Military

So You Want to Buy a Military Plane? Keep Reading!

A military plane is not the same thing as an ordinary civilian plane to buy and operate.

They are machines engineered to be deadly and to be subject to the demands of warfare - but complex and expensive. Old warbirds are fun, but they’re huge investment of time, money and effort.

Now, you will learn everything you want to know about purchasing and owning a military aircraft in this complete guide.

What sorts of planes there are, what it will cost, what you will need to register, what you will need to be a pilot and so on.

What Qualifies as a Military Aircraft?

When the term "military aircraft" is used, that means any airplane that was intended for military purpose. Fighters, bombers, cargo/transporters, special purpose aircraft and trainers are among them. Here are a few of the most common ones:

Fighters - Made to be used mostly for air-to-air warfare. We’ve got the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet, F-15 Eagle, F-22 Raptor.

Bombers - Develop for dropping bombs or missiles onto ground targets. B-52 Stratofortress and B-1B Lancer are two obvious candidates.

Carriers/Shift - Carried soldiers and other supplies. C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster are the strategic lifters of today.

Special Mission- These do niche operations such as intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), mid-air refuelling, and electronic warfare. For instance, E-3 Sentry AWACS and EA-18G Growler.

Trainers - Designed to get pilots in the air of high-performance military jets. First trainers such as the T-6 Texan II instruct the basics; later trainers such as the T-38 Talon train fighter pilots.

The army flew some absolutely amazing designs in the past, so this is not a complete list. But it reaches the majority of airframes civilians can really dream about.

How Big Can a Military Jet Be?

Size-wise, military aircraft range from two-seat trainers to cargo ships. These are just a few of the highlights:

Largest - Antonov An-225 "Mriya" is the biggest active plane on the planet. The Ukrainian cargo jet measures 275 ft in length and 290 ft in wingspan. Its max takeoff weight is 1.3 million pounds! Only one was ever built.

Longest - U.S. Air Force C-5 Galaxy cargo plane is the world's longest military plane, at 247 ft long. It has a 222 foot wingspan.

Heaviest - The largest takes off weight is the Russian An-124 Ruslan (893,000 lbs). It can be loaded up to 150 tonnes and operate for 2,500 miles.

Fastest - The SR-71 Blackbird recon jet is famously fast. It can fly faster than Mach 3 (2,200 mph) and up to heights of more than 80,000 feet.

Smallest - Low level training planes such as the T-6 Texan II are very small. The Texan is 33ft long and less than 34ft wide.

As you can see, there are kinds of military planes.

Private ownership is usually limited to light jets and trainers for efficiency – though there are companies that have enormous ex-military freighters flying, too. And it doesn’t stop there if you have the money!

What's the Price Difference in Maintenance?

The cost of flight and maintenance are a lot higher for military than for civilian airplanes. They are more complex, better performing and well-built and thus, they cost more to maintain.

Here are some rough figures for flying big military jets:

• Fighter Jets - $2,000+ an hour. Maintenance alone is easily more than $100,000 per year, flown light. One engine will cost you $250,000 to fix.
• Bombers - Little less than fighters/hour, but still around $1,500. Maintenance charges of $50,000+ per year even if you’re flying sparsely.
• Large Cargo Jets - Costs $10,000 per flight hour. It takes multimillion dollar budgets to maintain them airworthy.

These are just general examples but show how massive the disparity in price is from piston-engine civil aircraft. Because they are so complicated and require highly skilled mechanics and there are also issues of spare parts, military aircraft are very costly to maintain.

What You Need to Know Before You Decide on a Military Aircraft?

There are very few aircraft to get a military plane if you want one. What are the top priorities here:

• Your Purpose - What will you do with it? Joyriding, airshows, cargo, racing, etc. That will be the basis of performance and functionality you require.
• Cost - Purchase cost isn't even the start. Don’t forget that it also has high ongoing upkeep and operating costs.
• Capability of Pilot- Not all warbirds need a skilled pilot in order to fly safely. Assess your capabilities honestly. Get proper training if needed.
• Access - It’s easier to get rare jets like the T-33, L-39, and T-2 Buckeye than normal ones. Factor in spares/parts access too.
• Condition - Search for lots of logs and inspection history. Many military planes were subjected to extreme stresses. Thorough restoration is ideal.
• Changes - Don’t do too many unapproved changes. Yet technology such as the modern avionics can make things safer and more user-friendly.
• Registration Exclusions - States such as the United States, exclude some former military jets. Do your homework on requirements.

Please do the extra work to carefully match your goals with the right aircraft. When you can get one in great mechanical condition and it still has its logs, headaches will be far off the table. Don’t be so bullish on your capabilities either. Prioritize safety above all else.

Pros and Cons of Military Aircraft Ownership

You have some cool perks in owning a military jet or warbird. But also some big downsides and dangers that you need to weigh in carefully before you decide to buy one.

Pros

• Super Performance- Faster, easier to handle, last longer than civilian planes.
• Quality and exclusivity - Be in possession of an exclusive relic.
• Exclamation mark - Proud to show up anywhere.
• Racing eligibility - Participate in races such as Reno Air Races.
• Potential for investment - Some planes appreciate in value.

Cons

• Costs too high to buy and maintain - Plan on massive costs.
• Technical level - Higher upkeep, high level of mechanics needed.
• Extra regulation - Additional regulation, license and regulation.
• Advanced training - You have to get type ratings, keep up.

The novelty and exclusivity of a military jet is a dream of most airplane pilots.

Just remember to temper your excitement with a skeptic’s evaluation of the significant commitments and potential harms.

The Most Popular and Famous Military Planes

There are many former warplanes that regularly finish in the top five as best warbirds for the private collection. They were available in sufficient numbers, have good spare parts and can be flown safely by civilians better than some of the very sophisticated jets.

The best and most popular military aircraft in private ownership today:

North American T-6 Texan - The entry-level warbird most collectors flock to, more than 15,000 produced. Easily visible and handling by civilians.

de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth - A classic British trainer biplane from the 1930s. Still abundant and cheap to run. Perfect for vintage flying.

de Havilland DH.100 Vampire - British early jet fighter. First Allied fighter in the RAF. Twin-engine version: gentler.

North American T-28 Trojan - Old school 1950s powerhouse trainer. Used in many countries so you have a lot of examples nowadays.

Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star - The first USAF jet trainer (1948) and a cheap jet warbird now. Nearly 7,000 built.

Aero L-39 Albatros – Soviet jet trainer of super-power. Very competent and flies well with very good handling.

Douglas A-4 Skyhawk - Lightweight and mobile carrier strike planes. Did work for a lot of nations, more than 2,000 built.

Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter - Ultra-sonic light fighter, sold in dozens of countries. Still in service by a few air forces today.

They are the ultimate warbird, but they’re not too intimidating to pilots. The parts are a bit good and some can double up as twin engine with proper care.

The Process of Buying a Military Aircraft

If you’ve found the warbird or military jet for you, now is the time to begin the purchase. This is not like buying a regular civilian aircraft. Expect more steps, laws, lag and fees.

Finding the Right Aircraft
You'll have to do a broad search at first since there are so many military airplanes built in the decades. Check out classifieds, dealers, auction houses and trade organizations such as Warbirds of America online to find something.

Narrow results by condition, repair history, mods, etc. Don’t even think of planes that don’t have logbooks that show airworthiness. Check maintenance records up to original manufacturer if you can.

Include parts availability, too. Established warbirds such as the T-6 Texan get ample spares. But scarce planes might be short of stock.

Registration and Regulations
The majority of military planes have to be registered and operated under special regulations not that of Cessnas and Pipers. Expect a rigorous certification with approved modification and checks on the maintenance.

In the US, ex-military aircraft are under the "Experimental" class and not a certificate of airworthiness. This has to be approved by the FAA per each aircraft through an owner-specific certification plan.

There is also a type rating required for jets such as the L-39 Albatros. Be on top of training and physical exams. Policies are different globally, check the policies.

Financing and Insurance
It’s hard to finance a military plane purchase when they’re a speciality aircraft that come at a premium price. Standard aircraft loan just doesn’t work sometimes. Instead, get funding from organisations that know about warbirds.

There will be special insurance for your military aircraft operations as well. Insurers consider warbirds higher risk. Expect premiums much higher than ordinary civilian airplane policies.

Include all these extras in your budget. – the cost of upkeep, fuel, training and storage too soon.

Test Flying and Inspection
Be prepared to spend money unless you fly the exact model in and inspect it head to tail. A prebuy inspection by a professional is also a must with civil aircraft.

Verify all systems function properly. Check the general condition of the airframe and engine cylinder pressure. Be sure that the characteristics of flight are in line with the expected characteristics of that aircraft.

Be extremely careful on a test flight. Even small problems might be expensive red flags with military vehicles.

Closing the Purchase
When you are happy with the visit and analysis, then close the deal. Large sums: Use an escrow service and release money only after title is legally transferred.

Documents to register should be submitted promptly. Have the engineering go over any changes before submission. Also pass on insurance to new owner without coverage loss.

Finally, arrange delivery logistics. If you are piloting the plane yourself, then there is a plan for fuel stops, airport access and procedures. Or take a warbird pilot ferryman.

Owning a military plane is so much more complicated than a simple Cessna. But do the right thing and you’ll end up with a warbird that is still flightable in the long run.