Partner advice

N

Nada Robot

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I have been partners on an airplane with several guys in a club setup for a few years now. Everyone has been great to get a long with and the plane has been taken great care of.

I recently started instrument training. Our plane has a 430 non waas. One of the guys is in charge of updating the data card for it. I've had to cancel two lessons with my cfii in actual, now as the card hasn't been updated since December. The first time there has ever been an issue with anything with this group. I am anxious to knock this rating out. I saw the guy in person and asked about it and said he would get it done. Didn't happen. Scheduled to fly tomorrow but still have expired card. I called him early this week to ask about it never heard back.


I don't want to step on anyone's toes but this is getting to be a bit frustrating. My monthly dues are supposed to be for these type of things. How should I go about bringing it up again? I don't want to keep nagging but I also feel like I'm getting shorted.
 
Maybe volunteer to be the updater for your group?
 
Is it a money issue,or just a time issue. If the Its the money,you may want to pay for a one time update.
 
You are being shorted and have every right to step on some toes. How about calling a meeting of all the partners and voice your frustration. Tell them that you're IFR training and lining up a CFII for a flight only to cancel because the database is out of date. Tell 'em you still have to pay the CFII or you're going to lose that CFI by cancelling all the time. You're not being unreasonable. God luck, let us know what happens.
 
+1. It's your training and as mscard says, take the bull by the horns. Relying on someone else's word isn't working and that's unfair to you.
 
i thought about buying a subscription myself and just eating the costs. But I would have to buy the adapter and a new card as well. It wouldn't bother me as much but it's been out of date for a while now.im the only one who flies regularly any more.
The other members are not flying as much. I'm working on my rating. I've had to cancel my long xc because of it. I gave plenty of notice that I had planned on using the plane and my intentions and needing everything to be current.
I don't think money is the issue as there was talk of upgrading to be ads-b compliant this year.
 
Volitation said:
That was my thought. Send an email to the group saying you'll update, then deduct cost from your dues?
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Exactly.

Spend the money and get 'r done. Deduct the amount from your dues and send in a copy of the receipt with your check.

Anyone complains send them to the person in charge of up dating the GPS.

If there is a person in charge of the partnership, notify that person and others in the group by endorsement of your plan, and that you are taking over the responsibility of up dating the GPS starting now.
 
I got tired of the database in one of our planes being out of date for several days to weeks after they expired.

I took it over and make sure it is up to date.

The club pays and not one pilot complains about the cost.

Your club may be different.

I fly IFR all the time and I do not want to have a databases out of date. Others benefit from my diligence. Your club will benefit if you are diligent with the databases.
 
If ya'll have the subscription it doesn't take but a second to update a card, maybe just update the cards yourself, or have the card reader and a laptop left in the hangar.
 
I have run a small club for 15 years. I would talk to whoever is in charge and ask if you can take over the update responsibility. Anyone who manages a plane knows it is a lot of work. Anyone that can pitch in and take on some of the workload will be appreciated. You can buy a regional subscription plan from Jeppesen that covers your area and it is a lot cheaper than the whole US. Offer to look into this for the club. Talking these things out with the people is the most effective way to handle this. Sending them a bill without talking to the trustees is not going to get this resolved.
 
thanks for all of the responses. I'm going to try and talk with everyone again and see what we can work out.
 
Thread hijack, but how much does it cost to keep those databases up to date? Just wondering.
 
Buy an old laptop for $100 and leave it in the hangar. The updates are maybe 4MB so you can download from a personal hotspot on your phone if no wifi access.
 
I agree with the suggestion to volunteer to take over the duties... I wouldn't pay for it yourself since the club probably budgeted for it and may be reluctant to reimburse you... Maybe, at your next meeting suggest having a person to back-up the primary person, and volunteer to be that person... That might be a little less offensive to the primary guy...
 
There is very little you can't do LEGALLY with an expired data card. Chances are your particular approach at your airport hasn't been updated anyway. I'm sure you use ForeFlight or some other App for the approach plates. Look at the date on your approach plate. Chances are it predates the GPS update date. If it does, the GPS data is perfectly legal to use.
 
BBH said:
There is very little you can't do LEGALLY with an expired data card. Chances are your particular approach at your airport hasn't been updated anyway. I'm sure you use ForeFlight or some other App for the approach plates. Look at the date on your approach plate. Chances are it predates the GPS update date. If it does, the GPS data is perfectly legal to use.
Click to expand...
...assuming your AFM supplement reads that way.

That would not be the case if the supplement reads that a current database is required for GPS approaches.

Edit: but yes, there are a lot of things you can do legally without a current database.
 
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Right after I bought into the arrow, the partners asked me to update the GPS since I was working on my ifr rating. I didn't have any problem with that. The guy who did it before me kept the adapter at home. Since I've been doing it I just keep it in the hangar, that way if I'm away and another partner needs to update (only 1 other has his ifr) on the few times I'm away I can just send him the username and password.

To fix your situation you have two options:
1. Talk to the individual who is to be updating the gps, and inform them that you would be more than happy to update it since you need it the most.
2. Contact the 'president' of the group and inform them of the trouble.
Remember, you OWN part of that plane, and have a right to bring something that isn't right to light for the whole group to see, or ask clarifying questions.
 
If you are unwilling to talk to your partners about a minor issue like GPS databases are you ready to talk to them when big things come up? Spend some time getting to know your partners. Build those lines of communication. Solving little things now will make your life better later.


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