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

Verified

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 high demand, quicker sales, and increasing prices, especially for aircraft with low engine hours and better avionics.
Used LSAs are available across a wide range of budgets, from highly affordable vintage models (under $50k) and older modern LSAs to well-equipped middle-market options and late-model aircraft offering significant savings over new.
Prospective buyers should always conduct a thorough pre-buy inspection and logbook review for any used LSA, as the market offers dependable and economical alternatives to expensive new models.

See a mistake? Contact us.

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.