How Much Does A Beechcraft Staggerwing Cost?

‍Aviation history enthusiasts may want to buy a Beechcraft Staggerwing, but aren’t sure what it costs. Learn everything about how much a Staggerwing costs here.

A Beechcraft Staggerwing will set you back anywhere from around $100,000 to $500,000 or more depending on its condition, airworthiness, number of hours, and more. Typically, you can find them for sale from about $180,000 to $350,000 for one in decent condition that can fly.

The only way for SkyTough to become as popular as it has is by providing you with the most accurate content that we can. From the start, that’s been our number one priority and that will never change. So strap in and get ready to learn everything there is to know about how much a Beechcraft Staggerwing truly costs.

‍What is a Beechcraft Staggerwing?

A Beechcraft Staggerwing is a  single-engine, two-seat biplane that was first flown in 1932. It was designed for personal and business use and quickly gained popularity due to its speed and luxury. More than 750 Staggerwings were built between 1932 and 1949, when production ended. In recent years, the Staggerwing has seen a resurgence in popularity due to its classic design, historic prominence, and unique flying characteristics.

How Much Does a New Beechcraft Staggerwing Cost?

If you're interested in buying a brand new Beechcraft Staggerwing right off the showroom floor, I have some bad news for you. The only way that you'll be able to do that is to hop in a time machine and travel back about 70 to 80 years since they stopped production in 1949. If you have a working time machine, let me know, I'd love to go with ya!

But in all honesty, you can't buy a brand new Staggerwing simply because they are not produced anymore. This aircraft was produced from 1933 to 1949, and less than 800 of them were built. So not only is it impossible to buy a new one, it can be tough to even find one for sale at all.

How Much Does a Used Beecraft Staggerwing Cost?

As mentioned, the Staggerwing has been out of production since 1949, so finding one is not nearly as easy as finding many other types of planes. While there is no shortage of cheap planes you can buy and fly, you might be dead set on finding a Staggerwing, and that's okay because we're here to help get you ready for the purchase of a lifetime.

So how much does a Beechcraft Staggerwing cost?

Like any other airplane for sale, the price of a Staggerwing is going to depend on a number of different things. This includes stuff like its condition, airworthiness,  how many hours it has been flown, and more. Staggerwings in tip-top shape with lower hours on it will cost a lot more than one that's been flown to death and is currently inoperable. But we're going to focus on planes that are in working order that you can hop in and take to the skies with.

In general, you can expect to pay anywhere from about $110,000 to $500,000 or more. Sometimes you can find a great deal on one for about $100,000, but those units are usually scooped up pretty quickly at that price, and they often do not actually fly and will require substantial restoration costs. In most cases, the prices will range from around $180,000 to $350,000 or so, which should give you a decent idea about how much you'll have to pay to buy one.

If you have the cash laying around, that's easy. But if you have to take a loan out, make sure you also account for the additional costs of financing, such as interest and any extra money or items that you have to put down as collateral. This will raise the total effective price of buying the Staggerwing, so it's worth keeping in mind.

Cost to Maintain a Beechcraft Staggerwing

Above we talked about how much it costs to actually get your hands on a Staggerwing, but that's not the complete picture. Sometimes the purchase price of the plane is actually the least of your concerns, especially if you finance it and have a relatively low monthly payment. Owning, flying, and maintaining an airplane can be even more expensive than buying one, and that rings true for the Staggerwing as well.

We've gone into all of the different costs of airplane ownership in depth in other articles, so I won't get too far into the weeds here. Smaller costs like hangar fees, tie downs, insurance, inspections, and annual maintenance are certainly worth noting, but won't move the needle as much as you think.

Outside of the purchase price and financing costs, the biggest costs of flying an airplane are usually the fuel and unexpected, major repairs. If the Beechcraft Staggerwing runs on AvGas like most other similar airplanes, you can expect to pay about $5 to $8 per gallon depending on where you live. Based on the price of fuel and the fuel efficiency of the plane (about 7 miles/gallon), you can expect to pay about $1 per mile that you fly, which will really add up!

The other big cost to b ready for, especially with an older aircraft like this, is the price of major repairs or restorations that are needed to fly safely. If you have a major issue like an engine failure, you could easily have to pay $15,000 to $20,000 just to get it fixed on its own. If the Staggerwing requires substantial restoration and repair to be airworthy, it's common to spend more on getting it there than the actual market value of the plane once it's ready to fly.

All in all, a Beechcraft Staggerwing is going to cost you at least $200,000 to buy, and it could easily cost double that or more if you finance it and/or have to put money into restoring it. Flying one isn't cheap either, and you should anticipate spending about $500 per month on fuel alone if you fly it regularly. Of course, the costs could be much higher if you have to do any major repairs.

So is a Beechcraft Staggerwing worth the cost? That's a decision that you'll have to make for yourself. But if you're passionate about flying and want to own a piece of aviation history, it might be worth the investment. Just make sure you do your research and know what you're getting into before pulling the trigger!