BeechTalk - BT

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Feb 2026, 14:16

Yes, I know that the best way to make a small fortune in aviation is to start with a large fortune....but, let's have some fun game playing this out.

If you had a budget not to exceed $2M (could be much less) what aircraft do you think has the best potential for generating revenue? Could be as a charter, dry lease, flying transplants and blood, flying pipeline (or have drones taken that over?), whatever. You have $2M to spend and you get to keep the revenue. What are you buying and why?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Feb 2026, 14:26

Cessna 172s for flight training. There’s a reason they cost what they do.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Feb 2026, 15:15

Channeling my inner Mike C., whatever $2m airplane I could use to further my own business. Obviously I would have to have my own business first, but that's hands-down the best way to make a large return on an aircraft investment.

It's kind of a boring answer, though. I'd much rather be selling aerobatic/upset instruction and joyrides in a small fleet of Extras, but you said "profitable".

Curious to see some of the answers from folks that actually understand some of these markets.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Feb 2026, 21:37

Username Protected wrote:

Cessna 172s for flight training. There’s a reason they cost what they do.

How many can you get for $2M?

I think you could buy 1-4 flyable Air Tractors for $2M and suspect that with pilots willing to live on the road, you could turn a good profit if they worked hard.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Feb 2026, 21:41

Username Protected wrote:

Cessna 172s for flight training. There’s a reason they cost what they do.

How many can you get for $2M?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Feb 2026, 21:47

I don’t think you can make money long term in aviation, unless you are using someone else’s money and not counting the full operating cost and depreciation of the aircraft. But if you have alternative income streams, or want to fly one of your planes at a discount, then you can pretend the numbers make sense. ;-)

The problem is people are not willing to pay what it truly costs to fly, and there is always someone willing to undercut you by providing the same service below cost. The line of bankrupt aviation companies is staggering for a reason. Will continue to grow.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Feb 2026, 22:53

You certainly can make money. Kenn Ricci started with $40k in a defunct charter operator and went to $1B.

But I think this was then. 70s and 80s. In those times, there were more markets to exploit. Not so much today.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 13 Feb 2026, 09:27

Kevin LaRosa appears to have done pretty well making money with airplanes. You couldn't have his business now for $2M, but I'd bet he started with a lot less.

Matt Guthmiller (BT'er - Hi, Matt :thumbup:

) probably has positive cash flow from his Disney+ show, especially since Disney provided the airplane.

So, it would appear that one profitable use for aviation is film/entertainment. If I were setting out to make money today with flying things, I'd get into drone photography.