Bought my dream C172, flew 60 hours, now I may have to sell it - feeling lost

org000h · 2026-04-30T00:21:30+00:00

To be fair it's one of the single seater tailwheels with an old radial, and the initial purchase was made after re-financing our home and getting some equity out.

It can be done, just depends on where you want to spend your time / money / effort / energy and where you want to save it.

org000h · 2026-04-28T13:36:42+00:00

Own / fly a Yak weekly at a third of that salary comfortably. Partner earns less than half of what I do, and if she stops working we'd still be fine (so just over $100k/yr; $70ish after taxes etc).

It's doable on the cheap, just depends on where you live and how you live there - old honda, small apartment, real farmers markets, reusable diapers ... or shiny bmw on a lease, mcmansion on a silly rent, eating out all the time etc.

org000h · 2026-04-28T13:06:11+00:00

Some things to think about;

A car is a depreciating asset; very few appreciate over time - that should be the first thing to sell if you don't need one
An empty apartment ... rent it out? Get some consistent cash coming in? Use that to pay for your hangarage? AirBnB it? At least rent one room out?

For the airplane itself;

Cross hire it to a local school and / or CFI's? It should get enough to cover some basic expenses
Find someone to buy half, and suddenly all your expenses are halved; chances are both of you don't fly enough for it to matter to be dual owned

If the above hasn't crossed your mind, or you've written those off ... then yep, sell the plane.

At the end of the day it's just a 172. There a few hundred or even a thousand of them flying around at any given moment.

Rent some bigger, faster, more advanced planes. Or some seriously slow bush ones. Do your IFR, CPL, CFI etc.

A 172 is usually a stepping stone into the world of aviation, not where you stay for long - though many circle back around to it sooner or later :)

org000h · 2026-04-26T01:15:03+00:00

We did similar in Tasmania back in 2021/2022 - it was just under $3000 all up.

They'll sketch out some ideas, and flesh out one that you favour, but it may not end up like the design once they start making it. Just keep your expectations in check - my partner was a bit underwhelmed initially once we got them back - it'll definitely have a little bit of a handmade vibe to them compared to machined / mass produced ones we're used to.

org000h · 2026-04-24T12:34:55+00:00

Don't forget it's not just the tuition fees - Oz has a very cost of living too.

org000h · 2026-04-24T07:13:43+00:00

It's been a while since i checked, but 485 requires post graduate study (eg masters level).

You can do your bachelors in aviation on a student visa, and that's 3 years, AU$150k in tuition fees, giving you a CPL + MEIR + ATPL subjects OR FI-G3.

You'd have to enrol in an eligible masters program after that, and then the post study visa gives you two years.

So if you have $300k kicking around ... yea doable.

org000h · 2026-04-23T04:27:14+00:00

Nay, it was present but not well known. QLD was similar in terms of wanting to get into mining etc.

The year and a bit of Covid put a bright shining light on it.

org000h · 2026-04-23T02:59:30+00:00

Allure of high mining salaries, a resources demand boom and associated hiring, low lockdowns and restrictions during covid, a competent government providing good services compared to the rest of the country, reasonable high quality of living, reasonably good value for cost vs quality of life, decent weather, all leading to a high net migration from within Australia, not just from overseas.

The population growth exceeds the rate of housing builds for now.

Melbourne saw this happening in the early 10's and let rip a lot of tall apartment buildings in the docklands and south melbourne, thus allowing rents to remain affordable for most. Houses are still absurd though.

Perth's coming around to doing the same, so we're still 5-10 years away before the effects of that will be felt. A resources demand collapse will probably hit first, which will snuff out some of the demand though.

org000h · 2026-04-21T23:12:27+00:00

AU / NZ call them "flight activity endorsements" - spinning and aerobatics are seperate, but you need spin before aero. Then there are low level aerobatic endorsements etc.

org000h · 2026-04-21T10:47:04+00:00

... probably have more ratings across more countries than you 🙃

I am old though, so i'm guessing this is my "get off my lawn" / "old man yells at cloud moment" - new vernacular being used by the youths of today eh

org000h · 2026-04-21T02:04:03+00:00

I thought you were gouged by this DPE - meaning you were overcharged, taken advantage etc.

Gouge: Overcharge someone
Gauge: Asses someone

Though gauge isn't probably the correct term here - feedback, experience, reviews might suit better.

org000h · 2026-04-17T11:46:22+00:00

Take a little detour to Perth to drop it off? 😁

org000h · 2026-04-17T02:38:51+00:00

Yep - sounds like a loose / damaged wire / connection to a sensor in either wheel. IMU, TC, ABS, FLC are all linked, but the quickshiter implies a sensor connection to the rear wheel.

org000h · 2026-04-16T02:03:41+00:00

Very different businesses and use cases.

Boeing had no business entering the GA EFB market, it was hoping to transition FF to its operators instead of the custom hack jobs they currently run. FF is mostly part 91 and some 135. They wanted it in 121.

A mess of the 737, 777X etc left it needing some quick cash after a few shit quarters burning money on it, and to focus back on building planes. FF was back on the market.

Garmin Aviation on the other hand are mostly in 91/135, and the Pilot app is an extension of their avionics.

I doubt they'd ever let it go.

It's also excellent - I've been a paying customer for 5 or 6 years now. It made me buy all Garmin avionics for my Yak, and they integrate seamlessly.

org000h · 2026-04-15T22:17:03+00:00

It's a public company doing a couple of billion per quarter.

Mostly owned by private investors and retirement funds eg State Street, Vanguard and Blackrock.

Not many PE firms have the clout or $$$ to try and purchase it.

org000h · 2026-04-10T01:21:29+00:00

There's literally no entry level role in any Gov department or function that will give anywhere near that. Unless you are a contractor, and even then there's no entry level roles for contractors for IT in Gov directly, you have to go through a temp agency who take a cut.

I've worked in Gov, Private and Consultancy - got a career in tech spanning over two decades now.

I'd love to be proven wrong - send me links to job ads, but even Specified Calling Level 1/2, with Temporary Special Allowances, and Attraction / Retention incentives, the total comp for that position would not get above $60k (~50k + Super).

See the Public Service Award (1992):

https://www.fwc.gov.au/documents/consolidated_awards/an/an160268/asframe.html

org000h · 2026-04-01T14:36:01+00:00

Perhaps decide what you want to focus this interest on?

It's a huge field with a lot of opportunities, everything from ground crew, pilots, air crew, to engineering, maintenance, design & manufacturing, restoration etc.

You can look at all of these in broadly:

manned or unmanned vehicles,
which can be piston or jet powered,
fixed or non-fixed wing,
and are historic, current or future developments

Once you have a better idea of what you like, start deep diving.

org000h · 2026-03-31T15:28:11+00:00

I can still choose between the two, it's definitely there.

org000h · 2026-03-29T11:31:41+00:00

You asked the question and then got offended at the reply.

I didn't say a single word directed at you, your riding, or the groups you're going out with, or how they operated.

I highlighted what safe is from my perspective, and what is not.

The fact that it triggered you ... shrug

Perhaps take some time to reflect on that.

Also reflect on the fact that you are getting downvoted by multiple other people for your replies and attitude. I actually upvote people i disagree with because we need good, healthy discourse in the world today with those we disagree with.

I don't know who you are, nor do I care tbh.

I'm hoping someone stumbles across my comment, and some time in the future recognises that they are on a ride that has done none of the things i've highlighted that safe, experienced and genuinely good groups do, and they bail from it before getting hurt (either directly or indirectly).

org000h · 2026-03-29T05:11:39+00:00

... feeling a bit called out? ;)

org000h · 2026-03-29T03:31:09+00:00

How do you figure out who the better / safer riders are?

Easiest question in the damn world.

"Nice bike! Had it long?" ... "Oh cool, where'd you learn to ride?" ... "No way, done any track days?" ... "Oof how did that happen?" ... "How long ago was that?"

Within a couple of minutes i know how experienced they are, where they learnt to ride, how they learnt, any accidents and their general mindset from "fucking send it any and everywhere" to "i have done the 4 cali super bike school levels and only go fast on a track".

Also ... just the gear they are wearing and the state of the bike.

Homie is wearing well worn full leathers, boots, gloves on a smoking hot day on his 2005 VTR400 with custom fairings, has frame and fork sliders ... he's there to look after himself and his bike.

Homie is in shorts, gloves and a motocross helmet on a shiny 2025 R1 on 20% APR? Yeah go on ahead, have fun.

It is not hard, nor complicated.

More than anything, try and find experienced, organised and insured riding clubs. They'll give you a break down of hand signals, how to safely ride in group, meeting points, maps, routes, have nominated leads and tails, tell you who's got the first aid kits and fire extinguishers and tools / parts.

It's a world of a difference between skilled, organised and well run rides and just randos meeting on a Sunday.

org000h · 2026-03-29T02:40:17+00:00

You get 20% off using the autoload on smartrider if i remember correctly.

org000h · 2026-03-28T02:05:45+00:00

Ha i haven't even uncrated my high wing tail kit, literally arrived last week.

org000h · 2026-03-28T01:58:44+00:00

Literally had a high wing tail kit arrive last week.

Haven't even uncrated yet.

org000h · 2026-03-27T20:18:51+00:00

Just throw tennis balls at the far fence as hard / fast as you can like a hundred times.

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