Best Aircraft for the Job ???

[RefugePilot]

I think you don't know what you're talking about.

I did not mean to pick on the metro, but I think a lot of AMF success is a result of owning a large percentage of the ones still flying, years of experience, and economy of scale. I was also just using the metro as an example.

Unless you he gets a plane large enough to carry 9000 lbs 630nm one way, or two airplanes he is trying to get a single freight plane to travel 10,000nm or more a week. I think any tired old freighter might have trouble doing that reliably.

 

[citabriapilot]

Refuge... How is the photo studio coming along? Still waitin' for my 2 ft X 5 ft copy of that metro sunrise!

 

[RefugePilot]

Refuge... How is the photo studio coming along? Still waitin' for my 2 ft X 5 ft copy of that metro sunrise!

Thanks Citabria,
for lighting a flame under me. Looked on Craigslist today and found an appropriate monitor. Will have it calibrated and will check out a lab to see if I can get a decent print out of it. Will get back to you with results.

 

[unwashed]

plenty of DHC-8-100's for sale and the can do the job in one load and have gas for an alternate. I believe with the STC to move the bulk head forward you can put 4400 lbs of cargo and 19 people. Get rid of the people and 8 or 9 thousand lbs should be easy. The 100 will cruise at 260 to 265 KTAS burning 1400 lbs and hour.

 

[AV8N4Fun]

Hey there. Sorry I have been away for awhile. Thanks for all the great input. I like a couple of the different aircraft suggested. I'm still needing to get down to where I can relate an operating cost to a pound of cargo if at all possible. To start this I feel I need to go for just the one aircraft operation, but w/ the game plan to add additional aircraft as needed. My first thoughts were directed towards an aircraft that would have to make the run at least twice per day... single pilot ops(if possible) ... reserve pilot ... decent time off , etc., etc. . My thoughts now are slanted more towards one of the aircraft that could haul all or most all of their current load in one flight per day. As I could pick up additional business, then add additional crews and runs. So... aircraft like the Shorts, Dash 8, B1900, maybe the ATR. But, ...Cost?? Thanks, AV8N4Fun

 

[Birddog]

Figure a Shorts will burn about 900 to 1000 lbs an hour, depending on the version. TAS will be about 175 for a 330, and about 180 to 200 for a 360. Total useful load varies from about 7500 to about 10000 lbs, again, depending on the version. Max fuel is 3800 lbs. I have heard that decent ones with some time left on the engines and airframe go for about 700K up to about a million. I have no idea what parts availibility is like.

 

[Jeff Helgeson]

For pallets....

SD3-60

DC9-10/15

DHC-8 might also fit the bill. Better payload and a little faster than the SD3, but will the pallets fit well?

All 3 planes handle icing well.

 

[LowlyPropCapt]

For hard numbers, try Business and Commercial Aviation Magazine. They used to (probably still do) put out a yearly competitive analysis of all the numbers you could ever possibly need.

Years ago, I helped a company research the purchase of a new cargo bird. The B&CA comparitive summary had "spreadsheet ready" numbers that went a long way toward helping me compare various aircraft.

 

[Denizen]

How much $$ is it going to cost to add a new aircraft to your current certificate? I imagine that it is a considerable cost.

 

[ERJFO]

You are much better off chartering someone else to do this for you... It's an economies of scale thing. Someone flying 30 of the airplanes can fly 1 more for you, for alot less than you can fly 1 for you... Make sense?

 

[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.