Is it possible to start a company like this?

[Tampa6]

Now suppose I had enough funds with me, and I bought 6 or 7 retired fighter jets, like A4, F4 or even F-14, all of them are two-seat,and as you've probably already guessed, I'm gonna hire a bunch of experienced pilots to take people physically qualified for joy-rides. I hear someone is doing this kinda stuff in russian but have no idea whether it's private.

All that I'm asking is, it this kinda business feasible in the states? Or has there anyone already started a business like this? I know it's post-911 era, it could be quite tough for such ideas.

[beachbumflyer]

There was an operator in Kisseemee, FL giving rides in P-51's. I don't know if they are still operating.

[Pilot DAR]

Not to sound negative, but those people who could make such a business work (if there are any), would have the details fairly well worked out, and there are a lot of details. You will probably find that the US military will prevent the civil flight of such aircraft. I know my friend owned a Canadian ex military helicopter, which had never been US military, and the US miltary still stopped him from flying it!

You'll have better luck with civil aircraft types...

[martinprice]

Here in the SF Bay Area you can buy yourself a ride in an L-39, which is about as "cheap" as you can go when playing in military hardware. The same aircraft is used for training for L-39 LOAs and airshows as well. Not sure if the economics would work out for pure joyrides. You'd have to find an awful lot of people prepared to part with an awful lot of money. I'd imagine you'd also have to work very hard to get all the paperwork squared away. They're all experimental and I'm sure insurance would be "exciting" to say the least.

Having said all that, if you can pull it off then good luck to you.

[sternone]

How to end with a small fortune in aviation ?

Start with a large one.

[A and C]

Thunder city

I think in is already being done.

Welcome to Thunder City

However you can forget in in the nanny state that is controlled by the Nu labour PC commissars.

[IO540]

In the right country you could do it.

Not in Europe

[gg190]

There was an operator in Kisseemee, FL giving rides in P-51's. I don't know if they are still operating.

Still operating:

War Bird Adventures

[mcgoo]

I think the types you mention would be too expensive, also I remember reading that when the F-14 was retired, a lot of the parts were destroyed to prevent them falling into the hands of the Iranians so they couldn't fly theirs again, besides that the F-14 required about 50 hours of maintenance for every 1 hour flown.

[IO540]

the F-14 required about 50 hours of maintenance for every 1 hour flown.

I think that kind of ratio applies to most "action capable" military jets; it doesn't stop the South African operation doing little local jollies for £10,000 or so.

[mcgoo]

Really, when I read that about the F-14, it was written in the context of being really high, they compared it to the F-18 requiring about 5-10 hours per 1 hour flight.

[IO540]

I didn't think the F16 is anywhere near that figure either - with the # of them flying all over the place, more or less constantly.

[Skittles]

There's that company in Russia who do this kind of thing.

They've got an L-39, a Mig-21 and a Mig-31.

I think I remember reading somewhere that the MIG-31 trip (about 45 minutes) was about £26,000 euros.

I might be wrong, but that number seems to be in my head.

[L'aviateur]

A well known Jet Provest owner used to bypass the rules by offering a special price club membership and getting a free trial flight in the aircraft.

I haven't seen this advertised in a while, and am unsure what happened.