Best career to justify owning your own plane?

labbadabba

labbadabba

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labbadabba
Just as the title says...

Insurance Salesman?
Franchise Owner?
Consultant?
 
I don't feel like there's a precise answer that can be given to this question. I assume we are talking about justifying the aircraft ownership from a business-use perspective. In that case, it's entirely dependent on:

a) the distribution and frequency of your customers/project sites
b) the intrinsic value of your time

Doctors, lawyers, engineers, franchise owners, salespersons, etc. could all have equal claim to justification of owning their own aircraft if the circumstances warrant it.
 
Wasn't the old marketing video for Cessna targeted at sales people? The whole pitch being you could "beat your competition" to the negotiating table and still have time to get home and spend time with the family?
 
CAT Insurance adjuster

I also remember seeing a job posting for a salesman for a oil type company, the job also involved flying a float plane, think it was in Louisiana.
 
Really, anything that requires extensive travel within a certain range could make a plane useful.

I know people that are going back and forth every week down to Texas for pipeline work. If you are on a level where you are managing different projects, flying would sure beat the 6 hour drive.
 
The Most Interesting Man in the World


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Walboy said:
I met an accountant a few weeks ago who flew his airplane to his clients. By the way, he was flying a brand new Cessna TTx. If there is any profession that would allow someone to figure out the in and outs of sharing the cost of airplane ownership with Uncle Sam, it's an accountant. He wasn't bashful about treating the airplane as a business asset.
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Well, it would really have to be a special situation to make that work for an accountant. Since I am one, you'd have to work exclusively on projects that were VERY time-sensitive. Most accounting work can work with documents being emailed, faxed, or over-nighted much more cheaply than flying. However, if you can charge clients enough to cover your travel expenses using GA, have at it. However, if Mr. Accountant was working for a large accounting/audit company and not his own business, I'd wager that he couldn't justify the cost of aircraft ownership quite so easily when he is only reimbursed the gov't deductible mileage rate.
 
Any business that requires travel...that and one that pays enough to support it.

I have a Visual Communcations firm that produces events all over the country and use my plane for meetings and getting to job sites within about 600 miles of home.

Even though I got if for pleasure, I can justify my 182 to be useful as a business tool...I can't yet justify a King Air!
 
A local funeral home roughly 10 years ago bought a flashy 35' or 40' long cigarette boat and advertised they were able to "scatter your ashes at sea".. I'd imagine they could do something similar for an aerial burial.
 
Any job working for a non-profit. If you have a plane long enough, it will make sure that the company achieves their goals of remaining non-profit.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Well, it would really have to be a special situation to make that work for an accountant. Since I am one, you'd have to work exclusively on projects that were VERY time-sensitive. Most accounting work can work with documents being emailed, faxed, or over-nighted much more cheaply than flying. However, if you can charge clients enough to cover your travel expenses using GA, have at it. However, if Mr. Accountant was working for a large accounting/audit company and not his own business, I'd wager that he couldn't justify the cost of aircraft ownership quite so easily when he is only reimbursed the gov't deductible mileage rate.
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When my partner and I sold our 310 back in the 80's, it was to an Anchorage-based CPA. He specialized in financial consulting for Alaska native corporations, most of which had offices in remote Alaska cities: Barrow, Nome, etc.
 
edo2000 said:
When my partner and I sold our 310 back in the 80's, it was to an Anchorage-based CPA. He specialized in financial consulting for Alaska native corporations, most of which had offices in remote Alaska cities: Barrow, Nome, etc.
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I can see that working in places where postal service is infrequent or unreliable. However, there isn't much reason for an accountant to have to be on-site in order to review documents that can be copied/faxed/emailed to them. I suppose if the clients don't know how to get that documentation for you, your only recourse is to go to their site and obtain them yourself. A balance sheet/income statement look the same in-person as they do 3,000 miles away, as do the supporting documents. :)
 
SoonerAviator said:
I can see that working in places where postal service is infrequent or unreliable. However, there isn't much reason for an accountant to have to be on-site in order to review documents that can be copied/faxed/emailed to them. I suppose if the clients don't know how to get that documentation for you, your only recourse is to go to their site and obtain them yourself. A balance sheet/income statement look the same in-person as they do 3,000 miles away, as do the supporting documents. :)
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Nome and Barrow have reliable postal service. I always assumed he was going out there for face time with managers and bookkeepers. I'm in engineering, not finance, but there are similar situations. In theory, you can do everything with drawings, flowcharts, emails, etc. In practice, a lot more information (and trust) tends to be conveyed in face-to-face meetings. Videoconferencing wasn't available back when we sold that 310. :)
 
Owning a business with a sales territory of about 500nm radius.
 
edo2000 said:
Nome and Barrow have reliable postal service. I always assumed he was going out there for face time with managers and bookkeepers. I'm in engineering, not finance, but there are similar situations. In theory, you can do everything with drawings, flowcharts, emails, etc. In practice, a lot more information (and trust) tends to be conveyed in face-to-face meetings. Videoconferencing wasn't available back when we sold that 310. :)
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That's absolutely true, and the primary reason why I travel as much as I do (via airlines). It's much quicker to audit and get detail/backup for items when you're on site because those documents are typically easily obtainable. Having to make multiple calls or emails to get a few documents that were missing or additional requests can be exhausting. Establishing rapport with your clients/customers is very helpful, especially if you're signing your name as their tax preparation contact!
 
Walboy said:
Seemed sketchy to me too. I was able to confirm through third party mutual acquaintances that what he was telling me is true. The CPA's client base is heavily involved in real estate and he is also involved with estate planning schemes. His business is owned by himself and a couple of other partners.
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It's not necessarily sketchy, it just takes a unique set of circumstances in order to justify for most accountants. In a captive market like much of the Alaska territories, you may be able to charge for your travel expenses more easily than if there are a dozen other CPA's within a dozen miles like in most metropolitan areas. If you are able to cater to a wealthy clientele, you may also be able to push those expenses to your clients as they may be more willing to consider them part of the compensation for offering services to clients who have more complex accounting/tax filings, especially when dealing with different investments and multi-state/national properties.
 
Professional golfer. Fly yourself to tournaments. Professional auto racers, ditto. Own a chain of convenience stores all spread out. I knew a guy that owned cable TV and he flew his King Air all over the place. Really, any job that requires a lot of travel and where you are your own boss.
 
FredFenster said:
A local funeral home roughly 10 years ago bought a flashy 35' or 40' long cigarette boat and advertised they were able to "scatter your ashes at sea".. I'd imagine they could do something similar for an aerial burial.
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Estate lawyer. Scatter ashes on the side, providing a service to clients and others. I know someone who does this in a beautiful C-195.

Not too much deadline pressure; get to travel to scenic spots...
 
Male prostitute, fly to your "clients", or male stripper would work. :D
 
When I was TDY to Quonset State airport in RI back in '82 (due to Reagan firing the controllers), a NAVAID maintenance guy would fly into airports to inspect/test NAVAIDS. Think he had a contract w/ the FAA to do it.
 
mscard88 said:
When I was TDY to Quonset State airport in RI back in '82 (due to Reagan firing the controllers), a NAVAID maintenance guy would fly into airports to inspect/test NAVAIDS. Think he had a contract w/ the FAA to do it.
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MN DOT has an A36 full of electrical tools. The guy flies around and maintains the state owned navaids (mostly on-airport terminal VORs and some papis/approach lights). They also inspect airports and do some travel relating to grant compliance etc.
 
Being a General Contractor with projects in numerous states works well for me. And, of course, as Jay Honeck will tell you, all contractors are all lying cheating, stealing bastards anyway, so owning a plane and writing it off for no valid reason fits the profile nicely.
 
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weilke said:
MN DOT has an A36 full of electrical tools. The guy flies around and maintains the state owned navaids (mostly on-airport terminal VORs and some papis/approach lights). They also inspect airports and do some travel relating to grant compliance etc.
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Probably the same deal for this guy, although I think he had other states besides RI.
 
Half Fast said:
- Candidate for POTUS.
- White collar criminal.

(But then, I'm being redundant....)
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You raise an interesting question... What would USSS say about a president (or even general candidate) who wanted to continue to fly GA.
 
mscard88 said:
Probably the same deal for this guy, although I think he had other states besides RI.
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In MN its a state employee flying a state plane. I would think that other states use contractors for that type of work.
 
There seem to be plenty of lawyers who use aircraft to get around. Depends on what kind of clientele you serve not much need for a plane if all you do is DUIs and evictions at the local courthouse.
 
Drug running and human trafficing would pay for a heck of a plane. What's El Chappo's fleet look like?
 
Oral surgeon or orthodontist with multiple practices.
 
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