Recently a few of the regulars on this forum have for various reasons
sold their planes. Well, it looks like I'm about to join them. I've
been offered a job in Maui, and am likely to accept. I took a few extra
days off during the interview trip and talked with folks at Maui
Aviators, who rent airplanes there. A great outfit BTW--I flew with
them 3 years ago when I visited Maui, and fournd them to be a first
class operation. The fellow I talked with there had good information
and thought it would cost around $8K to pack up my 172, ship it from
the west coast to Maui, and reassemble it. Not cheap, but the biggest
factor indicating I should sell the Skyhawk is corrosion. Apparently
it's a *really* big problem, with all the salt air and no airports at
all "inland". I just hate to think of my now nearly corrosion-free
plane sitting there rapidly rotting on the ramp.

Tiedowns are reasonable, around $35/mo. Hangar space is apparently
unobtainable, with a waiting list long enough to put me in retirement
before becoming available. I've thought about basing the plane on
Molokai, about 40 miles away where the airport sits higher above sea
level and may be less susceptible to the salt air. But there's no FBO
or maintenance there, and hangars are to my knowledge non-existent.
Renting a 172 from Maui Aviators is around $125/hr. Not bad considering
the corrosion and overall cost of living on Maui. There are also some
folks selling partnerships in small planes on Maui, which might be an
option. At least then the financial losses of the decaying plane are
shared!

One kind of off-the-wall idea I had short of selling the plane is
pickling it, and paying the $135/mo to hangar it while I decide what to
do with it. The advantage here is if Maui doesn't work out I can come
back and still have my baby that I spent so much time and money getting
configured the way I like it.

Thoughts on any of this? I'd love to be able to justify shipping it,
but right now selling seems the best option. Assuming I do decide to
sell, I'd also like to hear about good or bad experiences with
web-based (or otherwise) aircraft sales operations.

And if you're looking to buy a great 172 with lots of goodies attached
(powerflow exhaust, interia reel harnesses, good Century IIB autopilot,
160 hp O320-D2G with 1850 SFNE, IFR, strobes) have a look at
www.burningserver.net/rosinski/airplane It's likely to be on the
market soon.

TIA.

Jim Rosinski
N3825Q