Sell the plane?

Recently a few of the regulars on this forum have for various reasons
sold their planes. Well, it looks like I'm about to join them. I've
been offered a job in Maui, and am likely to accept. I took a few extra
days off during the interview trip and talked with folks at Maui
Aviators, who rent airplanes there. A great outfit BTW--I flew with
them 3 years ago when I visited Maui, and fournd them to be a first
class operation. The fellow I talked with there had good information
and thought it would cost around $8K to pack up my 172, ship it from
the west coast to Maui, and reassemble it. Not cheap, but the biggest
factor indicating I should sell the Skyhawk is corrosion. Apparently
it's a *really* big problem, with all the salt air and no airports at
all "inland". I just hate to think of my now nearly corrosion-free
plane sitting there rapidly rotting on the ramp.

Tiedowns are reasonable, around $35/mo. Hangar space is apparently
unobtainable, with a waiting list long enough to put me in retirement
before becoming available. I've thought about basing the plane on
Molokai, about 40 miles away where the airport sits higher above sea
level and may be less susceptible to the salt air. But there's no FBO
or maintenance there, and hangars are to my knowledge non-existent.
Renting a 172 from Maui Aviators is around $125/hr. Not bad considering
the corrosion and overall cost of living on Maui. There are also some
folks selling partnerships in small planes on Maui, which might be an
option. At least then the financial losses of the decaying plane are
shared!

One kind of off-the-wall idea I had short of selling the plane is
pickling it, and paying the $135/mo to hangar it while I decide what to
do with it. The advantage here is if Maui doesn't work out I can come
back and still have my baby that I spent so much time and money getting
configured the way I like it.

Thoughts on any of this? I'd love to be able to justify shipping it,
but right now selling seems the best option. Assuming I do decide to
sell, I'd also like to hear about good or bad experiences with
web-based (or otherwise) aircraft sales operations.

And if you're looking to buy a great 172 with lots of goodies attached
(powerflow exhaust, interia reel harnesses, good Century IIB autopilot,
160 hp O320-D2G with 1850 SFNE, IFR, strobes) have a look at
www.burningserver.net/rosinski/airplane It's likely to be on the
market soon.

TIA.

Jim Rosinski
N3825Q

("Jim Rosinski" wrote)
snip
And if you're looking to buy a great 172 with lots of goodies attached
(powerflow exhaust, interia reel harnesses, good Century IIB autopilot,
160 hp O320-D2G with 1850 SFNE, IFR, strobes) have a look at
www.burningserver.net/rosinski/airplane It's likely to be on the
market soon.


What's that wooden platform on casters(?) used for?

http://www.burningserver.net/rosinsk...85.640x480.jpg


Montblack

Looks like a work in progress.

"Montblack" wrote in message
...
("Jim Rosinski" wrote)
snip
And if you're looking to buy a great 172 with lots of goodies attached
(powerflow exhaust, interia reel harnesses, good Century IIB autopilot,
160 hp O320-D2G with 1850 SFNE, IFR, strobes) have a look at
www.burningserver.net/rosinski/airplane It's likely to be on the
market soon.


What's that wooden platform on casters(?) used for?

http://www.burningserver.net/rosinsk...85.640x480.jpg


Montblack

Montblack wrote:

What's that wooden platform on casters(?) used for?

http://www.burningserver.net/rosinsk...85.640x480.jpg

Jig layout of some sort. It's owned by the guy I sublease the hangar
from, so I don't know any more than that.

Jim Rosinski

"Jim Rosinski" wrote in message
ups.com...

Having been raised and currently living on a Caribbean island, I can confirm
you're absolutely right about the corrosion problem. You have to stay on top
of the issue constantly and be _very_ generous with the Corrosion-X (which I
even use on my cars). It can be done, but do you want to have to deal with
the hassle?

The fellow I talked with there had good information
and thought it would cost around $8K to pack up my 172, ship it from
the west coast to Maui, and reassemble it.

It would probably be cheaper to put a temporary ferry tank and pay a pro
ferry pilot to fly it out there for you. You would then only have to ship
the seats.

Tiedowns are reasonable, around $35/mo. Hangar space is apparently
unobtainable, with a waiting list long enough to put me in retirement
before becoming available.

Same here in Puerto Rico. If I had to pay for hangar space for my tiny BD-5J
it would cost anywhere from $600/$1500 for month at the closest airport to
my house, TJIG. I'm lucky that there is plenty of demand for my computer
skills and I can barter.

Renting a 172 from Maui Aviators is around $125/hr. Not bad considering
the corrosion and overall cost of living on Maui.

That's pretty high. Even in PR it's not that high. North Shore Aviation here
has immaculate 172's (and I do mean *immaculate*) for rent at $100/hr wet.

One kind of off-the-wall idea I had short of selling the plane is
pickling it, and paying the $135/mo to hangar it while I decide what to
do with it. The advantage here is if Maui doesn't work out I can come
back and still have my baby that I spent so much time and money getting
configured the way I like it.

This makes a lot of sense to me.

And if you're looking to buy a great 172 with lots of goodies attached
(powerflow exhaust, interia reel harnesses, good Century IIB autopilot,
160 hp O320-D2G with 1850 SFNE, IFR, strobes) have a look at
www.burningserver.net/rosinski/airplane It's likely to be on the
market soon.

It has an autopilot? Geez, that sure would make a ferry flight much easier.


Juan

Jim Rosinski wrote:

(snip)

One kind of off-the-wall idea I had short of selling the plane is
pickling it, and paying the $135/mo to hangar it while I decide what
to
do with it. The advantage here is if Maui doesn't work out I can come
back and still have my baby that I spent so much time and money
getting
configured the way I like it.



i vote for pickling it for the reasons you state plus 135$/mo sounds
cheap to me . keep your options open and avoid having to sell it with a
time-gun to your head.


dan

"Jim Rosinski" wrote:
but the biggest factor indicating
I should sell the Skyhawk is corrosion. Apparently it's a
*really* big problem, with all the salt air and no airports at
all "inland". I just hate to think of my now nearly corrosion-free
plane sitting there rapidly rotting on the ramp.

My airplane's been based a mile from Mobile Bay for 5 years. I treat it
with CorrosionX at each annual and have had no corrosion problems.
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

Dan Luke wrote:

My airplane's been based a mile from Mobile Bay for 5 years. I treat
it with CorrosionX at each annual and have had no corrosion problems.

That's encouraging to hear. Couple of things that may make the
situation worse on Maui though are the wind and the waves. You get the
steady northeast trades coupled with an afternoon sea breeze and the
wind can really howl. A steady 25-30 knot wind and big waves that have
traveled many miles over the open ocean crashing on the shore makes for
a lot of sea spray. But is it really that much worse for airplanes than
the gulf coast? I wish I knew.

Jim Rosinski

"Jim Rosinski" wrote:
A steady 25-30 knot wind and big waves that have
traveled many miles over the open ocean crashing on the shore makes for
a lot of sea spray. But is it really that much worse for airplanes than
the gulf coast? I wish I knew.

I don't know either; those are some pretty extreme conditions. Have you
tried contacting any of the aircraft maintenance outfits there and asking
them?
--
Dan
C-172RG at BFM

On 12 Mar 2005 16:56:38 -0800, "Jim Rosinski"
wrote:

Recently a few of the regulars on this forum have for various reasons
sold their planes. Well, it looks like I'm about to join them. I've
been offered a job in Maui, and am likely to accept.

Congrats, definitely an agreeable location to work!

If you are not going to bring the plane to Maui with you, I would sell
it.

The costs of having a plane sit idle are pretty high.
-Cost to pickle (minimal)
-Insurance
-Hangar
-Loss of investment income from the idle asset.

Adding these up could easily be $5k year. When you return, it should
be easy to find a similarily equipped 172.

-Nathan