Monday, December 7, 2009

[Titanaircraft] Re: SLSA for IFR?

--- In Titanaircraft@yahoogroups.com, "Bob MacAdams" <rmacadam@...> wrote:
>
> LS
>
> You are right, I guess I should keep my mouth shut. I get a little defensive at times when I have some of the spam can drivers telling me that I should get a real plane or when I go for a bi-annual and they tell me that I should just get a real license (PPL) instead of a Sport License. These same people get maybe 20 hours a year and I fly 160 to 180 and do it at a fraction of the cost.
>
> I rode motorcycles for years and figured that it was one thing to get caught out in a storm, that was just a fact of life. But it was quite another to start out in a storm, that was just dumb. I view flying the same way, if it looks like the weather is getting bad, it's a hole lot better to be down wishing you were flying than to be flying wishing you were down. Dirt roads are good. On the other hand taking off in bad weather is for those freighters and commercial pilots who have to go, for me it's just dumb.
>
> Personally, I want to keep my planes as simple as I can. It's like owning a set of chains for your car, if you got them sooner or later you will put your self in a position to use them. This is why my plane will never be IFR capable.
>
> I apologize for spouting off. Maybe I'd better go back and have another cup of coffee.
>
> Bob

Nah, not at all.... I'm only talking about the IFR side of things. A lot of folks don't realize that IFR is a whole different world with different planes, panels and training required. It's not just being able to attitude-fly in the clouds or being able to do a 180 after stumbling into IMC and living to tell about it.....

Having gone most of the way through the instrument ticket years ago, I'm just a firm believer in only considering IFR ops with appropriate IFR equipment. That means a big, heavy plane like an Arrow or a 182 with the full complement of attitude instruments and IFR-legal/capable navigation equip, an IFR certificate, staying current etc. I.e. you need to be rich, have a class III and have a lot of spare time ;).

Now for VFR..... I'm like you I'm the total envy of my airport for sure. I can go wear it out as much as I want sipping auto gas and outclimbing most of em. We got better views, cheaper ops the whole bit. Sometimes we get sneered at, but then again we have more fun when we're in the plane and are usually able to be in the plane more.

I get strange looks when people find out I don't have a medical anymore. Not so much sneering but worried - they're like uh what's wrong with him? Is he going to crash and close down the airport/bring out the FAA, etc. Once I explain my situation they're usually relieved, but otherwise you're kind of a leper in the aviation community when your medical goes away... ;)

LS

>
> Hi Bob,
>
> Well true. But on the other hand, you can also imagine what life would be like with a monthly payment on a 130K plus bank loan for an SLSA. I wouldn't feel much like flying either if I had to struggle with something like that for the next 10 years ;).
>
> Still, if I were really looking for an IFR platform an SLSA would be at the very bottom of the list of things I'd consider.
>
> But I guess it just depends on how rich you are - the bang/buck ratio of outfitting an SLSA for IFR doesn't strike me as a good investment. But if 130 large for the initial purchase doesn't hurt, an extra 10 to 15large for the rest of the stuff probably won't add much pain.
>
> If I were expecting IMC on a trip in an LSA I'd either stay on the ground/do a 180/rent an IFR equipped plane.
>
> Like I said, there're very very few circumstances under which IFR in an LSA appears as a good idea in my mind, financially or safety-wise.
>
> But that's just me. YMMV......
>
> LS
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>


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