In the United States, there are several options for buying a plane, and several things you need to consider before buying a plane.

1. **Up-Front Costs**: Consider the up-front costs for buying a plane. Most ultralight aircrafts, or single-seat, single-engine recreational planes can cost anywhere between $8,000 and $15,000. Single engine planes that hold two or more people can go anywhere between $15,000 and $100,000, but are still more economical to operate and maintain than multi-engine recreational planes, which could cost you anywhere between $75,000 and $300,000. Whatever plane you consider, you should keep a maintainable financial situation whether you plan to either finance your purchase or pay up-front.
2. **Storage**: When you're not using your plane, or before you get a fliers' license, you'll have to plan a location to store the vehicle. If you have a larger budget or you plan to get a larger plane, you may wish to rent a hangar. Costs for storing a small plane in a hangar typically run at around $250-$350 per month, with an extra $100 up-front for tiedown gear. An outside tiedown location may be preferable, but you will need an area to store the plane, as well as previously mentioned tiedown gear and a cover to protect your aircraft from the elements.
3. **Maintenance**: As per a recommendation from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), you should consider establishing an escrow fund for propeller, avionics, airframe and engine repairs, as well as regular oil changes around once every four months or every 50 hours of flight time. Small aircraft are required to undergo an annual inspection, which can cost, per year, an average of $600 to $1,200, with additional inspection costs paid to inspect specialized retractable landing gear.
4. **Insurance**: Aviation insurance agencies cover aircraft damage ranging from in-flight damage to external damage. Ultimately the cost and range of insurance will depend on the insurance provider and the experience of the operator, but you can expect insurance premiums to be somewhere between $500 and several thousand dollars per year. Generally, it's considered best to consult a licensed aviation insurance agent before settling on any one insurance option.
5. **Fuel and Landing Costs**: When flying, you need to consider the fueling costs of your plane. Typically you can expect plane fuel to run around $5 per gallon, with the capacity of a tank varying with airplane model. The average small plane burns around 5-10 gallons per hour, which means your cost of flying will be around $25-$50 per hour. Also notable is the landing costs of a small plane which, depending on the airport and whether you will be renting hanger space, can range from no cost at all, rather charging for the use of gates and check-in facilities, to a cost that is determined by weight of plane, to a flat fee for different classes of airplane. You should look up the landing fees for airports you may plan to land at regularly, and build a budgetary plan that considers this.

Whatever you decide to do, it's important to remember to be safe while flying at all times, and to ensure that you have the proper certifications, should you plan to fly the plane. If there's anything else you want to ask about owning a plane in the United States, feel free to ask 😊
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