Best light used jet for under 3 mil?

[puddlejumper]

C-551 = Bravo?

Are they all single and what is the price range?

The CE551 is the Citation II limited to 12,500 lbs and certified single pilot. I would guess under 2M. The Bravo, which is the newer CE550B, is a 2 pilot airplane, but one can can get an FAA waiver to operate it single pilot. Training and insurance is more in that case. A Bravo would be closer to 4M I would guess. Anyone with a CE500 type rating and a good insurance company can fly a CE501 or CE551 single pilot. CE525S type would be required to fly the CJ single pilot. Good luck!

PJ

 

[TXDA2000]

Hebrew Edsel

 

[LRvsH25B]

But he wants to stay single-pilot.

Your boss is a cheap loser. Single pilot in a jet aircraft. Why would you want to do that even if it is legal. I hope your boss learns a good lesson about single pilot operations vs professional operations the hard way. Trying to save a few bucks, is he?

In no way am I suggesting you are a hack for a pilot, but what else is he willing to cut corners on? You could find a good CFI wet behind the ears and hungry. Pay him 40K and send him to school. He be loyal to you and your boss and operation for years. But noooooooooooooo. Boss wants that 1 pilot safety factor you get by operating that way. Take a flock of birds up the left side on departure with boss' family on board, and as that LH engine starts to silence itself, I bet that cheap boss will be praying to God for a simulator based well trained 2nd pilot to appear in that RH seat to help out the now overloaded El' Capitan.

 

[Groundpounder]

Your boss is a cheap loser. Single pilot in a jet aircraft. Why would you want to do that even if it is legal. I hope your boss learns a good lesson about single pilot operations vs professional operations the hard way. Trying to save a few bucks, is he?

In no way am I suggesting you are a hack for a pilot, but what else is he willing to cut corners on? You could find a good CFI wet behind the ears and hungry. Pay him 40K and send him to school. He be loyal to you and your boss and operation for years. But noooooooooooooo. Boss wants that 1 pilot safety factor you get by operating that way. Take a flock of birds up the left side on departure with boss' family on board, and as that LH engine starts to silence itself, I bet that cheap boss will be praying to God for a simulator based well trained 2nd pilot to appear in that RH seat to help out the now overloaded El' Capitan.

The company I work for pays $30k a year less in insurance because they have me vs. a single pilot operation.

 

[CapnVegetto]

Learjet 31 or 35. Beats the living hell out of every light jet out there in everything but baggage space. I'll swear by the Learjet 35 till the day I die. Fantastic airplane.

 

[CapnVegetto]

Agreed. I'd love to be able to negotiate a salary with a boss during an emergency and see what he'd be willing to pay then.

Your boss is a cheap loser. Single pilot in a jet aircraft. Why would you want to do that even if it is legal. I hope your boss learns a good lesson about single pilot operations vs professional operations the hard way. Trying to save a few bucks, is he?

In no way am I suggesting you are a hack for a pilot, but what else is he willing to cut corners on? You could find a good CFI wet behind the ears and hungry. Pay him 40K and send him to school. He be loyal to you and your boss and operation for years. But noooooooooooooo. Boss wants that 1 pilot safety factor you get by operating that way. Take a flock of birds up the left side on departure with boss' family on board, and as that LH engine starts to silence itself, I bet that cheap boss will be praying to God for a simulator based well trained 2nd pilot to appear in that RH seat to help out the now overloaded El' Capitan.

 

[H.Agenda]

Your boss is a cheap loser. Single pilot in a jet aircraft. Why would you want to do that even if it is legal. I hope your boss learns a good lesson about single pilot operations vs professional operations the hard way. Trying to save a few bucks, is he?

In no way am I suggesting you are a hack for a pilot, but what else is he willing to cut corners on? You could find a good CFI wet behind the ears and hungry. Pay him 40K and send him to school. He be loyal to you and your boss and operation for years. But noooooooooooooo. Boss wants that 1 pilot safety factor you get by operating that way. Take a flock of birds up the left side on departure with boss' family on board, and as that LH engine starts to silence itself, I bet that cheap boss will be praying to God for a simulator based well trained 2nd pilot to appear in that RH seat to help out the now overloaded El' Capitan.

You sound jaded and rightly so. There are a lot of cheap bastards out there that ironically own expensive airplanes. I can never figure them out. For the most part I’ve seen that rich people are crazy…but that could be another thread.

My corporate flying experience is unique, just as anyone else’s I’m sure, but I have also had the somewhat rare opportunity to be the first company pilot.

In the humble 2000 hrs of corporate, single pilot ops that I have amassed in 3.5 years for the company, the owner has proved himself anything but frugal.

When we go to Vegas I stay at whatever hotel the execs stay at, be it Bellagio, Mandalay bay or Venetian. I also get kicked back 500 to 1K to gamble each time. When we go to the Bahamas for the weekend, I’m allowed to visit my parents, in Florida, be it 2 hours away. If there’s a charter boat going, I’m invited. When we go to the bars its often til closing and he insists on buying. If there’s an empty seat to a cool destination (with execs not customers), my girlfriend is with me. When I eat at his house, I’m at the dinner table. I’m treated like family and paid exceptionally well.

When he doesn’t want to get another pilot I believe in this circumstance he doesn’t want to change the dynamics of the situation.

The bad news is that I’ve been on call this whole time. I’m a little burned out, 15 pounds heavier, a few greys have sprouted, so I had planned to leave this winter on a 3-8 month vacation (which was to include a 2 month outward bound).

But apparently at the ripe old age of 35 he is planning on retiring, and this plane I am shopping for now is one that we intend to put 100-150 hrs a year on for vacation use only.

This is the kind of job I wanted at 61, I’m not even close to that. So this time around I could get burned out with boredom.

But to the point he is far from cheap. But I don’t blame you for assuming.

 

[Rogue5]

Not too complicated and very reliable. Kinda like a fat chick.

Oh man, I can't even begin to tell you how tempted I am to change my signature...

 

[400A]

If he wants a jet, and he wants single pilot, then you kind of answered your own question............. Its gonna be a Citation.

 

[falconpilot]

Learjet 31 or 35. Beats the living hell out of every light jet out there in everything but baggage space. I'll swear by the Learjet 35 till the day I die. Fantastic airplane.

Ill take a falcon 10 over a lear 31 or 35 anyday.

 

[G100driver]

Oh man, I can't even begin to tell you how tempted I am to change my signature...

I will only charge you $0.25 a post royality fee

 

[CandlerWun]

Made in Isreal ... cannot forget Yom Kipper Clipper

Few them for about 800 hours. Decent airplane. Do not have to tell you that it is as ugly as sin. Lands like it looks, but can do a west-east trans cross without a lot of effort. Not too complicated and very reliable. Kinda like a fat chick.

You can get what you want without having to compromise yourself too much ... unless you are into looks.

I rather like the looks of the Westwind...it grows on you if you're around them a lot. Kind of like a low-rider...just slammed to the ground. It needs spark plates and hydraulics for effect...

Though, like the Astra, the paint scheme can make a big difference in the subjective impression the airplane makes.

Josh M.

 

[psysicx]

Retiring at 35 would be nice.

 

[part61]

The Canoe is a good plane, not two fast .72-.74 (but better than citation 500) 420 KTAS

fuel burn 1800 then 1600, 1400, 1400.

Seems to be fairly easy to fly, (i can do it!)
The Garret 731's are great!

cost 1-2mil

FL 390 no problem in the winter.

Large baggage

2 pilot crew tho and doesnt land very well, annoying dutch roll, loud in the cabin during cruise or above 300 KIAS (very loud)

 

[CandlerWun]

The Canoe is a good plane, not two fast .72-.74 (but better than citation 500) 420 KTAS

fuel burn 1800 then 1600, 1400, 1400.

Seems to be fairly easy to fly, (i can do it!)
The Garret 731's are great!

cost 1-2mil

FL 390 no problem in the winter.

Large baggage

2 pilot crew tho and doesnt land very well, annoying dutch roll, loud in the cabin during cruise or above 300 KIAS (very loud)

All true, though the WWI doesn't seem to have the dutch roll problem that the II has, for whatever that's worth.

You're right that the cruise speed isn't setting any records, but it certainly gets you where you're going and it's pretty cool to be able to true out at ~400 kt. at 10,000 feet (granted, very loud, as you said). You're burning a ton of fuel to do it, but I like the option of maintaining a high speed at low altitude if time is important (e.g., trying to get to customs before they close).

Josh M.