Quote:
Originally posted by ktsnake
When I have the $, I'm considering the purchase of an ultralight. A standard driver's license is sufficient for one of those. You're not much danger to anyone in something that small (other than yourself).
I'm kind of interested in the closed-cockpit models. If I ever have $80,000 burning a hole in my pocket, I might go and get a nice one 
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$80,000?!?!? Try about $200,000 for a brand new Cessna 172. (You can thank the personal injury attorneys for nearly suing the general aviation industry out of existence.) Used aircraft can be found for much less, but like a used car, they can wind up becoming high-maintenance 'hangar queens'.
Many airplane owners have resorted to 'fractional ownership' or 'frax', in which you purchase an ownership share in an aircraft entitling you to a guaranteed number of flight hours on the aircraft each year. Each fractional owner also pays a share of the maintenance and hangaring of the aircraft. It's pretty popular now with corporate aircraft, but it's gaining in popularity with the rest of the general aviation community.