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Renting sucks....


GravityKnight

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Besides the normal stuff like having to rent a month or two a head of time because everything is booked.. and then you get there and the weather doesn't cooperate that day. There are the other things like getting your reservation cancelled quite often because the plane has been damaged again or some other issue you were not aware of until the day of, when they call you. Well there is all that, but yesterday I experienced a new reason to REALLY not like renting....

 

 

So I flew the CTSW on saturday. Didn't have anyone with me, so I decided it would be a quick (5 ~ landings) trip in the pattern and call it a day. I fly airplanes because I like airplanes, and I want to stay sharp and be good at it.. so a day in the pattern to me is a good day.

 

When I took off the tower called calm winds.. by the time I was in the downwind it was gusting 28 knots (typical here). I ended up making 2 landings but it was shifting around and becoming a pretty strong x-wind, and they have rules about what we can fly in. So I had to call it quits, which was fine because it seemed to be getting worse as time went on. Both landings were good, smooth, on center line, no side load, landing and holding it on the left main. I was happy with that and went on about my business.

 

Well Monday I get a call. They pulled it out of the hanger and it had a flat tire...And for some reason they decided to check the plane out (not sure why). They found one side (right main) of the gear is cracked pretty bad where it fastens to the body. I have never seen this location, so I don't know what that looks like exactly. But it's pretty messed up I was told, plane will be down again for a while (this poor plane has been damaged so many times in the last year it's just sad).

 

They wanted to know if I had a hard landing- since I flew it last. I did not.. not at all. Which I explained to them. He said "well you didn't fly very long, thought maybe something happened" to which I responded, "Weather happened- I'm not allowed to fly in high winds, two of your instructors were out there, they saw how quick it got nasty, one of which was on the ground waiting to take off in 74DW (one of their cessnas) when I made my second landing- he can vouch for me- it was smooth"

 

He didn't seem to push it beyond that, so hopefully they are not thinking I had something to do with this. But because someone didn't want to admit to a hard landing when it happened, I'm out flying a potentially unsafe airplane and also trying to defend myself as not being the one responsible for damaging it! This straight up bothers me.... I mean I can't stand stuff like this. Mistakes happen, but I am really not interested in taking the blame for something I had nothing to do with. What if the gear had collapsed on a normal landing and then I'm trying to convince everyone it really isn't my fault- that could get ugly!!

 

My guess is that when it had a bad landing that caused prop strike about 2 months back this may have happened. I don't know if it had been inspected since then or not- so maybe it has happened since that incident and they know that. Not sure. Either way it gets rented 4-5 times a day, but because I was the last one to fly it...... 

 

I do IT work for these guys, and know them all pretty well. I don't need some kind of weird issue going on between us.. but I am sure as hell not taking blame for something I didn't do.

 

I know there are headaches with owning your own... but at least we'll know who to actually blame with something goes wrong! lol

 

/end rant

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Flat tires happen, it just part of life with an airplane. Any cracks they are seeing is likely just fairings on the SW, and not a big deal to repair. On the SW the gear leg is made out of aluminum. It is a little pricey, but not that hard to replace. One thing I have learned about looking at the SW's is walking up to the wingtips and checking their height compared to each other. If they are off by very much the gear leg is likely bent.

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Finance and buy it. You are very attached to that little ctsw, and apparently she needs a more caring owner :P

 

They were actually trying to get rid of it, for another LS. But the deal fell through.. I asked the owner what he felt it was worth, and he said 55kish. Which sounds like a pretty good deal for an SW with an almost new engine/gearbox. It's just that it's had the wing tips repaired 3 times, once pretty substantial. Still scrapes on one side from a recent wing in ground incident. Gear has been crumpled and replaced, wheels broken and replaced. It has about 2200 hours total time, which isn't that high.. but it's been abused and that worries me. Like this whole gear cracked fiasco, what else do we not know about?

Plus my home strip is pretty rough. I feel like there are things better suited to my particular situation. I do really like the SW though, it has always come through for me. Been on some good adventures together! But a kitfox 5 or later fits my mission a little closer.

 

STOL (my home strip is 1800ft long - and at 6600ft elevation)

Off airport stuff (my strip is kinda rough, and I want to do some back country flying)

Engine options (may end up doing something custom/automotive swap etc. down the road)

Can take the doors off in the summer (this is something I really want to be able to do)

Tricycle gear (just not into ground looping, and there are not a lot of tricycle geared planes that accomplish the above tasks)

Of course affordable enough I can buy it... After building a hanger, I think I'll be in the 45k area to work with. Not a lot, but I have seen a few 912 equip newer kitfox's for sale in the 35-47k area on Barnstormers

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They were actually trying to get rid of it, for another LS. But the deal fell through.. I asked the owner what he felt it was worth, and he said 55kish. Which sounds like a pretty good deal for an SW with an almost new engine/gearbox. It's just that it's had the wing tips repaired 3 times, once pretty substantial. Still scrapes on one side from a recent wing in ground incident. Gear has been crumpled and replaced, wheels broken and replaced. It has about 2200 hours total time, which isn't that high.. but it's been abused and that worries me. Like this whole gear cracked fiasco, what else do we not know about?

 

Plus my home strip is pretty rough. I feel like there are things better suited to my particular situation. I do really like the SW though, it has always come through for me. Been on some good adventures together! But a kitfox 5 or later fits my mission a little closer.

 

STOL (my home strip is 1800ft long - and at 6600ft elevation)

Off airport stuff (my strip is kinda rough, and I want to do some back country flying)

Engine options (may end up doing something custom/automotive swap etc. down the road)

Can take the doors off in the summer (this is something I really want to be able to do)

Tricycle gear (just not into ground looping, and there are not a lot of tricycle geared planes that accomplish the above tasks)

Of course affordable enough I can buy it... After building a hanger, I think I'll be in the 45k area to work with. Not a lot, but I have seen a few 912 equip newer kitfox's for sale in the 35-47k area on Barnstormers

It may be beat up, but you know that plane. If you want it, then just go for it. Financing on a 55k plane over 15 years is less than 500 a month easy.

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I know, but I still give up.  I think I am gonna get a bigger wife so I have an excuse to dump all my heavy avionics.

 

Advice to you . . . . . don't dump either! . . . :)

Until you get your new C4, that CTLSi is perfect for you two.

It's a great airplane.

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Well!

 

Looks like a very good possibility my truck has sold. His credit union sent down the bill of sale and some other papers to have me sign/notarize. He is coming with money in the next few days and if he likes it, he's taking it home. I think he will like it.... it makes 650-700hp and looks/sounds pretty cool!

 

This opens the door to going plane shopping... hopefully within a month! Got to buy a car first (half the money from the truck pays off my house, half goes for another vehicle). And then I can get a new loan for a plane/hanger. I was planning on just getting a personal load for like 55kish (6 - 10 years if they will do it). I have good credit and collateral and should be able to get a pretty decent interest rate... but maybe there is a better choice?? I need money for a hanger though, not just a plane so I wasn't sure how else to borrow money for both?? Any thoughts....

 

Yay!

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They were actually trying to get rid of it, for another LS. But the deal fell through.. I asked the owner what he felt it was worth, and he said 55kish. Which sounds like a pretty good deal for an SW with an almost new engine/gearbox. It's just that it's had the wing tips repaired 3 times, once pretty substantial. Still scrapes on one side from a recent wing in ground incident. Gear has been crumpled and replaced, wheels broken and replaced. It has about 2200 hours total time, which isn't that high.. but it's been abused and that worries me. Like this whole gear cracked fiasco, what else do we not know about?

Plus my home strip is pretty rough. I feel like there are things better suited to my particular situation. I do really like the SW though, it has always come through for me. Been on some good adventures together! But a kitfox 5 or later fits my mission a little closer.

 

STOL (my home strip is 1800ft long - and at 6600ft elevation)

Off airport stuff (my strip is kinda rough, and I want to do some back country flying)

Engine options (may end up doing something custom/automotive swap etc. down the road)

Can take the doors off in the summer (this is something I really want to be able to do)

Tricycle gear (just not into ground looping, and there are not a lot of tricycle geared planes that accomplish the above tasks)

Of course affordable enough I can buy it... After building a hanger, I think I'll be in the 45k area to work with. Not a lot, but I have seen a few 912 equip newer kitfox's for sale in the 35-47k area on Barnstormers

 

Also look at the Rans S7 Courier.  You can sometimes find them in the 30s or even the 20s with non-912 engines like the 85hp Jabiru 2200.  Those airplanes are every bit as a good a bush plane as a Highlander with the right tires and a few upgrades (which you can do yourself since it's an experimental)...

 

Here's one with a 912 for $39.9K:

 

http://www.barnstormers.com/classified_909334_Rans+S7c+Longtail+%2701++42%2Bhr%27s.html

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Rent the hangar.  Finance the plane.  Leverage your money.  Or, get an Aerotrek with a trailer.  Avoid the hangar, and get a new plane for under $100k.

I have my own stip and land to put a hanger on.

 

I'm hoping by putting money upfront, I can save on the month to month costs. No fees other that gas and maint (with the exception of insurance of course). So if I don't fly, it doesn't cost me too much.. hopefully.. I mean hopefully I'm flying a lot- that was the idea of this!

 

 

 

Not a bad deal Andy.

Not sure I'm cut out for a tail dragger though. I mean I'm sure I'm as capable as the next guy. But the thought of ground looping the thing does kinda of scare me. Even though they make better bush planes...

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Not all tail wheel planes are equal opportunity ground loopers. So, find one that does not have a ground looping reputation (most don't), get good dual from an instructor with experience in that make and model, then go fly. The fact that you don't have a paved strip is a help.

 

I can still remember my first tail wheel experiences. But, after not much time, all was fine. Like learning to ride a bicycle. Worrisome at first, then all is well.  

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And also remember that many, if not most, ground loops don't hurt anything except the pilot's pride. If you don't hit anything or scrape a wing tip in the process, it's often a "fly away in shame" event.

 

What John says is true, the airplane matters. A lot depends on how short the tail is (shorter tail comes off line quicker, but a longer tail if not corrected is a bigger lever with more momentum) and how the steering for the tailwheel is set up.

 

I'm not a tailwheel flyer, but I know a bunch of them and we talk often. I wouldn't let the tailwheel scare me off an otherwise well suited plane.

 

Eddie owned a Citabria, he probably has much more insight than I do about it.

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This came up recently on Pilots of America.

 

I have about 1,500 hours of tailwheel time, mostly in Citabrias, Cubs and Cessna cropdusters. Probably about 1,000 hours of it instructing.

 

I have yet to see a full ground loop. Had a near one at Opa Locka West with a student that left the runway in a swerve, but never came around and did no damage. Had some minor scrapes and dings here and there, but remain accident free to date.

 

It is not something to be feared. My best students were often fresh private pilots who had been taught "full stall" landings. For them, the main new thing was learning to "dance" on the rudder pedals as needed.

 

Some of my worst students were high time pilots who had gotten used to fast, flat landings. That will simply not work to get a desired "3-point"* landing in a taildragger. They basically had to relearn landings.

 

I wish my Sky Arrow was a taildragger, but you can't have everything!

 

 

*I found the very best landings in Cubs and Citabrias were ever-so-slightly tailwheel first. You'd feel for the runway with the tailwheel, feel it roll on just as the stick about hit the rear stop, then the mains would drop a couple of inches and you were done flying. True "3-pointers" tended to be a bit squirrelly as the wings had a bit of lift left. And mains first are a no-no, unless you're doing a wheel landing.

 

Most of my arrivals were more "nuanced" than this one, but it gives you an idea:

 

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Mine is for sale. 0-235 Lyc ... like new

0-235 is a pretty nice engine! I like the newer tech in most cases, but that particular engine is really sweet!

 

Can I get some more info on your plane! pictures, anything!!?

 

 

 

And thanks for the thoughts about tail draggers guys... I do understand what you guys are saying. There are definitely advantages to a tail dragger. I honestly would like to fly one and get a feel for it!

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And also remember that many, if not most, ground loops don't hurt anything except the pilot's pride. If you don't hit anything or scrape a wing tip in the process, it's often a "fly away in shame" event.

 

What John says is true, the airplane matters. A lot depends on how short the tail is (shorter tail comes off line quicker, but a longer tail if not corrected is a bigger lever with more momentum) and how the steering for the tailwheel is set up.

 

I'm not a tailwheel flyer, but I know a bunch of them and we talk often. I wouldn't let the tailwheel scare me off an otherwise well suited plane.

 

Eddie owned a Citabria, he probably has much more insight than I do about it.

 

Ground loops do tear up the rubber on tailwheels though if they try to fight it during the spin.

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0-235 is a pretty nice engine! I like the newer tech in most cases, but that particular engine is really sweet!

 

Can I get some more info on your plane! pictures, anything!!?

 

 

 

And thanks for the thoughts about tail draggers guys... I do understand what you guys are saying. There are definitely advantages to a tail dragger. I honestly would like to fly one and get a feel for it!

here it is

post-112-0-18503200-1409938247_thumb.jpg

post-112-0-55182400-1409939352_thumb.jpg

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Be aware...if you buy an airplane from Canada, be very careful with the paperwork.

 

A friend bought a Diamond DA-20, had it deregistered in Canada, but then the FAA would not register it because it was from a foreign country and had no registry.  Canada did not want to re-register it either.  It took several months and several thousand dollars to clear up.

 

Make sure you do NOT de-register it in Canada until you have the DAR look at it in the USA.

 

 

 

Beautiful Kitfox, BTW.

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