Striking out on your own?

darthpanda

darthpanda

New Member
I'm not a pro-pilot but I am driving towards that goal right now and I have a question for all of you out there - have you ever thought of buying your own plane(s) and building your own operation, like say a part 135 operation? Just curious if any of you have done it or pondered it.

Honestly I'm just tired of working for others, in any industry. One day I'd like to work for myself. Money isn't the goal, it's a lifestyle I want to shoot for.
 
There are those that will make it happen, and there are those that will just talk about it. If your dream is to be in aviation and your own boss go for it...I have two friends, both under 30 and suprisingly sucessful in aviation that said they were sick of working for others they want to be their own boss and are "making it".

That said, it can potentially take years for a 135 certificate, and things could be insanely expensive.
 
darthpanda said:
I'm not a pro-pilot but I am driving towards that goal right now and I have a question for all of you out there - have you ever thought of buying your own plane(s) and building your own operation, like say a part 135 operation? Just curious if any of you have done it or pondered it.

Honestly I'm just tired of working for others, in any industry. One day I'd like to work for myself. Money isn't the goal, it's a lifestyle I want to shoot for.
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You and me both brotha'. If I never have to sit through another HR initiated "we were told you used the word ________ in a meeting" meeting, I will die a happy man.
 
I think a single engine single pilot 135 is fairly easy and inexpensive to get. Beyond that it gets expensive. Probably better to start up a flight school.
 
I think it's like a lot of other businesses. You find a niche and try and fill it. What gets a lot of people in trouble is the first couple of years that can often result in negative income. You really need to have 2-3 years of living expenses on reserve to really give it a chance to succeed. I know a couple single-pilot 135 operators and they are busy enough to enjoy being self-employed but have enough free time that they aren't attached to the business 24/7. Business ownership "runs" in our family and I really think that is the way to go. I am anxiously waiting to reach AF retirement time so I can go do some stuff on my own.
 
I'm thinking 5-10 years down the road, I put in the leg work and buy a single engine airplane I may be able to start my own 135 operation, but I'll need some outside assistance of course. I'd like to prepare money-wise so I want to see how much I'll need and when.

My family has owned a few businesses, and it's in my blood. My grand father actually owned and sold 4 businesses in his lifetime and it taught me from a young age that ownership is really the only avenue to wealth in America. Working for someone else you'll always make enough to keep coming back to work, but no more.

When I see the rate my boss charges for my services and watch him drive home in his Maserati, it hits me. I'll take the risk if I can get the reward, it doesn't really intimidate me. Failure will happen, it's what we plan for. But it doesn't stop us from flying. I think pilot's understand this more than the "average" man but some are more risk-averse than others.
 
I've never thought about starting a 135 operation. But I have seriously considered buying something like a decathlon to offer tailwheel, upset spin training, and basic aerobatics in. But that would be a part time thing to supplement my normal job and I would just be happy if it broke even and allowed me to own the plane for free.
 
If you wanted to buy a Cessna and start your own sight seeing operation, that would be legal under pt. 91 correct? I've always thought about doing that and giving beach tours.
 
Murdoughnut said:
If you wanted to buy a Cessna and start your own sight seeing operation, that would be legal under pt. 91 correct? I've always thought about doing that and giving beach tours.
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One of my first flights was in one of these. My girlfriend knew I loved airplanes so we went to an airport near Ocean City Maryland and she had talked to the guy beforehand. He comes riding up on a beach cruiser with flip flops and a tan, smiling from ear to ear. He shows me the plane, a 172 with zebra stripes, and laughed out "let's do it!". We then flew over the beach for about 40 minutes and returned.

Other pilot's might make more $, but I'm pretty sure this guy was loving life. I was always a little jealous of his lifestyle. I could easily see myself working for peanuts doing the same.
 
darthpanda said:
One of my first flights was in one of these. My girlfriend knew I loved airplanes so we went to an airport near Ocean City Maryland and she had talked to the guy beforehand. He comes riding up on a beach cruiser with flip flops and a tan, smiling from ear to ear. He shows me the plane, a 172 with zebra stripes, and laughed out "let's do it!". We then flew over the beach for about 40 minutes and returned.

Other pilot's might make more $, but I'm pretty sure this guy was loving life. I was always a little jealous of his lifestyle. I could easily see myself working for peanuts doing the same.
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Oh yeah, even if I could break even - what a great gig!
 
darthpanda said:
I'm thinking 5-10 years down the road, I put in the leg work and buy a single engine airplane I may be able to start my own 135 operation, but I'll need some outside assistance of course. I'd like to prepare money-wise so I want to see how much I'll need and when.

My family has owned a few businesses, and it's in my blood. My grand father actually owned and sold 4 businesses in his lifetime and it taught me from a young age that ownership is really the only avenue to wealth in America. Working for someone else you'll always make enough to keep coming back to work, but no more.

When I see the rate my boss charges for my services and watch him drive home in his Maserati, it hits me. I'll take the risk if I can get the reward, it doesn't really intimidate me. Failure will happen, it's what we plan for. But it doesn't stop us from flying. I think pilot's understand this more than the "average" man but some are more risk-averse than others.
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That's good thinking. The education system in America is really set up for people doing the 9-5 thing and not towards being an entrepreneur. You are 110% correct that the key to TRUE wealth (be it money, QOL, other) is by doing it yourself...not by lining the pockets of someone through your efforts and I figured that out the first time I clocked in at Little Caesar's Pizza many years ago. Your boss's Maserati should be a GREAT motivator to strike out on your own. I just read an article today about a furloughed pilot in NY that got tired of spending MONTHS looking for ANY job, so instead he wrote a biz plan, bought a -150 and opened a school. I liked my Grandad's logic on going out on your own..."if I fail at it, I have NO ONE to blame but myself". This can also apply to those that are not happy that pensions/401K plans/etc have been decimated. I know I am going to take a lot of crap...but jobs that are in the civilian world belong to THE EMPLOYER...NOT the employee, so if you don't like what it looks like as an employee, then become an employer! ;)
 
darthpanda said:
I'm not a pro-pilot but I am driving towards that goal right now and I have a question for all of you out there - have you ever thought of buying your own plane(s) and building your own operation, like say a part 135 operation? Just curious if any of you have done it or pondered it.

Honestly I'm just tired of working for others, in any industry. One day I'd like to work for myself. Money isn't the goal, it's a lifestyle I want to shoot for.
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I used to think about it daily, then I realized that I wanted to spend time with my fiancee and have time off more. If you do strike out on your own, be prepared to spend 90+ hrs per week working to keep your business together. Remember that sometimes you'll be flying and you'll be more concerned about the bottom line than anything else, which might cause you to push it when you shouldn't (weather, weight and balance), or skimp on mx in lean times. If you work for someone, you'll make less in the long run (provided your business doesn't go under) than you stand to make, however, in my experience, I think you'll probably have a hire quality of life if you work for someone else. I dunno. As someone put it to me the other day, in Aviation, you choose to take a vow of Chastity, or a vow of Poverty.
 
Inverted25 said:
I've never thought about starting a 135 operation. But I have seriously considered buying something like a decathlon to offer tailwheel, upset spin training, and basic aerobatics in. But that would be a part time thing to supplement my normal job and I would just be happy if it broke even and allowed me to own the plane for free.
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A friend did exactly that with the same plane. The problem comes when it's only P/T. There are fixed costs which apply whether it is one student or 100. $6,000 annual insurance premiums gets the ball rolling.
 
In 2003 I was already seriously deep into starting a 135 outfit with single pilot/single aircraft. I had 2 FSDOs involved and had hired an aviation attorney who specialized in new 135 certificates.

The next step for me was to cough up the $70K. Then sit and wait 10-18 months for the paperwork to be completed. That $70K was the barebones entry costs. I stopped.

A better was I think would be to buy an existing operation. Prepare to hemmorage money and time.

EDIT: that $70K did not include plane, mx, etc.
 
A friend did exactly that with the same plane. The problem comes when it's only P/T. There are fixed costs which apply whether it is one student or 100. $6,000 annual insurance premiums gets the ball rolling.
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Yea I understand that. Im not new to the airplane ownership part we own a cherokee 140 now. I've run the math before. I used 5 dollars a gallon for my gas caculations which is much higher than around here right now but just to give buffer room. I figured I could offer 10 hour tailwheel endorsements for $1200. Figuring if I only did 10 a year I could break even. What has stopped me is that I'm not sure if I would have 10 students wanting to do that in one year. Theres only one school with a tailwheel around me and they dont advertise it so I think I would stay busy I just havent been able to justify the costs right now to my significant other.
 
Inverted25 said:
Yea I understand that. Im not new to the airplane ownership part we own a cherokee 140 now. I've run the math before. I used 5 dollars a gallon for my gas caculations which is much higher than around here right now but just to give buffer room. I figured I could offer 10 hour tailwheel endorsements for $1200. Figuring if I only did 10 a year I could break even. What has stopped me is that I'm not sure if I would have 10 students wanting to do that in one year. Theres only one school with a tailwheel around me and they dont advertise it so I think I would stay busy I just havent been able to justify the costs right now to my significant other.
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plus loads of people would love to rent a tailwheel (aka me!) but they never have tailwheels for rental...
I'd rather pay 80 for a j3 than 80 for a 152...
 
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