Aviation BS and Photo Thread

I have to add a quart of oil almost every time I fly. From experience with the 2 I fly most, they don’t need a quart that often. People are choosing to fly low, which is probably why a cylinder goes out of spec every couple 100 hrs. I can’t imagine the thought process that sees a low reading and decides to fly a couple hrs that way instead of taking the 15min it takes to add a quart. Last night a full quart only got it up to the minimum.

I’d love to get my own so I know it’s being taken care of between services.

 

You need some NVGs in your life.

 

The Mustang blowing up it's engine reminded me of the following video. Pilot flying a Mustang in formation starts intermittently losing power and has to put it down in a field. He's got two Go-Pro's filming and there's a great discussion about what happened, what he did right and what he did wrong. The video is about 35 minutes long. He makes it back to the airport and he's about halfway through his turn from base onto final and he realizes he's not going to make the runway. Things happen pretty quickly from there...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBpqvPujZgM

 

The Kinkade Fire in Northern, Ca. Pre-sunrise and then on my way back into OAK. (Couple days ago)

 

The piece of mind with owning your own is nice, but the maintenance bills to assure that piece of mind is the crummy part!

 

Yeah. I've been looking hard at buying verses renting and at 125hrs/yr it seems a toss up. My son should have his private this spring, and that may change the paradigm. If he can use it to get to his ATP, then maybe it would make sense, although it would increase the maintenance. Just can't decide what to do.

 

Look around and see if there are any flying clubs or aircraft partnerships in your area. Typically those aircraft are kept up a bit better since it’s only a select small group of people flying them rather than an open market rental.

 

Yes, there actually is a good one with a buy in and monthly fees but decent rates 45 minutes from my house. I just look at what I'd pay over a couple of years of that verses buying. I guess if a guy knew what maintenance issues he's going to have up front it'd be an easier choice. I'd like to have my own, 15 minutes from my house, to fly when ever I want. Just don't know if that is worth the liability of owning.

I'm currently spending $20K a year on flying. I don't want to spend more, but would like to fly more.

 

...^^^... Flying clubs used to be a good deal at Lockheed in Marietta, GA ... that was a great way to get cheap hours too ... and they used to do a great job keeping up the aircraft too.

 

There isn't a quick and easy answer to that question. In the US, a private owner flying their own small Cessna or Piper, no - not required to comply with TBO. Larger aircraft often have manufacturer provided time tables for maintenance events like what you see in the Army. Either triggered by flight hours, cycles, or calendar. Often called phase inspections or document _ inspection. Powerplants are often "on condition", which means they keep running them as long as they meet certain parameters. An aircraft like 909 operates under the Living History Flight Experience exemption (LHFEE). By operating under the LHFEE there is an FAA approved maintenance program, and other organizational requirements which would address overhaul schedule of components and accessories.

When I as involved with flight school maintenance we complied with TBO in an effort to mitigate liability in the event any legal issues arose.

 

I don't know how easy or not that answer was...but you succinctly answered it as such in a very quick manner that reads well

Bravo

 

Like many things in aviation the answer starts with "It depends." From experience I have learned to cover as many aspects to help answer any follow up questions that may arise.

 

You’re a wise man.

 

From my first flight instructor, as I'm sure many of here have heard

"Learn from other people's mistakes, you won't live long enough to make them all yourself"

-Paul Prejda circa 1996

 

There is definitely a break even point where you fly a certain number of hours a year and owning becomes cheaper than renting. I can’t stress the importance of a thorough pre-buy enough, as well as using a mechanic who is not familiar with the airplane or the seller.

 

The AFB here has a flying club I might take advantage of. Right about $90/hr wet for a 172, $25/month dues and $40/hr for an instructor. I haven’t flown fixed wing in almost 15 years but it was easy then so I’m hoping it is like riding a bike if I decide to do this again.

 

That sounds like a really good deal. The club here is still a great deal, but is $150/month and $130/hr wet for a 182.

 

You should do it! That's pretty affordable compared to what you would find at a civilian airport. I am sure it would be just like riding a bike, just don't try and land it with zero airspeed and you're good to go.

 

One friend of mine calculated that 50 hours a year is his break even point to justify owning a DA40XLS. However, this philosophy is only good if the airplane you rent matches your mission. If a Bonanza is best suited for the mission (payload, speed, capabilities...) and you can't rent one, you'll have to compromise your needs to rent the local C172 or buy the appropriate tool for the job. This is something to consider when the mission is other than flight training/ time building & $100 hamburgers. Such as flights into hard IMC, FIKI, aerobatics, trips that last several days/ nights, flights over water or rough terrain and you'd want a twin, etc.

 

Airborne view of the tornado we had a week ago