Having your own plane - priceless!

[stratobee]

A story from last year:

The other day I had one of those dream scenarios again. They don't happen often, I should add…..

My presence was requested in Baker City, OR (!) for work and the producer asked me if she should reserve a ticket from Los Angeles to Boise or Portland for me, which would I prefer? Baker City is a small town on the border of Oregon and Idaho and the drive from Boise would be 2hrs. And from Portland a whopping 5hrs!

My options were:

1. LAX to either Phoenix or Salt Lake City. Wait 2 hrs, connect, then fly to Boise, then drive for 2 hrs. Total door to door travel time: about 10hrs

2. LAX direct to Portland, then drive for 5hrs. Total door to door: 10hrs

I took a quick glance at the map and sure enough; Baker City Municipal Airport with its 3 long rwy's was a mere three miles outside of town. "I'll get myself up there", I heard myself say. On the day, I comfortably cruised up there in perfect VFR in 3hrs 20mins with my second unit cameraman in tow, saving production even more money as they now didn't have to fly him either. Not only that, we brought our foldable bikes and could cycle in from airport ourselves. Door to door time was less than 5hrs.

Having your own plane sometimes - priceless.

 

[Dav8or]

Having your own plane sometimes - priceless.

Oh, there's a price alright. Just wait until annual!

Be careful, what you did skirts in the grey area of what a private pilot can legally do. I hope at least you accepted no compensation from the production company or your passenger. I might be wrong. Maybe Ron will be along and school me.

 

[frfly172]

The flight was actually,so you could experience the joy of flying.

 

[stratobee]

Nothing illegal took place. I absorbed the cost.

 

[SteveCanyon]

Stratobee, great post, thanks.
DaveHater, come on now, we all know the rules and how to stay in compliance.

 

[LoneAspen]

Stratobee - You should put some more videos of flying the Aerostar on your YouTube channel!

 

[stratobee]

Stratobee - You should put some more videos of flying the Aerostar on your YouTube channel!

Thanks, I will. The engines were being overhauled and it's taken 7 months (sigh), but I'll prob have her back next week.

 

[AuntPeggy]

A story from last year:

The other day I had one of those dream scenarios again. They don't happen often, I should add…..

My presence was requested in Baker City, OR (!) for work and the producer asked me if she should reserve a ticket from Los Angeles to Boise or Portland for me, which would I prefer? Baker City is a small town on the border of Oregon and Idaho and the drive from Boise would be 2hrs. And from Portland a whopping 5hrs!

My options were:

1. LAX to either Phoenix or Salt Lake City. Wait 2 hrs, connect, then fly to Boise, then drive for 2 hrs. Total door to door travel time: about 10hrs

2. LAX direct to Portland, then drive for 5hrs. Total door to door: 10hrs

I took a quick glance at the map and sure enough; Baker City Municipal Airport with its 3 long rwy's was a mere three miles outside of town. "I'll get myself up there", I heard myself say. On the day, I comfortably cruised up there in perfect VFR in 3hrs 20mins with my second unit cameraman in tow, saving production even more money as they now didn't have to fly him either. Not only that, we brought our foldable bikes and could cycle in from airport ourselves. Door to door time was less than 5hrs.

Having your own plane sometimes - priceless.

Bravo.

 

[Shawn]

we all know the rules and how to stay in compliance.

...yeah, your invoice just has an added "camera equipment rental" line item for $400!

 

[Cpt_Kirk]

Stratobee - You should put some more videos of flying the Aerostar on your YouTube channel!

Yes, this please. I have been a subscriber for quite a long time and thought it was funny when I saw you on here.

MOAR VIDEOS

 

[LoneAspen]

Thanks, I will. The engines were being overhauled and it's taken 7 months (sigh), but I'll prob have her back next week.

Ouch! You got to fly her during that time, I hope? I'm guessing the 7 mos was waiting on parts, or mechanic, or something?

Anyways, grats on getting her back very soon!

 

[westrujp]

Correct me if I am wrong, could one legally submit for compensation at the IRS approved mileage rate for a private aircraft?

 

[Jimmy cooper]

What if, when you decided to fly yourself it was IFR and you decided to try out your recent inst. ticket ( as you just had to get there, )resulting in a stupendous crash killing you and maybe others. Happens a lot, even VFR. However, if your high time IFR, forgive me.

 

[stratobee]

What if, when you decided to fly yourself it was IFR and you decided to try out your recent inst. ticket ( as you just had to get there, )resulting in a stupendous crash killing you and maybe others. Happens a lot, even VFR. However, if your high time IFR, forgive me.

This post makes no sense. It was VFR.

Ouch! You got to fly her during that time, I hope? I'm guessing the 7 mos was waiting on parts, or mechanic, or something?

Parts, money, mechanics being busy etc. Takes time with airplanes, although this was longer than usual I think. I flew my old plane up until it sold, but haven't flown in about 4 months. I'm pretty rusty. Taking a CFII with me on first test flights.

 

[Ken Ibold]

Oh, there's a price alright. Just wait until annual!

Be careful, what you did skirts in the grey area of what a private pilot can legally do. I hope at least you accepted no compensation from the production company or your passenger. I might be wrong. Maybe Ron will be along and school me.

No gray area at all. The flight was incidental to the business, and his presence was required, so he was not simply transporting the cameraman. This flight could have been reimbursed by the company with no foul at all.