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Originally Posted by tyler_cracker
w0x,
i'd like to kick it back to some GA if you don't mind...
I don't mind at all...I love GA!
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there's a flight club at BFI which is cheap and has a few 150s and 172s but they are what you would expect: kinda old (no i did not mean to type "152s")...
I think the last C-152 came off the assembly line in 1977. Not that this is really that big a concern. It's a very simple airplane and probably has a useful life of at least 50 years if properly maintained.
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so, my questions:
1. as a noob pilot with ~70 hours, what can i expect from contacting these organizations? i assume they'll want me to take someone on some kind of checkride?
Yes, a checkout is mandatory. I have to get one when I rent from a new place too. Yes, they're duly impressed with my credentials and my obvious mastery of the subject material...and then they tell me to shut up and get in the plane.
The checkout is a requirement of their insurance and everyone has to get one. I rent from a local flying school (
Aviation Adventures) and I have to stay current with them (three takeoff and landings every 90 days) or else it's another quick ride with an instructor. My checkout ride was very short (~30 minutes) because the instructor knew me and was happy with my flying. For someone with 70 hours total time, they'd probably spend 1-2 hours on the checkout.
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will the higher end charter services tell me to buzz off until i have more experience?
This will probably also be driven by their insurance. If they have high performance aircraft, their insurance may require a minimum number of hours, both total time and in the specific aircraft model. It's not unusual for them to want 200 or more hours TT and 10 hours in make and model.
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how excited are share owners going to be about selling a piece to a greenhorn?
Same thing. If the other share owners all have >1000 hours TT and hundreds of hours in that make and model, they probably enjoy lower insurance rates. You joining the mix will almost certainly cause an increase in premiums.
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what about when i'm visiting friends in distant cities? is it going to be harder to rent an aircraft as a noob who also trained in another area? i assume this effect would vary with the area -- easier in Middle Of Nowhere, KS than in Southern CA (which has some moderately exciting airspace)?
Not to sound like a broken record, but it's just going to be another checkout. In SoCal, the checkout will probably last longer because there's more to cover regarding the restricted airspace and local flight rules.
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i realize at some point i'm just going to have to talk to these people and find out, but i'm wondering if you can give a rough idea of what i might expect or what i could say or ask about when entering these discussions.
The checkout will be a mini-checkride. You can expect the instructor to ask for a demonstration of stalls, slow flight, steep turns and simple navigation (e.g. select a nearby VOR and fly direct to it). This will be followed by pattern work, including a normal landing, short and/or soft field landing, simulated power-off landing and maybe a no-flap landing.
The instructor may cut the ride short when he observes your high level of skill and sure-handed control of the plane. They'll be looking for a professional approach to flying, including consistent use of checklists. They're really just trying to get a warm feeling that their plane is safe when you take it out on your own.
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2. is there anything special about renting an airplane for a weekend or a week or a month? i understand that the company is going to have some minimum Hobbs meter charge per day, but is that all there is to it?
Pretty much. If you satisfy their minimum (usually they want an average of 2-3 hours per day), you can take it wherever you want.
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3. about those overnighters: i figure i'll start close and expand my scope as i gain experience. something like: portland, southern OR/northern CA, bay area, vegas, san diego. at what point will i want to move past the c172? any recommendations? at what point do i start needing more ratings -- is it dumb to fly more than, say, 500 miles without an instrument rating?
You could fly the 172 forever if that fits your needs and you enjoy it. It's a good plane and I still rent them. About six months ago I took three friends to Atlantic City for a day of poker. If you like Cessnas, the 182 is also a good plane and carries a good load. I also like the Cardinal, C-177. It has better lateral visibility than the others because the wing is set back a bit.
As for flying more than 500 miles without an instrument rating, this depends on your check of the weather. If you have a good high pressure system that is forecast to be around for a while, then it shouldn't be a problem. However, I have seen situations where the en route weather is great, but VFR pilots are stuck on the ground because of some local ground fog.
I remember taking off from Bader Field (Atlantic City) one night in thick fog. I could only see two stripes in front of me on the runway (probably 1/8 mile visibility or less). But the fog was only about 150' deep and I broke into a beautiful clear sky less than a minute after takeoff. Without the instrument rating I would have been stuck.