![]() ![]() Pilot requirements include a minimum of 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command flight time, and an experimental type rating in the jet, earned in a check ride with a designated examiner for the aircraft model the flight examiner who gave you your IFR or multi-engine check ride will not suffice. Moreover, just because you have a pilot’s license and can afford a warbird jet doesn’t mean you’ll be able to fly it. “They have a usefulness for historical display, but they’re not a substitute for a Citation or Pilatus,” says Mark Clark, president of Courtesy Aircraft in Rockford, Illinois, a longtime warbird brokerage. Military jets are also at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to cabin comfort. Designed for flights of about one and a half hours, trainers have limited range and while a modern fighter doesn’t necessarily require aerial refueling to cover the distance of an average business jet flight in a lot less time, these seemingly invincible machines lack conventional de-icing systems and are not reliable all-weather aircraft. In other words, they cannot be used for personal transport or to carry paying passengers.īut jet warbirds make poor cross-country transports, anyway. Several aircraft brokerages specializing in warbirds also freely share their expertise.īut be aware that once in private hands, former warships can be operated only in the Experimental, Exhibition category, which limits them to static and aerial displays demonstrating the airplanes’ characteristics for the public and films flights to and from these locations and flights to attain and maintain pilot proficiency in the aircraft. The Classic Jet Aircraft Association (CJAA), which represents the private owners of turbine warbirds, and the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Warbirds of America division, longtime champion of warbird owners and operators, should be at the top of any shopper’s resource list for subject-matter experts. ![]() “No two are the same-it’s such a one-off situation, and you can’t compare any of the aircraft to each other in terms of restoration,” says Jason Zilberbrand, president of aircraft appraisal service Vref. But establishing value is much more difficult with a turbine warbird than with a business jet. Some jets have been restored and updated with glass-panel cockpits others are untold hours and dollars from being airworthy and you can find everything in between. military operators upgrading their fleets.) military no longer sells operable tactical aircraft to the public due to concerns about terrorism, but they come to market from non-U.S. But more contemporary military jets are also available, with current inventory including a McDonnell Douglas F4H-1F Phantom, Dornier Alpha Jet, Folland Gnat, and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. That’s thanks to attributes such as large production numbers, maintainability, availability of spare parts, and relative simplicity of operation. Serious consideration of any one of these three issues is enough to shoot down many top-gun dreams, so before you start shopping, make sure you understand all the pros and cons.Įarly turbines-including the USAF F-86 Sabre fighter and T-33 Shooting Star trainer and Russia’s supersonic MiG 21, along with the second-generation Czech L-39 Albatros trainer-are among platforms popular with this jet set. And piloting them safely requires a professional-caliber stick. ![]() Additionally, regulations and operational limitations hobble their use. Many of the listings are priced significantly below the seven-figure sums that a fully restored Mustang or other top World War II warbird commands.īut attention shoppers: purchase price aside, costs of operation and maintenance are much higher for a military jet than for a business jet or piston warbird. Where World War II veterans like the iconic P-51 Mustang and trusty T-6 Texan trainer formerly ruled the civilian warbird skies, today a growing number of decommissioned military jets-from first-generation trainers to modern-era supersonic fighters-are available on the aftermarket, and some 1,000 turbine warbirds are now registered to private owners in the U.S.īusiness jet owner/pilots looking for something a little faster and flashier to fly, and collectors seeking a jewel for their fleets, can find an assortment of choices in the warbird sections of publications and websites featuring aircraft for sale. Forget for a moment the search for a practical business aircraft-the preowned warbird market has entered the jet age.
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