!!! WARNING -- AOPA credit card holders. The credit card company is trying to change the rules in mid-game. Read the statement sent to you by MBNA.

Matt Barrow wrote:

I carry an AMEX card and a BofA Visa & ATM card. Anything else is someone
looking to lift your wallet.

AMEX isn't "lifting your wallet"? I thought the yearly fees were pretty steep on
those.

I'm pretty happy with my Capital One commercial VISA. MBNA bought out my other
card provider, so I'm looking for another. I'll check out BofA.

George Patterson
There's plenty of room for all of God's creatures. Right next to the
mashed potatoes.

"Matt Barrow" wrote in news:H9see.18$nu.754
@news.uswest.net:


I carry an AMEX card and a BofA Visa & ATM card. Anything else is someone
looking to lift your wallet.


What really surprised me was that AmEx was the most reasonable on interest
rates; but their grace period is the shortest of all the cards that I
carry. It is currently my card of choice (I never thought that would
happen).

When I took a month-ling trip to Australia, I needed a temporary increase
in my credit line. MBNA said no, AmEx said no problem.

I had a Discover Card at one time and, like all my other cards, paid by
Electronic Funds Transfer. They were taking as many as 5 days to credit
the payment so they could hit me with late charges. After my bank
reimbursed me for the late fees, I closed the account.

On 5/5/2005 11:28, J Godwin wrote:

"Matt Barrow" wrote in news:H9see.18$nu.754
@news.uswest.net:


I carry an AMEX card and a BofA Visa & ATM card. Anything else is someone
looking to lift your wallet.


What really surprised me was that AmEx was the most reasonable on interest
rates; but their grace period is the shortest of all the cards that I
carry. It is currently my card of choice (I never thought that would
happen).

When I took a month-ling trip to Australia, I needed a temporary increase
in my credit line. MBNA said no, AmEx said no problem.

I had a Discover Card at one time and, like all my other cards, paid by
Electronic Funds Transfer. They were taking as many as 5 days to credit
the payment so they could hit me with late charges. After my bank
reimbursed me for the late fees, I closed the account.

I had exactly the same problem with the Discover card. I had paid by
check, and was able to show that they cashed it before their late
payment deadline (with a photocopy of the canceled check). They then
said that it was necessary for the payment to get through their system
before the deadline, and the date they cashed it was irrelevant.

Amazing.

I paid it off and closed the account.

--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Student
Sacramento, CA

On 5/5/05 10:20, "xyzzy" wrote:

Denny wrote:

You don't spit in the wind, you don't tug on Superman's cape, and you
don't get anywhere with your protest because the notice you got is
industry wide, not just MBNA...

I have a few other credit cards, and none have terms this draconian.

Also, MBMA charged me a late fee for a payment that was 1 day late.
Sure they have a right to, but every other card I have used will waive
that fee if I call, because of good payment history and good credit
history. MBMA refused and I closed the account.

MBNA is in fact the worst of the credit card companies. They make a
higher percentage of their income on fees and penalties than the others.
Their CEO was featured in the Wall Street Journal for being a pioneer
in increasing profitability by shafting cardholders. To me the AOPA 5%
rebate was not worth dealing with those sleazebags.


I had an online payment made one day late, due to an online hiccup. I called
them about it and they reversed the charge.

- Don
Only the dead have seen the end of the war. - Plato

"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:Jrsee.15840$c86.14688@trndny09...
Matt Barrow wrote:

I carry an AMEX card and a BofA Visa & ATM card. Anything else is
someone
looking to lift your wallet.

AMEX isn't "lifting your wallet"? I thought the yearly fees were pretty
steep on
those.

$50 on the corporate card, $0 on the BofA Visa.

I've had very good service and attention from BofA for, oh...25 years now.

I used to have Carte Blanche (?),and they aere fabulous, but no one takes it
where I travel (ie, the boonies).

I'm pretty happy with my Capital One commercial VISA. MBNA bought out my
other
card provider, so I'm looking for another. I'll check out BofA.

"J Godwin" wrote in message
...
"Matt Barrow" wrote in news:H9see.18$nu.754
@news.uswest.net:


I carry an AMEX card and a BofA Visa & ATM card. Anything else is
someone
looking to lift your wallet.


What really surprised me was that AmEx was the most reasonable on interest
rates; but their grace period is the shortest of all the cards that I
carry. It is currently my card of choice (I never thought that would
happen).

When I took a month-ling trip to Australia, I needed a temporary increase
in my credit line. MBNA said no, AmEx said no problem.

I bought a car on my AMEX card...quick verification call, no problem.


I had a Discover Card at one time and, like all my other cards, paid by
Electronic Funds Transfer. They were taking as many as 5 days to credit
the payment so they could hit me with late charges. After my bank
reimbursed me for the late fees, I closed the account.

Years ago, Citibank was found to be sitting on mail so that things would be
a day late.

I'm looking to upgrade airplanes; discussion and recommendations are
requested:

History:
Private - 1994
inactive 1994-2001
started flying again after 9/11/01
Instrument - 2003
Commercial - 2004

Roughly 450 hours total time. About 100 in Cessnas 150/152/172. About 50
hours in a Cherokee 140 (with 180 HP & CS prop), 50 hours in an Arrow
and about 250 hours in Mooney M20C. Zero multi-engine time.

Ownership Experience:
Current: 1967 Mooney M20C (sole owner)
Current: 1/4 share in C-152 (I'm working on my CFI and want something to
teach in)
Previous: 1/2 share in 1967 P28A

Narrative/Mission:
I fly commercially about 75,000 miles per year and I'm looking to
replace as much of that as is reasonable. Home is Tucson, Arizona and
the majority of my commercial flying is west coast and mountain states.
Trips over 1000 NM are done only a couple of times per year.

When I travel, I must be at my destination on time. I typically leave
(commercially) the morning prior to the date I need to be somewhere.
That means I usually get to my destination in the early afternoon the
day before I need to be there. From TUS, on United (95% of my commercial
flights), I must go through either LAX or DEN, so it is rarely just a
one leg commercial flight, unless my destination is LAX or DEN.

I will fly solo about 95% of the time. The other 5% with one other
individual. This is purely a business entity. Baggage is light, clothes
and a laptop.

With respect to weather:
If I start flying myself more, leaving early the day before I need to be
somewhere, I will have an 'out' due to weather in that I should be able
to land somewhere within a four hour or so drive of my final
destination, I figure. Barring that, I can probably land somewhere and
hop on Southwest Airlines as a last resort. My final destination is
typically larger cities anyway. Returning home, I have more leeway if
weather is an issue. 80% of the time I need to be at a destination for
one day. 15% of the time, two days and 5% of the time more than two days.

Airplane Attributes:
I'm looking for speed above all else. Second and third are fuel burn and
fuel capacity. I haven't decided which is #2 and which #3, however. Of
course reliability, maintenance, purchase price, etc. are important. As
for budget, I absolutely have to stay under $200,000. Ideally under
$150,000. $100,000 to $125,000 would be very comfortable (with the
obligatory 10%-20% reserve available). I have a few airplanes in mind of
course, but what will this illustrious group recommend ? Do you need any
other data ?
---
Ken Reed
http://www.dentalzzz.com

On 2005-05-07, Ken Reed wrote:
I'm looking for speed above all else. Second and third are fuel burn and
fuel capacity.

Endurance (as fuel burn/capacity) can be a big factor in overall speed.
A nonstop 800nm trip at 135kt takes only about 15 minutes longer than
a 800nm trip at 160kt with a fuel stop. If the fuel stop requires any
deviation from the route or an instrument approach the 135kt nonstop
might be faster.

I haven't decided which is #2 and which #3, however.

If you want airline-like dispatch rates it better include weather
capabilities like turbo, anti-icing, pressurization (or oxygen), etc.

--
Ben Jackson

http://www.ben.com/

I'm looking for speed above all else. Second and third are fuel burn and
fuel capacity. I haven't decided which is #2 and which #3, however.

Endurance (as fuel burn/capacity) can be a big factor in overall speed.
A nonstop 800nm trip at 135kt takes only about 15 minutes longer than
a 800nm trip at 160kt with a fuel stop. If the fuel stop requires any
deviation from the route or an instrument approach the 135kt nonstop
might be faster.

The triad of speed, fuel burn and fuel capacity all tie together. Not
having to make the fuel stop is the best added speed there is. That's
kinda why I can't make one requirement #2 and the other #3; they're both
critical.

If you want airline-like dispatch rates it better include weather
capabilities like turbo, anti-icing, pressurization (or oxygen), etc.

It doesn't have to be to the level of the airlines. As I wrote, landing
and driving a few hours is acceptable as is landing and finishing the
trip commercially.

What is your recommendation, based on my stated needs ?
---
Ken Reed
http://www.dentalzzz.com

I assume that when you say "speed" you are talking about minimium trip time.
Obviously range is a big part of this, maybe bigger than actual TAS. Also,
are you talking about flying in virtually all weather or just most of the
time? Are your trips evenly distributed thoughout the seasons? How many
trips will involve crossing the Sierra or Rockies? At night? What is the
operating budget? It is going to cost at least $50K/yr to operate an
airplane that will make 75+% of the trips. If your trips are mostly to
SoCal from Tuscon, just buy a high performance turbocharged single and you
will be able to complete most of your trips at low cost. If a lot of trips
are to somewhere in the PNW or the Plains (aka: tornado alley) then you are
going to need deice and radar. Can you just fly to Pheonix and then fly
direct on SW or UAL?

I had a similiar situation to yours. I lived in Minden NV, flew a Turbo
Lance and I had about 85% success in being able to fly myself to
destinations mostly in CA, arriving on time and not getting stranded on the
California side of the mountains when it was time to return. To go from 85%
to 99%, the minimium airplane had to have radar, pressurization, deice and
(two) turbine engines. I had some disadvantages compared to you, such as
being an hour from the nearest commercial airport (Reno) which only had
limited flights.

Think long and hard about what you want to accomplish and what you are
willing to do and pay for it. There is no airplane that will make your
trips 99% of the time even at four times your budget but almost any airplane
will make your trips most of the time.

What are the deficiencies of your current airplane (the Mooney) for making
your trips?

Mike
MU-2


"Ken Reed" wrote in message
ink.net...
I'm looking to upgrade airplanes; discussion and recommendations are
requested:

History:
Private - 1994
inactive 1994-2001
started flying again after 9/11/01
Instrument - 2003
Commercial - 2004

Roughly 450 hours total time. About 100 in Cessnas 150/152/172. About 50
hours in a Cherokee 140 (with 180 HP & CS prop), 50 hours in an Arrow and
about 250 hours in Mooney M20C. Zero multi-engine time.

Ownership Experience:
Current: 1967 Mooney M20C (sole owner)
Current: 1/4 share in C-152 (I'm working on my CFI and want something to
teach in)
Previous: 1/2 share in 1967 P28A

Narrative/Mission:
I fly commercially about 75,000 miles per year and I'm looking to replace
as much of that as is reasonable. Home is Tucson, Arizona and the majority
of my commercial flying is west coast and mountain states. Trips over 1000
NM are done only a couple of times per year.

When I travel, I must be at my destination on time. I typically leave
(commercially) the morning prior to the date I need to be somewhere. That
means I usually get to my destination in the early afternoon the day
before I need to be there. From TUS, on United (95% of my commercial
flights), I must go through either LAX or DEN, so it is rarely just a one
leg commercial flight, unless my destination is LAX or DEN.

I will fly solo about 95% of the time. The other 5% with one other
individual. This is purely a business entity. Baggage is light, clothes
and a laptop.

With respect to weather:
If I start flying myself more, leaving early the day before I need to be
somewhere, I will have an 'out' due to weather in that I should be able to
land somewhere within a four hour or so drive of my final destination, I
figure. Barring that, I can probably land somewhere and hop on Southwest
Airlines as a last resort. My final destination is typically larger cities
anyway. Returning home, I have more leeway if weather is an issue. 80% of
the time I need to be at a destination for one day. 15% of the time, two
days and 5% of the time more than two days.

Airplane Attributes:
I'm looking for speed above all else. Second and third are fuel burn and
fuel capacity. I haven't decided which is #2 and which #3, however. Of
course reliability, maintenance, purchase price, etc. are important. As
for budget, I absolutely have to stay under $200,000. Ideally under
$150,000. $100,000 to $125,000 would be very comfortable (with the
obligatory 10%-20% reserve available). I have a few airplanes in mind of
course, but what will this illustrious group recommend ? Do you need any
other data ?
---
Ken Reed
http://www.dentalzzz.com