I'll fully admit this is a bit of a specialized "for sale" post, especially in that it's limited in geography, but I figured I'd post it here on BT before taking it to a wider audience.

The Trojan Phlyers operate 2 1953 T28B "Trojan" aircraft out of KJWY in the Dallas area (about a 30 minute drive south from downtown Dallas). We've been in business for 30+ years and are likely one of the most unique equity partnership arrangements around.

Here's a somewhat dated article from 2016 that is still pretty accurate about the organization: https://www.flyingmag.com/taking-wing-w ... r-rest-us/

And, here's our website (target audience is airshow organizers and enthusiasts, not potential T28 partners!): https://thetrojanphlyers.com

We currently have 6 active owners and we'd like to get that up to at least 8. With this in mind, I talked our board into letting me sell two shares at $15k/each as opposed to the normal $25k buy in. Note that we're only doing this for two new members, so it's a bit of a time sensitive offer.

The finances are pretty simple:

$15k buy in, one time.
Roughly $12-14k/year depending on how much you fly and what our expenses are. We mandate that everyone purchases 12 flight hours a year at $300/hour (included in the $10-12k number) and then we basically do assessments to cover whatever the operational cost for the year is.

We do several airshows a year which generate revenue for the organization, and any flight time to/from the shows is free (plus you get an all expenses paid trip to whatever show we're going to).

We own our own hangar, have in house maintenance (in fact, we've become a hub for T28 maintenance in the south), and have two members who are active T28 CFIs. Suffice to say that we have a LOT of institutional knowledge about the T28.

It's about as easy as a warbird ownership as you can imagine. Very low BS - If you want to fly, come on down to the hangar and fly.

The T28 is an easy airplane to fly, but it does require a checkride with a DPE. We'll get you trained up, and anyone with a decent amount of Bonanza, 210, or similar experience will be fine. Transition training is 5-10 hours, and the checkride is straight forward (likely with an active BT participant, interestingly enough!).

The airplanes themselves are an absolute blast to fly. They are amazing aerobatic and formation platforms and have the performance of most of the WWII fighters.

The majority of our members are based in the Dallas area, but we have two current members who don't live here so being local isn't all that critical.

If you're at all interested in warbirds, formation, aerobatics, and/or airshows this is by far the best deal in aviation.

Send me a PM if you're interested and I'll try to answer any questions!

Robert

Robert one question based on the pictures. Is the only attitude to fly the 28 straight and level?

PS
This is an extremely mean post that again shows how nonchalantly BT members try to spend other BTr's $. By this time I'd have thought that things like this would be against the TOS.

You jest, but on days I fly the T28 and don't go upside down at least once I get a little grumpy!

Robert

What’s an average year assessment wise?

The total is between $12-14k a year all in, and that includes 12 hours of flight time. It can vary a little bit up and down but will never be a crazy number like we can have with individually owned airplanes.

The total assessments are based on maintenance costs, the amount of revenue we generate from airshows, and how many partners we have.

For every hour above the 12 that you fly, we currently charge $300/hour (takeoff to touchdown) wet. This isn't even covering the cost of fuel at the moment, so we might have to increase, but we want the number low to encourage people flying.

Also, like I said in the initial post, you can easily get free flight time by coming with us to airshows.

Robert

That $300/hr seems like an incredibly good deal!

I’m just curious… do the pilots who join train to get a low level waiver and fly in the shows, or is that restricted to just certain members?

What is the exit strategy ? What are the currency requirements if you have not flown it in a few month ? I would be remote.

Thanks

Brad

Right now only two of us have waivers and fly in the shows, but I'd love to get some more people trained up! We certainly don't restrict it - If a member wants to put in the time required we'd love the help.

There are also a handful of opportunities to of static fly ins where we get a small fee or gas money, and anyone who has a commercial can do those.

We are very low BS - I chuckled a bit when you said "restrictions". There really aren't any.

Robert

Nothing formal. If you're not comfortable flying solo just call one of the other partners (CFI or not) and we'll ride along with you.

Robert

This is so interesting and seems like an absolutely phenomenal deal. If you guys were based within 100nm of where I live in NJ I'd be buying in. Are these warbird partnership clubs a common thing?? Seems like such a great idea. Good luck with the sale.

I'm interested, I'll send you a pm

Travis

Sent PM

Other than the CAF and some guys who have regular partnerships with T6s, 28s, and the like, I'm not aware of anyone like us. I think we're a pretty unusual (and cool) organization!

I've been a partner for 15+ years when I owned a T210 and had no formation or acro experience. I'm now a T28 instructor and have a surface acro airshow card and fly shows around the country - Been a great ride!

Robert

If I were closer, I’d hop on this in a NY second. I only have about an hour in 28C (with a B model prop). It was one of the best flying aircraft I’ve flown. NA did a great job, I thought. Pure joy to fly.

Nothing formal. If you're not comfortable flying solo just call one of the other partners (CFI or not) and we'll ride along with you.

Robert