"Robert" wrote in message
...
[...stay 3 days or pay $5/mile up to $1000 for ferrying...]

Is this an outrageous policy, or is it normal? I could see that I would
be
responsible if I damaged the plane, or just decided to leave the plane
somewhere else, but its almost like they are encouraging pilots to fly
planes back home that shouldn't be flown just so they don't get stuck with
a
bill.

I've never heard of such a policy. Of course, an FBO is free to write into
their contract whatever they think they can get renters to agree to and I've
been an owner too long for me to be able to comment on what's "typical" for
rental agreements.

I definitely wouldn't rent an airplane from an operation that thinks that
sort of language is reasonable though, and I personally agree with the use
of the word "outrageous" to describe the policy.

We just had a similar thread regarding responsibilities of pilots renting a
plane that suffers a mechanical problem while away from home. You might
look back at that thread for insight into the widely varying opinions of the
pilot's responsibility under that kind of situation.

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...a5ed5ee&rnum=1

Personally, I feel that one of the few advantages to renting is that you're
not responsible for maintenance issues not of your own doing; language like
this in the contract attempts to take from the renter that one benefit,
making me wonder why anyone would rent at all if it were standard. I said
as much in the above thread.

Pete