Possible new group forming.....

[steve_moate]

http://www.edisposals.com/is-bin/INT...mpTo=OfferList

Any one interested?

[Say again s l o w l y]

I'll have two please!! I wonder if my piggy bank will stretch that far?

Now will they be on a permit or CofA? Getting one for the club might be nice, stuff the DA40 this'll be much more suitable!

[steve_moate]

I would imagine that they will be on Permit only.

Amazing oppertunity to fly a really nice piece of hardware. I might even put my plans to purchase a new 172 on hold, and see if this is going to be a viable option.

I'll see if I can get some idea of the prices they will be asking.

[foxmoth]

Interesting site even without the group prospect - hope you have more luck with a group than I did at Goodwood - think most people there must have more money than they know what to do with

[steve_moate]

Foxmoth,

You may be right about Goodwood, but I really couldn't comment. I fly from there during the week, but have never had the oppertunity to look at joining a group there. I live on the Oxon/Bucks border, and work in Chichester. I have a share in a complex based at Booker, and fly a 172 from Kidlington at weekends. During the week, Goodwood is my base.

The only evidence I have seen of people with more money than they know what to do with, would indicate an age group incapable of getting into a Tucano, let alone fly the thing. Having said that, many of these folk have an impressive aviation history behind them, but I imagine that now they get more of a social buzz from the flying school atmosphere than the actual flying.

I would be very seriously interested if anyone out there was willing/able to help form or join a group around one of these.

[18greens]

Oooohh, yes please.

But .... sexy though it will be, isn't a yak 52 or an Extra 300 pretty much the same but a bit cheaper.

Ghengis, you know, whats the deal?

[J.A.F.O.]

Willing? - YEAH!

Able? - Mmmm

[MichaelJP59]

Tucano is a turboprop isn't it? With bang seats? Wouldn't running costs be prohibitive?

[Genghis the Engineer]

Ghengis, you know, whats the deal?

I don't know about the defence sales issue, but I know (or at-least knew) my way around the Tincano pretty well.

A pretty aeroplanes, which feels like a jet fighter from the inside. I'd personally judge that it's much less within the capabilities of a PPL than something simple like a Yak-52 or BAe Hawk. It's also a fairly unreliable device, and I think that in civil hands it'd be cripplingly expensive to run. You'd also have to persuade CAA to allow it onto a Permit and convince them that you had the full capabilities to maintain it.

On the other hand it's an 1150hp 2-seat turboprop, with a military cockpit, roughly the same size, shape and power as a Mk.1 Spitfire. It's a little known fact that the UK versions also have the export weapons hardpoints still fitted as well, although they've never been used.

Personally if I was looking for a toy like that I'd buy a civil Pilatus PC7 if I could get one, cheaper, more reliable, better handling, and available off-the-shelf with a CofA.

G

[englishal]

Yep, I'm in. How much?

[Say again s l o w l y]

In that case Genghis, put me down for a PC-7 instead, or maybe a Hawk!!

[Genghis the Engineer]

Sadly they're upgrading the Hawks instead of replacing them (I think it would be fair to say that the dozen hours I've got in them are probably about the most fun I've ever had at work). There's a PC7 Mk2 which is semi-glass-cockpit + HUD for sale for about US$2m at the moment, but I think you might get the older Mk.1 for about half that if one comes up.

Pretty innit



G

[Say again s l o w l y]

So if I sold everything I own, then I might just be able to pay for the nose leg. Right that's one part sorted, who'll pay for the rest? (and the running costs obviously!)

[steve_moate]

Thanks Genghis,

OK, so all we need to find is £1,121,721.86 to buy it, (gonna be a big group this is).

[Genghis the Engineer]

It would be an interesting business case wouldn't it, buy one on a CofA, hire a couple of ex-CFS instructors (bound to be a few flying for the airlines who'd do it in their spare time) and set up an AOC to do advanced flight training.

In the meantime, I reckon I could just about afford the prop spinner.

G

[grow45]

"It would be an interesting business case wouldn't it, buy one on a CofA, hire a couple of ex-CFS instructors"

Seems to work OK for these guys - http://www.mypage.bluewin.ch/atal-av...structions.htm - absolutely breathtaking way to see the Swiss Alps.

g45

[Genghis the Engineer]

That's the aircraft I had in mind - a Pilatus reconditioned PC7 Mk.1, shame it doesn't say how much they charge, it'd be interesting to know.

G

[grow45]

It was £400 an hour in 2003.

g45

[grow45]

If you still fancy a Pilatus instead there is one on ebay at the moment - http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Brand...spagenameZWDVW

g45

[Mariner9]

The Tucanos wont be on a permit; max power is 260hp and max design speed is 250mph for a permit aircraft.