Which your host is back in charming Fallon, NV, having only left the place last Friday, but such were the puts and takes of managing pilot availabilities amidst an ever-dynamic requirements set. It was nice to be @home #whileitlasted, but it’ll be good to get back in the air again, so long as the weather cooperates, which it shows every intention not to do tomorrow. Actual Snow, if the forecasts are to be believed. I positively shiver.
But: The trends for the balance of the week are favorable.
Managed to grind out nine holes at Miramar with pleasant company, one of whom was a Pee-haitch-dee in plasma physics but who now occupies himself finding a cure for cancer. Ninety-five percent of the research in the field, he said, occupies itself with attacking the disease, but hizzoner is coming at it a different way by attempting to reinvigorate the immuno system which any successful cancer characteristically suppresses. Very promising he related, and he’s very highly motivated too, having been diagnosed many several years ago with prostate cancer and having chosen to eschew traditional therapies. Which I wished him well for it.
Flew Southwest from Sandy Eggo to Reno, not least because there’s a direct flight. Sat next to a young man who noticed my UVa ballcap and asked whether I was a Wahoo at all? I had to tell him no, that I’d done my undergrad work at Navy and that I wore the hat more in reference to my own, my native land. What did you do in the Navy, I flew Hornets chiefly, so did I, what is your name and I told him.
Turns out he knew me, a bit, we had briefly shared the same spaces at the fleet replacement squadron, he as a first tour nugget and your host returning once again to fly the FA-18 subsequent to a tour of duty in Key West flying other aircraft. I made as though I remembered him, considering that a polite fiction, no more, considering he’d remembered me and that had been, what? Nineteen years ago.
He’d quit the service as a lieutenant, having completed his fleet tour and a stint as an instructor pilot at one of the T-45 training squadron in Kingsville. Got hired by United, has been twice furloughed and now scrapes together what he can here or there as a drilling reservist in non-flying roles. In the middle of a divorce. Shared custody.
So, yeah, it’s a little cold here in Fallon and the weather glowers at us, but taken all in all, we are not feeling terribly unfortunate just the now. The Crushing Burden of Debt is back on the market, we had 20 groups of visitors on our first open house of the new year, several of whom apparently came back for second visits on the same day. We are cautiously optimistic that we might just pull this thing off. Bills get paid, kids go to college and there might even be a down-payment left for an airplane, although we step cautiously into that mixed blessing of aircraft ownership.
A 0715 brief tomorrow morning, followed by a night hop that will land just within our crew day requirements.
If it’s a little quiet ’round these parts tomorrow, you’ll know why.
Kinda nice to have a night in your own rack.
The LT. sounds like he shoulda paid a little more attention to the books.
You Sir, are looking at a series of bad weather commin’ your way.
Fly safe Capt., we need you.
When you get your plane, I suspect it will be a P-51D. Will you paint it as a FJ SeaHorse? One belonging to VF-153 perhaps?
Lex, if/when the time comes for a winged steed of your own, in all seriousness, make sure you go fly a Cirrus. The used Cirrus market is very soft right now and there are very well-maintained birds available for insanely reasonable prices. There are many friends of mine throughout SoCal who would be more than happy and (legally) able to put you in the left seat of their aircraft so you can see for yourself. It fits your mission, ~172 knots TAS @ <15GPH LOP. Plus you have that nice handle-thingy. You know it works. Hobbit will like it. A lot. You know how to get hold of me.
On Controller.com I’m still seeing around $200k for a mid-time 2003 model with TKS and a variety of panel options. With $40k in and and 6.5% financing over 20 years, that’s still nearly $1200/mo just in loan servicing costs.
Then you throw in engine reserve, unscheduled maintenance, annual, hangar and insurance – not to mention routine operating expenses – and I’m still looking at Unobtanium.
And it’s not so very bad to rent…
Sounds like you’re perfect for a partnership. Several around Montgomery and Camarillo with SR22′s. If you go for a “6-pack” that’s already done the chute-ectomy, that’s a lot less. Stay in touch, I know people…
I have been investigating airplane ownership and the benefits of investing my hard earned treasure in a downpayment and turing that investment into positive cash flow, favorable tax benefits and the potential to have reduced cost flying…..the answer is a leaseback with the local flight school…with conditions for example – no primary students if I get the following…
Leaseback wish list;
C-172 low time, less than 10 years old, no crash history and complete paperwork
Standard engine and exhaust, no mods. Engine and prop with mid time remaining or better
IFR panel
Garmin 430 GPS (not glass cockpit or high end G-1000 flat panels due low rental income)
Auto pilot
Push to talk
Leather or vinyl seats
These are all wish list. If the airplane is older, that is okay. The rest of his C-172 fleet of higher use (non basic trainer) aircraft are configured similarly and he aims to try and standardize maintenance check intervals and parts inventory.
The Flight School owner sent me a package with cost and revenue spreadsheets and some examples of his current leaseback aircraft. I want a Citabria or a float plane but he says he can’t rent those enough to help offset costs so I am now a big fan of nicer, low time, well equipped, well maintained C-172′s.
I welcome comments from those who have been down this road before.
Airmail:
Leasebacks can be good, or they can be very, very bad. Be sure to do or sign nothing until you consult with an attorney in your locale who is actually experienced in this specific field, as well as your accountant and insurance company. If you are in NY or FL, I can steer you to a very good friend of mine, and former Whale driver, who is very conversant on this.
Best,
Comjam
Comjam,
Would very much appreciate a steer towards the conversant one (-:
My office cell phone (best to reach me on) 734 548 0136. I live in Broward County, FL.
V/R
Airmail
I’ll give you a call tomorrow! (Tuesday)
An airplane is a hole in the air you attempt to fill with money. I’d like something like an Ercoupe that i can go up and bore holes in the burning blue and look down on the rpoles evey now and again, but won’t take me to the cleaners when I just look at it.
Used RV of the various ilks. Not super fast, but not slow,either. Efficient, fun, pretty utilitarian with the right choice of reasonable GPS and instruments. And that ‘hole in the air’ isn’t too terribly large.
Not until that engine reserve has to be used.