Easiest plane to maintain?

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jktuchman

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jkt
I would like to start a part 135. What single engine plane would be the easiest to convert to part 135 VFR and what plane would be easiest to maintain? Cessna, Cirrus, Mooney, Beech craft or Piper? Thank you!
 
Not knowing anything about your planned loads, ranges, or operating area, it's impossible to answer your question.
 
Ron Levy said:
Not knowing anything about your planned loads, ranges, or operating area, it's impossible to answer your question.
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I apologize. These would be day trips going no further than 300mi with a pay load equal to 3-4 passengers operating in Michigan.
 
Insurance is getting harder to obtain, and is the first thing the FAA will ask about, assuming they will even talk to you within the next year.
 
jktuchman said:
I apologize. These would be day trips going no further than 300mi with a pay load equal to 3-4 passengers operating in Michigan.
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Probably a Cherokee 6 (maybe a Saratoga if you shop for one with low enough empty weight to haul five adults) or Cessna 206. Both have been popular with 135 operators for decades. Enough room and payload for pilot+4, enough speed for trips of under 300nm, and relatively low maintenance requirements.
 
Ron Levy said:
Probably a Cherokee 6 (maybe a Saratoga if you shop for one with low enough empty weight to haul five adults) or Cessna 206. Both have been popular with 135 operators for decades. Enough room and payload for pilot+4, enough speed for trips of under 300nm, and relatively low maintenance requirements.
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Thank you! What about the Cirrus sr22? I know it's a smaller aircraft but would it be something to consider since they put 5 seats in on the later models? I don't know much about maintenance on the sr22 but would it be easier to maintain than the 206 or no?
 
IO550ed U206

Or ask your proposed DOM

I think if you are asking this question you're going to be over your head starting a 135.
 
James331 said:
IO550ed U206

Or ask your proposed DOM

I think if you are asking this question you're going to be over your head starting a 135.
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As an owner of a 135 operation, I agree.

Look for an existing operating 135 certificate that is for sale. Look for C-206 or Cherokeee 6 that are already on a 135 certificate.

Expect the FAA to take at least a year if you are starting from scratch.
 
jktuchman said:
Thank you! What about the Cirrus sr22? I know it's a smaller aircraft but would it be something to consider since they put 5 seats in on the later models? I don't know much about maintenance on the sr22 but would it be easier to maintain than the 206 or no?
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An SR22 won't do what you want. Period, end of story, no matter how many seats someone puts in one.

And read again what Zeldman said -- if you're asking these questions, you aren't ready to even start investigating running a 135 operation. What you need to do is go work for one for a year or two and then think about going out on your own.
 
Where in Michigan? Fly to/from where?
 
jktuchman said:
I would like to start a part 135. What single engine plane would be the easiest to convert to part 135 VFR and what plane would be easiest to maintain? Cessna, Cirrus, Mooney, Beech craft or Piper? Thank you!
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Zeldman said:
Look for an existing operating 135 certificate that is for sale. Look for C-206 or Cherokeee 6 that are already on a 135 certificate.

Expect the FAA to take at least a year if you are starting from scratch.
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I agree, buying an existing 135 certificate is the easy way out. A year to get a 135 certificate from scratch is about what it took for the single pilot 135 operation I was part of too.

As far as the aircraft goes, I didn't think the process of getting the plane ready for 135 was as hard as what I had been warned about. I'd probably favor a Cessna 206 for this but a Cherokee 6 would be an alternative to consider as well.
 
Zeldman said:
As an owner of a 135 operation, I agree.

Look for an existing operating 135 certificate that is for sale. Look for C-206 or Cherokeee 6 that are already on a 135 certificate.

Expect the FAA to take at least a year if you are starting from scratch.
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mondtster said:
I agree, buying an existing 135 certificate is the easy way out. A year to get a 135 certificate from scratch is about what it took for the single pilot 135 operation I was part of too.

As far as the aircraft goes, I didn't think the process of getting the plane ready for 135 was as hard as what I had been warned about. I'd probably favor a Cessna 206 for this but a Cherokee 6 would be an alternative to consider as well.
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Some food for thought.

You can't "buy" a Part 135 Certificate. You must buy the company that holds the certificate, and even then it can become rather difficult to do, especially if you are going to move the certificate from one FSDO area to another.

Before doing something like this (before money changes hands) one must insure the FAA will be on board and assist to new owner, otherwise he will be re-certifying all over again.
 
A new 206. Next to that, one that has absolutely NO modifications (all stock).
 
RotorAndWing said:
Some food for thought.

You can't "buy" a Part 135 Certificate. You must buy the company that holds the certificate, and even then it can become rather difficult to do, especially if you are going to move the certificate from one FSDO area to another.

Before doing something like this (before money changes hands) one must insure the FAA will be on board and assist to new owner, otherwise he will be re-certifying all over again.
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True, but you buy the company without airplanes and assets, except the certificate.

The company we bought, the FAA was involved from the start. Almost like we had to get permission from the FAA first. Actually it all went quite well. We stayed in the same FSDO and the POI was the same, so inspections went very well. And we were even able to pay the lawyer afterwards...:lol:

We did buy the planes. Since the planes were already on the certificate, it made the inspections a little easier on us. We could have saved a pile of cash if we had leased planes but it would take a little longer to get in operation.
 
coloradobluesky said:
A new 206. Next to that, one that has absolutely NO modifications (all stock).
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Do NOT buy a new 206, they cost more and make less $$

Get a clean U206 with the extensions but a timed out engine and prop, get the IO550 and prop, this way you're fresh under the cowl.
 
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Zeldman said:
True, but you buy the company without airplanes and assets, except the certificate.

The company we bought, the FAA was involved from the start. Almost like we had to get permission from the FAA first. Actually it all went quite well. We stayed in the same FSDO and the POI was the same, so inspections went very well. And we were even able to pay the lawyer afterwards...:lol:

We did buy the planes. Since the planes were already on the certificate, it made the inspections a little easier on us. We could have saved a pile of cash if we had leased planes but it would take a little longer to get in operation.
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Glad it worked out for you, sounds like you had everything in line and got the FAA on board from the beginning.

There have been a few certificates "sold" and the new owner come walking into the FSDO with certificate and manuals in hand wanting to know what to do to "transfer" the certificate. Needless to say they went away disappointed.
 
jktuchman said:
I apologize. These would be day trips going no further than 300mi with a pay load equal to 3-4 passengers operating in Michigan.
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You're gonna do this VFR in Michigan? I hope your passengers have lots of time to spare.
 
Around this area, the only SE 135 operators working are flying SR-22s, and they are reasonably busy. People like the chute, and for short trip across Alligator Alley or up state they are a lot more economical for a small time increase over a King Air. Mostly they are hauling one or two people.
 
RotorAndWing said:
Some food for thought.

You can't "buy" a Part 135 Certificate. You must buy the company that holds the certificate, and even then it can become rather difficult to do, especially if you are going to move the certificate from one FSDO area to another.

Before doing something like this (before money changes hands) one must insure the FAA will be on board and assist to new owner, otherwise he will be re-certifying all over again.
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Yep. Another way to go about it is find a 135 operator that will work a deal with you leasing your plane onto his certificate and putting you on as a pilot for a percentage.
 
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Henning said:
Yep. Another way to go about it is find a 135 operator that will work a deal with you leasing your plane onto his certificate and putting you on as a pilot for a percentage.
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That sounds like a pretty good arrangement if you can work it out.
 
Probably the most popular planes to start a single pilot 135 operation with is the Cherokee Six or the Seneca.
 
Ron Levy said:
An SR22 won't do what you want. Period, end of story, no matter how many seats someone puts in one.

And read again what Zeldman said -- if you're asking these questions, you aren't ready to even start investigating running a 135 operation. What you need to do is go work for one for a year or two and then think about going out on your own.
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You are absolutely right. I'm currently looking for a 135 operation in my area to work for.:D
 
jktuchman said:
I apologize. These would be day trips going no further than 300mi with a pay load equal to 3-4 passengers operating in Michigan.
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Id say a Cessna 206 as well or maybe a Bonanza, however, im not sure how cheap those are to maintain.
 
jktuchman said:
I apologize. These would be day trips going no further than 300mi with a pay load equal to 3-4 passengers operating in Michigan.
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Cheorkee 6 - 300

I know of one which has already been on Part 135 service and has all the service bulletins completed ...... less than $50k
 
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