$75,000 2-33 [Archive] - AviationBanter

CindyB[_2_]

March 8th 18, 07:59 PM

On Thursday, March 8, 2018 at 9:19:09 AM UTC-8, kirk.stant wrote:
> What it really needs is an autopilot and cup holders.
>
> Oh - and some fuzzy dice...
>
> 66

Guys, guys.... Geesh.
Can't you even give them credit for jacking up a data plate and making a gorgeous glider under it? The prep of the steel, the recover, the shiny-shiny paint in very tasteful colors. Fresh plexi and a complete smooth interior.. New Belts! A very professional looking wiring job and clean panel. At least this one looks like it won't have fabric fairing to the skid, and creating a fabric flash off on her first landing. (That's a true story.) Using the ballast tray area for a solid battery install that addresses CG.

I wouldn't be using all the electric stuff in the panel, but hey, as a systems trainer? At least I can see over the trainee's shoulder for what they're switching/changing, unlike an Arcus. And it will get you off the ground, unlike a Condor simulator.

So - just celebrate someone's nearly bottomless checkbook. And the anticipated return-to-service of a venerable machine. This set of tube-fuselage will likely be flying after I am wafting as ashes in the sky. And we should appreciate that.

Thanks, Caprock men. But, she's beyond my checkbook . . . .

Cindy
a 2-33 back-seater

Renny[_2_]

March 8th 18, 10:36 PM

On Thursday, March 8, 2018 at 12:59:24 PM UTC-7, CindyB wrote:
> On Thursday, March 8, 2018 at 9:19:09 AM UTC-8, kirk.stant wrote:
> > What it really needs is an autopilot and cup holders.
> >
> > Oh - and some fuzzy dice...
> >
> > 66
>
> Guys, guys.... Geesh.
> Can't you even give them credit for jacking up a data plate and making a gorgeous glider under it? The prep of the steel, the recover, the shiny-shiny paint in very tasteful colors. Fresh plexi and a complete smooth interior. New Belts! A very professional looking wiring job and clean panel. At least this one looks like it won't have fabric fairing to the skid, and creating a fabric flash off on her first landing. (That's a true story.) Using the ballast tray area for a solid battery install that addresses CG.
>
> I wouldn't be using all the electric stuff in the panel, but hey, as a systems trainer? At least I can see over the trainee's shoulder for what they're switching/changing, unlike an Arcus. And it will get you off the ground, unlike a Condor simulator.
>
> So - just celebrate someone's nearly bottomless checkbook. And the anticipated return-to-service of a venerable machine. This set of tube-fuselage will likely be flying after I am wafting as ashes in the sky. And we should appreciate that.
>
> Thanks, Caprock men. But, she's beyond my checkbook . . . .
>
> Cindy
> a 2-33 back-seater

Now, now....Cindy....This is all done in good fun....and after all this is RAS! Did you expect anything different? Now, given the price of $75 large for a 2-33, I just cannot wait to see someone ask for $100K for a 1-26A!! ;-)

So, in conclusion, just when you think you have seen it all.....you have not!

Waveguru

March 9th 18, 12:39 AM

I wonder if you can run Condor on that screen and never need to leave the ground?

Boggs

son_of_flubber

March 9th 18, 01:03 AM

This looks to be a remanufactured 2-33. I picture this:

They added up the cost of materials, hangar rent, utilities, insurance, and kept track of hours of labor spent. The supervised unskilled labor hours they charged at minimum wage. The skilled labor hours they charged at the prevailing rate. Add 5% a year for their 'cost of money', 5% for their trouble and they get an asking price of $75K. $75K +/- is what a remanufactured 2-33 costs.

This true cost of a remanufactured 2-33 tells me that a long term commitment to 2-33s is throwing good money after bad. You can remanufacture a 2-33 piecemeal, spread out of years, or all at once. Maintaining these birds only makes sense in the long run, when and where people donate hours and hours of their time. Sure that still happens and having trained in 2-33s, I'm grateful and appreciative of their generosity, but the people who have that amount of disposable time are ageing out. Most dads and moms nowadays want to spend their 'time off' with their kids and spouses, not in a hangar covered in dust. And speaking as a recently retired person myself, I have better things to do with my time. (In my defense, I've ponied up money to buy two semi-modern trainers for my club, and I volunteer time at my club.)

Now assuming you find people to donate the time to keep your 2-33 airworthy and cosmetically attractive, what do you get from a student's perspective? How much does a minute in the air cost in a 2-33 compare to a minute in the air in a semi-modern trainer like a ASK 21 or PW-6?

The 32:1 glide ratio is a tipping point. If there is lift to be found, a student can stay up for an hour (and learn to soar) in a 32:1 glider that has decent penetration. They can even fly downwind of the airport! Wow. Who knew?

In a 2-33... they had better find lift under the first cloud that they try. More often than not, they need to buy 2-3 tows to get an hour of practice in the air. On the plus side they get more practice at landing, but we all know that 'gaining altitude in lift' is the heroin that hooks us on the sport. If you want to reduce student attrition during training, put them in a ASK-21 or a PW-6.

If you're wanting a stream of students to subsidize club cash flow by buying lots and lots of tows, a 2-33 does a much better job at that than a 32:1 glider.

Darryl Ramm

March 9th 18, 01:06 AM

On Thursday, March 8, 2018 at 11:59:24 AM UTC-8, CindyB wrote:
> On Thursday, March 8, 2018 at 9:19:09 AM UTC-8, kirk.stant wrote:
> > What it really needs is an autopilot and cup holders.
> >
> > Oh - and some fuzzy dice...
> >
> > 66
>
> Guys, guys.... Geesh.
> Can't you even give them credit for jacking up a data plate and making a gorgeous glider under it? The prep of the steel, the recover, the shiny-shiny paint in very tasteful colors. Fresh plexi and a complete smooth interior. New Belts! A very professional looking wiring job and clean panel. At least this one looks like it won't have fabric fairing to the skid, and creating a fabric flash off on her first landing. (That's a true story.) Using the ballast tray area for a solid battery install that addresses CG.
>
> I wouldn't be using all the electric stuff in the panel, but hey, as a systems trainer? At least I can see over the trainee's shoulder for what they're switching/changing, unlike an Arcus. And it will get you off the ground, unlike a Condor simulator.
>
> So - just celebrate someone's nearly bottomless checkbook. And the anticipated return-to-service of a venerable machine. This set of tube-fuselage will likely be flying after I am wafting as ashes in the sky. And we should appreciate that.
>
> Thanks, Caprock men. But, she's beyond my checkbook . . . .
>
> Cindy
> a 2-33 back-seater

I see a future SSA Convention talk with Cindy clicking though photos of glider panels in bad states. And asking the audience what upgrades they would do. "Hurry up make a decision, you are running out of budget..." and then "well this is what they did..." (murmurs of discontent, a few gasps).