Fighting the high cost of flying

Jay Honeck wrote:



In the end, I think we will have made flying more affordable, in a fun
little plane that we can park in the antique/classic section at OSH.
Our kids can afford to fly it, and (assuming more families join the
club) we should be able to expand our pilot base, while creating an
opportunity for more social interaction at the airport.

Win-win-win!

:-)
Excellent move, Jay. Looks like a real clean airplane. I think lots of
folks will be making a move in a similar direction. What's the plan for
Atlas.

Rod

Excellent move, Jay. Looks like a real clean airplane. I think lots of
folks will be making a move in a similar direction. What's the plan for
Atlas.

Well, for now we're planning to keep Atlas. With a 1460 pound useful load,
and 140 knot speeds, it allows us to be in Florida in just 5 hours,
Wisconsin in 90 minutes, Kansas City in two hours, etc.

The Ercoupe will be a fun little 95 mph plane, but a cross-country family
hauler it is not... Of course, once the kids are grown and out of the
house, will we still need a minivan/airplane? Probably not.

It really depends on what happens with 100LL and the cost of fuel in
general.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"
"Rod" wrote in message
.. .
Jay Honeck wrote:



In the end, I think we will have made flying more affordable, in a fun
little plane that we can park in the antique/classic section at OSH.
Our kids can afford to fly it, and (assuming more families join the club)
we should be able to expand our pilot base, while creating an opportunity
for more social interaction at the airport.

Win-win-win!

:-)
Excellent move, Jay. Looks like a real clean airplane. I think lots of
folks will be making a move in a similar direction. What's the plan for
Atlas.

Rod

"Jay Honeck" wrote in
news:%8_1k.141525$TT4.88494@attbi_s22:

Excellent move, Jay. Looks like a real clean airplane. I think lots
of folks will be making a move in a similar direction. What's the
plan for Atlas.

Well, for now we're planning to keep Atlas. With a 1460 pound useful
load, and 140 knot speeds, it allows us to be in Florida in just 5
hours, Wisconsin in 90 minutes, Kansas City in two hours, etc.

The Ercoupe will be a fun little 95 mph plane, but a cross-country
family hauler it is not... Of course, once the kids are grown and
out of the house, will we still need a minivan/airplane? Probably
not.

It really depends on what happens with 100LL and the cost of fuel in
general.

I'm sure florida Wisconsin and Kansas city are waiting your decision with
bated breath.


Bertie

On Jun 5, 6:54 pm, "Jay Honeck" wrote:
Excellent move, Jay. Looks like a real clean airplane. I think lots of
folks will be making a move in a similar direction. What's the plan for
Atlas.

Well, for now we're planning to keep Atlas. With a 1460 pound useful load,
and 140 knot speeds, it allows us to be in Florida in just 5 hours,
Wisconsin in 90 minutes, Kansas City in two hours, etc.

The Ercoupe will be a fun little 95 mph plane, but a cross-country family
hauler it is not... Of course, once the kids are grown and out of the
house, will we still need a minivan/airplane? Probably not.

It really depends on what happens with 100LL and the cost of fuel in
general.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination""Rod" wrote in message

.. .



Just having returned from a 400NM trip, I have to say there are other
reasons besides fuel cost that is against GA. Today's automobiles have
come a long way in comfort, speed and convenience. The same level of
comfort only exists in airplanes that cost several million bucks.

The 95F heat this afternoon made the 10 minute taxi and run-up feel
like an eternity. Even with the cabin fan at full blast we were
suffocating by the time we took off. Then there was the 30 knots
headwind all the way, which increased the trip time by a full hour.
Even with ANR, the noise was physically draining. Now combine this
with a 2-year old in the back seat. I find it is impossible to justify
to your family that this is better way of traveling.

I could not see my family suffer through this ordeal, so I stopped at
an airport and rented a brand new Toyota Prius and told them to drive
it home, one of the best decision I have made in a long time. It was
definitely longer than flying, but it was way more comfy and cost far
less than flying. Next time I have decided to drive for family trips.

Denver to Salt Lake and back. Cessna 182Q. Six hours. $300 for fuel. No
traffic, no road construction, no rough roads, no speed limit, can wander a
quarter mile left or right.

Denver to Salt Lake and back. Jeep Grand Cherokee. Eighteen hours. $200 for
fuel. None of the above.

I'd still rather fly when I can.

Jon

Jon Woellhaf wrote:
Denver to Salt Lake and back. Cessna 182Q. Six hours. $300 for fuel. No
traffic, no road construction, no rough roads, no speed limit, can wander a
quarter mile left or right.

Denver to Salt Lake and back. Jeep Grand Cherokee. Eighteen hours. $200 for
fuel. None of the above.

I'd still rather fly when I can.

Jon



Limber up those calf muscles boy

Between two oilmen in the White House and
the impending ass busting Iran is going to
get we will all be on bicycles soon

On Jun 7, 2:25 am, "Jon Woellhaf" wrote:
Denver to Salt Lake and back. Cessna 182Q. Six hours. $300 for fuel. No
traffic, no road construction, no rough roads, no speed limit, can wander a
quarter mile left or right.

Denver to Salt Lake and back. Jeep Grand Cherokee. Eighteen hours. $200 for
fuel. None of the above.

I'd still rather fly when I can.

Jon

Here is my latest trip:
Buffalo to Dayton. 4 hours in an Archer. $180 fuel, no A/C. Hot humid
and noisy.
Buffalo to Dayton, 8 hours in a Toyota Prius Hybrid, $40 gas, A/C,
comfy seats, hardly hear the engine running.

A 2008 Toyota Prius costs $24k. A 30-year old Archer costs $60k.

I did save 4 hours when flying, but if you consider preflight, taxi
and driving to/from the airport, loading/unloading the airplane from
the car, the time savings start to disappear.


As a pilot for the past 10 years, I would like to justify flying as a
mode of transportation, but I don't see how.

Andrew Sarangan wrote in
:

On Jun 7, 2:25 am, "Jon Woellhaf" wrote:
Denver to Salt Lake and back. Cessna 182Q. Six hours. $300 for fuel.
No traffic, no road construction, no rough roads, no speed limit, can
wander a quarter mile left or right.

Denver to Salt Lake and back. Jeep Grand Cherokee. Eighteen hours.
$200 for fuel. None of the above.

I'd still rather fly when I can.

Jon

Here is my latest trip:
Buffalo to Dayton. 4 hours in an Archer. $180 fuel, no A/C. Hot humid
and noisy.
Buffalo to Dayton, 8 hours in a Toyota Prius Hybrid, $40 gas, A/C,
comfy seats, hardly hear the engine running.

A 2008 Toyota Prius costs $24k. A 30-year old Archer costs $60k.

I did save 4 hours when flying, but if you consider preflight, taxi
and driving to/from the airport, loading/unloading the airplane from
the car, the time savings start to disappear.


'twas always thus.

As a pilot for the past 10 years, I would like to justify flying as a
mode of transportation, but I don't see how.


You can't and never could. Not unless you had a 310 and someone else was
paying for it.

Bertie

"Bertie the Bunyip" wrote in message
...
Andrew Sarangan wrote in
:

On Jun 7, 2:25 am, "Jon Woellhaf" wrote:
Denver to Salt Lake and back. Cessna 182Q. Six hours. $300 for fuel.
No traffic, no road construction, no rough roads, no speed limit, can
wander a quarter mile left or right.

Denver to Salt Lake and back. Jeep Grand Cherokee. Eighteen hours.
$200 for fuel. None of the above.

I'd still rather fly when I can.

Jon

Here is my latest trip:
Buffalo to Dayton. 4 hours in an Archer. $180 fuel, no A/C. Hot humid
and noisy.
Buffalo to Dayton, 8 hours in a Toyota Prius Hybrid, $40 gas, A/C,
comfy seats, hardly hear the engine running.

A 2008 Toyota Prius costs $24k. A 30-year old Archer costs $60k.

I did save 4 hours when flying, but if you consider preflight, taxi
and driving to/from the airport, loading/unloading the airplane from
the car, the time savings start to disappear.


'twas always thus.

As a pilot for the past 10 years, I would like to justify flying as a
mode of transportation, but I don't see how.


You can't and never could. Not unless you had a 310 and someone else was
paying for it.

Bertie


Geez, what a dumb ass.

Andrew Sarangan wrote:
On Jun 7, 2:25 am, "Jon Woellhaf" wrote:
Denver to Salt Lake and back. Cessna 182Q. Six hours. $300 for fuel. No
traffic, no road construction, no rough roads, no speed limit, can wander a
quarter mile left or right.

Denver to Salt Lake and back. Jeep Grand Cherokee. Eighteen hours. $200 for
fuel. None of the above.

I'd still rather fly when I can.

Jon

Here is my latest trip:
Buffalo to Dayton. 4 hours in an Archer. $180 fuel, no A/C. Hot humid
and noisy.
Buffalo to Dayton, 8 hours in a Toyota Prius Hybrid, $40 gas, A/C,
comfy seats, hardly hear the engine running.

A 2008 Toyota Prius costs $24k. A 30-year old Archer costs $60k.

I did save 4 hours when flying, but if you consider preflight, taxi
and driving to/from the airport, loading/unloading the airplane from
the car, the time savings start to disappear.


As a pilot for the past 10 years, I would like to justify flying as a
mode of transportation, but I don't see how.


Take longer trips!

Matt