Repo Man

[Cheebs501]

Has anyone had the company plane they are flying get reposessed? What were the warning signs? Do they take it without you knowing or will there be some warning?

 

[mxpilot2]

I don't know about nowadays, but I know of one in the 90s that we knew they were coming to get it. Also of one in the 80s where the crew came from the hotel from an overnight and the plane had been repo'ed during the night.

Could go both ways, I suppose.

 

[bravo]

The last company I worked for had our Lear 55 repoed by GE-Captial. The repo pilots and a suit came to our FBO with a court order. My boss thought he would be a smart guy and have the 55 all locked up and removed one of the batteries. All the pilots had to turn in there keys and were instructed no to cooperate if the Sheriff called. No Dice. When the repo boys come the airplane will be flown out.

The repo boys hired a local locksmith that drilled out the lock. They flew it out with one battery,VFR and no flight plan. Those guys do not mess around.

 

[Fly91]

Has anyone had the company plane they are flying get reposessed? What were the warning signs? Do they take it without you knowing or will there be some warning?

I've gone on a couple repos. Took a Lear 55 from Naples Municiple back to FLL and left it at Bombardier and took a Citation VII from Jacksonville Craig to Houston.

Did it very late at night and nobody knew a thing. The repo guy I went with made sure both airplanes were flying recently so he knew they were in airworthy shape. He went there a couple nights before hand to watch the planes operate and spoke with certain people on the airports about the planes, and I came the night before the repo flight.

Only times that make it hard is when the aircraft owners install a Medeco key lock. Then he would use the cops to stand by while a locksmith drills it out. If the owners show up in the process the cops tell them to piss off.

This was back in 2000.

 

[Flex-ible]

Big article on an airplane repo man in the New York Times a couple of weeks ago. His business is way up!

 

[Diesel]

I had a friend that had a plane repo'ed on them.

They had a charter request to xyz airport. They ferry over and 3 guys are standing there. Thanks for the plane. Its repo'ed.

Didn't even have to fly it, they flew it to them. HA

 

[bizjet800]

Are any repo companies hiring? LOL

 

[avbug]

You'll do well so long as you don't have to repo out of KTEX.

 

[landlover]

You'll do well so long as you don't have to repo out of KTEX.

why is that? because of the terrain?

 

[mzaharis]

Big article on an airplane repo man in the New York Times a couple of weeks ago. His business is way up!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/14/business/14repo.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=airplane repo&st=cse

 

[bizjet800]

You'll do well so long as you don't have to repo out of KTEX.

I can live with that.

 

[avbug]

why is that? because of the terrain?

http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?t=119867

 

[realmanofgenius]

repo guys work at night..in the middle of it... they come with court orders or copies of security interest like a bank note... (you'll be fast asleep)

the warning... the owner dodges phone calls, or the secretary has a pile of pink phone messages the owner hasn't picked up. or his desk is a pile with those phone messages on top.

pardon the humor, but it is true...you'll never know... the system works like this for a reason.. if you do check the incoming mail, look for alot of the same letters from the bank, or the biggest hint


a certified letter on a cream envelope with
" robertson, comerford, hinshaw and feldstein " on it