Logistical Challenge: Miami to Chicago (Ferry pilot?)

ArrowFlyer86

ArrowFlyer86

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Next month I have a get together with a couple friends who are flying into Miami. I was planning to take my airplane down and we could (weather permitting) do a couple day trips. We've had this trip planned for over a year and flying in the plane has been one of the major excitement points.
Unfortunately b/c of some work stuff -- I found that I have to immediately be in San Francisco the day our trip concludes and then stay there for the week (or more). That leaves me with these options...

Choices:
1) Don't fly my plane down there and find other things to do; (boring);
2) Fly plane down and then get a return ticket from SF to FL, and fly plane back to Chicago... Leave it sitting on the ramp somewhere in Miami for 1-2 weeks... Hope wx is good on a weekend return voyage;
3) Fly plane down and then hire a ferry pilot to fly it from FL back to Chicago;
4) Get a checkout in a rental and use that (not going to do this);

I'm going to focus on Items #2+3 here.

Since gas cost would be the same regardless of who flies it, there really is no difference aside from the ferry pilot daily/hourly fee on who brings it back, right?
Since I would have to book a ticket to Miami to pickup the plane, I'm kind of agnostic for whether that ticket is for me or if it's for a ferry pilot... right?

Am I thinking about that correctly? Any suggestions on what to expect or where I'd go about finding a qualified ferry pilot, or what the going rate is for one to fly a '72 Piper Arrow II? Insurance/liability considerations for a ferry pilot?
 
I have a problem sharing. I have a bigger problem sharing unsupervised. The only way I'm letting someone fly my plane that far is I've flown with em before.
 
Have your company get a round trip ticket from MIA - SFO instead of ORD - SFO. Find a place to park, problem solved.

It’s not hurricane season; so should not be TOO much of a concern leaving it parked outside….?
 
dans2992 said:
Have your company get a round trip ticket from MIA - SFO instead of ORD - SFO. Find a place to park, problem solved.

It’s not hurricane season; so should not be TOO much of a concern leaving it parked outside….?
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Unfortunately due to some recent changes the firm expects me in San Francisco full-time, so I'm only getting a 1 way ticket (from them) on this journey...
Coming back out from SF is on my dime, regardless of destination.
 
I'd fly it back myself, or have it flown by someone I know and trust. The ferry pilot business is absolutely full of dodgy characters and chancers. It's a one day flight if weather cooperates.
 
Don't you have a CFI you've used for various purposes over the years? See if they'll ferry it for you.
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
the firm expects me in San Francisco full-time...
Coming back out from SF is on my dime
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Funny, I would have expected them to make you pay to leave SF and comp the return back into the office.
 
I do this for a few folks a year who don't want to move their plane long distances between their summer and winter residences, but want use of the plane locally. Not everyone likes long XC flights in weather.

You're thinking about it right. The only difference is airfare and day rate for the ferry pilot, plus lodging if they don't one-day it. And making sure you pick someone who is insurable.
 
Katamarino said:
The ferry pilot business is absolutely full of dodgy characters and chancers.
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:yeahthat:
When I sold my Hatz, the buyer hired a ferry pilot... who ran it out of gas and put it down in a farm field, 100 miles from the destination on a 1500 mile flight. Can you say, "gethomeitis?" The plane was miraculously undamaged, but the field was so muddy they had to disassemble it and truck it the rest of the way.
 
Dana said:
:yeahthat:
When I sold my Hatz, the buyer hired a ferry pilot... who ran it out of gas and put it down in a farm field, 100 miles from the destination on a 1500 mile flight. Can you say, "gethomeitis?" The plane was miraculously undamaged, but the field was so muddy they had to disassemble it and truck it the rest of the way.
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Good Lord. As my Grandma said, "Don't rent trouble," but I suppose I'm naive to hope that the ferry pilot carried any professional insurance to cover that? Either way, not your problem, strictly between the buyer and HIS insurer. ("Waiver of Subrogation"?)
 
DJTorrente said:
Good Lord. As my Grandma said, "Don't rent trouble," but I suppose I'm naive to hope that the ferry pilot carried any professional insurance to cover that? Either way, not your problem, strictly between the buyer and HIS insurer. ("Waiver of Subrogation"?)
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I don't think there was any insurance involved, it was the buyer himself who personally (with the help of a few friends) disassembled and trucked the plane home . Not such a big deal with an experimental, and he took the opportunity to fix up a few things "while it was apart"... he was in the business of restoring airplanes anyway. Of course the ferry pilot didn't get paid nor reimbursed for his expenses for the trip. There was more, that I won't get into. Not my problem, but the buyer and I became friends during the swap so I felt bad about it even though it wasn't my fault. As it turned out, he got it back into the air just three days before I got mine flying, reassembling it (and fixing up a few things while it was apart, too) after the 1800 mile road trip I opted for instead of flying it home. At least I didn't have to disassemble my plane in a muddy field.
 
I've done what you proposed a number of times, fly my plane to some destination and then do a round-trip on the airlines to go home (or elsewhere) while my plane sat at some non-home location.
I don't see why that is an issue. If you gotta be there, the airlines are often a better idea.
 
Leave it in Florida,hurricane season is over ,plenty of airports to leave the airplane at reasonable rates.
 
Hell, I'd do it for you if you could convince your insurance that PA28 time + P32R time= P28R time.

@kaiser has the time in type and the commercial rating
 
Jim K said:
Hell, I'd do it for you if you could convince your insurance that PA28 time + P32R time= P28R time.

@kaiser has the time in type and the commercial rating
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Insurance is stupid as hell.
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
4) Get a checkout in a rental and use that
Click to expand...
I know you already dropped that option, but hear me out:

You're looking at about 16-18 flight hours for your ORD-MIA-ORD trip. That's about $1500 (fuel+engine reserve and other ownership costs), not including any parking fees for a week or more, which might add up to another $200+.
I'm not counting airfare, since that will happen regardless.
For $1700+, you can rent a PA28 for 10+ hours. Do you really expect to fly more than that?
 
Move to Florida then you can fly practically any day of the year.
 
Kitch said:
Nothing more than a racket. Al Capone would be proud of what the insurance industry has accomplished.
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My homeowner's insurance makes up a larger portion of my house payment than the principal.
Health, and Auto are equally aggravating. I bet if you add up all the insurance you pay in a year, it would be sickening.
 
eman1200 said:
You have a house payment? You’re a pilot ffs, pay that **** off!!
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Ha! I was only kidding. I paid it off with my first paycheck after INDOC. I only had 12 years left on the mortgage so it just made sense to do it with a portion of that first check.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
My homeowner's insurance makes up a larger portion of my house payment than the principal.
Health, and Auto are equally aggravating. I bet if you add up all the insurance you pay in a year, it would be sickening.
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This is incredible. My property tax is more than 3x homeowners insurance
 
AV8R_87 said:
I know you already dropped that option, but hear me out:

You're looking at about 16-18 flight hours for your ORD-MIA-ORD trip. That's about $1500 (fuel+engine reserve and other ownership costs), not including any parking fees for a week or more, which might add up to another $200+.
I'm not counting airfare, since that will happen regardless.
For $1700+, you can rent a PA28 for 10+ hours. Do you really expect to fly more than that?
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You have solid logic. Can't argue with that!

But to quote the old Mastercard commercial...

Buying a ticket to Miami: $400

Paying for gas for a XC flight btw IL and FL: $500

Flying your own damn plane and not having to deal with a random 12 year old CFI give you a flight review/check out sign off and ground school paperwork to rent a Cessna 172, while working around their availability schedule:

***Priceless***

There's some things money can't buy, like flying your own airplane you already pay an arm and a leg for and know how well it operates and that it's always available... for everything else there's Visa MasterCard.
 
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ArrowFlyer86 said:
Next month I have a get together with a couple friends who are flying into Miami. I was planning to take my airplane down and we could (weather permitting) do a couple day trips. We've had this trip planned for over a year and flying in the plane has been one of the major excitement points.
Unfortunately b/c of some work stuff -- I found that I have to immediately be in San Francisco the day our trip concludes and then stay there for the week (or more). That leaves me with these options...

Choices:
1) Don't fly my plane down there and find other things to do; (boring);
2) Fly plane down and then get a return ticket from SF to FL, and fly plane back to Chicago... Leave it sitting on the ramp somewhere in Miami for 1-2 weeks... Hope wx is good on a weekend return voyage;
3) Fly plane down and then hire a ferry pilot to fly it from FL back to Chicago;
4) Get a checkout in a rental and use that (not going to do this);

I'm going to focus on Items #2+3 here.

Since gas cost would be the same regardless of who flies it, there really is no difference aside from the ferry pilot daily/hourly fee on who brings it back, right?
Since I would have to book a ticket to Miami to pickup the plane, I'm kind of agnostic for whether that ticket is for me or if it's for a ferry pilot... right?

Am I thinking about that correctly? Any suggestions on what to expect or where I'd go about finding a qualified ferry pilot, or what the going rate is for one to fly a '72 Piper Arrow II? Insurance/liability considerations for a ferry pilot?
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#2, park your plane at the airport north of kfll, i don't remember the name.
I called, fees aren't that bad. i'm flying to a cruise out of ft lauderdale in jan, didn't want to come back to a $$$$$ bill
worst that happens you get rained on. get a cover
 
MackMooney said:
#2, park your plane at the airport north of kfll, i don't remember the name.
I called, fees aren't that bad. i'm flying to a cruise out of ft lauderdale in jan, didn't want to come back to a $$$$$ bill
worst that happens you get rained on. get a cover
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I do have a cover, just need to get it treated. I assume after 20 years of disuse, a bruces custom cover could use some chemicals to help with rain resistance.
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
I do have a cover, just need to get it treated. I assume after 20 years of disuse, a bruces custom cover could use some chemicals to help with rain resistance.
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I wouldn't worry about rain resistance, your birds not gonna melt, i would worry that the cover holds together after 20 years
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
There's some things money can't buy, like flying your own airplane you already pay an arm and a leg for and know how well it operates and that it's always available
Click to expand...
:yeahthat:

You’re making the case for cutting your buddy time a day or so short and flying your own plane out to the PRK. Could that be an option?
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
Since gas cost would be the same regardless of who flies it, there really is no difference aside from the ferry pilot daily/hourly fee on who brings it back, right?
Click to expand...
Right...

ArrowFlyer86 said:
Since I would have to book a ticket to Miami to pickup the plane, I'm kind of agnostic for whether that ticket is for me or if it's for a ferry pilot... right?
Click to expand...
Right...

ArrowFlyer86 said:
Am I thinking about that correctly? Any suggestions on what to expect or where I'd go about finding a qualified ferry pilot, or what the going rate is for one to fly a '72 Piper Arrow II? Insurance/liability considerations for a ferry pilot?
Click to expand...
A "qualified ferry pilot" is someone you trust who you can put on your insurance temporarily for no additional cost. There's probably several people here, otherwise there's an Aircraft Ferry group on Facebook, there are companies that do it, etc. I would expect that an experienced pilot (not your average sub-2000-hour CFI with hardly any retract time) would cost you $500/day or more.

SixPapaCharlie said:
I am wondering if I am a qualified ferry pilot now. Find out what the going rate is and I just decided I am 10% cheaper.
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Don't be that guy and devalue the profession... Or I'll do your job for 10% cheaper. :p You already have an advantage in that you don't have to charge back an airline ticket.
 
if you're moving to california sounds like good enough reason for a real x-country
 
Jim K said:
Hell, I'd do it for you if you could convince your insurance that PA28 time + P32R time= P28R time.

@kaiser has the time in type and the commercial rating
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I wonder what open pilot hours are. Insurance might require 250 in type? So i'd meet that with 268 hrs P28R time. They may have a TT level too. If it's 1k I'm good. If it's 2k - no good.

ArrowFlyer86 said:
2) Fly plane down and then get a return ticket from SF to FL, and fly plane back to Chicago... Leave it sitting on the ramp somewhere in Miami for 1-2 weeks... Hope wx is good on a weekend return voyage;
3) Fly plane down and then hire a ferry pilot to fly it from FL back to Chicago;
Click to expand...
If you're asking me, #3 cough cough

If it's me, #2

Some of my favorite XCs have been Florida-ish to Chicago (ZPH-CHI, MYEF-CHI, etc). If you're worried about the salt, just fly through a nice little rain shower* and you'll wash it right off!

*after you get your instrument
 
kaiser said:
I wonder what open pilot hours are
Click to expand...
Mine are currently 750 total, 250 retract, 25 make/model. IIRC Aveco was 1000/250/10
 
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