Sporty’s grabbed attention late last year when they offered training at $99 an hour in refurbished Cessna 172s at their flight school in Batavia, Ohio, and now the company is taking orders for fully refurbed airplanes at a price of $132,900. “After December’s announcement of the 172LITE, my inbox and voicemail were flooded with inquiries from flight schools and flying clubs throughout the country,” Sporty’s Charlie Masters said last week. “There is industry-wide demand for a basic, affordable airplane for the training and rental market for which the 172LITE hits the spot.”
The next refurbed Skyhawk should be available for sale in about a month, Masters told AVweb this week. He added that Sporty’s is now in discussions with flight schools about refurbishing their existing fleets. The condition of the airplane will determine the price, he said, but “a big wide ballpark estimate” would be about $100,000 for the refurbishment alone. Each airplane will be inspected by Sporty’s mechanics and a refurbishment plan developed, which could include an engine overhaul, new interior trim and upholstery, wiring inspection, LED exterior lights, fresh paint and more. The result, according to Sporty’s, is a new-looking airplane that can accommodate “two real-sized adults,” with all the instruments needed for initial training, for about one-third the price of a new Skyhawk.
