PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Hiring a plane in the USA asa tourise
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Old 5th Jul 2009, 20:37
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PompeyPaul
Pompey till I die
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
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I've done this a few times

I flew from North Las Vegas (KVGT if memory serves) and both times I flew with First Flight aviation. Both times I took an instructor with me. Although I got to sit in in the left hand seat and basically did the flying on my UK JAR PPL. I suspect, unless you do some difference training, you don't really want to do this flight, on your own, for the first time (unless you have done a lot of flying in the states already, and you have an FAA PPL or piggy back license)

The RT is fairly different, the airspace above KVGT is all class bravo, you have Nellis airforce base in the vicinity, as well as a busy internation airport. The routes across Las Vegas change quite a bit (I believe) back to the airport so this, in my opinion, is really something that you don't want to attempt on your own for the first time. On the other hand you may be a 747 captain with 12,000hours and lots of US experience..

First flight were pretty good, but both times they have had the same name, the same building, but completely different people working there. Last time I flew was on New Years Eve (or the day before) and I took one of their Cirrus out. Looking at their website it still looks like the same people.

Only other thing is that they quote per hour prices, but they are using HOBBS time, so what you actually pay per hour will be different depending on how much you thrash the engine.

Flying as a PPL experience though did work out MUCH cheaper than going the tourist route when I looked into it. I also logged the flight as P1, which the instructor said I was allowed to do. To this day though I'm not sure I can have it count to anything (and certainly wouldn't want to rely on it).
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