172 = $127/hr!

[jbDC9]

Not only have the prices gone up, but the selection has gone down. Back in the day (say, 1990 or so), there were a number of places at FXE that had a number of aircraft, and there was one (Cav-Air) had 14-16 aircraft of all shapes and sizes to fit your budget.

I did a trip out to Centennial in Denver about that time. There were no less than 3 places that had 20+ aircraft for rent, up to and including Mooneys and 210s.

Yep, you got that right; back in the late 80s at Dallas Addison there were several schools/rental outfits with large, diverse fleets... the usual 152/172/182, Cardinal RG, Cherokee/Warrior/Archers, Grumman Cheetahs/Tigers, Mooneys, V35 and A36 Bonanzas, Barons, a Duchess, even a Super Cub. Not any more...

These days, there's not much going on. There's one operator with more than 5 airplanes (and sky high prices), and the others are one-guy/one-plane deals. I sat watching, on a nice, VFR weekend day, and saw little activity.

It was kind of creepy....

I'm surprised to hear that FXE is that quiet. You wanna see a busy airport, come on over to Hooks (DWH) in Houston; there are 2-3 fixed wing flight schools (including United Flights large fleet), plus 2 helicopter schools... add in the corporate jets and turboprops, plus the transient military traffic, and man, what a zoo. One thing I've noticed about the fixed wing schools: none of the students speak English very well; I'm not sure where they're from, but they sure can clog up the tower/ground frequencies with their gibberish. It's pretty maddening when I just want to get in or out quickly in my RV.

 

[erj-145mech]

DWH, try going over to CXO. Thats where I learned to fly. Many RV's there, and comradery.

 

[FlyingToIST]

The Cirrus is the biggest rip off around. I have a buddy of mine that instructs in one and when I told him that I was thinking of getting checked out in one I asked him what the process was. He told me that flight schools require a 10 FLIGHT hour training course. When asked at how much the plane costs per hour, he said $250! I just about fell over. Just to get the checkout costs $2500! WTFO!

He tried to justify the cost saying that it takes some time to get used to the "speed" of the aircraft and requires training to "stay ahead of the aircraft". What a bunch of crap!

Anyone else heard of flight school's running this scam?

Gator,
it's the flight school that is trying to rip you off. While we are at it, why don't we find out what kind of a Cirrus experience you have? Then, we'll talk again..
Since you look to know a lot about this business, you sound like you can teach me a thing or two

 

[FlyingToIST]

I agree I did my private in a couple of rust-bucket '66 150's with duct tape literally holding the cowling together on one. All for about 5 grand in Seattle in 2005. I have a soft spot in my heart for one fiddys.

Sounds like alternate air When we first started in 2005 we were renting PA38s for $70/hr.. they are $103 right now..

 

[NuGuy]

I'm surprised to hear that FXE is that quiet.

Heyas JB,

Yea, it's kind of weird. I was working for a heilo outfit in 90, and FXE was clogged, PMP was clogged, and HWO, well, HWO was HWO, if you know what I mean.

These days, man, there is NOTHING going on at FXE. The high-roller traffic has gone up, but the piston crowd has evaporated as best I can tell. On weekends you can practically see the tumbleweeds roll across the runway. Besides, with Skytel gone (knocked down to build another corporate hangar), you can't get a airport greaseburger anywhere in SoFL. They had good pie, too.

My guess is that the people with the kind of money FXE requires now to play have split for the private strips like Antiquers. A lot of the FXE t-hangars are filled with non-aviation stuff, like cars. Rumor is that economical flying is available out of OPF, TMB or X51, but I wouldn't drive down there if my life depended on it (which in a way, it does).

Nu

 

[PCL_128]

Besides, with Skytel gone (knocked down to build another corporate hangar), you can't get a airport greaseburger anywhere in SoFL. They had good pie, too.

They knocked down Skytel? I loved that place!

 

[NuGuy]

They knocked down Skytel? I loved that place!

Heyas PCL,

Yep.

Skytel was great. The place was a fabulous sterotype of everything that made an airport cafe great. It had it all: Cheesy airplane pics on the walls (including cockpit pics of 152s), bad paint, wobbly tables, all sorts of photos hanging around, CFI business cards by the register, the tower freq piped into each table, and of course, a real cross section of every sort of pilot, mechanic and other raffish airport bums.

As a bonus, the food was actually edible, the pies were great, and when you ordered ice tea, they'd serve it to you in a great big pitcher with a straw in it, which in the summer, was a godsend.

When Skytel closed, it really ripped the soul out of FXE. It's just another place to do business now, and guys like you and me are not invited. Sad, really...

Nu

PS Good job on the TA. Good luck!