Chasing the Dream

I'm beginning to feel like a broken record. Once again, my attentions in this post have been directed towards aviation. A lot has happened since I've chosen to embark on this adventure. Since my last post, I've experienced my first solo, and have continually been able to enhance my piloting skills in the left seat. Learning to fly has been interesting. There have been times when I've been ready to walk away from it all, but after some down time, I start clamoring to go back up again. It's an obsession. Maybe an unhealthy one.

My attentions have started to turn to ownership. Aircraft ownership. After doing just a minimal amount of research, I've quickly learned that owning an aircraft is extremely expensive. A simple airplane will cost a little over $100,000. The one I want costs right over $600,000. Or course, these are brand new models. Still, pre-owned airplanes, even ones close to 30 years old can still cost around $30,000 to $80,000. That's still too much to sink a wad of cash on. For me, at this point in my life, anyway.





Yet, there are still a multitude of options. Home built kits are available. I've happened to recently find one that is comparable to the plane I would love to have (which is posted above). All for a considerably lower price- $50,000. Still, that's quite a chunk of change to sit down on an aircraft. Not to mention the amount of hours that you have to put into assembling the aircraft yourself.

This goes without saying that to accomplish such a dream as this, you first need a lot of commitment. In an effort to make such an investment seems intimidating to someone such as myself, having no ability to make such a large investment. What can be even more intimidating is not knowing when, if ever you will be able to make such an investment.

Before I go any further, I want to stop right here and add something. When I look at all things, I'm pretty blessed. I've been able to to go to school and earn a Masters degree. I've been able to land a job right out of grad school. I've been able to move back to my hometown and be with my family. I've had unbelievable support from family and friends that have enabled me to accomplish what I have so far. I've been able to buy a new car, and afford flying lessons. I am blessed to find myself in a position where anyone who is less fortunate than I am, who has a greater amount of responsibility to their family would give anything to be able to spend money the way I do.

I am not using this post as a way to whine that I'll never be able to afford my own airplane. I'm blessed enough to be able to afford to pursue my interests. However, what I am saying is that for anyone who has any desire or goal that seems overwhelmingly huge, it IS intimidating. It is BEYOND intimidating. It seems impossible. If I am to buy my own plane, I don't even know where to begin. The same goes for a lot of other things...buying a house, for instance.

I'm not sure where to go from here. I certainly can't add the "It'll all work out in the end", or the "If it's meant to be, it will happen." Frankly, I can't help but wonder if this entire aviation pursuit has been a horrible waste of money and time. The further I get into it, the more I start to wonder.

It's been fun discovering aviation so far...but the amount of uncertainty for what the future holds still remains intimidating.