Cheapest Warbirds to Operate

[Ken]

One man's opinion, there is tw time (and assuming you want to move up into bigger stuff) there is quality tw time, meaning that 200 hours in a Cub may not be as valuable to your skill set as 80 hours: 20 Cub plus 20 Decathlon plus 20 Stearman plus 20 Pitts. You would have to do the math to see the costs associated with following either path, but it can be done. Another aspect is if you are out droning and only logging 1 landing per sortie vs multiple landings, airwork, etc. Again, just one man's opinion.

Ken

[jtramo]

Insurance costs have gone up especially on tail wheel aircraft. Having owned several of the light TW birds including L-2, L-3,L-4, and L-19 here are some actual costs. The insurance costs have more to do with the accident/experience of the aircraft than pilot qualifications. These are some actual costs for me.

L-4 $1,100/yr Policy dated 2010, $500,000 liability (max AOPA offers), $50,000 hull. 3500 total tail wheel time 500 in type

L-19 $3,100/yr (2016 quote) One million smooth, $75,000 hull, 1400 in type.

T-41B $900/yr (2016 rate) One million smooth, $75,000 hull, 250 in type

The Cessna T-41A and T-41B are lumped in with the civilian C-172 series aircraft for statistical accident experience.

Maybe someone can share some numbers on other Warbirds.

Wow those are some high quotes! Put the wheel under the nose and its so much cheaper. Sadly. I wonder if the tail wheel renaissance is causing tail wheel claims to skyrocket? I got quoted for a 1958 182 (i have 400 in type) and the quote was $350! But nosewheel does nothing for you!

[L-4Pilot]

Insurance costs have gone up especially on tail wheel aircraft. Having owned several of the light TW birds including L-2, L-3,L-4, and L-19 here are some actual costs. The insurance costs have more to do with the accident/experience of the aircraft than pilot qualifications. These are some actual costs for me.

L-4 $1,100/yr Policy dated 2010, $500,000 liability (max AOPA offers), $50,000 hull. 3500 total tail wheel time 500 in type

L-19 $3,100/yr (2016 quote) One million smooth, $75,000 hull, 1400 in type.

T-41B $900/yr (2016 rate) One million smooth, $75,000 hull, 250 in type

The Cessna T-41A and T-41B are lumped in with the civilian C-172 series aircraft for statistical accident experience.

Maybe someone can share some numbers on other Warbirds.

Wow those are some high quotes! Put the wheel under the nose and its so much cheaper. Sadly. I wonder if the tail wheel renaissance is causing tail wheel claims to skyrocket? I got quoted for a 1958 182 (i have 400 in type) and the quote was $350! But nosewheel does nothing for you!

In 40 years of flying, never put a scratch on a plane and never filed a claim. The reason L-19 rates are so high is that a lot of people bought them that had the money but not the training, experience or skill to handle the aircraft. Groundloops have become common place in L-19s according to the statistics. That is why the rates are so high.

The rate on the T-41B of $900/yr for one million smooth liability and $75,000 hull is a good rate. How much liability and hull are you carrying on your C-182.

[jtramo]

I didn't end up getting it but the hull was less (maybe 50k) but the same million.

I like this topic though, maybe some more info on ownership costs (annuals etc) for some of the PT series? Many can afford a $50-75k warbird with a loan but $10,000 annuals will kill ownership. The L birds are similar to other GA aircraft in those types of costs.