The question comes up regularly at fly-ins and EAA chapter meetings, usually voiced by someone shopping around the homebuilding community for an affordable project: “Wasn’t home-building a lot cheaper back in the good old days?” The questioner often follows with a wistful observation about how you could build a complete airplane for under $10,000 in the 1970s, while today’s kits routinely cost $85,000 to $200,000 or more. It seems like home-building has priced itself out of reach of the average enthusiast.
Or has it?
This perceived hyperinflation in homebuilding costs deserves closer examination, particularly when we consider homebuilding as both a viable path to aircraft ownership and an excellent way to learn to fly and hone flying skills. Understanding the numbers tells a better story than looking at historical costs alone.
The Golden Age Maybe Wasn’t So Golden
Let’s start with some facts. In 1973, Jim Bede’s revolutionary BD-5 kit was advertised at $2,965, up from its original introductory price of $1,950. The Christavia MK-1, a proven two-seat design that debuted in the early 1980s, offered plans for just $225. A complete plans-built aircraft could indeed be constructed for around $8,000 to $10,000 in the mid-1970s. These figures seem almost mythical compared to today’s pricing.
But here’s where economics trumps nostalgia: a dollar in 1975 had the purchasing power of $6.08 today. That $2,965 BD-5 kit would cost $21,635 in 2025 dollars. More significantly, a complete $8,000 homebuilt from 1975 represents $48,640 in today’s purchasing power.
Suddenly, the gap between then and now narrows considerably. A standard RV-14 kit, priced at approximately $62,000, costs only about 27% more than that inflation-adjusted 1970s aircraft. When you consider the dramatic improvements in design sophistication, manufacturing precision, and included components, today’s kits represent remarkable value.
The Training Equation
The learning-to-fly component of home-building presents an even more compelling case for modern affordability. In 1976, a Cessna 150 rented for $17 per hour, with instructors charging $7 to $8 hourly. Combined, flight training cost about $25 per hour. Adjusted for inflation, that’s $149 per hour in today’s money.
Modern flight training typically runs $180 to $220 per hour for aircraft and instructor, meaning training costs have increased only marginally faster than inflation. More importantly, homebuilt aircraft offer unique training advantages that didn’t exist in the 1970s. Modern experimental aircraft might feature glass panel avionics, IFR instrumentation, autopilots, and sophisticated engine management systems that provide superior training platforms compared to the basic trainers of long ago.
The regulatory environment also favors today’s homebuilders. Once an experimental aircraft completes its Phase I testing, owners can receive instruction in their own aircraft. This eliminates rental costs and allows pilots to learn in the specific aircraft they’ll be flying. The learning curve becomes part of the ownership experience, not a separate expense.
The Real Economics of Modern Homebuilding
Today’s homebuilding economics actually favor the builder in ways that weren’t available decades ago. Kit manufacturers now offer component purchasing options, allowing builders to spread costs over the construction period rather than requiring large upfront investments. Van’s Aircraft, Zenith, and other manufacturers sell tail kits, wing kits, and fuselage kits separately, making projects financially accessible to middle-class builders.
Consider the Zenith CH-650, a popular Light Sport aircraft. The complete airframe kit costs $26,995, with the finishing kit adding $9,950. While this $37,000 total seems steep, it’s actually less expensive in real terms than many 1970s projects when adjusted for inflation. Plus it’s worth noting that you cannot buy a certificated aircraft for anywhere near that amount.
More significantly, modern homebuilts deliver capabilities unimaginable in the 1970s. Today’s experimental aircraft routinely cruise at 180+ knots, feature glass cockpits, and offer reliability that exceeds certified aircraft. The performance-per-dollar equation heavily favors modern designs.
The Income Perspective
The most telling comparison involves homebuilding costs relative to median income. In 1975, a complete homebuilt aircraft costing $8,000 represented about 59% of the median household income. Today, a $120,000 complete homebuilt (including engine and avionics) represents approximately 171% of median income.
This gap reflects broader economic trends affecting all aviation sectors, not just homebuilding. However, homebuilding remains aviation’s most accessible entry point. Factory-built aircraft have experienced even steeper price increases, with basic trainers now costing $400,000 or more. The homebuilt option looks increasingly attractive by comparison.
Building as Learning
Perhaps most importantly, modern homebuilding offers educational value that transcends mere cost considerations. Today’s builders learn advanced composite techniques, modern avionics installation, and sophisticated systems integration. These skills translate directly to better piloting and better owner maintenance.
The building process itself has become more accessible through improved documentation, online builder communities, and manufacturer support. Video tutorials, builder assistance centers, and aircraft type clubs provide resources that 1970s builders lacked.
Modern quick-build options, like Zenith’s and Van’s quick build kits, allow builders to customize their involvement level. Time-constrained builders can purchase major assemblies while still completing enough work to earn their Repairman Certificate and gain intimate aircraft knowledge.
The Bottom Line
Is homebuilding more expensive than it was fifty years ago? In absolute dollars, yes. In real economic terms, not dramatically so. More importantly, today’s builders receive far more value for their investment—better designs, superior materials, advanced avionics, and comprehensive support systems.
The real question isn’t whether home-building costs more, but whether it remains aviation’s best path to ownership and flying. The evidence suggests it does. For the price of a modest house down payment, homebuilders can own high-performance aircraft that outclass anything available to 1970s builders. They can learn to fly in sophisticated platforms while gaining mechanical knowledge that makes them better, safer pilots.
The dream of building and flying your own aircraft remains as achievable today as it was in homebuilding’s supposed golden age. The dollar figures may be higher, but the value proposition has never been stronger. For those seeking aircraft ownership, aviation education, and the magic of flight, homebuilding continues to offer the best return on investment in all of aviation.
The question isn’t whether you can afford to build—it’s whether you can afford not to.
