Commercial vs fly yourself

[Alexb2000]

For professional pilots like Wayne, I can see the logic of just flying commercial. Nothing beats them for cost and time on a long trip. For me, I look at long trips as a necessary, but costly (time and money) thing to stay current. The best thing that can happen for currency IMO is a long trip with unexpected weather that you are now forced to deal with. Cross a couple of storm systems on a 500 mile trip and shoot the ILS to minimums at a strange airport, knocks the rust right off.

 

[wabower]

The real difference is that I have paid in advance for the tee-times.

For professional pilots like Wayne, I can see the logic of just flying commercial. Nothing beats them for cost and time on a long trip. For me, I look at long trips as a necessary, but costly (time and money) thing to stay current. The best thing that can happen for currency IMO is a long trip with unexpected weather that you are now forced to deal with. Cross a couple of storm systems on a 500 mile trip and shoot the ILS to minimums at a strange airport, knocks the rust right off.

 

[Ted]

For professional pilots like Wayne, I can see the logic of just flying commercial. Nothing beats them for cost and time on a long trip. For me, I look at long trips as a necessary, but costly (time and money) thing to stay current. The best thing that can happen for currency IMO is a long trip with unexpected weather that you are now forced to deal with. Cross a couple of storm systems on a 500 mile trip and shoot the ILS to minimums at a strange airport, knocks the rust right off.

I can agree with that. When I was a professional pilot, I had no need for proficiency flights, I had enough flight time anyway. Now that I fly a desk and Cloud Nine is still ramping back up, I do absolutely find myself looking for extra reasons to fly so I can stay proficient.

 

[Monpilot]

Thanks all for your input!

Convenience is definitely a big plus for ga.

Unfortunately, I have yet to wake up on a Sunday morning and spur of the moment decide to fly somewhere for brunch. But if I did it would definitely beat commercial prices for getting where I'm going.

So that's a trade off.

Living in Houston I can get most anywhere for much less cost so long as I have more than 5 days notice..

But I have a lot of time and money invested I. My license so I plan to use it and hopefully I will be taking spur of her moment flights of an hour or so to explore.

But it's very interesting to see how you all decide between commercial and ga.

If only I could use the plane for business and travelled more I'd love to help pay for my time through work.

 

[Gerhardt]

Since I don't have to deal with it often the TSA hassle doesn't really bother me. I fly commercially a few times each year and yeah, it's different than it used to be but I just don't see the huge PITA of it that a lot of people complain about. When I'm doing it for work I book the entire day for travel so I'm in no hurry. When I'm flying with the family we're also in no rush. And it's kind of fun to watch other people. My only two pet peeves are people who feel the need to yell into their cell phones, as if the person on the other end couldn't hear them otherwise. And people who are dragging their luggage behind them and walk right in front of you (as you're walking) and then stop. But you get the same thing at Wal-Mart. Otherwise, I can get a cinnabon and a coffee and I'm fat and happy for a while.

Flying myself is enjoyable in a different way. It's a hobby that takes concentration and effort. You don't have the opportunity to relax and let your guard down.

 

[spinfire]

I flew my longest cross country yet about a month ago, from Nashua, NH to San Antonio, TX, about 1750 statute miles, in a 140 knot airplane. This was about a day and a half trip in each direction but I deliberately didn't fly after dark. Obviously this was completely impractical from both a cost and a time basis in comparison with the airlines. But it was a blast and I got a chance to fly across half the country horizontally and basically all of the country vertically.

I was flying to an event, but I deliberately told the organizer not to expect me at any particular time, or even at all, and also let them know that I might have to head back early. I turned down any predefined roles volunteering at the event. My wife did commit to some roles ahead of time and also needed to be back at a particular time. She flew commercial (ironically, her flight back was cancelled and rescheduled for the next day because of a flat tire). I ended up making both halves of the trip within the ideal time frames I had planned but I did not want the pressure of continuing in the face of any adverse conditions.

I fly for the fun of it. With enough flexibility in time I'd be completely comfortable making this trip again or even a longer trip. But, the moment I need to arrive or depart at a particular time I'm going to need to fly commercial. This most dangerous thing you can do in GA is to commit to a schedule.

 

[wabower]

I have been a business-owner pilot for far more years than I flew for other people, and my attitude hasn't changed in either role. During most of those years we had high-perf retracs of some kind, and I flew all of them to the desert at least once.

Having BTDT (boring except for trying to figure out how to pee) I see no value in beating myself up flying to California to let the plane sit outside for a month before flying back to Dallas or KC. What am I going to learn about flying I-20 to El Paso and I-10 to KPSP (again) when it's an all-day beat on autopilot against the westerlies?

At home I can achieve 3X the training value in 1/3 the time doing almost anything else, and put the plane in it's hangar each night. When I'm in California need far more instructional insights about missing short putts than missing the approach.

I can agree with that. When I was a professional pilot, I had no need for proficiency flights, I had enough flight time anyway. Now that I fly a desk and Cloud Nine is still ramping back up, I do absolutely find myself looking for extra reasons to fly so I can stay proficient.

 

[rbridges]

Thanks all for your input!

Convenience is definitely a big plus for ga.

Unfortunately, I have yet to wake up on a Sunday morning and spur of the moment decide to fly somewhere for brunch. But if I did it would definitely beat commercial prices for getting where I'm going.

So that's a trade off.

Living in Houston I can get most anywhere for much less cost so long as I have more than 5 days notice..

But I have a lot of time and money invested I. My license so I plan to use it and hopefully I will be taking spur of her moment flights of an hour or so to explore.

But it's very interesting to see how you all decide between commercial and ga.

If only I could use the plane for business and travelled more I'd love to help pay for my time through work.

There wil be times when you will go somewhere that doesn't have a commercial airport. I live 90 minutes south of Atlanta so commercial tickets aren't bad, but I flew my dad to see his brother in north Carolina. Small city but there was a small airport 20 miles away. It is a 10hr car ride but took 3:15 in the mooney.

 

[JHW]

Yukon XL -- I assume that's the airliner? You're kidding, right? In a Yukon you're not crammed up against the 8 people around you, which most of us are. If you're you're in first/business class it's a lot better, but if I were riding in the big comfy seats it would be cost effective (though less comfortable) to fly myself. I don't find the 172 any less comfortable than coach.

if you're comparing with flying yourself then you should be springing for business class seats for more even cost comparison

 

[Ted]

I have been a business-owner pilot for far more years than I flew for other people, and my attitude hasn't changed in either role. During most of those years we had high-perf retracs of some kind, and I flew all of them to the desert at least once.

Having BTDT (boring except for trying to figure out how to pee) I see no value in beating myself up flying to California to let the plane sit outside for a month before flying back to Dallas or KC. What am I going to learn about flying I-20 to El Paso and I-10 to KPSP (again) when it's an all-day beat on autopilot against the westerlies?

At home I can achieve 3X the training value in 1/3 the time doing almost anything else, and put the plane in it's hangar each night. When I'm in California need far more instructional insights about missing short putts than missing the approach.

I guess I lump the business pilot into the same category. It comes down to you have lots of reasons to fly.

The other aspect comes down to personal preference. Why would I want to fly to Newfoundland in February so that the 310 can sit outside for a week? Because I can.

 

[wabower]

Bement and I jumped at the chance to fly the 180 to NC for Mimi's event in April, flew 3,000 miles in 6 days, day, night, all kinds of weather. But it was to an aviation-related event with aviation people, and I'd do a similar trip again in a heart-beat. I've always flown GA to OSH as well, just because it seemed like the thing to do. YMMV.

I guess I lump the business pilot into the same category. It comes down to you have lots of reasons to fly.

The other aspect comes down to personal preference. Why would I want to fly to Newfoundland in February so that the 310 can sit outside for a week? Because I can.

 

[DJTorrente]

Yeah, there is that. I have an upcoming trip to Charlotte. If I fly myself and get reimbursed for the cost of the commercial ticket (which is the most I could do and not cause a stir) I'll be out of pocket about a grand by the time I'm done.

See your tax man about deducting unreimbursed business expenses.

I have come to the conclusion that the only way I will fly more is to make the flying tax-deductible (aka, Uncle Sam pays his share).

 

[JimG.]

See your tax man about deducting unreimbursed business expenses.

I have come to the conclusion that the only way I will fly more is to make the flying tax-deductible (aka, Uncle Sam pays his share).

Which is a good reason to use your own airplane for business trips on occasion.

If you never fly further than 100 miles from your home base… it looks like a hobby

 

[Ghery]

I tend to ride the pressurized aluminum mailing tubes too often. My employer prohibits the use of GA (except for our shuttles) on company business. That, and the fact that most of my trips are way too far to even remotely consider a C-182, limits my flying to fun flying. Then I run into weather (even with an IR there is plenty of weather in the Pacific Northwe(s)t that says "drive!". Add in the DVT episode after returning from my latest long jaunt on the mailing tubes and I'm grounded as PIC the time being anyway. Something about 4 reasonable to long trips in 5 weeks and my bod said "no mas!". Should be in shape for next week's trip (I hope).

So, the simple decision tree is - business or long trip (vacation to Hawaii or Mexico)? Commercial. Get healthy again - less than 6 hours by air and more than 100 miles? GA. Weather for second option not good? Drive (yuck).

 

[Bill Watson]

Living on a strip changed everything. We quickly converted from glider to airplane back in 1996.

Upgrading from a 113kt Maule to a 155kt RV10 in 2011 changed even more.

All of our travel is personal and leisure originating from Durham NC. We fly NY and FL regularly. Anywhere east of the Mississippi is without question flying ourselves. Actually, anywhere east of the rockies is flying ourselves.

We've traveled as far a Phoenix and will fly to the west coast soon. The Bahamas are coming up and our semi-annual trips to Key West will continue... there's no better way to get to Key West and we suspect that will be the same with the Bahamas.

The cutoff for flying ourselves is the west coast and overseas.

The more interesting question may be what is our cutoff for taking a car versus flying? The last time I drove more than 1 hour was to tow a trailer full of stuff. The combination of a hangar out back, good NC airports, loaner cars, and a good Hertz rate moves the inflection point pretty close in. It also means that we drive old cars with low mileage and limited utility. When we leave town, we are flying.

It's not transportation, it's a lifestyle.

 

[comanchepilot]

Having a 160kt airplane helps this decision along a little - inside a 2 hour drive, unless its a $100 hamburger trip - we drive. Outside that - we fly our airplane. Outside the range of the airplane - we go commercial. For just the 2 of us we have come to the conclusion that going to someplace like San Diego or Palm Springs - its a 90 min or so drive and will take longer to fly than drive, plus then we have no wheels when we get there. So driving is overall more convenient.

Places like Vegas and San Luis Obispo or the Bay Area, Phoenix etc- yeah thats a fly to every time.

The Comanche has good legs too - I can get 6 hours of flight time and a 45-60 min reserve - thats a long freaking way at 155ktas at 9-11k burning 12 gph. Thats 900nm still air range- that takes me to almost Denver the long way around - Salt Lake easily - ABQ,SAF and almost to San Antonio. - thats a long way.

The decision out past about 3-4 hours of flight time is what makes the most sense - if I can fly to ABQ for $199 round trip on the airlines and there is 2 of use- does it make sense to spend $600 to fly myself? Plus - you have the heat and density altitude and then icing in winter concerns with a single engine prop . . .