Rental Airplane Condition

[wabower]

It's a fact of life that will never change, and railing about it is a profound waste of time and keystrokes, for two reasons:

1. People simply don't/won't/never will take care of rental stuff as well as they take care of their own stuff. For some inexplicable reason, people who pay to use airplanes seem to think they are entitled to trash them.

2. Working airplanes will never get the same TLC that non-working airplanes receive.

If you think differently, visit any charter operator's hangar when a fancy jet or turboprop trip is completed. The interior will often look like the grounds at Woodstock after a concert, and you will be amazed at the apparent effort the pax must have made to create such a mess and damage. Tray tables will last a lifetime in a King Air that is operated under part 91, and about 3 trips in an airplane used for charter, in spite of the careful pre-flight briefing and admonitions prior to the trip.

Finally, how many charter operators or FBO owners have you seen at the airport on Saturday or Sunday doing spiff-up work on their airplanes?

Gambling? :ro



I've never really encountered trash issues in airplanes. Most of the issues I've found with rental aircraft are solely the fault of the management. (Usually, broken stuff that isn't ever fixed.)

 

[flyingron]

It's all up tot he attitude of the rental outfit. My wife had several hundred hours in club planes (where she learned to fly) and then transitioned to our Navion. She never flew your "average" trainer until we decided to go rent one when we were out in Colorado. I pointed out that I forgotten how doggy the average rental bird is.

Frankly, if people left food wrappers and a general disarray in a club plane, they'd have had a stern talking to by the owner.

 

[dmspilot]

It's a fact of life that will never change, and railing about it is a profound waste of time and keystrokes, for two reasons:

1. People simply don't/won't/never will take care of rental stuff as well as they take care of their own stuff. For some inexplicable reason, people who pay to use airplanes seem to think they are entitled to trash them.

2. Working airplanes will never get the same TLC that non-working airplanes receive.

If you think differently, visit any charter operator's hangar when a fancy jet or turboprop trip is completed. The interior will often look like the grounds at Woodstock after a concert, and you will be amazed at the apparent effort the pax must have made to create such a mess and damage. Tray tables will last a lifetime in a King Air that is operated under part 91, and about 3 trips in an airplane used for charter, in spite of the careful pre-flight briefing and admonitions prior to the trip.

Finally, how many charter operators or FBO owners have you seen at the airport on Saturday or Sunday doing spiff-up work on their airplanes?

How is this a response to my post? It seems like a non-sequitur. I'm talking about airplanes I rent, not chartered King Airs. Of course I would expect people to treat something differently if they are renting something on a routine basis as opposed to a group of people renting something one time.

 

[bigblockz8]

Your experience sounds terrible! The worst example that I've seen was actually a sole owner. His SR22T had a pile of trash in the back extending from the floor to the seats. Opening those gull wing doors and you are greeted with the smell of feet,Fritos,and warm vomit. He used to own a FBO though.

The worst rental that I've flown was just dirty and ragged. It had personality though. Duct tape and non matching seats made it feel like an approachable aircraft. Not exactly the first thing an average person that's apprehensive about flying should see though. "If you duct tape your seats and the airplane looks run down is this plane safe to fly?" The CFIs (have to give them credit) would verify that their students cleaned up. You vomit, your mess but they will assist. Renters often flew solo for short hops so messes weren't frequent.

Common courtesy would be nice but the FBO still has the final responsibility. A renter threw a soda bottle (at an airport with jets) toward a trash can (on the ramp) and missed...he did not even look back.

I guess renters are treating the aircraft like an airliner...

 

[Jonathanf4]

Where did you rent the Airplane from if you dont mind me asking?

 

[dell30rb]

I am a member of a partial ownership club. You basically pay an initiation fee to "own" "part" of the airplanes so that 100hr inspections are not required (though our planes get a good looking over every 50hrs at oil change)

We don't really have these problems. Its better than I thought it would be. Plane might have some bugs on it but I don't really care. Usually its at least trash free. Occasionally some bonehead forgets a tie down or control lock. Maintenance is not bad, though they let some things slide on the older VFR only aircraft..

 

[Henning]

How is this a response to my post? It seems like a non-sequitur. I'm talking about airplanes I rent, not chartered King Airs. Of course I would expect people to treat something differently if they are renting something on a routine basis as opposed to a group of people renting something one time.

You would think, but that's just not the way humans work.

 

[dmspilot]

You would think, but that's just not the way humans work.

Uhh... okay.

I said I've rented at many airplanes and never had an issue with finding trash in airplanes. Wayne said I was wasting keystrokes railing about the trash in airplanes that I do not encounter, and then said I should look at a King Air post-charter some time.

So no, the two situations are not comparable. What I "think" is based on my experience.

 

[Henning]

Uhh... okay.

I said I've rented at many airplanes and never had an issue with finding trash in airplanes. Wayne said I was wasting keystrokes railing about the trash in airplanes that I do not encounter, and then said I should look at a King Air post-charter some time.

So no, the two situations are not comparable. What I "think" is based on my experience.

I've run into the whole spectrum of rental planes, some cared for meticulously, some like the dogs breakfast still with vomit traces, and it didn't really depend on price.

Some people care, some people don't.

 

[flygirl34q]

Although I agree 100%, there are also some burdens on the renter beyond taking out the trash. Tieing the plane down, covering, and CLOSING THE VENT WINDOW are all part of the deal. Respect the equipment, respect the next renter.

When I found the plane in this condition I was furious.

-Skip

I've never rented an airplane, unless you count my discovery flight and first several flying lessons... but GEEEZ. I've heard that renters can be awful. I have a friend who put his plane on a leaseback arrangement and I was jealous of him at first because of all the money I thought he must be getting, even though he had to let other people fly his Archer. But then he told me about his insurance costs , maintenance costs , and other horror stories and I changed my mind in a big hurry.

 

[wabower]

My response included two points. Both were directed at airplanes used by people other than the owner. Isn't that what this thread is about?

How is this a response to my post? It seems like a non-sequitur. I'm talking about airplanes I rent, not chartered King Airs. Of course I would expect people to treat something differently if they are renting something on a routine basis as opposed to a group of people renting something one time.

 

[GCA319]

I've never rented an airplane, unless you count my discovery flight and first several flying lessons... but GEEEZ. I've heard that renters can be awful. I have a friend who put his plane on a leaseback arrangement and I was jealous of him at first because of all the money I thought he must be getting, even though he had to let other people fly his Archer. But then he told me about his insurance costs , maintenance costs , and other horror stories and I changed my mind in a big hurry.

Some CFI's don't exactly teach studen'ts to care for airplanes either. Pre-flighting with the door flapping around in the wind is one that really makes my blood boil and is very common.