NorCal aircraft rentals

M

MercFE

Well-Known Member
Sounds like I might have a day or two in the San Francisco area within the next couple weeks. Thinking about renting a plane and taking a couple of my coworkers up for a tour of the area. Wondering if anyone can point out a good place to pick up a 172 for a decent rate and checkout requirements...
 
MercFE said:
Sounds like I might have a day or two in the San Francisco area within the next couple weeks. Thinking about renting a plane and taking a couple of my coworkers up for a tour of the area. Wondering if anyone can point out a good place to pick up a 172 for a decent rate and checkout requirements...
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I tried to 2 years ago, could not find anyplace without an extensive checkout (and I'm a CFI). ChasenSFO can probably recommend someplace.
 
If you have current time in the logbook, Attitude Aviation in LVK will take care of you. An hour checkout is about what they will want. Like I said as long as you have some recent 172 time. 925-456-2276 give them a call.
 
Ahart in LVK will also give you a hassle free check-out if you have time in type(my 172 checkout was .6). All the schools at PAO, SQL are notorious for multi-day checkouts. Better off renting from Oakland Flyers otherwise you'll have to head over to LVK or RHV.
 
Inverted said:
If you have current time in the logbook, Attitude Aviation in LVK will take care of you. An hour checkout is about what they will want. Like I said as long as you have some recent 172 time. 925-456-2276 give them a call.
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Just stay away from the Great Lakes. I just finished my checkout in that. He's mine. ;p



... well, ok, fine. I'll share him. Just don't bang him up, 'cuz then I won't have anything to get upside down in!

~Fox
 
ChasenSFO said:
Ahart in LVK will also give you a hassle free check-out if you have time in type(my 172 checkout was .6). All the schools at PAO, SQL are notorious for multi-day checkouts.
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No kidding, multi-hour ground at $70/hour to look over my logbook at PAO... Thankfully, I met another glider guy that had a plane and was kind enough to take me flying. Moral of the story - buy drinks for the glider guys :)
 
You might check want to check Aerodynamic Aviation or Squadron 2 at KRHV. I have flown at both and Know they have had some people come out for just this sort of thing. Not sure what a checkout would require, but with enough hours in your book I couldn't imagine it being more than an hour or so.
 
Acrofox said:
Just stay away from the Great Lakes. I just finished my checkout in that. He's mine. ;p



... well, ok, fine. I'll share him. Just don't bang him up, 'cuz then I won't have anything to get upside down in!

~Fox
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I have a fair amount of time in that airplane. I prefer N15TA though as you can see from the avatar :p

Looks like Yuichi's helmet in the front.
 
Damn you guys... never got to fly the Great Lakes... yet. :D

If you can go as far north as Petaluma you will also get a hassle-free checkout there.
 
Inverted said:
I have a fair amount of time in that airplane. I prefer N15TA though as you can see from the avatar :p

Looks like Yuichi's helmet in the front.
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It is! I love flying with Yuichi, so when I heard he was back I made a beeline down there to finish my checkout in the GL. Flew the Super-D (452S) a lot there until it left.

I want to get some time in 15TA to do some more aggressive stuff, now that I have my signoff to go work out the kinks in 87L. With any luck, I'll actually be able to pick up a contest or two later this year... we'll see. My acro is a bit ragged, as you can see. ^.^ I'm definitely safe, but I need to do some practice to get "crisp" again.

To the OP:
Sorry for thread derail. ^.^ I'd personally recommend Sundance Flying Club out of Palo Alto... -really- good people there.. but the checkout won't be like the checkouts I got used to back east... they'll want to see some airwork and landings and such. The rates are a little higher than the outlying airports, as well... but a lot of that is just due to location cost. If I was done with my CFI and actively instructing, I'd be happy to check you out ... but I've got a while to go yet. Everything seems to take too much time!

~Fox
 
Acrofox said:
It is! I love flying with Yuichi, so when I heard he was back I made a beeline down there to finish my checkout in the GL. Flew the Super-D (452S) a lot there until it left.

I want to get some time in 15TA to do some more aggressive stuff, now that I have my signoff to go work out the kinks in 87L. With any luck, I'll actually be able to pick up a contest or two later this year... we'll see. My acro is a bit ragged, as you can see. ^.^ I'm definitely safe, but I need to do some practice to get "crisp" again.

To the OP:
Sorry for thread derail. ^.^ I'd personally recommend Sundance Flying Club out of Palo Alto... -really- good people there.. but the checkout won't be like the checkouts I got used to back east... they'll want to see some airwork and landings and such. The rates are a little higher than the outlying airports, as well... but a lot of that is just due to location cost. If I was done with my CFI and actively instructing, I'd be happy to check you out ... but I've got a while to go yet. Everything seems to take too much time!

~Fox
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Acro is easier in the Pitts. When I taught at the Tude I did a bit of intermediate coaching for some of Yuichi's Japanese friends. I aso did a bunch acro instruction and I find the Lakes to be more difficult than the Pitts.
 
Ya it is. Especially with block time. But they have a bunch of restrictions on the plane. You cannot compete with it I know that, so it all depends on what you want to do. Plus they have club dues so that adds to the overall cost.
 
Cherokee_Cruiser said:
Even Cal Air at Hayward has club fees. I'm trying to find something within 30-45 minutes of SFO that doesn't have club fees.
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LVK. O69. RHV.

Nice Air at RHV at least. Says pay as you go, no club fees, right on their homepage. AeroDynamic (formerly Amelia Reid) has a ton of Citabrias and no club fees, but like Attitude at LVK both require the purchase of AOPA renter's insurance ($400/year) to comply with the renter's agreement.

There are tons of nice, NORMAL, non-dues schools in the bay area. You guys just have to avoid SQL and PAO. (Also FYI, RHV is 44 min from SFO without traffic. LVK is only about 10 min further.)
 
Inverted said:
I have a fair amount of time in that airplane. I prefer N15TA though as you can see from the avatar :p

Looks like Yuichi's helmet in the front.
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Do you remember what the hourly is on the GL?
 
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