cocolos
Pre-takeoff checklist
Just out of curiosity how many of you own for 70-80% of the time and rent for those trips for the whole family? I get the feeling most just bite the bullet and own what would cover 100% of their trips.
I could see owning something small, and then renting once or twice a year for a family trip.
I rent a car most of the time for really long trips.
You might run into issues of being current/competent in whatever aircraft you plan on renting.
You hear folks talk about that but nobody does that. Typically the plane you need to rent when your plane won't cut it is...
1) expensive
2) complex and requires frequent use to maintain proficiency
3) subject to FBO rules such as minimum use and lack of availability when you need it
4) often of unknown or questionable mechanical history
5) uncommon at most FBOs, who mostly rent 172s, Diamonds, or a Cirrus
6) gone, a few short months after going on the rental line as no one is using it.
...so the reality is the folks who buy for 85% of their missions end up driving or flying SWA the other 15%. Buy a plane for convenience, not to save money.
...so the reality is the folks who buy for 85% of their missions end up driving or flying SWA the other 15%.
airplane rental for more than a couple hours local flying, is not financially doable for me.
@ ~$200/hr for a 2 hour flight to SSI, then 4Hrs/day @$200/hr while it sits on the ramp for a week (5 days), then another ~$200/hr for the trip back. gets real expensive real quick. But If you have the financial wherewithall to do that, go for it.
But if you only do that a couple times out of the year it might be worth it.
Do you think you could safely fly an A36 only flying it a couple times a year? Do you think your insurer or rental operation would be ok with that?
In addition to owning a plane, some maintain a share in a larger partnership or club to have access to such an aircraft.
That's what I am thinking would work the best. Buy some 2seater that's cheap(relatively) to operate and just take the club plane otherwise.
It's only a problem until you get enough time in type to meet the rental requirements. As long as you are willing to spend the time/ money to get a thorough initial checkout and periodically fly it, it isn't a big deal.The 'problem' with that plan is that you have to have the required hours to be insurable in the bigger plane and you have to be willing to spend some money on proficiency flying. This tends to work best if the bigger plane the club owns is something simple as a Cherokee Six.
It's only a problem until you get enough time in type to meet the rental requirements. As long as you are willing to spend the time/ money to get a thorough initial checkout and periodically fly it, it isn't a big deal.