where have all the airplanes actually gone????

[ruhroa]

So for the last several months we have all been hearing the slaming of corp aviation doors, a/c for sale, crewmembers let go. so now we are back to the times of you must have time in type and be type rated to apply.

here is my question guys n gals.

i am not even seeing these kinds of postings for crew positions.
i know the charter market is flat also. If all these aircraft are for sale and people are laid off. are the aircraft sitting without crews? no contract work either so its not contract guys flying them? what has happened to all the airplanes and conversely all the jobs???????

this is the worst i have seen in over 10 years ... is there a time coming hopefully soon where companies and business are all of a sudden short of flight crews because the aircraft are still there

 

[blzr]

Hey! I know things are sucking right now and will probably get even worse before they get better. I have done a couple of test and acceptance flights for a company from Venezuela. They are buying up alot of the old Sabres and also looking st Citations they can get for a steal! They are not the only overseas group to be pillaging the corporate market.

I am not sure how this relates to your question, but with companies starving for cash they may well sell their jet to another country for less than market value and take the tax writeoff.

 

[G21Agoose]

Things are bad but there are a lot of people/ companies just waiting till the botttom and thay have cash. I saw a Challenger 604 3500hrs tt for sale asking 11.5mm- when we called it had been sold and they had received multiple offers! Bargain hunters are just biding their time and they will need crews.........

 

[Headwind]

I know many are in my situtation, small flight Dept.,aircraft for sale, not flying much, getting paid for now.
How many of these aircraft have sold?
Looks like many of these owners want the aircraft, and flight Dept. to go away and are willing to take a loss to make that happen. If they do it now it will be a BIG loss. On top of this most have taken advantage, in good times, of large depreciation. If thats the case, even selling at a loss, the capital gain tax will be more than they may be willing to pay.
So how many have actually sold?

 

[cjdriver]

Our bird is in the hangar, sitting. We got a trip mid March, that's it. I know there are a lot of Astra's being purchased by south American companies on the cheap. We're getting signed up for charter, but we'll see how that goes. I may have to go back to engineering.

 

[ksu_aviator]

We almost boought a Citation 550SP just because it was $800K and current. Don't really need it. But it was damn cheap.

 

[StarHustler]

We dry leased our GIII to a Venezuelan Oil company back in December and have just laid off another one of our pilots on the Hawker 800. We are also looking at changing certificates for our Charter work right now. Things are bad....

 

[THE Flying Ace]

I know of a company that parked their G-IV out in the desert. I am sure others have done the same.

 

[semperfido]

I know of a company that parked their G-IV out in the desert. I am sure others have done the same.

Unless you name names, it is just hearsay and BS.

 

[THE Flying Ace]

Moneygram

 

[NorskAir]

Moneygrams G IV was parked at Signature MSP as of a couple weeks ago.

 

[THE Flying Ace]

My friend's wife, who is senior accounting, told me as of one week ago. That is all the info I have.

 

[Cat3C]

Well for what its worth there are a surprising amount of pilots in initial at FSI right now. I certainly would not have guessed it but there is at least 2 maybe 3 classes. Parking lots full so keep your fingers crossed for a quick turn on this crap.

 

[CALRepublic]

Well for what its worth there are a surprising amount of pilots in initial at FSI right now. I certainly would not have guessed it but there is at least 2 maybe 3 classes. Parking lots full so keep your fingers crossed for a quick turn on this crap.

Finally a bit of good news, damn. Any compnies we might know about??

going for Falcon initial?

 

[Cat3C]

bit of light

There are some from EU and South America I think but there are several domestic US companies in initial classes. They are in my opinion very good companies and have respected flight departments. Again, I think (hope) that it is a good sign that people are still not only committed to aviation but still moving forward in their plans for the future.

(keeping fingers crossed)

 

[Headwind]

Last week I called to book recurrent (for March) and the week I wanted was full. My second choice had only one opening.
I know times are bad, but not as bad as some want us to think. Check Flight Aware tracking for any airport and see that traffic may be off, but people are flying.

 

[TradingPilot]

Things are the roughest for publicly traded companies flight departments. I believe the rest is taking a hit but they are not under so much pressure to get rid of their equipment.

Most of the business media is on your side. I hear a comment everyday about how stupid this fuss about corporate aircraft was and how its destroying the aviation industry.

I believe if aircraft are truly needed for these corporations they will return, possibly in the form of fractional ownership or charter agreements. there will be a shift in demand for more cost effective options.

 

[CALRepublic]

Most of the business media is on your side. I hear a comment everyday about how stupid this fuss about corporate aircraft was and how its destroying the aviation industry.

Not sure if I agree about "the media being on our side". Those SOBs bash corporate flying every chance they get...

Nanci Pelosi flew to Europe last week, the F*N media went after her. They don't realise how many jobs corporate flying creates.

 

[Cat3C]

Huh? How's that? A vast majority of the media is not and has not been on the side of aviation. The media will look at any story that sells and right now it's about who has the machines in the hangers and where they go with them- not how they're used for the promotion of business needs.

As far as non publicly traded flight departments there may be some truth but probably not. In the end, it is about needing to cut or keep expenses to a minimum and usually aircraft, trips, and the staff are not a necessity in the company having a positive cash flow. Private or public its about the benjamins right now.

As far as these departments becoming other forms time will tell. Having hours with a charter company and/or a fractional provider is not cheap by any means.

No crystal ball