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 a robust and more affordable alternative to new models, offering a wide spectrum of options from budget-friendly vintage planes to "nearly new" late-model aircraft.
Demand for used LSAs is strong and growing, with aircraft selling quickly, especially those featuring low engine hours and better avionics.
Buyers can find significant value across various price points in the used LSA market, but thorough pre-purchase inspections and careful logbook reviews are crucial for any acquisition.

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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.