Medital Airport,MI-Aircraft Rental?

[cj610]

Anybody rent planes at Medital Airport(Detroit area). I think the FBO there is Kitz Aviation. What planes do they have/How much/What do they require for a check-out?

CJ610

 

[wmuflyguy]

I rented there a few years ago a coupel times (by the way it is, Mettetal Airport). I rented a 172M (1975). It was in ok shape. I believe it is was somewhere between 80-85 an hour to rent. I think they have some C150-152's also.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/1D2

When I rented there it seems they had some issues. They had a student total one of their airplanes (i believe it was a 172), he landed lost directional control and ended up bending one of the wings all up(was told by the CFI they weren't going to report it to the insurance company, for fear they might get their insurance yanked).

That same CFI a few days earlier supposedly had took off and began having engine problems and barely made it back the airport with partial power. The airport is essentially in the middle of the city and there isn't any palce to go except buildings and houses if you lose an engine.

The airplane I flew seemed to be in decent shape. Though i'm not a mechanic and this was about 2.5 to 3 years ago, so take it for what it is worth. They were nice people, before I rented I stopped by and asked if I could look at their rental fleet and they let me go out and look around, so you could do that.

The check out was a few T/O and landings with a stall and a steep turn. I looked in my logbook it was 1.2 hrs.

I wouldn't be suprised for prices to have risen dramatically, that part of plymouth has grown like crazy. It is a fun airport, jsut don't end up in Joy Rd. on accident.

 

[cj610]

wmuflyguy,
You mentioned one of my concerns about that airport...The lack of good landing places if you do puke a motor on takeoff. They had an accident out of that airport, a few years back, with that very problem. I would hope that pointing out some good ditching area's is part of their checkout briefing.

You also said something about their maitenance. I think that kind of stuff happens alot at places where you rent airplanes. One of the things I like about Mettatal is the fact they do have their own maitenance and mechanics.

It is a neat little urban airport(which most are anyway). I was out there a few weeks back drinking my 25 cent coffee on the back patio. I didn't inquire with anyone about there fleet or prices. I was just being an airport cockroach drinking all their coffee. I saw three 152's, one 172 and maybe a piper 140.

I'm just kinda fishing here hoping to hear they have a 206 or some light twin hidden in that hangar. Also I like hearing reports like yours and if anyone has anything else to add, I want to hear about it.

 

[wmuflyguy]

I love the airport too, I used to go their as a kid and watch the people practice their landings. The fleet you describe sounds about right.

As for maintenance, I wasn;t aorund long enough to know anything about it. It is possibly very good, airplanes sometimes jsut break, so the mechanical issue the CFI might not be anyt hing attributed to maintenance.

As for landings sights, I can;t remmeber if they pointed anything out. I-275 is like 1/2 mile east. That is the best I can think of off the top of my head.

They were really friendly people. Ann Arbor airport has a good FBO and some newer planes too. They had a 172sp and some pipers. It was a bit pricey too.