Well, not usually. It was not repaired and did not have a placard. I travel all over the country and rent vehicles from a number of different companies Alamo, Hertz, Avis, Budget and all the cars work and are cleaned, fueled, and ready to go.
When was the last time you went to an FBO and had to wait while they fueled the aircraft that you were renting? When was the last time they vacuumed the interior and cleaned out the seat pockets? Not all flight schools are like that. I did work in a family owned FBO for a bit.
With that experience I learned that some FBOs go through months and sometimes years having trouble just keeping their doors open. Being in the aviation insurance business, I also know what the insurance costs are and how much an aircraft must fly to pay for just the insurance. In a way, it is amazing that many flight schools are even in business. That said, if new start-ups are to continue, the product and service they offer has got to improve.
And why do I say that? Back to the start of this: I get calls from budding pilots every day. After they experience the excitement and get hooked by the passion for flying, they check out the local FBO and get discouraged. Some of those people leave the industry without giving it a second chance. The others call me about buying their own airplane and getting insurance.
The boating world is concerned about losing participants and improving service. The numbers are a little different, but all recreational industries are fighting for the same people and their time. Who gets the most participants is the key. Just think what the general aviation industry would be like if we had those numbers. But the boating industry is still trying to improve service and keep people. Anyway, back to the rental aircraft. If something breaks, the FBO is the one that has to fix it.
The renter just signs out a different aircraft. No responsibility! Well, besides taking care of the equipment and flying in a safe manner, but nothing on a long-term or repair basis. Well in a way maybe I am. This looked very similar to what would become the , except it was a "taildragger" design, with a wheel underneath the tail. More s have been built than any other type of plane Credit: iStock.
And during its history, that ease of use and reliability has led to some quite remarkable flights. Their mission? To break the world record for the longest flight without landing. The 's excellent view makes it much easier for pilots to land Credit: iStock.
This would be no easy feat. The two pilots would need to keep their aircraft in the air for nearly seven weeks, without landing once. According to Jalopnik , the necessary modifications took more than a year to make — and included a small sink so the two pilots could brush their teeth and even bathe.
In order to do this, the two pilots had to strip out the back seats so they had room for a mattress. While one pilot flew the plane, the other would sleep. And should they feel the need to shower? A small platform could be extended between the open cabin and the wing strut — allowing the relief pilot to shower out in the open air. Refuelling and resupplying the plane with food and water was an even bigger challenge. The Cessna had to fly close to the ground and match the speed of a car carrying supplies for the pilots — the reserve pilot would then lower a bucket so food and water could be put in it and then hoisted back up into the cabin.
And twice a day, a fuel tanker drove underneath the Cessna and a hose was raised up to the aircraft. It was a good thing the flight took place in Nevada, with acres of flat, featureless desert outside the city boundaries.
The two pilots kept this up day after day. One week turned to two. Production lasted until for the C and for the The idea was to offer a faster , using the same engine but gearing it up to go faster and gearing the prop down to stay within its limits. The net result was an engine doing a lot more work than it was originally designed to do, and it showed in much higher maintenance costs and a lower TBO.
Like the Ford Edsel, some owners swear by them, but most mechanics swear at them. Best to avoid this low-production Cessna model in favor of a or Cessna This Cessna has a virtual cult following. Cardinal buyers want only a Cardinal; they will accept nothing else.
The Cardinal was introduced in as a sleeker and sexier This wider airplane sat lower to the ground and the pilot had terrific visibility only in the Skymaster and the Cardinal does the pilot sit in front of the wing. Cessna quickly replaced the powerplant in with a hp O engine, and a new wing design arrived in A retractable-gear version was added in Production ceased in for both models.
An important note: Many Cardinals have been successfully outfitted with hand controls for disabled pilots. Cessna Feeling the need for speed?
Want a roomy and comfortable six-seater that an average pilot can fly? Need decent short-field performance, good climb, good mountain performance and a stable IFR platform for a reasonable price?
Look at the The was born in as a retractable-gear to compete with the V-tail Beech Bonanza. The major model changes for s were: for the rear window; for the hp engine; for optional turbocharging; for elimination of the wing struts; for the larger fifth- and sixth-seat area and tubular gear; for the hp engine; for optional full deicing; and for the hp engine.
The key to a successful ownership experience on the and all older, high-performance retractables is who has been doing the annuals and whether the owner was willing to spend the extra money to properly maintain the airplane.
On early s, be sure to have a competent mechanic check the gear-actuating mechanism. The most problematic years for the gear were through , but Cessna has good fixes for most of the gear issues.
Rates and terms have never been more favorable. Friendly aviation bankers are eager to help you get a loan. The approval process is quick and easy. Call one of the aircraft bankers listed below.
They will obtain credit bureau reports for you and start the application process. Each bank varies in its credit requirements. Now, you should consider how much money you can get. How much of an airplane loan do you qualify for? Inside tip: Most airplane bankers want to see a debt-to-income ratio of about In plain English, this means that the total of all your regular monthly obligations car, house, credit-card minimums, etc.
There can be some flexibility in this, especially for people who are self-employed with strong business cash flow and excellent personal credit.
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