Finding rentals?

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gfunc

Filing Flight Plan
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Jun 15, 2008
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Gareth
Hi folks,

I wondering if anyone knows of a good way to come across rental aircraft in my local area? Google is as good as the user, but I'm wondering if anyone knows of any listings websites or similar?

I live in Albany, NY (about a mile from the threshold of RWY01) but I've only come across two rental aircraft in the local area (PA28 at ALB and C172 at SCH). I've had a checkout on both but trying to schedule either of them is a nightmare as one is constantly in use by airline-bound hour builders and the other keeps canceling on me as the owner likes to take the aircraft away and not bring it back (it's their aeroplane it guess!). I'm also pretty sure that one of these is about to go out of business pretty soon. It seems pretty shocking that in a metropolitan area of 1m+ people there are only two rentals! I hope I'm just looking in the wrong places!

Cheers,

Gareth.
 
The websites that have attempted to list rentals nationwide have been hit or miss -- mostly miss. They are outdated frequently and virtually always incomplete. My advice would be to look up the airport listing for any field near you at www.airnav.com, scroll down to the bottom where they list FBOs and other businesses on the field, and contact each one individually.
 
Another idea is to find the local mechanics and ask if they know of any rentals. They may be doing 100 hour inspections for them.
 
Check the websites for the surrounding airports, too, they usually have listings of all the businesses on field.
 
Ken Ibold said:
The websites that have attempted to list rentals nationwide have been hit or miss -- mostly miss. They are outdated frequently and virtually always incomplete. My advice would be to look up the airport listing for any field near you at www.airnav.com, scroll down to the bottom where they list FBOs and other businesses on the field, and contact each one individually.
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I concur with Ken, but from Airnav's main page, use the "Advanced Search", "By Zip Code" and search for all airports with xx miles of your location. Then call each. As stated, the "rental planes" websites have been mostly "miss".
 
Could you find someone with a low utilized airplane in the area, that would also a good question for your local mechanic.

I think it's best to spend as much time as possible at Browns Brewery, that's good brew. We were dropping my little girl at Emma Willard and had time to check out the town.

Regards, Kevin
 
Thanks for all the tips guys!

On a related note, what is the legality approaching a private owner and flying their aeroplane in return for operating costs? I understand in the UK (where I'm from) that people have been 'sidestepping' certain rental regulations by the renters buying a minuscule share in the aircraft for a tiny amount (e.g. 10 pounds) in order to become 'owners'. I'm unsure of the regs this side of the pond though!


Cheers,

Gareth.

PS. Kevin, if you like Brown's I suggest trying the 'Albany pump station' on the the other side of the river.
 
gfunc said:
On a related note, what is the legality approaching a private owner and flying their aeroplane in return for operating costs?
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There are no legal issues from the FAA standpoint, only the question of insurance. A typical owner's policy would exclude coverage if the owner was receiving compensation from the user. The renter can deal with this in two ways: getting renters insurance or getting on the owner's policy as an additional insured pilot. The airplane owner may or may not go along with that second item.
 
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