Florida CEO Richard Zahn wins AOPA's sweepstakes Husky

TangoWhiskey said:
http://www.aopa.org/summit/news/2012/121011husky-winner.html?WT.mc_id=121011epspec&WT.mc_sect=summit
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They showed him some other airplane and flew his new plane to Palm Springs for a static display?! That's just mean. ;)

Any published numbers on the price of the upgrades again this year from the OWNER'S association?

Ah yeah. As usual, no. They're not interested in helping owners in the slightest unless you'd like to hire some lawyer you've never met from the Legal Services pool to tell your lawyer how to set up an LLC.

I really think this is my last year of AOPA membership. At least with EAA I get an OSH ticket discount.

AOPA Summit. Yep. If you can drag your sorry ass up the mountain of vendor BS, you can "summit". Bring a Sherpa guide and O2.

LOL!!!
 
Maxmosbey said:
Have you ever see just an average person win the AOPA plane?
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I can think of a few...most sell it right away. The most "normal" person in recent history was a 25 year old ATC trainee won the Archer in 2008.
 
He can have it, I have no use for a Husky. A Deb is another story, but I doubt I could afford the taxes on the thing.
 
Do they make you whole on the taxes or does it cost you thousands to 'win' the plane?
 
denverpilot said:
...

Any published numbers on the price of the upgrades again this year from the OWNER'S association?

Ah yeah. As usual, no.
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Sorry to interrupt your rant, but what improvements? Repairs, yes, but that would be an insurance thing. I know it's an issue with you, but it isn't applicable this year!
Tornado Husky, a brand-new airplane that had been battered by the 2011 Sun ’n Fun twister and repaired by the craftsmen at Aviat Aircraft in Afton, Wyo., to perfect condition. The airplane with less than 200 hours total time on the airframe and 180-horsepower Lycoming engine had recently undergone an annual inspection at the Aviat factory, and it was waiting for him to pick up at Summit in Palm Springs.
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gprellwitz said:
Sorry to interrupt your rant, but what improvements? Repairs, yes, but that would be an insurance thing. I know it's an issue with you, but it isn't applicable this year!
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The "Better than New" series of aircraft including the 182 are where my thoughts wander whenever I hear news about AOPA Sweeps.

They basically get vendors to upgrade the aircraft for free and refuse to document what they paid for the upgrades.

And type club doing something similar would document and share how to do it, which shops are the best qualified, how much it will cost, maybe get a small discount for members, etc. THAT is a service to owners.

AOPA only gives lip-service these days to being the Aircraft OWNERS and Pilot's Association, IMNSHO. They couldn't care less if you're an owner. They're not fighting for lower cost alternatives, they're not even writing articles on how to find good mechanics who'll work with owners. There's virtually nothing about the organization that merits the O in their name today.

That's what I mean.
 
Nate, I understood what you've complained about in the past, and it has some validity. But bringing up this plane as an example doesn't work. Don't worry, you'll probably get another chance with the Deb.

And apparently Zahn was invited to come to Palm Springs, but some critical work responsibilities precluded that. I don't know if they knew that before or after they opted to present him the "body double."
 
Ok. Keeping me honest. ;) This Husky was stock? (Honestly I didn't even pay attention this year.)
 
I don't get the "sell it immediately to pay the taxes" thing. If (and a big if, I guess) you were even remotely interested in owning an airplane, but couldn't come up with the cash to pay the taxes, why couldn't one finance the tax bite with the airplane as collateral? Relatively small amount and small payment on a historically very nice aircraft.
 
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