Shared Ownership - Help!!

[Mickeymost]

Hi All,

I am a relatively new member to PPRuNe, so please be gentle with me!! I am thinking of offering shares in my machine but know very little about grouped ownership of helicopters. It's a turbine, which might limit the market a little, I guess, but any ideas any of you guys might have (or any pitfalls I should watch out for!!!!) would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[stringfellow]

mickey,

if you look at past threads there is a great one on shared ownership... and the pitfalls!!! is it a jet ranger you have??

[Mickeymost]

Thanks, I'll have a look around. Nope, it's an Enstrom 480 - great entry machine to turbines - I've had a lot of fun in it.

[Anthony Supplebottom]

In a sentence - its ALL about the quality of the people who you agree to share the heli with. Are they idiots or are they decent? And of course their flying skills and airmanship practice - will they behave responsibly and with care or be sloppy and take risks?

Choose wisely.

[Mickeymost]

Thanks - I was in a fixed wing group some years ago and your words definitely chime with some of the experiences I had then. I would certainly rather have the right man than the right price!!

[JTobias]

All

Love the 480 great first turbine machine, (in fact it's a great turbine full stop!) nice and stable, very forgiving and also looks the part. Ive got a few hundred hours on them and also owned a part share in one. PM me if you want any info.

Joel

[Mickeymost]

Thanks Joel - it is a great machine, it has taught me a great deal about flying and critically how to fly a turbine.

[Clitheroe Kid]

I fly a Hughes 500 with 2 friends and would consider increasing the group to 5 if we could find the right people. Figures we had in mind are £400/pm and £150/hr wet. It's hangared at City Airport Manchester (Barton). pm me if interested.

Steve

[readgeoff]

Hi Mickey

I am in a shared group out of Denham with 9 others running a R44 clipper G-NIOG and it has worked out really well.

PM me if you want the contact details of the guy that is running it for us as he will be able to give you all the ins and outs of making it successful.

Cheers

Geoff

[readgeoff]

£150 wet for a Hughes 500?

Who wouldnt want to join that group !!!

[Clitheroe Kid]

Yes, £150 p/h is correct. I was in an Enstrom 480 group for 6 years. We charged £300/mth and £125 p/h wet and it worked quite well.
I base my costings for the Hughes on fixed costs of about £25,000 which would cover hangarage, insurance and annual inspection. All split between 5 group members. The £150 p/h would cover the fuel and minor engineering work. You have to accept that a large bill will come along every now and then, but at least it's split 5 ways.

The machine is G-LEEJ. Happy to send pics to 500 fans. Just let me have an email address.

Steve

[DaveKnell]

If anyone knows of (or is interested in helping to start) a helicopter group in or around Cambridge, then I'd love to know!

--Dave

[md 600 driver]

clithero kid

theres not much left after paying for jeta1 how do you go on when someone has to fuel down south

[timprice]

Enstrom 480

We run a Enstrom 480 at Shoreham and are thinking about a group, any one interested down South.

[FLY 7]

I run an EN480B and agree that, for many private pilots, it's the perfect helicopter - safe, secure (especially when windy), easy to fly, spacious, comfortable - and, of course, that lovely RR turbine.

But, for shared ownership, I would start with one co-owner and then gradually add others, one at a time if necessary. The priority is that all the owners share the same philosophy towards maintaining the helicopter, taking perfect care of it, and dealing with the inevitable expenditure.

[mickjoebill]

It seems from responses that monthly and wet figures don't cover all maintenance expenses?
How much would need to be added to the monthly figure to create a reserve that covers typical nasty surprises?


Mickjoebill

[timprice]

From our experience's on the Enstrom 480 £350/hour, but if something unforeseen should happen, like blade delamination etc you might need more.

[JTobias]

Guys

You need to find the balance really between a high hourly rate (which has the potential to put you off flying) or a low rate with "cash calls" when surprises crop up.

Unfortunately, there is no perfect solution as some people prefer the lower hourly rate whilst other prefer a higher rate which leaves a contribution to unforeseen maintenance accruing in the pot.

Either way, helicopter ownership costs and which ever way you slice and dice the numbers, the cost will be the same.

Joel

[Clitheroe Kid]

Our group costs of £400 pm and £150 ph don't come near the true cost if you added lifed components into the mix. Like Joel says, Higher hourly rate or cash calls. providing everyone in the group has about the same usage, it's not a problem.

[nigelh]

Out of interest what happens if you wish to leave the group ? What if your timing was say just before a big annual with some new components needed ?
What if you want to leave just AFTER a major overhaul which you have partly paid for ? I have only shared once many years ago on a 206 ....this was shared ownership so you both share in the cost and the fluctuations in value .
If you fly say more than 4 hrs a week in the summer and do weekends away this will not be for you . If you just want to have a play around every now and then it's fine . What would be great would be access to a small fleet of say 4 aircraft to spread the risk of overbooking and being in maintenance ...I would like a109 ,
MD500 and a 206 to choose from !!