Airplanes are coming down in price over time. They are still more expensive than cars, but they cost less than most homes.
On January 21, 2010, Piper Aircraft announced details and unveiled its all-new Piper Sport, underscoring its foray into the Light Sport Aviation segment with a world-class aircraft that speaks to Piper's heritage in bringing seminal, entry-level airplanes to market while offering features and performance normally found in more expensive, high-end aircraft.
The Piper Sport, manufactured under a licensing agreement with Czech Sport Aircraft (CSA) and distributed through Piper's master distributor, Piper Sport Distribution, is immediately available for sale, with first deliveries scheduled for April.
The Piper Sport features a rate of climb of 1,200 feet per minute and is capable of reaching a maximum cruise speed of 138 miles per hour and an altitude of 10,000 feet. The aircraft has a gross weight of 1,320 pounds and 600 pounds of useful load. With the ability to run on automotive fuel, the Piper Sport's 30-gallon fuel capacity gives the aircraft a range of 600 nautical miles and the ability to refuel virtually anywhere in the world that offers either 100LL or premium, unleaded automotive fuel.
There are three variants of the aircraft: The PiperSport, which sells for $119,900; the PiperSport LT (primarily a training model), which sells for $129,900; and the PiperSport LTD (professional model), which sells for $139,900.