Adenturer(s) wanted

[bauple58]

Greetings

I'm casting around for someone, equally crazy, who might also be interested in sharing the adventure - and cost - of buying some former eastern-bloc aeronautical heritage and flying it all the way back here.

Something not-too-thirsty like a Wilga (http://www.buyplanesforsale.com/aircraft/airplanes/1980-pzl-104-wilga/1602/) or a Zlin Z-142 (http://www.planecheck.com/index.asp?ent=da&id=8515&cor=y). Or, if we found a few other tragics (preferably one with LAME qualifications), we could even entertain a beastly Antanov An-2 (http://www.buyplanesforsale.com/aircraft/airplanes/1967-an2-best-big-biplane-in-world/109/).
Interested?

Mark
Queensland
Australia

[email protected]

[Heady1977]

Unfortunately, not a LAME and currently in the long process of learning to fly.

But definitely an adventure I'd be willing to keep track of. I've always considered riding a motorbike from UK to Australia.

Interestingly, I stumbled upon an article on the web a few years ago about a group who flew a number of motorgliders from Czech (I think) to Australia back in the late 70's or early 80's (if I remember correctly). I happen to remember that this was done to save shipping costs and only one of the aircraft was fully instrumented - the others just followed the leader.

Inspiring stuff.

I spent many years at USQ a decade ago...

Please keep us informed of your progress on your adventure.

[GeeWhizz]

OK. Interested. Need info: Quals/ratings (apart from the obvious) you're looking for? Length of trip in days/weeks/hours?! Accommodation plan? Insurances? Cost you wish to share (approx)?

GW - not LAME(!)

[funfly]

I'm just being nosey;) but what sort of overall cost are you thinking of. Must be something over £1M ?

[bauple58]

Thanks for your interest. Haven't done any deatiled planning yet however, here's some initial - albeit, crude - figures:

Aircraft purchase - $30,000
Fuel - 100 hrs @ 15 litres/hour @ $2.50/litre = $3,750
Oil - $500
Accommodation - 20 nights @ $100/night = $2,000
Food - 20 days @ $120 (2 x people) = $2,400
Contingency - $5,000

This suggests around $20,000 (Australian) each which, of course, would be offset by the money we'd recoup from selling the aircraft after we arrived.

As a plane owner myself (and aircraft valuer) I'm knowledgeable enough to know that the global plane market is buggered, with little propspect of this improving anytime soon. Therefore, I'd be approaching this as a once-in-a-lifetime adventure or, as an (initially) expensive holdiay, with the chance that you might eventually recoup some of your outlay (from the plane sale).

Mark

[EddieHeli]

You haven't budgeted for Overflight/Landing/Handling/Administration Bribes which I believe is a not inconsiderable amount on route Europe to OZ

[stickandrudderman]

It's a nice idea but I wouldn't contemplate it unless I had £50.000 to play with and no time commitments whatsoever.