Sigh. Probably going to sell the plane...

[1964-M20E]

Yes, each time I try to justify that I used my airplane for business it is a HUGE problem with my bean counters. The insurance, liability, image, perceptions, etc. Nobody thinks that it is safer to fly an hour than to drive 5 or 6... (at least in Guatemala). So please keep your plane...

Policy states I cannot use personal aircraft for business travel but I can get on my motorcycle and travel for business. Go figure?

There is always a work around if you are willing to accept some costs to avoid TSA and commercial hassles.

 

If you enjoy flying keep the plane and use it for your own personal travel fly 70+ hrs a year to minmize the impact of fixed costs.

 

Before I bought my plane I tried to justify it in many ways in the end I fly the plane look at the direct immediate cost of fuel and close my eyes for the rest.  It is much easier this way like when you are at the doctor don’t look at the needle when they are giving you a shot.

[OR75]

I would imagine it would be very difficult to justify using a 150kts airplane based on saving $$$

 

less than 5 hours drive: nothing beats a car.  Especially when it is in your driveway, and takes you at your customer door.

 

more than 8 hours drive: tough to beat the airline.  (you will need a rental car whether wit a Mooney or with airline)

 

from 5 to 8 hours: tough to justify cost unless you can get credit for putting up with TSA

[1964-M20E]

Door to door to my daughter’s house driving 10.5hrs, flying myself about 5.5 hours, commercial about 4 hours and that is a nonstop flight from MSY to MCO.

SAV to ORL 4.5 hour drive door to door, about 2.5 hours flying myself, commercial about 5.5 hours.  It really depends on what layovers you have commercial and what fuel stops you need flying yourself.  NEW  to SAV, about an 11 hour drive, I can beat commercial flights but not by much because of layovers.

You need to evaluate each new trip to see what the advantages are.  Getting closer to your destination flying yourself can be a big plus.   Driving or commercial does come out better on some trips.  I generally drive if it is less than 3 to 4 hours driving.

As they say getting there is half the fun and flying yourself is fun.

[Bennett]

While I use my Mooney for some  business purposes, I really fly her because I want to fly on my own schedules, and I hate the airline experience.  I fly on airliners a lot because a number of my clients are on the East Coast and flying out from San Carlos, CA is neither time effective, or cost effective.  I do fly myself to any meeting or appointment within about 600 miles or so.  The Mooney is perfect for this. But, the real reason is that I just enjoy the experience of flying my own airplane. I know I can't justify ownership on a pure economic basis, but it really isn't as important to me as having the freedom to go where I want, when I want. When fuel was less expensive, I did make many transcontinental flights, but how do you beat a $319.00 round trip airfare from SFO (San Francisco) to PHL (Philadelphia)  - U.S.Air out, Virgin America back, both non-stops -scheduled for next week.. I generally fly alone today, but with my former Mooney I  usually took one of more employees with me, and the per seat cost was better than the airlines for these 600 mile or less trips trips.  Many things in life cannot be reduced to Dollars, and I see no need to attempt justifying them on that basis.  From previous polls on this website, many of us are sailors, and there is no economic rationale for most of us to own, and maintain a sailboat.  I hope you keep your airplane, because if you don't, you may not only feel regret, but a certain emptiness in  spirit - the boost to one's spirit from the pure pleasure of flying. 

[carusoam]

The price of fahrvegflugen...

-a-

[sreid]

Say what?

 

Is riding  my bicycle to the airport going to screw up the ying and yang or make bad karma? I'm confused - - I think.

 

Guess I can take some solice in knowing that paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, and scissors beats paper - - I think - - maybe.

Around here we play it this way: foot beats cockroach, nuclear bomb beats foot, and cockroach beats nuclear bomb. Not sure about bicycle vs. car vs. airplane vs. etc... Seems like it would be hard to play a choosing game with that many variables.

[PMcClure]

Sounds like you need to find a partner or two. I have been in 2 partnerships, one with a Mooney. The cost of flying our F model was about as cheap as it can get. Plus we had fun, never had a scheduling problem. The plane flew about 300 hours a hear with 4 partners and my total cost of ownership was less than $500 a month.