Idea for out of towners

BSpray29

BSpray29

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Jan 24, 2012
Messages
5
Location
McDonough, GA
Display Name
Display name:
Barry
Hello all. My cousin and I are thinking of putting together a forum where pilots can find ground transportation when they are away from home. For example, my wife and I are flying our 172 to Florida soon to catch a cruise ship for vacation. The airport is only about 12 miles from the cruise port and the local cabbies charge $50-60 for the 12 mile ride. Would you all be interested in joining with other pilots to provide rides in your town to sporting events, meetings, conventions, etc.? I'm not talking about anything for profit. It would be a service whereby if you give someone a 20 mile ride then you get a 20 mile ride from another member in the future. We would have to work out logistics, but it would be like a barter service. You could go on the forum and enter your arrival GA airport and a list would come up showing the members who have said they are near there. You would send them a PM and find someone who could give you a ride when you arrive. It would be no cost to join, but you would have to give another member a ride now and then. It wouldn't be fair if it just worked one way. Anyway, let me know if you think it would be viable or if you have any suggestions. Again, this would be a free service for pilots. No money would change hands. Thanks!
 
Sounds like a good idea. Not sure it would work in reality.
 
I like your idea but I don't think forum software is the right thing to use. I think you want a custom application that lets users register and identify what airport(s) they can give a ride at and have some kind of points system for bartering with.

An ebay style feedback system would be a good idea too.

Biggest problem I foresee is the obvious one; not enough people signing up to make it viable.
 
cowman said:
Biggest problem I foresee is the obvious one; not enough people signing up to make it viable.
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That plus the fact that it would be hard for many people to drop what they are doing to go to the airport and give someone a ride at some random time.
 
Everskyward said:
That plus the fact that it would be hard for many people to drop what they are doing to go to the airport and give someone a ride at some random time.
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You'd have to have a reservation system of sorts.

I mean if I know I am going to destination x on day y a time z, and put that in the system someone knows when they are volunteering to pick someone up. I don't see a "hey I'm at XFL, come pick me up in the next 10 minutes" as working very.....at all.
 
When I started flying you could usually get a courtesy car if you landed somewhere. Now it's somewhat more spotty. A good idea for the OP, except it would never be even. The guys in Florida would get called all the time, the guys in Nebraska not so much.
 
BSpray29 said:
Hello all. My cousin and I are thinking of putting together a forum where pilots can find ground transportation when they are away from home. For example, my wife and I are flying our 172 to Florida soon to catch a cruise ship for vacation. The airport is only about 12 miles from the cruise port and the local cabbies charge $50-60 for the 12 mile ride. Would you all be interested in joining with other pilots to provide rides in your town to sporting events, meetings, conventions, etc.? I'm not talking about anything for profit. It would be a service whereby if you give someone a 20 mile ride then you get a 20 mile ride from another member in the future. We would have to work out logistics, but it would be like a barter service. You could go on the forum and enter your arrival GA airport and a list would come up showing the members who have said they are near there. You would send them a PM and find someone who could give you a ride when you arrive. It would be no cost to join, but you would have to give another member a ride now and then. It wouldn't be fair if it just worked one way. Anyway, let me know if you think it would be viable or if you have any suggestions. Again, this would be a free service for pilots. No money would change hands. Thanks!
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I don't think there will be enough takers, but what airport/cruise port are you heading to?
 
EdFred said:
You'd have to have a reservation system of sorts.

I mean if I know I am going to destination x on day y a time z, and put that in the system someone knows when they are volunteering to pick someone up. I don't see a "hey I'm at XFL, come pick me up in the next 10 minutes" as working very.....at all.
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True, but you know how things change due to unforeseen circumstances. Part of the advantage of GA is that you are not on a strict timetable. You might not even be able to meet a schedule even if you wanted to. That would leave your driver waiting around, which is OK if it's his or her job but less so for volunteers, especially ones who are not used to being drivers.

The other problem I can see is that once the pilot is driven somewhere, does the driver need to make another trip to pick the pilot up or do they wait around? I'm just throwing these things out there because I have seen connections with passengers and professional drivers get messed up plenty of times. I can just see how expectations might not be met.
 
Everskyward said:
True, but you know how things change due to unforeseen circumstances. Part of the advantage of GA is that you are not on a strict timetable. You might not even be able to meet a schedule even if you wanted to. That would leave your driver waiting around, which is OK if it's his or her job but less so for volunteers, especially ones who are not used to being drivers.

The other problem I can see is that once the pilot is driven somewhere, does the driver need to make another trip to pick the pilot up or do they wait around? I'm just throwing these things out there because I have seen connections with passengers and professional drivers get messed up plenty of times. I can just see how expectations might not be met.
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That's where a number exchange and a feedback system (unlike AirNav's) comes into play. If a pilot is routinely 4 hours late with a no call, he might not get an offer to be picked up.
 
As for your immediate problem, did you try calling the FBO. More often then not when calling to inquire about taxi availability in a situation like that, I get a volunteer to drive me.
Amusingly, out in Iowa, it's often the police that offer the ride.
 
We are going out of Port Canaveral, Fla. I usually use a crew car, but that obviously won't work for this situation. The FBO recommended a limo service that charged $90.....No, thanks! The feedback here is valuable for us to acess the viability of the plan. There are many logistics that have to be worked out and, at the end of the day, it may not work at all. Thanks for the input!
 
Which airport are you planning to arrive at? Titusville?
 
There was another guy going to start a airport car system where pilots could keep a old car at their airport and make it available to other pilots in the coop. So if some number of pilots such as 300 had a airport car you could use any of the other 300 airports pilot cars on any given day subject to availability. This seems like a good idea.

Many of us regularly go to the lake or coast or Golf resort and keep a car at the away airport for those visits. If we make those cars available to the network we all would benefit.

I seldom need this type of service as I usually fly in for an hour or two or less where a crew car is available, have family or for a few days/weeks where a rental car works best.

I doubt you can get anything going by your trip. However, I'd recommend you make an index card, Good Samaritan Pilot wanted _ Ride from airport on Sept 12 about 12 noon to xxxxx. Please call if you can help.

Send it to the FBO and ask they post it on their pilots wall in the pilots lounge and hope a local pilot or someone will call you and offer to drop you off for gas money.

I always check the pilots wall for available aircraft or to see what is going on at my airport. I would likely respond to another pilots request like this.
 
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BSpray29 said:
Yes, we are flying in to Titusville this Sunday.
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Yeah, if you were coming into FXE for Port Everglades, I would have given you a ride. Welcome to the costs of GA, however one of the people at the FBO may give you a ride for a decent tip. Did you call the cruise line about their shuttles?
 
Check out Relay Rides. I use it at the shore (KWWD) and it works great, much cheaper and more convenient than taxi or rental car.
 
I simply don't get it. I freely admit to not understanding the lengths that people will go to not spend money while engaging in an activity that is notoriously expensive. Next to charter jets, GA is the most expensive mode of transportation.

So, you use this method of transport to get somewhere and then want to bum a ride from someone for free? For the love of GOD, don't pay the working man, not to mention the family counting on the income, with the taxi cab $50 to get you from your private air transport to your cruise vacation! <sarcasm> Absolutely, ask someone else who owns a ridiculously expensive mode of transport to volunteer their time to get you where you need to go....for FREE!
 
Have you ever tried to sell a $9 sandwich to someone at a equestrian show? Horse owners at a horse show? One might compare them to Pilots wanting only to spend money on avgas.

This trait is not unique.
 
Tony_Scarpelli said:
Have you ever tried to sell a $9 sandwich to someone at a equestrian show? Horse owners at a horse show? One might compare them to Pilots wanting only to spend money on avgas.

This trait is not unique.
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Might be different at horse shows out there, but almost every other house in my new neighborhood owns a horse or multiple horses. They're all pretty darn broke.

People always think "Kentucky Derby" when they see "equestrian". Around here it's more like corn dogs and Aqua Velva.

The neighbor right next door's horse paddock is empty and has been for years. He got the horse for his granddaughter to learn to ride and sold it when he couldn't afford its upkeep after being laid off from US West. He works for then again now that they're Qwest as an outside plant construction guy. The tack room/barn off of the horse corral now is a chicken and duck coop.

Just sayin'... "Equestrian" around here doesn't mean they have any money. Keeps the teenagers busy and out of trouble though. Especially during rodeo and livestock showing season.
 
denverpilot said:
Might be different at horse shows out there, but almost every other house in my new neighborhood owns a horse or multiple horses. They're all pretty darn broke.
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But how many of them compete at horse shows? Most of the horses in my neighborhood seem like lawn ornaments. The people who lived next door to me for about 10 years had a horse and I can count on the fingers of one hand the times I saw someone ride it. That seems typical.
 
Everskyward said:
But how many of them compete at horse shows? Most of the horses in my neighborhood seem like lawn ornaments. The people who lived next door to me for about 10 years had a horse and I can count on the fingers of one hand the times I saw someone ride it. That seems typical.
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OTOH, horses make great (although expensive) lawn ornaments and casual pets. Besides, nothing smells better than a horse except a girl who just got off a horse.;)
 
kevin7500 said:
I simply don't get it. I freely admit to not understanding the lengths that people will go to not spend money while engaging in an activity that is notoriously expensive. Next to charter jets, GA is the most expensive mode of transportation.

So, you use this method of transport to get somewhere and then want to bum a ride from someone for free? For the love of GOD, don't pay the working man, not to mention the family counting on the income, with the taxi cab $50 to get you from your private air transport to your cruise vacation! <sarcasm> Absolutely, ask someone else who owns a ridiculously expensive mode of transport to volunteer their time to get you where you need to go....for FREE!
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Please, please bring your airplane to the shop where I work for your next annual so we can use your logic on you! We have several guys with families that are counting on it! Unbelievable!
 
BSpray29 said:
Please, please bring your airplane to the shop where I work for your next annual so we can use your logic on you! We have several guys with families that are counting on it! Unbelievable!
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What logic? Do you mean paying someone to provide a service instead of asking random people to do things for free? Are you suggesting that you regularly offer your services without charge?

The thing that is unbelievable, in my opinion, is that people are willing to spend thousands of dollars on a vacation yet want to hitchhike from the airport to their destination over $50!
 
kevin7500 said:
What logic? Do you mean paying someone to provide a service instead of asking random people to do things for free? Are you suggesting that you regularly offer your services without charge?

The thing that is unbelievable, in my opinion, is that people are willing to spend thousands of dollars on a vacation yet want to hitchhike from the airport to their destination over $50!
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You've missed the defining point of pilots, they're cheap.
 
I would imagine you could talk the cruise company into providing a shuttle, especially if done when buying your ticket.

$4-5 mile is high for a taxi, but it is what it is.
 
pj500 said:
I would imagine you could talk the cruise company into providing a shuttle, especially if done when buying your ticket.

$4-5 mile is high for a taxi, but it is what it is.
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Gotta remember that there are port fees the cabbie has to pay.
 
kevin7500 said:
What logic? Do you mean paying someone to provide a service instead of asking random people to do things for free? Are you suggesting that you regularly offer your services without charge?

The thing that is unbelievable, in my opinion, is that people are willing to spend thousands of dollars on a vacation yet want to hitchhike from the airport to their destination over $50!
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What I mean is, do not bother to look for a less expensive option that will yield the same exact result! Bring your airplane all the way down to Georgia from Michigan because what you spend should not be of concern to you. Perhaps you have money to burn. Even if I did, it would be irresponsible to my family for me to not save where I can. For God's sake we're not talking about doing surgery.....it's a freakin' 12 mile ride in a car! If you don't wish to participate in helping out a fellow pilot then don't!
 
Everskyward said:
But how many of them compete at horse shows? Most of the horses in my neighborhood seem like lawn ornaments. The people who lived next door to me for about 10 years had a horse and I can count on the fingers of one hand the times I saw someone ride it. That seems typical.
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There was a line of trailers headed out to the Elizabeth Rodeo a while back.

This evening I counted four mounted riders and one walking a nervous young horse in the 'hood, just driving in. A lot of teenage riders. I suspect we now live inside a secret Westernaires enclave. ;)

Way more folks with goats, alpacas, chickens, Etc. Even a couple of Yaks up the road a ways on bigger property. One donkey. He's about seven acres away from us but when he gets grumpy I think you could hear him at the hangar at APA from here. A few sheep but not many.

Bunches of people seem to compete with their hens. Bulletin board always has unique breeds available on it. Tonight there was a sign, "Two ponies found, call..." I suspect the lawn ornament folks abandon horses here because there are actual horse people who'll take them in. Sad.

Neighbor is trying to convince someone else to get a cow to share after raising it. He's smart enough not to want it on his property. He attempted to see if us dumb new "city slickers" would be dumb enough to take him up on it. Nope. There's multiple ranches along the road out that'll sell ya a side of beef and a nice meat locker and butcher in downtown Elizabeth if I felt like butchering and freezing a cow. :)
 
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