How far?

[Mcstealth]

How far/long would you drive to the airport if a partnership was available? Assume that one cannot yet afford full ownership, and wants to fly a Mooney.

Sincerely

David

[Will W]

2 Hours driving for a Mooney Ovation... if I had to.  Currently, driving 1.

[triple8s]

15 yr ago I was in the middle of a messy divorce, broke, and had half of a C150 that I hadn't yet sold. I was damn lucky to have that! Now I have a 30 minute drive.

[larryb]

To answer the question "how long would I drive" the answer is 30 minutes. I am currently 15 to 20 minutes from the plane, and that makes a huge improvement in the utility. I also use it for travel, and if the plane is too far away it eats into the time savings that the plane gives me.

 

I also would not commute an hour or two to work, yet lots of people out there do just that.  
 

[timpercarpio]

I co-own a '78J and drive 30 min. I use a SwitchBox to turn on the pre-heat which has been used a lot during this cold winter.

[Hank]

It would depend on the area, the airplane, and how badly I wanted it. Some places, an hour is considered a good drive; some places an hour is terribly long. I'm in the middle of moving, and have three airports in a half hour's drive, but of course the nearest one only has tie downs available . . . I'm still waiting to hear back from the other two. One is 15 miles from work, the other is almost 30 miles [all interstate to both of them]. But then again, I'm only looking for a hangar, not a plane.

 

And yes, SwitchBox is a wonderful thing!!

[Danb]

An hour. Figure hour there hour home to kiss it. Or if you fly a couple hours you've got 5-6 hrs tied up. U married?

[Marauder]

I did 50 minutes one way for a couple of years and absolutely hated it. Nothing like coming home from work and being able to get to the plane in 15 minutes .

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[GaryP1007]

Obviously closer is better, but I currently do an hour and feel fortunate to have access to a plane that is cost effective, fun to fly and takes me to other parts of the county.  Everyone is different so you have to balance that no matter what you do the commute is going to be "X" prior to any flying.  

[N201MKTurbo]

I used my plane to commute. Driving more then 10 minuets would have made the plane flight take longer then the drive. The days that I had to buy fuel actually made the flight take longer then the drive. I always look at the radius that I can beat the airlines. I currently break even at about San Francisco. Any further then that the airlines win. The Mooney wins because I can be airborne in 20 min from my front door. If I had to drive two hours to get to the plane there is no way to justify using it as a transportation machine. If you just want to fly for the fun of it buy a Cub. (I'm going to catch hell for this one)

[Danb]

Chris, your pix looks like you had a rough night!!

[Bob - S50]

 

I used my plane to commute. Driving more then 10 minuets would have made the plane flight take longer then the drive. The days that I had to buy fuel actually made the flight take longer then the drive. I always look at the radius that I can beat the airlines. I currently break even at about San Francisco. Any further then that the airlines win. The Mooney wins because I can be airborne in 20 min from my front door. If I had to drive two hours to get to the plane there is no way to justify using it as a transportation machine. If you just want to fly for the fun of it buy a Cub. (I'm going to catch hell for this one)

 

 

First, the answer to the thread.  I drive 30 minutes.  My partners drive 15 to 30 minutes too with the airplane located in the middle of us.

 

As for the quote... I won't give you a hard time about the Cub, that is a different kind of fun flying.

 

It is virtually impossible to justify flying a GA aircraft financially unless you live in a location served only by a commuter airline going to a location also served only by a commuter airline.  Otherwise, unless you put 3 people in the plane it will almost always be cheaper to go commercial or drive.

 

On the other hand, it is a lot more fun and sometimes quicker !!  Not as reliable (mx, wx) but still more fun.  If I can physically get there in one day in the Mooney (regardless of how many days I actually take), I'm probably going to take the Mooney rather than go commercial.  I avoid dealing with the TSA.  I park the car in the hangar instead of paying for parking.  I leave at the time of day I want instead of when the fares are cheapest.  The view is better.  The legroom is better.  I know and like my seatmates.

 

Time wise, I figure with my 30 minute drive to the plane vs leaving 3 hours before a flight out of SEA, my break even point is about a 600 nm flight (SFO, BIL, SLC).

 

Bob

[Marauder]

Chris, your pix looks like you had a rough night!!

It's been a rough year. Too much monkey business to deal with.

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[John Pleisse]

I wanted a hangar so badly, I drove 50 minutes routinely for a number of years. I would quantify it by how far you would normally drive + the extra commute, then use that number to place a value on your time.

[quik flite]

The closer it is the more you can use and enjoy it ,it can easily turn into all day to fly a little ,and if everyone in the family does not share your enthusiasm you are in trouble

[AmigOne]

 If you just want to fly for the fun of it buy a Cub. (I'm going to catch hell for this one)

 

 

 

 

No you are not, not a least by those of us who love flying.  After 5K hrs, 14 airplanes, 3 of which were Mooneys and as I get closer to the end of my flying career, or at least of flying instruments or long x-country,  I know that the most "fun" I had were those hours spent in the air with my squadron of taildraggers.   I can remember many of the 700 hrs flying low and slow in my pristine 1947 Cessna 140, many of them in tight formation with my buddies either going to a fly-in,  searching for a grass strip to spare the old timer the hardness of concrete,  flying low over the Chesapeake Bay on our way to  a soft shell crab sandwich  or just following the river in the Shenandoah Valley.  Now don't get me wrong, I love my Mooney but like you said it yourself, your Mooney is transportation and so is mine.

 

BTW I drive one hour each way to my airport, a big pia but it has the least expensive hangars in the region, it is outside the dreaded special flight rules area (SFRA) of DC and does not have a tower so there is no expensive gas wasted waiting for a parade of students guided by a trainee tower controller (like in Manassas)

 

PS  if any of you knows of a nice Champ for sale within 4-500 miles of the DC area , please let me know.  The pictures attached hang in my office as a reminder of those wonderful days.       

[Jerry 5TJ]

Have 30-35 min drive to reach the M20C. Considering moving to a closer airport for a 15-20 min drive as I'd probably drop in to fly or work around the hangar a good deal more. There is a 3rd airport just 10 min away from home but expensive hangars and no approach lessen its appeal somewhat.

To me that says 15 min is fine. Unless I could live at the airport and walk to my hangar...

[N601RX]

50 Feet, but the Mooney is about 30 minutes away.

http://mooneyspace.com/topic/9046-after-work-fun/

[N201MKTurbo]

 

Time wise, I figure with my 30 minute drive to the plane vs leaving 3 hours before a flight out of SEA, my break even point is about a 600 nm flight (SFO, BIL, SLC).

 

Bob

 

My point exactly.

 

As for cost, I can operate the Mooney for about the same as an airfare with just me in it on most routes.

[orionflt]

I keep my Plane at an airport that is 5 miles away....aprox a 6-7 min drive, I have become so spoiled that anything other then living at the airport is too far for me now. 

[rob]

My point exactly.

 

As for cost, I can operate the Mooney for about the same as an airfare with just me in it on most routes.

 

Only if you just count the marginal costs of the Mooney vs. the Airfare and disregard any status/frequent flyer upgrades/etc. 

 

Let's be honest, flying commercial is cheaper than flying and owning an airplane; but the flexibility and pride of ownership aren't things you can put dollar values on.

[1964-M20E]

My current location for $75 a month and a hangar I own is about 45 to 50 minutes from my house (this is my limit to keep it real).  I used to keep it at another airport that was about 40 to 45 minutes away $75 a month for a tie down outside. There is a small airport about 10 minutes from my house but they want $175 to tie down outside and $350 to $400 to be in a group hangar.

I'd much rather be at the closer airport but financially it does not make sense. I've even told this to the owner of the local airport that for what it's worth.

 

As far as flying commercial I only do it when I have to now and driving to the commercial airport is just as long as driving to my airport so that’s a wash.  I can do pretty well time wise with respect to the commercial boys especially when you factor in TSA.

 

If you can do a single hop in the Mooney and flying commercial you need to change planes you can almost always beat commercial or at least be a close.

[Ned Gravel]

Not Applicable with regard to the partnership question.  Plane is 14 km (8.5 miles) away from the front door - about 15 minute drive depending on traffic.

[bonal]

We are 15 min. and that's too far. If I ever have to move I'm going to try and find a place right next to the field if not on it. We have some not too pricey flyin communities in CA and all I can think of is how cool to go right from the kitchen to the hangar.

[Ned Gravel]

John:

 

I agree on the cost of flying versus commercial, for those destinations within one tank range.  Outside of that, the curves cross.  But - would rather me enjoy the flying than the two in the front office of a commercial airliner anyway.