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In and Out in a Day: Saving Time With General Aviation

En route to Finger Lakes Regional Airport in New York. [Credit: Jonathan Welsh]

When I started flying more than a dozen years ago and started to talk about buying an airplane someday, my father-in-law asked me to name some of the economic advantages of traveling via general aviation instead of driving, taking a train, or using the airlines.

I had to break the news to him that, as far as I know, there are no pure monetary savings to be found in private aviation. If you consider time, convenience, and self-determination among your forms of currency, however, you can begin building a strong case for getting around in your own airplane.

Jonathan Welsh

Jonathan Welsh is a private pilot and lifelong aviation enthusiast who has been a reporter, writer and columnist for 35 years. His career includes stints with the Wall Street Journal, Flying Magazine and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. He recently returned to Firecrown to lead Aviation Consumer.