Flew from KIKK (just south of Chicago) to KUNV (State College Pa) today. 1:10 going out!!!! Coming home was 1:20. Amazing.

We were admiring a beautiful Lear 60 at Austin Executive last Thursday. The pilot of the Lear strikes up a conversation. Then he asks if I'll show him MY plane!

Nate,

I used to say that I would trade the equity that I had in what I was flying, for the equity you had in yours.

Most corporate pilots would love to fly their own plane on their schedule, rather than someone else's plane on someone else's schedule.

Although I enjoy every minute of flying someone else's.....except when it is midnight and they were going to be back at 9.

I had a similar experience last weekend with the pilot of a Challenger 600.

And Penn State won!

I fly a Citation X on a Part 135 Charter certificate - all over the country and some island and Canadian flights. It is a unique enough, exciting enough airplane that it attracts attention at a lot of FbO's, mostly from Bo, Mooney and Cirrus pilots.

When they ask how I like flying it, if we have time with no passengers looming, I will invite them to step inside and look around. We have to be careful because of the 12,500 rules, but we can deal with that.

When they get in they all say a couple of things; one is that they would love to fly at .92 and the other is that their plane (if their plane is fairly new) has "better" avionics - and that is generally true.

They also generally say something like"wow, I would love to fly this". I always say - can I ask you three questions:

1. Do you decide when you want to fly your airplane - answer is yes.
2. Do you decide where you go in your airplane - the answer is yes.
3. Are you generally home every night - the answer is yes.

I then remind them that we don't get any of those things and they are much better off having earned the money and privilege to fly their own airplane.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy flying the X, but the QOL isn't always the greatest. But someone else pays the fuel bills too, and they can be large.

I owned a 1987 A36 for about 4 years, I enjoyed flying that airplane a lot more than the one that I am paid to fly.

The other day we had an F33 in our maintenance shop that needed test flown, since I have Bonanaza time I was asked to fly it, that two hours was some of the most enjoyable flying I've done in the last 18 months.

Brad

I have flown in a Citation X before.......... Impressive as well.

That will be the number 1 destination for my 58P once I fly off my insurance hours. I'm hoping to go to all of the November games. If you get a chance PM me with what the airport is like on a game weekend.

TTIWWP.

Can the X be flown "single pilot"? Of course the answer is no.

I want more airplane but cannot imagine having to hire a pilot to fly with me everywhere.

Correct, it is two pilot by type certificate.

If I remember correctly from your posts when you bought your current airplane, you looked at most/all of the single pilot jets that met you requirements and they weren't good options.

Maybe someday there will be one but for now most bigger than a Premier, Phenom, etc are all two pilot.

And, by the way, the PC-12 is on my list as one of those airplanes I'd like to fly someday. I guess the grass is always greener .......

Brad

Yup.

I keep coming back to the P180. My math says it's a fast PC12. I just worry about MX. You don't see many of them but it sure seems to be a great all around plane.

The PC12 absolutely is the ultimate all around airplane. Just wish it was a little faster.

Why are jets so "weight critical" and planes like the PC12 not so much?

Jason,
I used to fly for a guy that was a pilot in a Cheyenne. It was a great job. I did the jobs he didn't have time to do or didn't want to do. The plane was always ready to go and clean when he got to the show. Flight plan filed BS work done.

Don't let the need for a 2nd pilot keep you from doing what you want. Find one that isn't a jerk and tell him/her what the job is. They can cut it or not. Plenty of people would want the job.

I send that guy I worked for a xmas card every year to this day. It was over 15 years ago but some of the best flying I ever did.

That guy ended up buying a KA300 but always said his ego was not so big he needed a jet.

I hire a pilot sometimes to fly with me on long trips. It's always a pain in the ass. Maybe I haven't found the right guy or girl (and we already had a thread on that). But maybe you're right.

I really just wish they'd get some larger single pilot planes out.

One of the pilots I worked with the last time I was furloughed flew the PC12 for Epps and is an A/P and a great guy. You can find people that know the job and make your life easy. You just need to look for them.
That guy is teaching a Flight Safety in ATL last I knew.