Airplane Ownership [Paperback]

Ronald J. Wanttaja (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0070681589 | ISBN-13: 978-0070681583 | Publication Date: October 1, 1994 | Edition: 1

From the first-time airplane buyer, this book is an invaluable resource and guide to airplane ownership. The awar-winning author offers money- and time-saving information on selecting, purchasing, finacning, insuring, hangaring, and maintaning an airplane.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Get your first plane!

Here, Ron Wanttaja walks you through the exciting process of shopping for, then acquiring and caring for your first airplane. Featuring lots of new information and photographs, this second edition includes the Light Sport category and Sports Pilot license, and emphasizes how to minimize cost of ownership for a wide range of planes. Aviation journalist Wanttaja, winner of the 1992 Aviation/Space Writers' Association Award of Excellence, guides you through every step -- before and after your purchase.

Expert guidance on:

• Prices and real-world operating expenses
• Cutting the costs of plane ownership
• Sizing up planes, from modern to antiques, used to partially completed homebuilts
• Privileges and limitations of the Light Sport Aircraft category
• Renting vs. owning; partnerships and leasebacks
• Pitfalls to avoid
• Preownership inspections—avoiding getting burned
• Paperwork needed to buy and register aircraft
• Getting financing and the right insurance
• Updated owner inspection and maintenance procedures—what you can and can't do, illustrated

With real ownership case histories for old and modern aircraft --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Ronald J. Wanttaja is an award-winning aviation writer and a former systems engineer with Boeing, who worked in satellite orbit/constellation design and analysis, launch vehicle and onboard propulsion system trades, and operations concepts for space systems. He worked on the early design studies for the International Space Station. An Air Force veteran, he was an on-duty operator for the Defense Support Program missile early-warning satellite. As a freelance aviation journalist, he has written for Private Pilot, Flying, Sport Aviation, Flight Line, Kitplanes, and other publications. He is author of the book Kit Airplane Construction, Third Edition, also from McGraw-Hill. His aviation writing has won several prizes, including Flying Magazine's "Bax Seat Trophy" and a journalism award from the Aviation/Space Writer's Association. Mr. Wanttaja has also written and published historical fiction. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 301 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional; 1 edition (October 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070681589
• ISBN-13: 978-0070681583
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #712,146 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good first step if you're considering owning a plane., July 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Airplane Ownership (Paperback)

This book helps narrow down the field as you consider buying or owning an airplane. Gives details about cost and offers real world examples of operating expenses (aircraft specification tables were particulary helpful). Covers what to look for, pre-purchase inspections, and paperwork needed to buy and register aircraft. Well worth the money if you're considering buying your first airplane.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything You Need to Know, May 2, 2006

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Airplane Ownership (Paperback)

Simply put, if you're even thinking of buying an airplane you should buy this book first. This book reeks of experience. It's by Ron Wanttaja, who received the 1992 Aviation/Space Writers' Association Award of Excellence. He's an excellent writer and is very knowledgable about owning an airplane. All aspects of owning a plane from deciding what to buy to the real world operating expenses, the new Light Sport Aircraft category, inspections, everything.

The tone of the book is on saving money. He talks for instance about setting a limit of $30K for the purchase of a plane. He talks about the costs of a tie down vs a hanger and gives examples from his local area which is around Seattle. You may not have the financial issues as a primary concern, but many of the same subjects apply without regard to their cost -- what to look for when you inspect a used plane for instance.

I'd list the chapters in the book, but think it's better to just say that every aspect you can think of (and more) is here. And, oh yes, this is the new second edition of the book that updates the information on a lot of areas.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I keep coming back to this book, It's worth every penny!, January 2, 2004

By 

Glen Dresback (Altus, OK United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Airplane Ownership (Paperback)

This book is an informative, easy to read, engaging look at buying and owning an aircraft. It walks you right through the different types available, and explains many of the advantages and pitfalls of the different types (antique, classic, homebuilt, modern, etc) of aircraft available. It goes on to explain what you can and can't do in owner maintanance. This book shows how to do what you can do, with photos and illustrations to back up the text in many instances. Overall, of all the airplane ownership books I've got, this is the one that I keep coming back to, it's well done, interesting, and informative!