DFW to San Diego in July. Keeping pax from melting?

[N747JB]

Most of us can't financially "justify" owning the plane. We do it because we enjoy it.

Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!
Airplanes do not make economic sense to own, even the airlines lease them!!
But, neither do nice house, motorcycles, boats, vacation houses, motorhomes etc. All that really makes economic sense is to live in a minimalistic house that you pay cash for with no cable TV or air conditioning or fancy phone and internet. Just live on what you need to survive, save the rest and let your kids waste it when you're dead and gone!
I fly because I enjoy it and it gets me places, most of the time I like the flight better than the destination.
At 50, I have decided I may have 30 years left or 30 days, but I don't want to go out riding in a Southwest cattle car!

 

[danhagan]

Interesting how when people compare the cost of flying themselves to the airlines they only include the cost of fuel rather than the all-in cost.

Do you calculate your house for club storage when golfing?
Do you calculate your car insurance, monthyl payment and maintenance for car trips?

 

[ZeroPapaGolf]

And everything except some wear and tear related maintenance is paid whether you fly or not.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

[write-stuff]

27K: Atlanta Center, Navion 5327K, request higher.
ZTL: What altitude would you like?
27K: Something cooler than where we are now.
ZTL: Climb and maintain 70 degrees, advise what altitude that is.

Now that's funny!

 

[murphey]

Make your Arizona stop in Sedona then. Excellent restaurant. Operationally, just use P52 as a takeoff alternate. KSEZ is on top of a big rock, so terrain in the immediate vicinity goes down in all directions. If you can keep your descent gradient to less than 90'/nm on one (about 180fpm down at Vyse+10 for you at those altitudes) you should be able to make it safely, and since you should be right around your single-engine service ceiling there on a hot day, I'd think you should be able to do better than -180fpm. Of course, YMMV and you know your airplane... But that's the first thought I had for a good stop in N. AZ.

Sedona is great but in the summer and with pax, I'd suggest Prescott. Altho a bit higher (5044 vs 4830), more than 1 runway.

 

[murphey]

Interesting how when people compare the cost of flying themselves to the airlines they only include the cost of fuel rather than the all-in cost.

But I'm going to pay the fixed costs on the airplane whether I'm flying it or not. Hangar, insurance and the reserve for annual inspection are always going to be there. I didn't fly at all in April (fell, bruised bones in 2 fingers. can fly just fine but difficult to close the door on the cherokee, difficult to get the airplane out of the hangar, etc). Did I save money? Not really, still had my fixed expenses. I did save on fuel costs - but that money went to the ER and the orthopedic surgeon.

 

[Insane]

But I'm going to pay the fixed costs on the airplane whether I'm flying it or not. Hangar, insurance and the reserve for annual inspection are always going to be there.

True for hangar and insurance, but not necessarily true for the annual. The actual cost for the annual can depend on how many hours you fly. If you fly a few hundred hours in a year, your average annual IS going to be higher than if you fly 50 hours in a year. And you also left off the reserve for the overhaul. You're going to hit that overhaul a lot quicker if you fly more hours. And if you sell before you need to overhaul the selling price is lower so either way you will pay more for non-fuel items if you fly more.

 

[Everskyward]

Do you calculate your house for club storage when golfing?

Not a golfer.

Do you calculate your car insurance, monthyl payment and maintenance for car trips?

I don't calculate the cost of car trips. I don't even calculate the cost of owning my car. Where I live a car is a necessity. An airplane is not.

 

[murphey]

True for hangar and insurance, but not necessarily true for the annual. The actual cost for the annual can depend on how many hours you fly. If you fly a few hundred hours in a year, your average annual IS going to be higher than if you fly 50 hours in a year. And you also left off the reserve for the overhaul. You're going to hit that overhaul a lot quicker if you fly more hours. And if you sell before you need to overhaul the selling price is lower so either way you will pay more for non-fuel items if you fly more.

overhaul reserve irrelevant, had it done in 2010. as for the annual, it's the inspection, not any repairs. but even that's irrelevant, as I would argue that flight hours in an irrelevant measure.

but we're off the topic.

so what else is new?

 

[Everskyward]

but we're off the topic.

so what else is new?

Haha. Sorry to derail the thread. It's just that when I hear fuel costs being compared to an airline ticket I wonder how people account for the other costs. But I forget that others here have airplanes already while I do not.

Even if I had an airplane it would probably be an impractical low and slow toy.

 

[N747JB]

Rule number 1 of being a HAPPY airplane owner: NEVER, under any circumstances, even threat of divorce, add up the cost of owning an airplane!
If you are looking for an excuse to sell an airplane, add up all the costs!

Haha. Sorry to derail the thread. It's just that when I hear fuel costs being compared to an airline ticket I wonder how people account for the other costs. But I forget that others here have airplanes already while I do not.

Even if I had an airplane it would probably be an impractical low and slow toy.

 

[Twin_Flyer]

Amazing? Outrageous? What was the comparable hourly billing rate for your services in 1978 compared to today?

You want to talk about ridiculous price increases, limes were 20 cents this time last year. Just paid 79 cents each last night! Just how is one supposed to exercise one's God given right to Margarita manufacturing with costs like those? Time to cut back on the huggies for the kids, let 'em roam bottomless around the back yard for a while . . .

, I know how you feel!!!