Best Aircraft for the Job ???

[AV8N4Fun]

L'PropCapt, the suggestion to checkout Bus. & Comm. Av. sounds like a good idea. I'll try to see if I can find the analysis that U mentioned.

ERJFO, the whole economies of scale... I certainly understand. And Yes, that has been a concern of mine since the boss guy's first suggestion of this. It may not be feasible. I'm not sure. I just can't help but to think that w/ them doing that much volume themselves ... it just seems like it could justify their own aircraft & crews. Not to mention the possible business potential of trying to fill the deadlegs. That unknown potential kindof drives my selfish motivations as well. Ya know?

 

[AV8N4Fun]

BirdDog, thanks for some of the numbers on the Shorts. You said it has a Max Fuel of 3800lbs & a useful load of 7500 - 10000. Using the -330 #s, I'm coming up w/ about 3200lbs to do the trip & the balance of 600lbs needed to serve as reserves. That would be a litle less than 1000 gals for the whole round trip. Using $4 fuel number, that's $4000 in just fuel cost. Not bad depending on how much we really could carry. Do U know how they are as far as cost per hour to maintain?

 

[Publishers]

Super DC 3 and the 7500 pound 135 limits -- cheap and effective if there is not a speed issue.

 

[hawkerjet]

I'm afraid I'm with the trucking option. 2 semi's can work every other day scheds. it would take 10 hours to get there and 10 to get back plus the loading and unloading. I don't know truck numbers but am pretty sure it would beat the best turbo prop costs, which my guess would be the Basler DC-3.

 

[TheBaron]

BirdDog, thanks for some of the numbers on the Shorts. You said it has a Max Fuel of 3800lbs & a useful load of 7500 - 10000. Using the -330 #s, I'm coming up w/ about 3200lbs to do the trip & the balance of 600lbs needed to serve as reserves. That would be a litle less than 1000 gals for the whole round trip. Using $4 fuel number, that's $4000 in just fuel cost. Not bad depending on how much we really could carry. Do U know how they are as far as cost per hour to maintain?

Scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, engine reserve, insurance, flight crews, training, hotel or crash pad at destination, and the associated support personnel (at least a chief pilot). If you operate under part 125 (which would allow you to carry the load in a single leg) you lose the option of a back haul. Operate under 135 and you will need two trips a night and you will be competing with with 100+ mom & pop operations looking for work along with the bigger (Jet USA, Ameristar, IFL, Cherry,etc) boys doing nearly free back hauls just to get their planes in position. The fact that the crew has to be in position (and legally rested) for the next days trip also severely limits your chances to pick up a return trip. If you could find company x at your destination that just happens to need stuff moved to your base on a daily basis, you might be able to pull it off. Two brand new F-350 Super Duties pulling trailers and two drivers to alternate days would be a lot cheaper. If you want to survive in the on-demand world of air freight, you have to be very flexible...with a daily schedule of production that needs to be shipped, you lose that ability.

 

[NewmanF16]

Basler DC-3 (actually BT-67) advertises $300/hr maintenance and reserves, plus 150gph fuel. 210 kts, and I believe 9000# of cargo.

You can have a "new" one for $4.5mil.

Trucking is cheaper, but not nearly as much fun.

 

[belchfire]

There is a Casa that might be a good fit for your op.