Wet wet wet
£65 an hour wet expensive?
Even at 40 litres an hour the gas alone is going to cost you fifty quid plus.
That leaves less than £15 an hour for the kitty.
Here is the ultimate group arrangement IMO -
- 4 people.
- Each has it for one full week in 4, (Friday to Thursday). In that way, if you want to fly it and it aint your week you only need to phone 1 person.
Buy the best machine you can afford.
- Have it professionaly maintained regardless of cost. Better to charge each other too much and not groan when something nasty is found on the CofA. You can always have a divvy up ( pigs fed and ready to fly in formation with you....) if the thing cost less than you have budgeted.
I have been in a few syndicates.
Any more than 4 and the members 'lose ownership' of it. You will be more likely to find it dirty or busted. in the case of the latter, nobody will own up.
Vet the members carefully and make sure they can afford to operate it. They will otherwise always winge when you want to spend a bit of money on it - paint, trim, avionics etc.
It helps if they can fly too but dont dismiss new PPL's. Flying aint difficult. Better to recruit somebody sensible with low experience than a high hour know it all.
The worse thing of all is low utilisation because it can make the hourly cost eye-watering. So
- Discuss and agree a minimum utilisation.
I can probably get a copy of a tried and tested syndicate agreement on the above lines.
PM me if you want it.
Oh yes. If you want to fly cheeeeep, buy a motoglider!
Check this out -
Grob 109b, a gorgeous aircraft circa £42k for a pristine example.
12 litres an hour
95kts cruise
28 to 1 glide if you turn the motor off
5 minute simple wing fold ( hangar in the winter at a cheap rate and park outside covered in the summer)
Apart from the share capital expect to budget on £60 pcm and £35 an hour ish.
Best maintenance in Europe on these things down at Airborne composites,Wing Farm Warminster. They could possibly find you one but they are scarce.
Fly one and you will want one - guaranteed!
HP