imtaylor
21st Jul 2009, 12:27
I have about 90 hours on PA28 and am currently doing an IMC. However, upon passing IMC, I want to do much more flying than I have been - probably about 40 - 50+ hours p.a. However, availability at the club I fly from is difficult and of course, I pay a premium for using club aircraft. The other option i have is to join a syndicate and I've got my name down to join a PA28 syndicate (privately owned) which currently has 10 members but which may extend membership to 12. My gut feeling is that with 12 members, it may be quite "crowded" and ironically, availability could be an issue again - so I would have gained nothing.
In any event, I really want something faster than a PA28. I travel round the UK quite a lot (I'm self employed) and if I could fly, it could potentially save a huge amount of time however, in order to make it worthwhile it would need to be in something faster than a PA28 due to time taken getting to the airport at this end, travel to wherever I'm going then taxi at the other end. So, I'm thinking that a fast(er) single engine piston, retractable gear would do the job - perhaps something like a Saratoga or a Malibu (alebit the latter will be more exepensive). The question is, if I syndicate it out to say, 7 people, they would all be looking at buying a share for £10k - £15k each. Is this reasonable and would there be demand?
Furthermore, as I said at the beginning, I'm doing an IMC at the moment and seem to be dogged by poor weather - repeated heavy rain etc. and therefore have cancelled a number of cross country trips. It therefore begs the question (and I haven't asked my instructor this), whats the point of the IMC if I can't fly in poorer weather (although I accept I don't want to be flying in heavy rain because of down drafts etc.). Finally, is it worth me looking at buying an N registered aircraft as the minima are better than IMC and the qualification is self-renewing ie. I don't have to do so many currency checks as with a CAA IR?
ta
In any event, I really want something faster than a PA28. I travel round the UK quite a lot (I'm self employed) and if I could fly, it could potentially save a huge amount of time however, in order to make it worthwhile it would need to be in something faster than a PA28 due to time taken getting to the airport at this end, travel to wherever I'm going then taxi at the other end. So, I'm thinking that a fast(er) single engine piston, retractable gear would do the job - perhaps something like a Saratoga or a Malibu (alebit the latter will be more exepensive). The question is, if I syndicate it out to say, 7 people, they would all be looking at buying a share for £10k - £15k each. Is this reasonable and would there be demand?
Furthermore, as I said at the beginning, I'm doing an IMC at the moment and seem to be dogged by poor weather - repeated heavy rain etc. and therefore have cancelled a number of cross country trips. It therefore begs the question (and I haven't asked my instructor this), whats the point of the IMC if I can't fly in poorer weather (although I accept I don't want to be flying in heavy rain because of down drafts etc.). Finally, is it worth me looking at buying an N registered aircraft as the minima are better than IMC and the qualification is self-renewing ie. I don't have to do so many currency checks as with a CAA IR?
ta