It depends on what you need on that PA-12, too. The PA-12 uses a relatively inexpensive engine. (high-teens for an overhaul). If it's going to need fabric and paint, and an engine, and whatever else repaired, I'm sure you'll be in it for $50k, and maybe more.

3/10/2020 8:23:15 PM

Yes it needs new fabric, new paint, a complete engine overhaul, etc. We actually have two engines as my grandfather pulled one from another PA-12 that wrecked years ago and has been sitting in his attic for probably 35 years.

3/10/2020 9:49:12 PM

TBMs are still $2 million in case anyone is wondering or worried about the effect on the market: https://www.controller.com/listings/aircraft/for-sale/list/manufacturer/socata/model/tbm-850

4/22/2020 1:24:54 AM

serious question. what's the pull for a $2M prop plane when business class jets are in the same ballpark?

4/22/2020 7:58:59 AM

Way less expensive to operate, almost as fast as a jet, doesn't require a type rating. More flexible in and out of smaller airports.

Most of the light jets won't get you to Hawaii or non stop to Europe anyway, so the only reason to get one is to say you have a jet and burn four times the fuel.

It is hilarious how normal people see a $4 million new TBM or Pilatus and basically think it's the same as a $50K Cessna 172.

They shortened our runway here in Santa Monica to 3500 feet so now we have more Pilatus traffic and only one jet it seems like. The jet has to be near empty on fuel to go in and out. Gulfstream allegedly changed their runway minimums to allow for 3500 feet, but you'd have to make an immediate fuel stop leaving.



[Edited on April 22, 2020 at 9:00 AM. Reason : A]

4/22/2020 8:53:35 AM

Thanks. I know they're quite different, just seemed that dropping $2M would sway to jets over props. Didn't realize the difference in magnitude of operating costs, nor the weight / runway lengths.

4/22/2020 10:28:08 AM

yeah, jets are a little faster, and have advantages in terms of being smoother/quieter and flying higher (allow you to get above more weather).

...but they are more picky on runways, and the biggest thing is the fuel consumption. Jets are very thirsty relative to turboprops. As an aside, I fully intend to own an L-39 or something similar one day (or at least a share of one)...but really, buying it isn't the problem--that's not what makes them unattainable at the moment. It's the $1000/hour or more in fuel costs.


A similar dynamic exists in the piston multi market. You can get a helluva twin for the same price or usually cheaper than a much less capable single...because the fuel and maintenance costs are so much higher.

[Edited on April 22, 2020 at 1:09 PM. Reason : also, $2M doesn't buy much jet nowadays. not in the biz jet market, anyway.]

[Edited on April 22, 2020 at 1:11 PM. Reason : ]

4/22/2020 1:08:55 PM

Haven't posted here in years but why not jump back in.

We had a PC-12NG when I lived in Switzerland and used it all over Europe. I would take it any day over a TBM due to the size. Those things hold their value like no other.

Crazy whats happening in the market right now. Some ultra long range planes like the G650/ER are being dumped now for a multitude of reasons. There are still buyers but they are sharks right now.

4/27/2020 9:52:37 PM

Top Gun 2 Behind-the-scenes trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHt1IbuYgJo

5/1/2020 11:01:38 PM

i can't wait for it to come out.

but a part of me just screams to strap into a jet again every time i see those trailers.

5/1/2020 11:23:16 PM

Yeah that looks fucking awesome

5/1/2020 11:45:00 PM

theDuke866 did you ever cross-train in the Growler or were you exclusively on the Prowler? Curious if you ever got to see the differences first hand between the two platforms.

[Edited on May 3, 2020 at 11:29 AM. Reason : ]

5/3/2020 11:29:19 AM

Being a Marine, I never had any EA-18G time. Those are Navy-only. They took delivery of the first -G back when I was in the EA-6B training squadron out in Whidbey Island, back around 07-08.

I know guys who did the transition to it, and it has the same EW systems as the later-block Prowlers that we got during my last few months in a fleet squadron, so I know a little about it, but no...never flew in one or had any formal training on them.

It basically has the same EW capabilities of an ICAP-3 Prowler, but in a more capable airframe. ICAP-3 also had Link-16. Exact same jamming pods, at least for now (Next Gen Jammer is on the way). Along with the more capable airframe, it has a vastly more capable radar, carries AMRAAM, and is capable of carrying more varying ordnance (although I don't know how much they carry besides HARM and AMRAAM in practice). All we every carried was HARM.

[Edited on May 3, 2020 at 11:16 PM. Reason : ]

5/3/2020 11:13:05 PM

Quote :

"but in a more capable airframe"

Hey, don't be mean to our Skypig

5/4/2020 5:15:48 AM

^^Obviously I didn't follow it that closely, so with the Prowler retired completely now and as far as I'm aware there is no F-35G, what is the Marine Corps using for electronic warfare? Just the regular F-35 with internal/external pods, nothing and letting the Navy handle that with the Growler, etc?

5/4/2020 8:10:24 AM

F35 should have some limited capability, pod assets (like Intrepid Tiger II) on various aircraft/drones, other jammers (CREW systems, etc) on ground vehicles (or conceivably even man-portable, backpack-sized. Those have existed for at least 10 years). F-35 will need less EW support than Hornets/Harriers, too.

and some of it is just taking a page from the USAF playbook (when they decided to put all their eggs in the stealth basket and retire the EF-111), and relying on the Navy when EW is needed.

5/5/2020 10:21:34 PM

Did you crash that f22 in Florida?

5/16/2020 2:57:58 PM

youre just on a roll with shit comments arent you? maybe take a week off.

5/17/2020 1:23:43 PM

Not entirely on topic but here is proof the F35 buzzed Jacksonville Beach Fl at the air show last year and did not crash. Did a crazy slow high powered walk too, and left some vapor cones over the Atlantic. She stole the show from the Blue Angels and made my sister and me seriously giddy. Go USAF!

https://mobile.twitter.com/sleavens1/status/1193727884713693186

All photos are mine.

5/17/2020 7:30:15 PM

Sounds like spatial disorientation got Kobe.

Quote :

"Zobayan told radar controllers he was going to "start our climb to go above the ... layers." When asked his intentions, the pilot responded, "climbing to four thousand," but the helicopter was descending 17 seconds before the end of data, the report states. Controllers again "asked for his intentions, but the pilot never responded." "Calculated apparent angles at this time show that the pilot could have misperceived both pitch and roll angles," the documents say."

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/18/us/kobe-bryant-flight-ntsb-text-messages-weather-pilot/index.html

6/18/2020 1:52:42 PM

Quote :

"Wife and I were visiting our plane Sunday and on the way we were driving along the 101 and thought, "huh weather is fucking awful, if we would have been able to fly we wouldn't have." Was super hazy, even in Van Nuys with under 3 viz."

No shit.

6/19/2020 10:27:26 PM

2x fatal crash of a Piper Lance a week or two ago down in Alabama. I knew the owner fairly well, and had met his passenger.

_____________

Just waiting on magnetos to come back from being overhauled now, then we can hopefully start making progress on getting the RV-4 back in the air.

6/20/2020 4:25:45 PM

Dukes opinion on the Duke?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechcraft_Duke

12/13/2020 12:11:07 AM

Cheap as shit to purchase relative to competition but the maintenance of the electro-mechanical systems and engines cost $texas for maintenance. They do have a nice ramp presence though but I personally like the King Air or even the Baron more.

12/13/2020 9:47:32 AM

In the 56TC Baron you can get the Duke engines and 250+ kts cruise.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechcraft_Baron#Baron_56TC

12/13/2020 10:22:13 AM

https://www.controller.com/listing/for-sale/199474323/1981-beechcraft-b60-duke-piston-twin-aircraft

12/15/2020 9:33:28 PM

^^^^ not savvy on that market segment...not in that market!

I know that the Barons share the sweet handling qualities of the Bonanza, compared to their competition.

________

Finally making progress on getting the RV-4 airworthy...hopefully in the next few weeks? Maybe month or two?

12/19/2020 2:12:22 AM

Have done fuck all tailwheel time the last few months. Went to pick up some wine in Napa over the weekend. It was gorgeous--glad spring is finally here after a year.





[Edited on March 29, 2021 at 5:23 PM. Reason : a]

3/29/2021 5:23:23 PM

Doing my first flying lesson in a few weeks

4/1/2021 6:13:05 PM

Fuck yeah! Where at?

4/2/2021 1:10:44 PM

^ total flight solutions in Louisburg here in NC

4/2/2021 7:17:25 PM

I solo'd there when it was NC Rotor and Wing. It's pretty great for initial learning since there is nothing around and some cool lakes to buzz. Make a skydive next door too

4/2/2021 8:18:21 PM

^^^^ sweet

4/2/2021 9:35:56 PM

Fuel leak. You lose 3 AMU.

Ownership is the bomb.

4/8/2021 11:30:53 PM

needed tanks removed, cleaned, and re-sealed?

This fucking RV-4 is still taking forever to get airworthy. I mean, I think we'll either have a 40-45k airplane for 20k or less...or a 60k+ airplane for 45k (if we have it repainted, do a new IFR glass panel, fix up the interior, etc)...but damn, I'm ready to fly it. It takes fucking forever to get people to do any work, even when you hire people who do that sort of work.

I've been fighting the same issue with an antique truck I'm having restored. People do shitty work and take forever to do it. It makes me not want to screw around with projects anymore.

4/22/2021 11:36:13 PM

What else are you gonna do with your money?

4/23/2021 11:39:54 AM

Just a gasket, ended up being 0.5 AMU. Usual parts supplier was out, so got a piece of rubber for $60.

Probably will do the other side at annual.

5/3/2021 1:07:10 AM

3/5/2022 12:00:30 AM

Seen some 55 barons that are basically free now. @Duke I have a open air hangar in your neck of the woods. Flew to Destin last week. Number like 129 for closed hangar in Milton and PNS. Emailed Ferguson but they have never gotten back to me.

Wood props are the shit.

[Edited on July 2, 2022 at 12:08 AM. Reason : A]

7/2/2022 12:07:51 AM

Finally got off my ass and did my instrument rating checkride today.

_________________________

^ Just seeing this.

What kind of bird do you have again? It might fit in my hangar at Milton with the RV4.

Where is your open-air hangar (i guess that's just a shelter/awning thing?)

Ferguson (now Rosco Field) has had a lot of stuff going on lately, and I doubt they have space anyway.

10/15/2022 5:19:27 PM

Quote :

"Seen some 55 barons that are basically free now"

do tell...

10/18/2022 2:16:31 PM

^^ Is Milton Peter Prince? I was 120 on the list as of 5 months ago.

I'm at KPNS. Mooney m20j. Has long wings for it's size but not a lot of height. Hangar is nice for what it is. Plane is currently in Gulf Shores until Hartzel gets off their ass and sends a new prop. I thought Florida annuals would be cheaper.

^ there were some 55 barons on controller in the low 100s. Assume because gas. Expecting a general reckoning soon, probably should have sold when I got offered 20% over what I paid.

10/23/2022 6:40:56 PM

Yeah Milton is Peter Prince.

If you’re 120 on the list, I expect you’re years away from getting a hangar there.

Since when do you live in Pensacola? Is that new or did I miss something?

10/23/2022 9:08:58 PM

Moved in May 2022. I'd moved to Ventura in 2020 since I figured the remote thing would be short lived and I could commute to LA by plane occasionally when needed. Things became more permanently remote, had a baby and made us rethink being in California. Bought a home in east hill.

The rain and cockroaches have been apocalyptic.

Did you do your IR in the RV? If so awesome.

[Edited on October 24, 2022 at 11:07 AM. Reason : A]

10/24/2022 11:06:31 AM

Nah the RV is still waiting on the FAA to process the registration. That has been at least a year-long process, and still isn’t done. I’m getting pretty pissed about it, especially since when you call the FAA, they just give you a message saying that they’re now starting to process stuff from 6 months ago, and then they cut you off. No one picks up, there’s no voice mail box, etc.

If I stay here in 2.5 years when I can finally leave if I want to (daughter off to college), I’ve thought about buying in East Hill. Either that or out by Perdido Key.

[Edited on October 29, 2022 at 2:06 AM. Reason : ]

[Edited on October 29, 2022 at 2:07 AM. Reason : FAA is like if the federal government ran the DMV. Fuck the FAA.]

10/29/2022 2:04:24 AM

^ we changed the registration on the Pitts we had a share in. I think it was done in 2021. It's still not processed. My wife said they are less than a year now.

10/30/2022 5:55:45 PM

they gave us a temp we could fly on when we first started this process 18 months ago or whatever it was, but it expired before the airplane was ready. Now we've been sitting here for 6 months with the airplane basically ready, but still can't fly it because they won't process the fucking paperwork.

10/31/2022 3:25:44 AM

What flight school do you use? We can't find anyone at the Pensacola Aviation one above Innisfree. I've been in twice. The Sky warriors one seems like a pilot mill 141 school.

[Edited on November 5, 2022 at 2:41 PM. Reason : A]

11/5/2022 2:41:07 PM

PNS Air above Innisfree is who I used most recently for my instrument rating. What do you need? BFR or something?

11/6/2022 1:58:37 AM

Currency and approaches. Since my plane will have been in the shop since August and I was already pretty uncurrent with handling the move I'll be really uncurrent.

I've went in that flight school twice. Filled out the iPad thing the second time and no one got back with me. Been excessively busy so hard to remember to follow up. Probably will go back over again today.

11/6/2022 6:25:33 AM