AAAAAAHHHGG!!!!!! "sorry, they sold the plane you reserved"

SixPapaCharlie

SixPapaCharlie

May the force be with you
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1 1/2 months ago, I got checked out and reserved this plane for a 4 day trip I am taking next weekend.

I go online today to confirm I am still scheduled to have that plane.
I don't see the plane on the website.

I call and leave a vmail and no response. Then I get this email this morning:

999987457916.jpg



WTF!!!

She says but we have a fleet of G1000 172s we can rent to you if you purchase XYZ course, and get the cert and then do a checkout w/ our CFI. It is a 2-3 hour checkout.

No Thanks. I don't have the time or money for that.

Looking forward to my road trip next week. :(

Flying is a total crap shoot. :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
 
You can not expect dispatch reliability unless YOU own a plane buy yourself, and even then it can be a crap shoot!
 
That's happened to me twice. Once I paid for a plane and CFI so I could get a rental checkout in it, the plane sold the next day and I never did get to fly it again.

Another time I got to the airport for a flight and was told the plane sold that morning.
 
It sucks because I paid to get checked out in that plane so that is money in the trash.

The other local rental place will cost me almost a grand for checkout and 3 day rental.
I can't do that.

This plane was so inexpensive.
120 wet and no daily min.
It was going to be $400 round trip for 3 days.
 
Anthony said:
You can not expect dispatch reliability unless YOU own a plane buy yourself, and even then it can be a crap shoot!
Click to expand...

Yup our plane is in the shop today getting the left brake fixed in preparation for the trip.

I have gotten to fly soooo much but it seems everytime I schedule a flight in advance, it falls apart.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Yup our plane is in the shop today getting the left brake fixed in preparation for the trip.

I have gotten to fly soooo much but it seems everytime I schedule a flight in advance, it falls apart.
Click to expand...

So, what does it look like you should quit doing?:rofl:
 
ALL their planes are G1000s?

JHC that's stupid. I guess they don't do much primary flight training. At least, not well.

I suggest you ask them to work out a deal. Especially on minimums. Maybe they have a Warrior lying around. If you can fly a 172, a Warrior transition is about an hour. Just don't forget to switch tanks.
 
Oh man, I just got another last minute plane but I am paying for it.
my $400 round trip just jumped to $900 round trip.

Bryan just keep telling yourself:
"You won't remember the money but you will remember the trip"
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Oh man, I just got another last minute plane but I am paying for it.
my $400 round trip just jumped to $900 round trip.

Bryan just keep telling yourself:
"You won't remember the money but you will remember the trip"
Click to expand...

Money comes, money goes, memories last forever.;) Even when you die, the only possible thing you can take with you is your memories.
 
After that happened to me a few times I just quit flying altogether until I could afford to buy my own. I'll never go back! There used to be a large lease-back op here that had a great variety of planes, but they seemed to disappear within a few months *after* I spent the money and effort to get checked out in them. And a Mx program that would only look at the schedule one day in advance to call people when it was down for Mx...even if you had a trip scheduled and the plane was in the shop for two weeks prior to the trip! Extremely aggravating. You just cannot depend on renting a plane for a trip IMO.
 
Press them to "do something" for you - lighten up on the daily mins, etc.
 
I know of another possible solution to this....

And no, it won't cost you a $3000 buy-in. Call me.
 
dans2992 said:
Press them to "do something" for you - lighten up on the daily mins, etc.
Click to expand...


I would but their insurance requires the G1000 checkout
I don't have the time or money to do that before my trip.

And I know there is a good chance it will be IFR when I leave for the trip and it will turn into a road trip.

If I bought the G1000 course, and paid for 3 hours to check out in it and whatever else and then it was IFR.

Right now I am only out $125 for the prior checkout and the cost of my trip has increased IF the weather cooperates.

If it doesn't and I did the G1k checkout, I would be taking a road trip and be out an additional $800
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Yup our plane is in the shop today getting the left brake fixed in preparation for the trip.

I have gotten to fly soooo much but it seems everytime I schedule a flight in advance, it falls apart.
Click to expand...


I know it doesn't help, but take solace in that you aren't the only one this has happened to.

Like Henning said, encourages a personal purchase
 
As a general rule, I try not to check out in any plane that the place I fly at has only one of. Of course, I fly at a place with about 40 planes for rent at the airport I usually use, so that's a bit easier.
 
nothing special about the plane except it was the only one for rent in the area that didn't require a 3 hr checkout or have daily minimum charges attached.

I looked at a cheetah today and they also wanted a 3 hr checkout.
165 for the plane and 65 for the instructor so $690 just to get signed off to rent.

That seems very common around here and I understand why.

This particular Cessna was $125 for me to checkout and has identical equipment to my plane.

I was not overly upset about losing the plane. That happens. I was furious that they didn't notify me. What if I had just shown up?

And let's be honest. They guy knew the plane was for sale when I was checking out in it. People don't magically sell planes in a day.
 
Were you told the plane was for sale prior to your checkout?
 
I called the owner of the plane. I told him who I was and he said "ll call you later" and hung up
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
1 1/2 months ago, I got checked out and reserved this plane for a 4 day trip I am taking next weekend.

I go online today to confirm I am still scheduled to have that plane.
I don't see the plane on the website.

I call and leave a vmail and no response. Then I get this email this morning:

999987457916.jpg



WTF!!!

She says but we have a fleet of G1000 172s we can rent to you if you purchase XYZ course, and get the cert and then do a checkout w/ our CFI. It is a 2-3 hour checkout.

No Thanks. I don't have the time or money for that.

Looking forward to my road trip next week. :(

Flying is a total crap shoot. :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
Click to expand...

I think Gina Hudson owes you something.....:yes:
 
MAKG1 said:
Was that an F U or "Let me check with my better half?"

I could see either way….
Click to expand...

I think he realized who I was and wanted me off the phone.
I called 2 more times and no answer.

I couldn't detect his mood as he has somewhat broken English
 
N801BH said:
I think Gina Hudson owes you something.....:yes:
Click to expand...

Maybe. Assuming Ms. Hudson just works the desk, I'd start by politely asking the owner/manager for a significant discount on the checkout time in a replacement set of wings.
 
Yep, sounds like another owner to be ...

C/P/Beech?!
 
brian];1574658 said:
Yep, sounds like another owner to be ...

C/P/Beech?!
Click to expand...

Even better, an Owner's son ;)

Dad is about to pull the trigger on a TB20. He says we need 2 planes and I can't bring myself to argue with him. I had to explain to him that I can pay my share of maintenance on the 9 but the 20 is all him. I will fly it while he is out of town though. Gotta keep the motor running ;)
 
I got tired of not having a plane available to rent,even got checked outin most of the different rentals so did the next best thing and bought an airplane,problem solved
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Even better, an Owner's son ;)

Dad is about to pull the trigger on a TB20. He says we need 2 planes and I can't bring myself to argue with him. I had to explain to him that I can pay my share of maintenance on the 9 but the 20 is all him. I will fly it while he is out of town though. Gotta keep the motor running ;)
Click to expand...

Dang. Can your dad adopt me? :lol:
 
So here is the message I sent to Gina and her response below:

Aug 26, I came and got checked out in the 172 (the non G1000) I worked with a CFI and someone named Rafael to get setup to use the aircraft.

Over a month out, I worked with Raphael and Gina to get it reserved for a trip next weekend, Oct 17-19. I had multiple exchanges with them as the website only allowed for 3 hr blocks so I had to have them manually schedule it for the 3 days.

I almost totally forgot but this morning remembered that I should go online and re confirm that I had the plane next weekend. I log on to the site and under equipment and rates, I see the plane listed, but under scheduling it is no longer there.
This seemed odd.

I called Raphael and he said "Hang on, let me call you back"

Nothing.

I emailed Gina and got the response this morning.

"My apologies but the owner of the aircraft sold it without our knowledge. It is my oversite that I did not contact you about your reservation. I thought I checked the schedule before removing it from the fleet."

I was disappointed to get that message.
I am so glad I followed up. What would have happened if I flew in Friday morning to pick up the plane?

I called everyone in town and was able to secure a plane at twice the price which I had reserved this one. This is for a family vacation with a couple of planes and my group is considering driving due to the price increase now.

I don't know when the original owner sold the plane but I am certainly frustrated that nobody notified me and I am also frustrated that nobody told me the plane was for sale. Why would anyone let me check out on a plane that is for sale? Certainly that is on the owner.

I raved about your operation on 2 different flight forums (one local and one national) because I was excited to find an affordable rate that didn't require daily minimums or a 3 hour checkout on the aircraft like every other flight center in my area.

I'm sad to have to share this portion of the experience but I can't in good conscience recommend a business that ignores their customers.

Very Disappointing.




Her response:

"Mr. Turner,

I cannot express enough how sorry I am that his has happened. I will pass this along to my boss, the owner."



I don't really want anything from them. I am irritated at them and we live in a "Yelp Review world" now and this is my way of reviewing them.
 
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