How Much Does A Bush Plane Cost?

The Price Range at a Glance

Used bush planes: $30,000 to $350,000+. New bush planes: $250,000 to $600,000+. Kit planes: $70,000 to $150,000.

That's a massive range, and it all depends on what you're buying. A beat-up 1960s Super Cub with original fabric and basic instruments sits at one end. A brand-new turbine de Havilland Beaver or carbon-fiber Cub Crafters XCub sits at the other. Most buyers land somewhere in the middle.

Let's break down what the most popular bush planes actually cost, what drives the price, and what you should budget for beyond the purchase.

Popular Bush Plane Models and Their Prices

Piper Super Cub (PA-18)

The Super Cub is arguably the most iconic bush plane ever made. Piper produced them from 1949 to 1994, so there's a huge used market.

• Used (flyable condition): $70,000-$150,000
• Restored/upgraded: $150,000-$250,000
• Rough project planes: $30,000-$60,000

You can find beaters for $70,000-$80,000, but they'll need work. A clean Super Cub with good fabric, a fresh engine, and modern avionics easily pushes past $150,000. The Super Cub is a tandem two-seater, so it's limited on passenger capacity — but for pure backcountry flying, it's hard to beat.

Cessna 180 / 185 Skywagon

If you need to carry more than one passenger, the Cessna 180 and 185 are the workhorses of the bush. They seat four adults and can haul serious loads.

• Used (good condition): $80,000-$150,000
• Well-refurbished: $150,000-$250,000+
• Project planes: $50,000-$80,000

The 185 has a slightly more powerful engine than the 180 and commands a premium. Both are rugged, reliable, and plentiful on the used market. They won't match a Super Cub on short-field performance, but they'll carry a lot more stuff to the middle of nowhere.

de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

The Beaver is the king of bush planes. Built in Canada starting in 1947, it's a radial-engine beast that can carry 6-7 passengers or 2,100 pounds of cargo. It handles floats, skis, and tundra tires with equal ease.

• Used (piston): $300,000-$500,000
• Turbine conversion: $500,000-$1,000,000+

Beavers are expensive because demand far exceeds supply. They stopped making them decades ago, and operators in Alaska, Canada, and the Pacific Northwest hold onto them tightly. A well-maintained Beaver with a turbine conversion (replacing the original radial engine with a turboprop) can cross the million-dollar mark easily.

Cub Crafters XCub

Cub Crafters in Washington state builds modern, factory-new bush planes. The XCub is their flagship — think of it as a Super Cub built with modern materials and engineering.

• New (factory-built): $350,000-$450,000
• Used: $280,000-$400,000

The XCub offers a 180 HP fuel-injected engine, carbon-fiber cowling, modern avionics, and STOL (short takeoff and landing) performance that rivals or exceeds the original Super Cub. It's one of the most capable two-seat bush planes you can buy, and the price reflects that.

Aviat Husky

Another modern-production bush plane, the Husky is built by Aviat Aircraft in Wyoming. It's a tandem two-seater similar in concept to the Super Cub but with a wider cabin and more modern construction.

• New: $250,000-$400,000
• Used: $120,000-$350,000

Huskies have a loyal following and hold their value well. They're popular for both backcountry flying and float operations.

Maule

Maule Aircraft builds a range of tailwheel planes that work well as bush planes. They're known for excellent STOL performance and a relatively affordable price point.

• New: $200,000-$300,000
• Used: $60,000-$180,000

Maules are often considered the best value in bush aviation. They can carry four people, handle rough strips, and don't carry the price premium of a Cessna 185 or Beaver.

Kit-Built Bush Planes

If you're handy and patient, building from a kit can save a lot of money:

• CubCrafters Carbon Cub EX: Kit price around $70,000-$100,000 plus engine ($25,000-$40,000)
• Just Aircraft SuperSTOL: Kit around $50,000-$70,000 plus engine
• Highlander by Wild West Aircraft: $70,000-$100,000 complete

Total cost for a completed kit-built bush plane typically runs $70,000-$150,000, depending on the engine package, avionics, and finishing level. You'll invest 1,500-3,000 hours of build time — that's 1-3 years for most people working evenings and weekends.

What Drives Bush Plane Prices

Several factors cause huge price variations within the same model:

• Engine time. An engine with 200 hours since overhaul is worth far more than one approaching its 2,000-hour TBO (time between overhaul). An engine overhaul costs $25,000-$60,000 depending on the engine model.
• Airframe condition. Corrosion, fabric condition (on fabric-covered planes), and structural damage history all impact value. A plane with a clean logbook and no damage history commands a premium.
• Avionics. A bush plane with a modern Garmin GPS, ADS-B transponder, and digital engine monitor is worth $15,000-$40,000 more than one with steam gauges and no GPS.
• Modifications. Bush modifications like tundra tires ($5,000-$15,000), STOL kits ($3,000-$8,000), extended baggage compartments, and float fittings all add value.
• Float capability. Planes equipped with or set up for floats command higher prices. A set of floats alone costs $15,000-$50,000.

Costs Beyond the Purchase Price

Buying a bush plane is just the beginning. Here's what you'll spend annually to keep one flying:

• Annual inspection: $1,500-$5,000 (more if the mechanic finds issues)
• Insurance: $2,000-$8,000/year depending on your experience, the aircraft value, and coverage level
• Hangar or tie-down: $100-$500/month depending on location
• Fuel: Bush planes burn 8-15 gallons per hour of avgas at roughly $6-7/gallon. Figure $50-$100 per hour of flying.
• Engine reserve: Smart owners set aside $15-$25 per hour toward the eventual engine overhaul
• Maintenance and parts: Budget $2,000-$5,000/year for unscheduled maintenance, replacement parts, and consumables

All-in, expect to spend $8,000-$20,000 per year on top of the purchase price, depending on how much you fly and where you keep the plane. A rough rule of thumb: budget $100-$200 per flight hour for total operating costs.

Where to Find Bush Planes for Sale

The main marketplaces for used bush planes:

• Trade-A-Plane (trade-a-plane.com) — the biggest general aviation classifieds site
• Controller (controller.com) — more commercial/higher-end listings
• Barnstormers (barnstormers.com) — good for experimental and kit-built planes
• Backcountry Pilot Forums (backcountrypilot.org) — community classifieds with knowledgeable sellers

Always get a pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic who knows the specific model. Budget $500-$1,500 for a thorough pre-buy. It's the best money you'll spend — it can save you from buying someone else's expensive problem.

Bottom Line

If you're dreaming of flying into remote strips and lakeshores, here's the realistic breakdown: a used bush plane in decent shape will cost $60,000-$150,000 for a Super Cub or Cessna 180/185, with ongoing costs of $10,000-$20,000 per year. Kit-built options can get you in the air for under $100,000 if you have the skills and patience to build. And if money isn't a concern, a new XCub or turbine Beaver will cost as much as a nice house — but you'll be flying the best bush planes ever built.

Financing a Bush Plane

Most buyers don't pay cash. Aviation lenders like AOPA Finance, Dorr Aviation, and First Pryority Bank specialize in aircraft loans. Typical terms:

• Down payment: 10-20% of purchase price
• Loan terms: 10-20 years for newer aircraft, shorter for older planes
• Interest rates: Usually 1-2% above prime rate, similar to boat loans
• Minimum loan amounts: Most lenders require at least $30,000-$50,000

For a $120,000 used Cessna 185 with 15% down, you're looking at roughly $800-$1,000 per month before insurance and operating costs. Add in the annual expenses, and you're committing $20,000-$30,000 per year to your flying habit.

Some buyers form partnerships or flying clubs to split costs. Two or three pilots sharing a bush plane can cut per-person expenses by 50-65% while still getting plenty of flying time.

Renting vs. Buying

If the numbers above made you flinch, there's another option. Several operators in Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and mountain states rent bush planes by the hour or day. Rental rates for a Super Cub or Cessna 180 typically run $200-$350 per hour wet (fuel included). That's steep per hour, but you skip the insurance, hangar, maintenance, and annual inspection costs entirely.

For someone who flies 50-100 hours per year in the backcountry, renting can be cheaper than owning. Once you're flying 100+ hours annually, ownership starts to make financial sense — assuming you can stomach the upfront cost.