Single Pilot 135

[SeanAucoin]

Hey everyone Ive been interested in starting a small single pilot 135 operation for a long time, Just looking for anyone that has had experience in 135 and looking to offer and tips or advice and how you went about doing it, the requirements and cost etc. I work at an FBO out of FLL and decided to pursue my dream...

any help is appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[bertengineer]

Hey everyone Ive been interested in starting a small single pilot 135 operation for a long time, Just looking for anyone that has had experience in 135 and looking to offer and tips or advice and how you went about doing it, the requirements and cost etc. I work at an FBO out of FLL and decided to pursue my dream...

any help is appreciated!

Thanks!

Go down to Opa locka and talk to the guys that hang out around Air Repair that are trying to start a 135 operation with a Panther...Caravan...and the likes. I think the air taxi flies out of there also. Yellow and black checkered 402!

 

[Nolife]

Just keep in mind the old saying... "The best way to make a small fortune in aviation is to start out with a big fortune."

Good luck, being your own boss is the way to go.

 

[minitour]

Are you talking single-pilot or single pilot-in-command?

One you only need a letter of compliance for, the other you will need all of the mgt positions, manuals, MELs, etc. as appropriate.

What aircraft and mission did you have in mind?

The FSDO may ask you:

Have you researched a market? (I'm told the FAA looks bad when "airlines" -you're considered an airline if 135- go out of business, so they want to make sure you've got a business plan in place)

Do you have permission from the airport/port authority? (They may not want another charter/airline at their airport and certainly can prohibit you from operating there. Even publicly funded airports can. At our airport, the port authority gave us hell about starting a flight school...a flight school! YMMV)


Why do you want to start a 135 company? (see above comment about making a small fortune)


In the certification process (that we just re-started), they'll go over how you can be safe, etc. It's a pain, but a good learning experience.

The biggest expense if you already own the aircraft will be insurance and maintenance. I can almost guarantee the Airworthiness Inspector will find reasons to deny your aircraft if not ground it.

If you've got a market, enough cash to survive on for 6 months (minimum) and a support system (family, staff, whatever) then go for it. You'll learn a LOT in the process.

-mini

PS
Don't dawdle. When they want something...get it to them. If they ask you to jump, ask "how high?". The reason we had to re-start was my biz partner got cocky with them and "magically" they never recieved any of our manuals. Concequently, we're going through a different FSDO. NOT fun.

Good luck!

 

[Lear Wanna Be]

Last year the Miami FSDO was not accepting new 135 certificate requests. I don't know if it was due to the number of 135 operators already down there or if they just had a back log of work. You might want to check on that before you get too far. In any case, you are probably looking at a year minimum before you will be up and running.

If you need to make some money faster than that, you might consider purchasing a compliance statement or manuals to help the process. You might also look around at other operators and find out what they might charge to put your aircraft on their certificate. It is a way to start making money while you are trying to get your own up and running.

You need to think really hard if you want to do this. It might not be all you think it is. There is something to be said about being your own boss, but that also means you have more problems. What kind of aircraft do you have/will use? Some words of advice, the best thing you can do when you get going is to establish a good relationship with other operators. You can get just as much business from them as you can from marketing to customers direct. Also, don't try to steal customers, don't not pay other operators you use, and don't fly turds(by that I mean the way you maintain your aircraft). Operators talk to other operators and once your reputation goes in this business, you are in trouble. South Florida operators don't really have good reputations to begin with in this business, so try to be better than them and you will stand a good chance at succeeding.

 

[SeanAucoin]

hey guys, thanks for the responses so far!. I currently dont own an aircraft, im looking into either a cessna 401 or a cessna t303 crusader, I got some connections at the airport so thats not that big problem, the biggest problem is the $$$$ I want to run a business somewhere going back an forth to bimini when they open up the new casino/golf course Im trying to get in touch with the building firm to set something up on that. I was talking about single pilot in command by the way... I guess my biggest obstacle is the money issue...

 

[siegelaviation]

hey guys, thanks for the responses so far!. I currently dont own an aircraft, im looking into either a cessna 401 or a cessna t303 crusader, I got some connections at the airport so thats not that big problem, the biggest problem is the $$$$ I want to run a business somewhere going back an forth to bimini when they open up the new casino/golf course Im trying to get in touch with the building firm to set something up on that. I was talking about single pilot in command by the way... I guess my biggest obstacle is the money issue...

You could also buy a business that has a 135 Certificate and plane. That kinda saves you from the 1-2 year experience with the FAA.

Michael

 

[eyeh8flt]

You need to have two or three A/C minimum. The planes you are looking at are maintenance HOGS. If you drop the ball once or twice your customer will drop you. All that work you put in it will be lost. If you try to charter a back-up they will eat you alive in costs. You must spend serious cash to get going, then deal with the aviation business ups and downs. I started at a place with three A/C running checks. We grew to 25 A/C and the company did very well in the end, but the owner had to dump A LOT of money into it to get it up to speed. We sacrificed family, friends and our lives going non-stop. It can be done, but not on a low starting budget. You need to be versitle and available all hours day and night. Casinos are rich enough to hire JETS. People love flying on Jets. I am not discouraging you, I would run a place like that again. The owner made a lot of money. I did not make any money from the place, but I did learn alot. Good Luck!

 

[CFIIer]

Are you talking single-pilot or single pilot-in-command?

One you only need a letter of compliance for, the other you will need all of the mgt positions, manuals, MELs, etc. as appropriate.

What aircraft and mission did you have in mind?

i've been interested in starting a 135 company as well... so you are saying that if you a running a single-pilot operation, that you only need a letter of compliance?

I was personally thinking of a BE-55... any thoughts?

 

[Lear Wanna Be]

Starting a single pilot operation is only going to be slightly easier to get going than a basic operator. Your compliance statement will be scrutinized just as much as an operations manual. The difference will be that you won't have to also get a training manual approved. If you can fill two out of the three management positions you are better off just trying to get your basic operator from the get go. The Feds don't want to see operators making big changes right after they have approved something else. Just as they don't want to put an aircraft on that is close to needing major work. i.e. engine, prop, heater, or governor overhauls (talking pistons here). We had just this happen and we were an established operator. The inspector would not put an aircraft on that was about 90 hours away from needing one prop overhauled. Good luck.

 

[1flier]

Single Pilot 135 Options

Well if you are looking at a single pilot certificate, the letter of compliance isn't too hard to develop. Not to discourage you, I did a single pilot 135 certificate for a year, the hardest thing is finding your niche. In Florida it is a dime a dozen for operators, thats why they pay sucks so much there for pilots but thats for another thread. You dont have to go out to the middle of nowhere but simple supply and demand has to be there. A run to Bimini sounds great but how many others are doing that in the area. When I left my single pilot operation in 2005, my FAA POI said that now new entries would take a minimum of 1 year as a safegaurd against unprepared operators and operators that were shutdown trying to reopen under a different certificate. Money is a concern, but beyond the cost to get the aircraft and maintain it, its not going to be too outrageous.
We had a single cherokee six and after salaries for myself and the mechanic, parts and fuel, cleared about 55k in a year. But as the pilot I was doing 6 days a week sometimes 7 on average working max duty days and minimum rest hours and days. No home life, no nothing. Instead of a 135 cert, look at a aerial tour operation under 91. Easier to start, less headache, operational limitations yes but it can be a profitable niche, look at Jay the guy running Kitty Hawk air Tours. A few 172's and he is clearing a few hundred thousand a year. In the right location you can strike gold. Just think totally out of the box. Best of luck to you.