Piper Chieftain
 

Can anyone tell me the costs of operating one in the uk..these days and how long would it take to fly to Isle od Man and to Belfast from Blackpool?
Just kicking about some ideas for Bike racing fans

Try and speak to the guys at Lyddair. They operate one on the flights to Le Touquet which would be a similar operation.

We operate a fleet of PA31. They are fast but eye watering expensive to operate. Rip me a pm.

Does it HAVE to be a Piper Chieftain...??

Thanks
.have sent you a PM

6 pax plus clothes for 2 days to keep weight down.
Probably twice as much luggage coming back.
Thinking Navajo too small.
B200 too costly.

Also considered Cherokee six but fuel pax luggage would be over weight...6

Cessna 340? Seneca?

Try Ravenair at Speke (Liverpool)......

Or Woodgate at Aldergrove/Ronaldsway...

Both too small.. 6 plus pilot plus luggage plus fuel.

DA62 - 7 seat option?
Should fit the profile pretty well.

Alternatively, have you considered an Aerostar 700? Such beautiful aeroplanes - wish I could fly one!

Are you doing this out of generosity and the kindness of your heart on a cost sharing basis? Or are you charging? In which case you are into AOC charges and a whole level of other fees which will make operating a Chieftan seem cheap.

I'd go careful on private lease deals too. The occupants of the Belgrano have spent a lot of money getting counsel's opinion on those areas and know they will win any case that comes before the courts.

May seem odd, but for the sector you're describing I'd go BN2 Islander. Plenty around, good spares availability, simple to operate and a great short range load lifter.

SND

Plan is for 12 of us to have shared ownership and all of us share its operating costs.

Just wondering if group ownership is still classed as private? And can we hire a CPL as required to fly it.
Not making a charge just club members and their family/ guests.
One owner or 12 does it make any difference.

Yes you can.

A Navajo would do this trip easily. Especially if you get one with wing lockers for the baggage space, and BLR's STC that uses VGs to give a MTOW increase (200-340lb increase, presuming that STC is available in the UK). It's only ~130nm to Belfast.

If you can stomach the slow cruise speeds (sectors look short enough) and afford ANR for the pax (see below for a great 'review' of noise levels) a BN2 would be a good shout. Its got the payload, cheap operating costs and can get in and out of anything. Might even be able to afford a new one. Bear in mind turbine requires a type rating for whoever you get to fly it (piston doesn't).


http://www.pprune.org/tech-log/43631...-islander.html

My brother was flying Chieftains 27 years ago and alledgedly the same aircraft are still operating! Are they the modern equivalent of a DC-3?! What a workhorse....:O

And they cost 3 times as much now as they did then..

The last of nearly 4000 Navajos was built in 1984.

Why do some Chieftains in this country attract VAT and others don't? 20% on £150,000 is a big increase in price...