Table of contents
INTRODUCTION
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Chapter 1: Why Buy?
Chapter 2: The Costs of Ownership
Chapter 3: Picking the Right Plane
Chapter 4: That New-Plane Smell
Chapter 5: Used Aircraft
Chapter 6: Special Wings, Part 1: Antiques and Classics
Chapter 7: Special Wings, Part 2: Homebuilts
Chapter 8: Found It!
Chapter 9: The First Week
Chapter 10: The First Year ... and Beyond
Chapter 11: Keeping It Legal
Chapter 12: Owner Maintenance
Chapter 13: Problems
Chapter 14: The Answer
GLOSSARY
INDEX

Biographical note
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.

Back cover copy
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