A Fellow New Airplane Owner Starts With an Unusual Choice

As a young aircraft maintenance student, this pilot decided he wanted his aircraft to have European flair, but it came with challenges.

Jason McDowell

Wednesday, March 09, 2022 at 10:30 AM ET

Verified

Nontraditional types present additional challenges to aircraft ownership, but they can also provide some unique benefits. [Photo: Jason McDowell]

Key Takeaways:

Cameron Shepard, a young pilot, chose to own a rare 1978 SOCATA Rallye for his first airplane, defying the typical preference for common models and navigating initial hurdles like limited insurance options.
The Rallye's unique features, such as control sticks and automatic leading-edge slats, provided unexpected advantages for flight training (e.g., clear panel views, enhanced low-speed control) and made the experience more enjoyable.
Maintaining the rare aircraft presented challenges in sourcing parts, often requiring expensive international shipping, but Cameron proactively managed this through resourcefulness, networking, and eventually acquiring a large inventory of spare parts.
Despite the complexities, owning the rare Rallye was a rewarding and unique experience for Cameron, who emphasizes the importance of thorough research, joining type clubs, and a strong motivation to learn for prospective rare aircraft owners.

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When shopping for their first airplane, most new private pilots tend to focus on predictable, safe types that are a known quantity and easy to own. Types like Cessna 150s, Piper Cherokees, and the like typically top the list of contenders. Types that were produced in great quantities, that any mechanic can easily maintain, for which replacement parts are cheap and plentiful.

Cameron Shepard had a decidedly different philosophy. When he was a poor 19-year-old aircraft maintenance student, he opted to become part owner of a 1978 SOCATA Rallye. Relatively common in Europe, the French airplane is a rare sight in the U.S., with about 60 examples appearing on the FAA registry. It features an enormous bubble canopy that envelops all four seats, side-by-side seating with control sticks, and automatically deploying leading-edge slats that enable great control at low airspeeds.