagues ahead of 141 instructors i.e. real world pilots) and stop wasting money.

 

[TrapAv8r]

I appreciate your thoughts. I think we are pretty set on buying. I have done pretty extensive research on the pros and cons and we are willing to accept the risk and "heartache" of owning. To rephrase my question, does anyone know of a good aircraft that we could use for his training and our Angel Flights? I enjoyed the Piper ArcherII (180), but I have never taught in general aviation. Is that a good trainer too? Thanks.

 

[Andrew_VT]

The entire cherokee/archer/arrow line is good for instructing (ive taught in 140s/160s/200hp arrows). You could argue that statement about any plane I'm sure, but they can withstand more abuse that a higher performance single (ie mooney). They are also a more stable instrument platform than cessnas (especially skyhawks cause of no rudder trim) because they dont get tossed around as much in turbulence.

Also, the real differences in different planes as to wether they are good planes to train in or not are very trivial, you could teach him in almost anything I'm sure. More important is to get a plane that fits your mission, $$/useful load/speed. Yes, this applies even if that plane is a mooney, in which case I'll be jealous.

 

[The_Russian]

I would hold off on buying the plane. Wiggums is right. Your cousin could lose interest. Or, could be unsuccessful as a pilot. While airplanes do not depriciate as quickly as cars, they still are not selling all that fast right now. Remember, the flight training business is down right now, gas is expensive, and CFI insurance is pricey.

If you do decide to buy the plane, prepare to support the costs yourself.

 

[The_Russian]

Also, check out leases on New Piper aircraft and Cessna models. You can tailor the lease for your specific flying needs.