Pre-Owned LSAs Offer Recreational Flying Fun on Any Budget

Bargain prices and advanced avionics can be found on the used light sport aircraft market.

Dan Pimentel

Friday, March 04, 2022 at 11:31 AM ET

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A 2018 Bristell for sale with 400 hours and a Rotax 912iS engine. [Courtesy: Trade-A-Plane]

Key Takeaways:

The pre-owned light sport aircraft (LSA) market is robust, experiencing increased demand, faster sales, and rising prices, especially for aircraft with low engine hours and good avionics.
A wide range of used LSAs is available, catering to various budgets from highly affordable vintage models (under $30,000) to well-equipped mid-range aircraft and nearly-new, high-end models offering substantial savings over new prices.
Purchasing a pre-owned LSA can provide significant cost savings compared to buying new, but buyers are strongly advised to perform thorough pre-buy inspections and meticulous logbook reviews to ensure a dependable purchase.

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Once you have determined that flying a light sport airplane fits your personal aviation mission, it is time to get out your debit card (or sign loan docs) and buy something shiny for your hangar. After a bit of online shopping for new LSA models, you are stoked by the level of advanced avionics they offer, but floored at the sticker price.

So you go to Plan B: Looking for a nice, previously flown, used LSA.