How One Category of Airplane Ownership Has Become More Affordable

When adjusted for inflation, research indicates avionics cost a fraction of what they did decades ago.

Jason McDowell

Wednesday, May 07, 2025 at 10:30 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A vintage Cessna 172 price list. $9,795 is the equivalent of $104,764 today. [Image: Cessna]

Key Takeaways:

General aviation aircraft prices have dramatically outpaced inflation since the 1960s and '70s, making ownership significantly less affordable today.
Major aircraft components like engines and propellers have also seen significant price increases beyond inflation, attributed partly to certification, litigation, and private equity acquisitions.
In stark contrast, avionics have experienced a massive decrease in inflation-adjusted costs, offering significantly more advanced capabilities for substantially less money compared to their 1970s equivalents.
The author is continuing research into historical labor rates and engine overhaul costs to determine if they have followed similar inflation trends as aircraft and parts.

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Occasionally, I enjoy looking through old back issues of FLYING to get a feel for what it would have been like to own an airplane in the 1960s and ’70s.

These were the heydays of GA, when it seemed as though everyone and their brother owned a small plane—and many did so on a single, middle-class salary. Bring this up in an online discussion forum or around the table at any small airport’s Saturday morning coffee and donut session, and inevitably, the conversation will eventually turn to inflation and GA affordability—or the lack thereof.