Jerry Pressley Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 Most of the time there is a thought that he will be fixing it up when he gets time. Or expect to get able to feel better later and fly again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob865 Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 10 hours ago, Releew said: Just curious...... Why would anyone, even a non-pilot with no interest in aviation let an aircraft sit on the ramp to rot away. Too bad! There are lots of interested "want to be"... and existing pilots who would have really appreciated that gift as an inheritance! What a pitty! Rick The same reason boats sit in yards and rot away and cars sit in yards/garages and rust away. I assume there are a few different types of reasons: Fear of the unknown - they don't know what to expect with selling something. So rather than figure it out, they just avoid the uncomfortable situation all together. It's easy to do if the asset is paid for you and it's not costing you anything, or very little. The "I will get back to it" attitude - People buy or hold on to things even when they don't have the ability to use them because they plan to use it again. Sometimes it's health (I'll get back to it when I get back on my feet), sometimes it work (When work slows and I have more time I'll finally get back to it), and sometimes it something else. Sentimental attachment - Pilots are an interesting breed. I've seen so many hanging out because "that's my plane" even though they may not have flown the plane, or any other plane, in years. Physically Incapable - Sometimes a person is literally not capable of selling an asset. They could be hospitilized or something of the like that physically prevents them from being able to go through the work of selling it. I got back to flying after a few year break because I found a guy who had lost his medical but didn't want to sell his plane. He knew that a plane sitting would become worthless so instead he took on partners. I'm with you, I wish more people would take some action with planes instead of letting them rot. There is a whole row of planes, twins included, that sit along the back row of the ramp at GMU that have been there over 10 years! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxrpilot Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 As I've said before, I hope that if I'm ever in such a position that for whatever reason I can't fly my plane regularly, I'll have enough sense to toss the keys to some young up and coming pilot and say, "just keep the fuel and oil moving through her." 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 10 hours ago, Releew said: Just curious...... Why would anyone, even a non-pilot with no interest in aviation let an aircraft sit on the ramp to rot away. Too bad! There are lots of interested "want to be"... and existing pilots who would have really appreciated that gift as an inheritance! What a pitty! Rick It’s called a sudden change in priorities... the change can be brought on by an illness, medical condition or simply aging... we all get this disturbance along the great path of life... It is human behavior and happens to all assets... houses, cars, boats and planes.... Even as a gift, the receiver has to be ready to receive it... financially, having a plane is like having an extra car. Not everybody is ready for the extra expenses that come with that... Those assets don’t age very well either without some amount of care. See how well you are prepared for a sudden change in your own priorities... Does your family have any guidance on what to do if you suddenly have a priority change? There are a few legal steps that can be thought out in advance... they might not be easy conversations to have. MS existentialism...? PP thoughts only, not a lawyer... Best regards, -a- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy95W Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 1 hour ago, bob865 said: The same reason boats sit in yards and rot away and cars sit in yards/garages and rust away. I assume there are a few different types of reasons: I'll add one more that I've seen a few times: Delusional. I've seen owners who were convinced their airplanes were worth FAR more than they actually were, and firmly believed that everyone who offered them what the airplane was actually worth were trying rip them off. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marauder Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 As I've said before, I hope that if I'm ever in such a position that for whatever reason I can't fly my plane regularly, I'll have enough sense to toss the keys to some young up and coming pilot and say, "just keep the fuel and oil moving through her." You won’t. There are two Mooneys in my area where this situation is exists. I offered to fly them a couple times of month. I would need to pry the keys out of their hands.Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricJ Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 The hangar adjacent to mine was, up until very recently, occupied by a 1964 Debonair that hadn't flown for a couple of decades. It got a fresh annual every year, tires, bladders, battery, whatever it needed, and was started and ran at the annuals. It just never flew. During the last annual the guy that was taking care of it said the owner had decided to put it up for sale. I saw it out a few times after that for people that were looking at it (it was in awesome shape, only something like 2200 hours total on the airframe), and then a week or so ago they had it out for the new owner to come pick it up. I saw them start it a few times and it was one of the quickest, smoothest starting airplanes I've ever seen. The day the new owner came to get it, the starter barely turned and it was running. So you never know. I never did get the story on the owner or why it wasn't flying, but the guy that maintained it definitely knew what he was doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMuncy Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 14 hours ago, Releew said: Just curious...... Why would anyone, even a non-pilot with no interest in aviation let an aircraft sit on the ramp to rot away. Too bad! There are lots of interested "want to be"... and existing pilots who would have really appreciated that gift as an inheritance! What a pitty! Rick Don't be too hard on them Rick. There are many assets in the world that do not lose much value from sitting, even out in the elements. If you are not in the aviation community, you might not know it won't work with a plane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_elliott Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 5 hours ago, gsxrpilot said: I'll have enough sense to toss the keys to some young up and coming pilot and say, "just keep the fuel and oil moving through her." This does happen, and us young up and coming pilots are appreciative. Some of the best friendship bonds are made this way. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Pressley Posted August 9, 2018 Report Share Posted August 9, 2018 lots of reasonable reasons also. There is a new Aero Commander 112 sitting in upper mid tennessee that was flown from the factory and parked. First the wheels and then the axles sunk into the tarmac. Years ago I tried to buy it but he said he uses it with the bank for security for a line of credit for his business. Works for him i suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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