Which airplanes least hate living on the ramp?
Posted by acfoltzer@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 8 comments
There are plenty of threads here helping people find the right airplane for their budget and mission, but I'm curious to know what's better (or not) for an airplane that might have to endure a couple of wet PNW winters on tie-downs.
Would something in nicer shape stand up better to the elements and save you headaches, or just lock in some instant and painful depreciation? Are some makes and models notoriously bad at living outside? Don't buy anything unless Bruce's makes a cover for it?
Of course a hangar is the goal. But the conventional wisdom (in the PDX area at least) is that you've gotta be very lucky to find a hangar, and that your luck improves if you already have an airplane ready to move in.
So while I'm continuing to poke around looking for a unicorn of a partnership with a plane that fits my mission, a hangar at the closest airport with the cheapest fuel, and partners who never actually fly but have plenty of money, I'm also thinking about buying something first to make it easier to find a hangar and partners.
Ok-Technician-2905@reddit
Avoid wood and fabric. A Bellanca Viking should only be kept in a hangar. Salt spray (Florida) is probably hazardous for any metal plane. Otherwise- keeping your plane outside is no big deal except for the risk of hail. If you need to get it repainted every 10 years, you’re still ahead on the cost of a hangar.
MenRest@reddit
A non airworthy one
I-r0ck@reddit
The exact airplane is less important than the condition of the paint. The paint will help prevent corrosion on metal airplanes and will block UV rays on composite one. Just avoid anything wooden and fabric
m5er@reddit
Anything that can corrode would be "bad at living outside".
Cessnateur@reddit
That wasn't the question, though. The question was whether any airplanes are better able to withstand the elements than others.
I'd say metal would potentially hold up better than fabric, and a metal plane with good paint might protect the aluminum better than one with worn paint (or without any paint at all).
THevil30@reddit
FWIW, most of the trainers and typical GA airplanes that you see are perfectly fine living outside with a nice set of covers, provided that they are flown regularly. Up here in the northeast there just are not that many covers so most planes live outside and it’s fine. I’ve never been but I think most planes in Alaska live outside too.
The only place where I’d be super concerned about it would be in places like Missouri where you can get golf ball sized hailstorms every now and again.
I also wouldn’t put a canvas plane (think J3) outside.
BagOfMoneyNoChange@reddit
A 152.
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
There are plenty of threads here helping people find the right airplane for their budget and mission, but I'm curious to know what's better (or not) for an airplane that might have to endure a couple of wet PNW winters on tie-downs.
Would something in nicer shape stand up better to the elements and save you headaches, or just lock in some instant and painful depreciation? Are some makes and models notoriously bad at living outside? Don't buy anything unless Bruce's makes a cover for it?
Of course a hangar is the goal. But the conventional wisdom (in the PDX area at least) is that you've gotta be very lucky to find a hangar, and that your luck improves if you already have an airplane ready to move in.
So while I'm continuing to poke around looking for a unicorn of a partnership with a plane that fits my mission, a hangar at the closest airport with the cheapest fuel, and partners who never actually fly but have plenty of money, I'm also thinking about buying something first to make it easier to find a hangar and partners.
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