Archive for April, 2008

Fuel Prices keeping you grounded?

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Well the unfortunate rising cost of oil prices affects not only your morning commute, but possibly your wings too!  Here is a story (link to Story - see video) about a Connecticut Flying school feeling the crunch of fuel price hikes. 

The otherside to the story is I crunched the numbers last summer on driving my wifes Yukon on vacation to Destin, Florida from Dallas, TX with her, the kids and me.  Time wise for the 766 mile juant with fuel stops, kids stops (they’re small and the DVD only lasts so long, you understand) about 13 hours average M.P.G. is a stunning 13 on the Highway so that puts us at 59 gals @ $3.35/gal for 87 octane and we are at $197.65 and did I mention 13 hours. 

With a rental of a 172 @ 110 kts ($109/block) and fuel averaging $5.00/gal that cuts the time from 13 hours to 5 hours and 12 min respectively.  Well $1090 round trip vs $400 round trip is a big difference, but you get to log the time, show the family some cool sights from the air instead of dwelling on those lousy Louisana roads for 4 hours and you get at least an extra day on the beach…priceless!

However, if you own your own plane you can cut that $1090 in about half and well $500 worth of flying in 5.5 hours or less vs 13 hours + in the car and high gas prices all of a sudden make flying your own plane comparable with the cost of driving.  If you are a pilot or aviation lover you probably don’t need the justification, but hey it may help with the better half or justifying it in your business, with a little pleasure use too. 

Check out our comparison pages and see what all planes fit your needs!

NTSB Shows Aviation Fatalities Lowest in 40 Years

Monday, April 21st, 2008

The National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary aviation accident statistics for 2007.  The number of GA fatalities decreased by 30 percent; 703 fatalities were reported in 2006 compared to 491 last year, marking the lowest annual total in more than 40 years.

Based on fewer than 10 seats, no fatalities occurred on FAR Part 135 commuter aircraft. As for on-demand air charter–air taxis, air tours and medical services [when a patient is on board]–135 operations reported 43 fatalities, comprised of 62 accidents and 14 fatal accidents, up from 16 fatalities reported in 2006.

The NTSB said that in 2007, based on aircraft with 10 or more seats, there were 24 nonfatal accidents involving FAR Part 121 airlines.  Foreign registered aircraft accounted for 11 accidents in the United Sates in 2007, with three fatalities from a single fatal accident. Fourteen accidents involved unregistered aircraft; six were fatal and resulted in seven fatalities.

Upside Down Heli

Diamond Aircraft putting planes on Sale

Friday, April 18th, 2008

The following is a press release by Diamond Aircraft from April 18, 2008.

Diamond Aircraft and its distributors this week announced a unique opportunity to purchase a limited number of top-of-the-line 2007 DA40 XL aircraft at a special demonstrator price of $299,950, or 15% – $53,000 – off the $353,395 price for comparably equipped 2008 DA40 XLS aircraft.


Diamond DA40 XL

 

 

 

 

 

 

All DA40 XL aircraft come loaded with most factory options, including XM satellite weather, TAS active traffic, TAWS-B terrain awareness system and premium leather interior. Select 2007 demonstrator aircraft are now being released to the public. With only 50 -150 hours on the airframe, these aircraft have been professionally maintained and flown by Diamond sales people, and come with a full two years of airframe warranty, as well as a 2-year, 250 hour Premium Care pre-paid maintenance program.

“The DA40 XL has been our best-selling aircraft for the last several years. With its industry-leading safety record, unparalleled visibility, and wonderful handling, it has become the first choice aircraft for many pilots who both want to advance their ratings, and do some serious traveling,” explains Errol Bader, at USAERO, the Diamond distributor for the south-western US. “We typically fly our demos for about 8-10 months and then replace them. These aircraft have low hours, are maintained by Diamond factory authorized service centers, and represent an incredible value.”

Company demonstrator aircraft count as new aircraft under tax rules, and are eligible for the special 2008 tax treatment, including 50% bonus depreciation and Section 179 expensing election. Qualifying buyers can write off up to $279,970, or 93% of the purchase price of the aircraft.

To find out more, visit Diamond’s Website

Honda Jet Making for US & European Sales of its New VLJ

Friday, April 18th, 2008

Honda Jet is planning sales to Europe, it will make an annoucement at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) conference in Geneva, Switzerland. 

Honda Aircraft Company came out with it’s radical new design with an engine mounted on top of the wings and is developing the jet at its headquarters and manufacturing plant at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, NC.  Honda Jet

Honda Aircraft Company is also opening its several million dollar U. S. Sales and Maintenance facility at Albany International Airport.

Family Loses Plane at Gun Point

Tuesday, April 15th, 2008

Okay so this reinforces a fear I have of ‘flying’…to Mexico that is!  I mean I have my pilot’s license so I can have the freedom to fly my plane when and where I want, not be tied to the airlines noose and for pure enjoyment right?!  Well flying is about travel and travel generally is about vacation and family.  Truth is I would love to fly around the world and several other ‘not so easy to do in a single engine prop plane’ places as shown on to do before I die list. 

However I don’t rank Mexico up there as lofty goal.  I have contemplated flying my family to Mexico;  I live in Texas, it is not that far, why not control my schedule there too?  I mean we have all heard the stories of crooked Mexican police, people losing their cars, people put in jail or threaten jail if they didn’t pay up to the local law, but one would think our sacred ground could still be an airport. 

Apparently not!  I would strongly reconsider doing much of anything in mexico outside of the tourist area or the norm in Mexico as you have no control and certainly not flying there for that very reason.  After reading the following a story in the Associated Press today it just proves that…go to Mexico and you may lose your plane…at gun point no less.  I am sorry it happened to that family, it could have been mine!

Happy Crash if that is possible…everyone survived

Monday, April 14th, 2008

Well it appears that one hard landing caused nothing but damage.  All passengers and people injured on the ground when a Cessna 310 crashed into a house in Compton, CA over the weekend are surviors.  The crash of the plane by the 71 year old pilot appeared to be a result of loss of power. Read the Articles and LA Times

Compton plane crash

Picture is from LA Times Article credited to Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

Airplanes & Lawsuits

Monday, April 14th, 2008

Not words that I like in the same sentence…Lawsuits and Airplanes.

I found an article this week written about a very unfortunate plane crash (all crashes are) involving a Piper Malibu.  It claimed the life of 4 people on April 11, 2008 in Alberta, Canada.  The article went on to describe the fact that a father and son had both died in plane crashes within 5 months of one another in different kinds of planes, one weather related and one yet to be determined.

The crash and the cause are not the most disturbing part, unfortunately!   The fact that the article was on a ‘legal site’ that had a place to sign up for lawyers wanting to sue in airplane crash cases is what really disturbs me.   The article goes on to mention Piper Aircraft’s 1991 bankruptcy filing and infer that that the Malibu and any crashes by that type of plane over the years could be related. 

If there are points to consider for safety of flying Malibu’s I would like to hear those to consider and make judgement (usually done by FAA and NTSB) a couple of government agency’s that have done a pretty good job erring on the side of safety for users of aviation products, but to make inferences and suggestions and then offer advertising for attorney’s who want to sue or find clients from aircraft crash cases really adds a biased slant.