RA Private hire in Melbourne

[Jay_1984]

Hi all,

 

Looking for advise from those in the Melbourne area on somewhere to private hire an RA-reg aircraft? Been finding that a lot of school based aircraft are tied up with training (not surprising) and so not really available for private use.

 

I know of the usual places like Lilydale, Tyabb, tooradin, Lethbridge but wondering if there is maybe a hidden gem sitting somewhere around the traps.

 

Thanks

 

 

[mnewbery]

Home TVSA. Go and visit

[shafs64]

Does Tvsa have raa aircraft

 

 

[mnewbery]

PCDU Episode 129: Going Back to School « Plane Crazy Down Under

 

Fast forward to minute 12.

 

Yes they use Aero Bristells as can be seen here

 

Fleet

 

 

[shafs64]

very nice.

 

 

[Frankus1aust]

This is the main downer of flying RAA. Getting an available cross country aircraft. I'm wondering if it is worth buying a good S/H factory Jab 230 or similar and putting it on line somewhere. Maybe a syndicate and place a couple of A/C around Melbourne.

 

 

[shafs64]

Yes you finish your training and want to go away somewhere but can't find a plane to hire.

 

 

[Jay_1984]

Yeah had a look at tvsa(leading edge aviation) but not quite sure I want to pay the rates. Bit pricey and I think they only have the one online

 

 

[Frankus1aust]

Ok, so here is a survey. For RAA pilots in Eastern Melbourne, What would be the most desirable 100+ knt cruse a/c? and for how much wet? Compared to renting GA, I am guessing that $140.00 per hour is about the limit.

 

 

[shafs64]

140 for a jab would be ok foxbats 160 ? what is TVSA asking price

 

 

[Jay_1984]

$210 solo for the bristell at tvsa

 

 

[shafs64]

210 was that for the gold plated one!!

 

 

[alf jessup]

I used to pay $145 hr wet for a Tecnam Sierra about 5 years ago

 

Then I went and bought one

 

 

[shafs64]

there is still aircraft around for that price. you just have to drive a few more kays to find them

 

 

[SSCBD]

FYI - If a privately owned factory built aircraft eg, Sling - Tecnam - Factory Jab, etc - HAS always been, and is still maintained by a level two (even if the owner is a level two) - then that aircraft can be hired out by the owner.

 

It dose not have to be hired out via a flying school.

 

Now you just have to find a private owner that will let you fly it.

 

 

[-Rod-]

As another option Airsports Flying School at Riddells Creek has a Storch available for $165 for local flights. Of course there is an expectation that renting pilots are current, capable and reliable. The Topaz for $220 solo is also available (although not very often due to its training role.) See www.airsports.net. Syndicate purchase is also available at most recreational airfields around Melbourne. Typical running costs of $45 per hour a lot more affordable!!

 

Rod, Airsports

 

 

[Pominaus]

$210 solo for the bristell at tvsa

I heard another podcast with one of the owners of TVSA not too long ago I think, and the Bristell sounded like they were pretty much brand new at the time, maybe they're building in the pay-off cost? I notice their website price sheet hasn't been updated to include the Bristell, though a C152 is only $199, and they burn what, about 10L more an hour? Or maybe the Bristell's are just more in demand with lessons?

$140 is still a doable price in the east melbourne area - it's just availability unfortunately. I know lilydale for example charge about $140 solo for their Jab, and I think Coldstream have a technam, but if you take it cross country, the school's only making money on the time you've got it in the air. Whilst you're camping/fishing at the other end their plane is sitting around doing nothing, so if they have enough demand, it just makes more sense to them to keep the plane on base racking up dual hours. Are you able to hire midweek? It might be easier, schools quite often have a much larger ground squadron on a tuesday? Might be worth looking into joining a club at your nearest to build up some connections? I'd image a school would be more willing to hire to a known person than a rando?

 

 

[Jay_1984]

Thanks all for the responses. Appreciate it.

 

The bristell is technically used by tvsa's RA school which is Leading Edge Aviation and the rates are on that website.

 

I'm actually a member down at Point Cook and can hire a 152 or 172 for $130 and $180 respectfully. I had been also hiring from Lilydale at $110 for the jabs but it's a bit of a drive to get there and sometimes they're free other times they're booked out.

 

So the background to my question is to whether I keep up my RA membership. I really want to support RA flying yet when cost is a factor to considering nonflying commitments(house, child, wife etc), and there are GA options cheaper than RA, really starting weigh up the options.

 

 

[turboplanner]

Thanks all for the responses. Appreciate it.The bristell is technically used by tvsa's RA school which is Leading Edge Aviation and the rates are on that website.

I'm actually a member down at Point Cook and can hire a 152 or 172 for $130 and $180 respectfully. I had been also hiring from Lilydale at $110 for the jabs but it's a bit of a drive to get there and sometimes they're free other times they're booked out.

 

So the background to my question is to whether I keep up my RA membership. I really want to support RA flying yet when cost is a factor to considering nonflying commitments(house, child, wife etc), and there are GA options cheaper than RA, really starting weigh up the options.

If you just want to go to an airfield anddo circuits, and maybe play around in the training area, then the hourly rate and travel cost/time to the airfield are the key issues.

If you want to do trips, then as you've found out, an aircraft needs to be available for hire based on sometimes a couple of hours a day if you're camping etc. and also tied up sometimes for a couple of days, if you are socked in by weather, and that may limit aircraft availability, but there will be more available GA aircraft for travelling than RA.

 

Then it's the distance you want to travel; if you just want to go somewhere in Victoria like the Murray, you may get a passenger and baggage in a 152, but above that, if you want to take a passenger of two, then it's a 172.

 

If you do get to cross country flying, you'll find that although a faster aircraft has a substantially higher cost, your trip cost doesn't go up by the same percentage beause you are covering the distance in substantially less hours.

 

Even better, if you can work it so you fill all the seats ride sharing, then the trip cost is less than a 172, with six place aircraft being the cheapest per person.

 

That puts you into genuine touring aircraft with HF Radio and long range, so you don't have that humping of jerry can issue.

 

I set them all out on a spreadsheet, and that made it easy to make judgements.

 

 

[Pominaus]

Thanks all for the responses. Appreciate it.The bristell is technically used by tvsa's RA school which is Leading Edge Aviation and the rates are on that website.

I'm actually a member down at Point Cook and can hire a 152 or 172 for $130 and $180 respectfully. I had been also hiring from Lilydale at $110 for the jabs but it's a bit of a drive to get there and sometimes they're free other times they're booked out.

 

So the background to my question is to whether I keep up my RA membership. I really want to support RA flying yet when cost is a factor to considering nonflying commitments(house, child, wife etc), and there are GA options cheaper than RA, really starting weigh up the options.

That's fair enough! Yeah for me it would be a no brainer as around here it's 50-100 bucks difference, so I wouldn't have to do many RA flights a year to be saving money, but if the margins are that small, and no options near by ...

 

I'd probably let it lapse and reactivate when you do want it tbh - their membership fee is one of those numbers that's small when your flying, pretty huge when you're not. If you can that is; their website seems to be down for me right now lol.

 

 

[Jay_1984]

That's fair enough! Yeah for me it would be a no brainer as around here it's 50-100 bucks difference, so I wouldn't have to do many RA flights a year to be saving money, but if the margins are that small, and no options near by ...I'd probably let it lapse and reactivate when you do want it tbh - their membership fee is one of those numbers that's small when your flying, pretty huge when you're not. If you can that is; their website seems to be down for me right now lol.

Yeah that's what I'm thinking.

 

At the stage now where the CPL is just about done and dusted now just need an inexpensive way to continue flying when I need that monthly hit.

 

 

[Pominaus]

Yeah that's what I'm thinking.At the stage now where the CPL is just about done and dusted now just need an inexpensive way to continue flying when I need that monthly hit.

Congrats and good luck on the CPL!

What's the plan for your commercial? I know some people do it for the next rating, but if you are looking for work, probably best to look at the hours going forward as resume building. I hear some employers might not count any time on jabiru's/foxbats as they don't use them - say meat bomber command or air taxi, but then as more and more schools start to use LSA's to lower costs, some schools looking for instructors might rate your jab time more highly than the 152 they retired.... Probs best to ask some advice in a chosen field if you have a plan imho.

 

 

[Frankus1aust]

Thanks guys

 

 

[rellim999]

The GEELONG SPORTS AVIATORS at Lethbridge Airport have a RA-Aus registered Gazelle available to members to hire at only $110.00 / hour [week days] and $120.00 / hour on weekends.

 

This is the WET rate and includes insurance cover, so no more to pay. The only requirements are that you are a member of the Club, have a current RA-Aus certificate and have completed a check flight in the plane.

 

This is about as cheap as aviation gets!

 

The GSA is also a great club to be a member of, with regular fly aways and a Saturday BBQ lunch on most weekends. Check their web site for more details: GSA home