Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1894158
Loco parentis wrote:In cost terms, Permit v C of A can be the difference between aviation Heaven and aviation Hell. Why so ? Because with Permit you can do- it- yourself. With C of A you enter a highly regulated system peopled by expensive engineers who like to winter in the Bahamas !


That's all very well in theory, but if the only inspectors who are allowed to inspect your aeroplane are the expensive engineers who work 6 days a week building up their funds to buy a Bahamanian island then you have no choice but to pay them to do it!
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1894178
Thanks, but my question still stands, at what point does the warm fuzzy feeling kick in given that all my maintenance is done by a maintenance organisation as there are no inspectors anywhere near me, and I would suspect very few in the country, who are authorised to inspect my aeroplane, who aren't owners of said maintenance facilities?
#1894208
Paul,
You must have deep pockets to be able to afford a maintenance organisation! You, again obviously, do not belong to the great regiment of unwashed DIYers You do not do all your own maintenance culminating in a visit from you own local LAA inspector to complete the paperwork and do the flight test ?

There are to be found up and down the country numbers of LAA inspectors who attend to a wide range of aircraft including those of a rare origin or provenance - perhaps you fly something in this range ?

That comforting blanket or, warm fuzzy feeling that you refer to will kick in when at the end of the ear as you sit by the fire nuzzling into a dish of buttered crumpets, you reconcile your flying budget and account. You should be quite astonished at the difference between the annual cost of said maintenance organisation (profit making ) and what should be - if you're as impecunious as some of us - your own efforts as a DIYer.

This route after all, is why the LAA was founded. To help provide affordable flying. Please tell me you are now happy and content ?
By patowalker
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1894209
Paul_Sengupta wrote:Thanks, but my question still stands, at what point does the warm fuzzy feeling kick in given that all my maintenance is done by a maintenance organisation as there are no inspectors anywhere near me, and I would suspect very few in the country, who are authorised to inspect my aeroplane, who aren't owners of said maintenance facilities?


Are all these owners of maintenance facilities?

http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co. ... ectors.pdf
By NeilWin
#1895174
Damn it! I was 48 hours too late, I was due to look at it yesterday (one week after it was advertised) but someone got in there on Thursday and bought it. Fair play to the seller but I've realised for something fairly niche you've got be quick.

Thanks again for your advice and top tips.

This thread can now wither on the vine but in the meantime if anyone knows of a 2-seat wingfold (designed to, not due to catastrophic failure 8) ) aircraft for less than £20k which might be for sale soon please let me know, thanks :thumright:

Back to renting for now...(first world problem, I know)

Neil
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By TheFarmer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1895222
To be honest, if that’s definitely the type of aircraft you want, you’d be better off writing to the Avid/Kitfox etc owners asking if they’d be interested in selling.

Sometimes, a nudge will help accelerate people’s decisions if they’re teetering on the brink of selling, and not to have to advertise is a good enough reason to make their mind up.

I’ve bought a couple of aircraft that way, and people aren’t offended about being contacted, as long as the initial contact is polite and respectful.

Good luck anyway. 8)
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By NeilWin
#1895373
I hope I'm not being daft (it is entirely likely), but do you mean track down the names and addresses of Avid/Kitfox owners from somewhere (like G-Info) and send them a letter? Or have I missed something, is there a better way?

Thanks, Neil
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By TheFarmer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1895385
No, that’s exactly how to do it.

If you write a polite, succinct explanation of how you’re looking for something like their aircraft, and explain that you’re apologetic about your cold-call style approach (and hope they don’t mind etc), then it’s a good way to find what you want.

Add your phone number and email address, and assure them you’ll not be in touch again if you don’t hear back from them.

Don’t be too scattergun though, and find that someone responds positively, and then you decide you don’t like it when you see it….! You need to know you’re prepared to buy it, you have the cash ready, and that they have a pleasant and easy sale.

You need to accept that you will almost certainly pay slightly over the odds for an aircraft using this route, and that’s because you’ve shown your hand and they know you’re keen. Your negotiating options are limited.

However, in 30 years of aircraft ownership, I quickly learned that you’re better to pay over the odds for something really nice, than getting a bargain that’s a moneypit.

The only thing worse than that, is to get something that’s ‘shiny and really nice’, that’s also a moneypit. Please do your homework and take someone with you who knows the type inside out.

If it’s a Kitfox you find, there are quite a few people I know who I can put you in touch with all over the UK who I’d trust to nod/shake their head at one. :thumleft:

Oh, and don’t bother writing to me to ask if mine’s for sale. :D
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