> is $279K significantly cheaper than most private airplanes?
No, it's not. You can buy lower-end models of Cessna and Cirrus at similar price... and Cessna Skycatcher costs only half of that ($149,900).
No, it's not. You can buy lower-end models of Cessna and Cirrus at similar price... and Cessna Skycatcher costs only half of that ($149,900).
A used airplane is probably decades old. It's probably selling for a similar price to what it originally went for when it was new. Maintenance costs are high, but they were high when the thing was new, so that's not particularly remarkable.
I'd wager that the majority of light aircraft flying in the US today would qualify for "antique" license plates if they were cars. It's a substantially different market, where the equipment lasts longer and buying used is much more common.