Aviation BS and Photo Thread

Vancouver has a rodent problem...

 

...^^^... Great pics ... I miss Vancouver ...

 

This is a cool live feed to watch comings and goings of seaplanes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtreWYd0EQo

 

Hey everyone - have an idea rattling around in my head, and with all the recent posts...figured I'd ask here too. Looking to start a small (me and a plane) sight seeing/tour op. Looks like I need to go 135, and have 1500hrs to get that going. I'm not even commercial yet, but there are so many bits of info saying how long it takes etc, I figured I might as well start now. Anyone have experience? I'll obviously need my seaplane rating, a plane, and all the help I can get. Besides lots of money too...lol. Love the pics!
Oh, in the UP (Soo) if there happens to be anyone around. Will be in Indy for 10-14mo starting Nov./Dec.

 

At least its not Walrus hauling themselves up on the wharf. Good luck getting past them.

 

You’re trying to start a one-off part 135 sight seeing company? The only way to end up with a million bucks by doing that is to start with five million bucks. Obtaining a 135 certificate and then getting a plane, a crew, and the required office personnel and training programs will take a lot of time and a lot of money. It sounds like a money-losing proposition to me.

 

If you keep it small, you *could* do it all as one guy. But that would be nowhere near a primary income source.

 

To do a 135 without listing individuals as Chief Pilot, Director of Ops, and Director of Maintenance, he’d need to request a deviation from those requirements and apply as a Single PIC operator. You’re right, he could do it but I wouldn’t advise it.

 

Just learning/jumping into this. Just got my PPL, and want to start out somewhere - goal is to get instrument by Feb, Comm and Multi soon thereafter (with hours).

Anyway - Could I just advertise, and operate as a commercial pilot on a Maule or Cessna on floats? I'm just jumping into googles and FAR info...its just a ton. Thanks for responses so far!

 

Good on you for having a plan of attack to get your ratings!

You’ll learn these type of things when you go through commercial training. Can you advertise to the public with a privately owned aircraft? Short answer is no. Can you advertise yourself as a contract pilot to fly other people’s airplanes? Sure. There are alternative methods to let people dry lease your airplane, but IMO that can get you into pretty gray areas with the regs.

 

Yeah, not trying to get into the grey....esp as a part time job. Ideally running with a regional in 18 months/24.

 

You’re referring to something called Common Carriage, or Holding Out. Basically means you’re selling yourself as a pilot. Part 119 lists a handful of things you can do as a commercial pilot for hire that does not include an operating certificate: flight instruction, aerial photography, skydive jump plane, and a few more I forget.
There is a weird one if I recall where you can fly within 25 miles of departure, and maybe you could fit that in to sightseeing, but I would do some serious research first.
Here’s a link that may explain this topic better than I can. https://www.boldmethod.com/blog/lists/2019/10/six-things-you-need-to-know-about-common-carriage/

And this is the actual reg: https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-i...11de44d9b&mc=true&node=se14.3.119_11&rgn=div8

However, if you had an unfortunate incident happen and you don’t have an operating certificate (ie Part 135), you could be sued to the moon, and maybe back.

lol

 

I love Mike Patey and all his vids and aircrafts.

But there is something about Peter's builds thats exciting.

 

Build time anyway you can (legally), but don't rush out of GA and into a jet cockpit without having fun first. When I was the guy at my airport giving spin training, I'd fly with so many candidates that had only flown three airplanes (C172, PA28R, & PA44) and ~ 200 hours. They've never landed on grass before, never flown anywhere for the $100 omelette, or even flown upside down. There is a lot of fun to be had in light airplanes, and once you go to the regional life in the E145/ E175/ CRJ, you'll never have the time or cash to fly for fun.

 

I'm absolutely trying to fly as much for fun as I can! Trying to rationalize a share in a Cardinal as well - so I can enjoy and travel some with my wife and pup....
Anyway - appreciate all the input so far! Def looking into it...as my time is built!

 

Passed under a C-130 at 15000 feet. 737’s aren’t the fastest planes by an means, but the C-130 appeared to be standing still.
But it’s always a fun plane to see!

 

Not all that fun for pax, either. Once I made a loadmaster scream "WE GET THERE WHEN WE GET THERE!" And I watched another regret forgetting to hand out airsickness bags to a pukefest when we went from 12000 to on the ground in less than 10 minutes, spiraling and zig-zagging all the way because MANPADS were present.

Still...they're easy as hell to load and unload.

Where was this? Looks like an H model.

 

That is sad when people are focused so much on the training that they don't take the time to relax and have fun with it. I remember having an older student working on his private certificate and due to the work/life balance it took some time to finish. At one point he was pushing himself so hard that he was getting frustrated. I suggested we try a flight just for fun, no training and no pressure to remind him why he was doing this. As we flew along I asked him for a turn and then asked him to bank a little more, then a little more. I had him look at his instruments to see that he was doing a perfect steep turn. It was so great to see the connection click that he had the skills and just needed to focus on the confidence and finish it up. He did and passed his checkride the first time. He was one of those fun students who you really enjoyed flying with.

There was another pilot who came through our school one summer to do a checkout in a Warrior. He was a student at one of the large flight school programs elsewhere in the country. I was shocked when he said he wanted to go fly for fun as they were not allowed to rent a plane and do any flying outside of the training program where he was learning. At that point I was impressed that he was doing this checkout to keep the focus on the fun but also felt bad for him and the other students whose flying was focused 100% on training and passing lessons.

It is expensive to learn to fly but I sometimes wonder if it costs more when you never allow yourself the chance to reset and look around at why you are doing it.