I'm a serial renter. Mostly 172RG (same airplane for the last 6 years or so) in Europe, 182RG when in the US. I probably would own a 182 or a 210 if I was living in the US, in Europe I could never justify the budget.
Preferred to spend the money on doing license conversions and then renting in places like southern Africa or Australia. I've never been very interested in 'bimbles', prefer to go places and see new things. IMHO more fun than doing the same runs again and again, as one tends to do (unless you use the a/c for business), much as with a holiday home.
I have a share in a Cessna 172SP (G1000). I like to do one longish trip each year. Over the last few years I have flown, mainly IFR, from Ireland to Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Channel Islands, France and Spain. These are long for me but not in comparison to some of the trips others posters on the forum have done!
TB20 and 1/4 of C172
I fly the family Mooney M20K 252 and gliders, but they are owned by the club.
I've had my Aerostar 601P since late May
Beautiful aircraft. There's no way I could afford one - but a friend who runs a flight school near Houston had one for charter, and I was at least going to splash out and get an hour or two of dual instruction with him in it on one visit. Unfortunately before I could, there was a hurricane headed to Houston (it wasn't the most recent one that scored a direct hit, it was the one a year or two earlier that veered away and made a direct hit on Beaumont about 50 miles to the east). He evacuated his whole fleet before the hurricane was due to hit. Unfortunately the pilot who was going to fly it back overloaded it and crashed on takeoff. The aircraft caught fire and was destroyed. Fortunately everyone in it managed to get out without any serious injury.
I've only been part-owner of two powered aircraft, a Cessna 140 in the US (I was also a member of a very good flying club there, and had access to a Beech Bonanza which I loved) and now the Auster. Very small syndicate - just two of us. One of the things I love about Britain is I don't have to take photos of the aircraft any more. All I do it is fly it around, then search the internet a week later and someone's bound to have taken one - like this one when I stopped at Ronaldsway for fuel the last time I was on my way to Gloucester:
Sadly this sort of thing never happened in the US. I can't find a single photo of our old Cessna 140 online.
OK, let me join in with my first post on this board....
1/4 owner of a Skybolt and user (not owner, just pay all the bills for a friend who doesn't flyanymore) of a KZ VII. Hoping to sell the KZ for my buddy and a cross country machine.
If I could figure out how to attch a picture, I would
See Posting Tips which should appear above the box where you type in your post.
My new (to me) Mooney.... Still to fly it home...next week is the plan!
Was previously Swiss hence the tail....now on US register...
Stole these from what next as he seems to do what I do...
Should add that I rent at the club and previously had a part in a Commander 114B. Now also upgrading to Ultralights...
Outright owner of Robin DR400/180 superb aircraft.I also run a small flying club that was formerly subsidised by my employer PA28-161.I formed my first flying group nearly 40 years ago and have been involved in groups as an instructor and examiner since then.I have therefore gained great insight into human selfishness and frailty hence I own my own aircraft.I know of perhaps one person amongst my good friends who I would consider sharing an aircraft with....so many factors have to be considered.vbr Stampe
