Airplane Parnerships

What would be some ways to get in touch with someone when looking for a
partner to share in the joys (and sorrows) of aircraft ownership? I am
going to try placing flyers at the local FBO's. I thought about
downloading the Airmans database from the FAA and pulling out all the
pilots with current medicals in my area and sending them a short note.
Any other idesa? Thanks !!

Jon Kraus
PP-ASEL-IA
"now I've got the ownership bug"

As others have said, buy the plane first. If this is not feasible for
financial reasons, I'd say 1 partner is the max to go shopping with.
Any more and you're deep into cat-herding territory.

I found my partnership on the bulletin board at my FBO. IMHO that's
the best place since you're looking for a local pilot who flies
somewhat regularly.

-cwk.

On Thu, 12 Aug 2004 12:49:42 -0400, Dave Butler
wrote:

Jon Kraus wrote:
What would be some ways to get in touch with someone when looking for a
partner to share in the joys (and sorrows) of aircraft ownership? I am
going to try placing flyers at the local FBO's. I thought about
downloading the Airmans database from the FAA and pulling out all the
pilots with current medicals in my area and sending them a short note.
Any other idesa? Thanks !!

Pick out the plane and buy it first, then look for partners. If you look for
partners first, getting them all to agree on how to shop for a plane will be
difficult. It's much easier if you have a single decision-maker.

If you look for partners before you have a plane, you'll get people who say they
are interested right up until the day they have to sign a check, and then their
interest will evaporate.

Anyway, yes, FBP bulletin boards, postcards to airman's database entries in your
zip code, an ad in your local paper in the airplanes classified section.

I smell the voice of experience in your post. ;-)

an ad in your local paper in the airplanes classified section.

I've formed a number of airplane partnerships (and found replacement partners)
through classified ads in the local newspapers.

Be aware you'll get 10 'curiosity' calls for every serious call, a lot of
'tire-kickers' (even had one caller ask me what kind of airplane a 172 was...).

Suggest you throw out a $$ number early in the conversation. If you say $10,000
and the phone goes quiet...

That was in the days before access to suitable data bases. I believe the
postcard routine would be interesting to try (and perhaps more cost effective
than the newspaper ad).

You may not want to accept student pilots.

And pay as much attention to how one gets out down the road as how he gets in.

Getting 'married' is often easier than getting 'divorced'.

Make sure the prospects understand that it they bend it, they are responsible
for 100% of the deductible.

And then there's scheduling...

And allowance/reserve of overhauls, etc.

And...

And...