Some items of note around the ranch currently -- here is what I know:
Cessna 1ES was grounded unexpectedly as she sprinted to her 100hr service limit in record time -- this caught us all by surprise (we were expecting to have service life through this coming Friday), and my apologies to affected pilots. We will, of course, get her back in the air as soon as possible.
Piper 85Y is still waiting on her prop overhaul. Apparently the prop shop found some unsavory squawks, which we are happy to have corrected. The $4,600 bill for the prop alone, of course, is no picnic, but it's the nature of the game. We expect her back aaaaany (flipping) daaaaaay nowwwwwww.
While our hunt for a new plane has led us to many hideous and deformed 150/152s, we have not given up hope yet. Discussions with brokers suggest that everything with 2 seats and a fuel-sipping nature is being crated and shipped overseas due to the weak dollar. Makes sense, but it doesn't help us. Even some real junkwagons are fetching 25-30k right now, which is nearly enough for another 172.
Unexpectedly, our search for two-seat playthings has led us to a nice 172RG which we think might plug the gap between the 172s and the PA30. A few folks have commented that the jump to Multi+Commercial right off of IFR is a large one -- I suppose it is.
A Cessna 172RG "Cutlass" is basically a 172 with folding legs, constant-speed prop, cowl flaps, huge fuel tanks, and more power. A cross-country machine. Cruise books at 140kt, way better than our fixed-gear friends. A 172RG would end up renting at either 99 or 109/hr, depending on the insurance quote. We are curious who would be interested in a reasonable (04H-esque) 172RG. Commercial and CFI training would be less complicated, and people who actually travel places might appreciate the speed, as the cost per nm would actually be about the same as 68U/20U!
Ponder, ponder.
Well, it seems our doe-eyed optimism regarding fuel prices was not well-founded, and high prices seem to be here to stay. As you know, our aircraft prices are wet including fuel at $3.00/gallon, which we last saw in 2006. At a current $4.50 per gallon, and with our planes burning 8, 10, or 18 gallons per hour, the fuel surcharge may soon dwarf our rental rates, which is silly.
We are considering revising rates to reflect fuel at $4.50/gal and include a new surcharge schedule which covers fuel prices up to (cringe) $6.00. We do not anticipate any changes to the net cost per hour on any of our aircraft this year, but do not be surprised if you see a change to the line-item pricing in the coming months.
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Have a safe St. Patrick's Day!
Blue Skies,
- Mike
