Time Building OAHU

[Ryan Knott]

I am currently building time out of HNL, if you'd like to join on a couple of flights a week feel free to message me.

Mahalo,

-Ryan

 

[B777]

I just sent you pm...yes I am free and willing to fly!!!

 

[fiveninerzero]

I know this post is old, but I just came back to the forum after being away for a while. I'll be back in Oahu in about a month or so if anyone wants to go flying. I rent out of one of the places on the South Ramp of HNL.

 

[Cessnaflyer]

I know this post is old, but I just came back to the forum after being away for a while. I'll be back in Oahu in about a month or so if anyone wants to go flying. I rent out of one of the places on the South Ramp of HNL.

Might get more if you start your own post

 

[Troy McClure]

590,
Can you offer more details? do live there? are youjust renting to fly around or build hours?
What type a/c do the FBO have and costs?

Thanks

 

[fiveninerzero]

Might get more if you start your own post

Yeah, I know. But I'm already communicating with the guy who started the post. Maybe some other people will see this and come join us.

590,
Can you offer more details? do live there? are youjust renting to fly around or build hours?
What type a/c do the FBO have and costs?

Thanks

Yes, I typically live in the area but I've been spending most of this year in the Middle East for work. I'll be heading back there shortly and I wanted to see if I could find any other pilots who wanted to go flying. It's expensive and kind of dangerous flying over water in GA airplanes by yourself. I'm looking to build time and can play safety pilot.

Here is a link to the places that I would rent from. Some of the outfits on the island are sketchy and I'd be careful.

http://www.trfshawaii.com/
http://abovehawaii.com/
http://www.georgesaviation.com/

I have access to 172s, PA28-140s, a Liberty XL2, and a Mooney M20J. Plan for about $160 per hour to $200 per hour depending on the aircraft. With 2 pilots, you can go halfsies obviously.

 

[Troy McClure]

Some of the outfits on the island are sketchy and I'd be careful.

Ooohhhkay.....not sure what this means??!! Im in to do the flying but now Im not so sure. Maybe what you meant to say, was....

 

[fiveninerzero]

Ooohhhkay.....not sure what this means??!! Im in to do the flying but now Im not so sure. Maybe what you meant to say, was....

I don't meant to be a Debbie Downer, but since you asked, I'll expand:

Hawaii is a high cost state. It also doesn't have a very dense population, a little over 1 million. Economy-wise, its GDP is in the lowest fifth of the states. The nearest neighbor is over 2000 miles away, separated by an ocean, which makes it hard to fly a brand new small plane over from the Cessna factory in Wichita.

This means that for anyone running a small business, which most FBOs/flight schools fall under, it's pretty dang expensive and almost impossible to keep your head above the water. Since there is such a small population, who are busier paying their rent than renting planes for fun; we have very few airplanes for rent, and you'll notice that they are generally older (1960s) and without the amenities that you'll find in a lot of rental fleets on the mainland (fancy GPS, glass cockpits, autopilots).

Sure, guys try their best to be honest, but when a plane is down for MX, it's not generating revenue to pay the insurance premiums and airplane note. So you do have a few outfits that do just enough to keep the plane in the air, barely.

I flew with a place, who will remain nameless, who would just tear your writeup page out of the mx squawk log and act like nothing happened unless the motor basically came out of its mount or the propeller flew off. One day I was rolling down the runway and the airspeed indicator didn't move despite checking the pitot tube for blockages during pre-flight. So of course, I revert to my training and choose to reject take-off. Guess what failed next? The brakes!! Luckily it was on a 9000 ft runway in a GA single, so I just pulled back on the yoke and coasted to a stop. I switched planes and never went back. I have other stories about this place, but I will save them for later.

Here are a few incidents that happened during my time living in HI, not all were chalked up to bad mx, but it just highlights how real of a possibility it is to go floating:

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/...-of-oahu-after-experiencing-mechanical-issues
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/24411685/molokai-plane-crash-survivor-recorded-ordeal
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-hawaii-pilots-idUSKCN0ZW0VC
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/27937044/plane-crash-lands-off-barbers-point-4-people-on-board
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/25863485/small-plane-makes-emergency-landing
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/...-hawaii-news-now-at-10-for-developing-details


There are a couple of reputable places, but I would say that the truly airworthy fleet of GA rentals in the state can be counted with the fingers of one hand. Combine this with the fact that you are just about always over the water, or over mountainous terrain in the Hawaiian Islands, you need to take safety seriously. Don't let that scare or dissuade you, but just a heads up to be on your A game before you climb into the first rental plane that you see in HI.

 

[Kimo]

Nearly all of these were pilot error. Running out of fuel, controlled flight into terrain etc. the caravan Molokai crash is a little bit foggy as to who is at fault. Otherwise they were all perfectly good airplanes. Maybe not cherry but still flyable.