On Thursday, November 22, 2012 6:31:23 AM UTC-7, Karen wrote:
On Nov 20, 2:25*pm, aerodyne wrote:

That's direct fuel cost. *The non-fuel costs are also driven by the price of fuel - but indirectly as pass thru.



OK - so the Pawnee D does not have the STC - what about all the

earlier models made 20 years or so prior? *The bulk of the fleet I'd

wager.



Insurance, maintenance, and hanger rent driven proportionaly by fuel

cost? *I doubt that. *Show me the numbers!



Re Numbers:

Yesterday in NV, mom & pop commercial FBO. One of ths launches in 15kt

wind to 1,900 ft agl, ASK21, two pilots, one winch driver, (busy

grandmother of 12), one $10,000 winch, 28 ounces of premium gas equals

$1 fuel costs. (And who needs a wing runner on a paved runway?) Get

with the program USA. The Germans have been doing it since the

1930's. The little UK still does more flights than we do per airport.

Karen Henderson.

Please, Karen take care with wing down takeoffs. Yes it can 'work' but the safety margins are tiny. If the slightest drag develops on the down wing, the opposite wing will accelerate leading to a very ugly ground loop or worse. A CG hook won't keep the glider straight like a nose hook. You're literally playing Russian Roulette - people have died.