AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2022 - 79

OWNERSHIP /
Making
ownership work
How two pilots realized their dreams
BY IAN J. TWOMBLY
IT'S A COMMON belief that someone must
be wealthy to afford an airplane. Even
among owners there is a perceived class
system where a Cub owner thinks she has
as much in common with a Cirrus owner
as the Cirrus owner thinks she has in common
with a Gulfstream owner. Someone
always has more. Regardless of what type
of aircraft you have, there is privilege in
owning, and while being wealthy can certainly
make it easier, having an airplane or
helicopter in the hangar isn't the exclusive
purview of the ultra-rich.
Yes, owning can be expensive, and
it can seem completely out of reach. But
sometimes it takes only a lifestyle commitment,
sacrifice, and a bit of luck. Micah
Muzio is a video editor for a publisher in
the automotive industry, and he has his
own YouTube channel reviewing cars
with his family. He's also in his early 40s
and recently purchased a Robinson R44.
There's no family money bankrolling his
hobby. It's the result of saving, planning,
and good timing.
" We sold our house right before the collapse
in 2008, " he said. That money went
to pay for a private pilot-helicopter certificate.
He rented for three or four years
before deciding ownership was the only
way to progress in his flying adventures.
YouTuber and digital journalist Micah
Muzio and his wife, Evie, often fly with their
daughter and document the adventures
through various social media channels.
" Flying an R22 around LA is cool, but I
wanted to go places. " So, he stopped flying,
and started saving money. He developed
side hustles writing music, developing a
YouTube presence, and more. Finally, in
2014 he had gathered enough money to
purchase a seriously used Enstrom F-28,
and then promptly blew through the maintenance
budget.
Another move, this time to a smaller
house in the mountains, in addition to selling
the Enstrom, enabled the upgrade to
the R44. The Enstrom paid for the helicopter's
down payment, and the reduction in
mortgage payment offsets the aircraft's
loan payment. His built-in Robinson
depreciation will be funded with another
loan when the hours tick off.
" Houses have been a critical part of
our decision-making process, " he said.
" We downsized at a time when people
were upsizing. " Although it's farther from
work and family, the new house better fits
his family's lifestyle and helps to fund his
aviation habit.
The big question for many younger
pilots is family. How do you make it work
with young kids? When his daughter came
along, he knew that his hobbies should be
family focused. " We do aviation as a family. "
He said his wife is fully supportive,
and has been at every step along the way,
provided he could find a way to pay for it.
" Having a partner that supports helicopter
ownership is the whole thing, " he said.
By starting on a smaller ship, learning
how to be an owner, and doing work on
the front end to identify the right machine,
AOPA PILOT / April 2022
79
MICAH MUZIO
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2022

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