Making ownership work
How two pilots realized their dreams
Someone always has more. Regardless of what type of aircraft you have, there is privilege in owning, and while being wealthy can certainly make it easier, having an airplane or helicopter in the hangar isn’t the exclusive purview of the ultra-rich.
Yes, owning can be expensive, and it can seem completely out of reach. But sometimes it takes only a lifestyle commitment, sacrifice, and a bit of luck. Micah Muzio is a video editor for a publisher in the automotive industry, and he has his own YouTube channel reviewing cars with his family. He’s also in his early 40s and recently purchased a Robinson R44. There’s no family money bankrolling his hobby. It’s the result of saving, planning, and good timing.
“We sold our house right before the collapse in 2008,” he said. That money went to pay for a private pilot-helicopter certificate. He rented for three or four years before deciding ownership was the only way to progress in his flying adventures. “Flying an R22 around LA is cool, but I wanted to go places.” So, he stopped flying, and started saving money. He developed side hustles writing music, developing a YouTube presence, and more. Finally, in 2014 he had gathered enough money to purchase a seriously used Enstrom F–28, and then promptly blew through the maintenance budget.
Another move, this time to a smaller house in the mountains, in addition to selling the Enstrom, enabled the upgrade to the R44. The Enstrom paid for the helicopter’s down payment, and the reduction in mortgage payment offsets the aircraft’s loan payment. His built-in Robinson depreciation will be funded with another loan when the hours tick off.
There is privilege in owning, and while being wealthy can certainly make it easier, having an airplane or helicopter in the hangar isn’t the exclusive purview of the ultra-rich.“Houses have been a critical part of our decision-making process,” he said. “We downsized at a time when people were upsizing.” Although it’s farther from work and family, the new house better fits his family’s lifestyle and helps to fund his aviation habit.
The big question for many younger pilots is family. How do you make it work with young kids? When his daughter came along, he knew that his hobbies should be family focused. “We do aviation as a family.” He said his wife is fully supportive, and has been at every step along the way, provided he could find a way to pay for it. “Having a partner that supports helicopter ownership is the whole thing,” he said.
By starting on a smaller ship, learning how to be an owner, and doing work on the front end to identify the right machine, Muzio believes he’s made the journey easier. Plus, he’s been lucky. “There is an element of good fortune,” he said.
Join a club
Muzio is clearly living the dream. Having the ultimate flexibility of a helicopter with the ultimate flexibility of sole ownerships is maybe the pinnacle of aviation. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t great options at more affordable price points. Michael Cutler is proof that sacrifice goes a long way toward making it possible.
Cutler is a former pastor who currently works as a federal law enforcement officer in a prison in rural Pennsylvania. “Being a pastor is not a profession you choose for the money,” he said. “I had resigned myself that flying was cool but would never happen.” Then four years ago he got the job at the prison and watched as his wife made incredible sacrifices to earn a degree. A paramedic, she would work full shifts, drive two hours to go to night classes, drive home, and work another shift without ever sleeping. With great support at home, he decided that aviation could become a reality, and he made a plan.
Knowing that training is more efficient when you do it regularly, Cutler took out a loan and soon bought into a flying club’s Cessna 172. His $8,700 buy-in will be offset at 87 hours of flying, thanks to a wet rate of only $80. He took his private pilot checkride at 40.5 hours, started his instrument training the same afternoon, took the CFII written exam the same day as his instrument written, and has a budget all the way through his commercial training.
To make it work financially, he takes one extra shift a week. Oh, and he works nights. So, every Sunday night at 11 p.m. he starts his work week, getting off every morning at 7 a.m. His additional shift is usually during the day, meaning he’ll work for 16 hours straight. This is in addition to teaching Bible classes, flying, studying, and the everyday tasks of life. With the extra shift he can budget two flight hours a week, and flying under the hood with a friend will take that money even further.
“I feel blessed to be where I am,” he said. Owning an airplane outright is always a goal, but for now Cutler is pleased to have access to the club. It gives him a reliable airplane at a reduced rate, and a closer touchpoint to the aviation community. But it takes work and commitment. “You can look at the long-term benefit to help offset the cost,” he said. Flying for fun is important, but getting the commercial certificate and maybe a CFI will allow him to make some of the investment back.
