Ferry Rate

MikeOH58

Well-Known Member
I just got asked to ferry an AA5 Cheetah from Providence, RI to Houston, TX. This would be my first time ferrying an airplane for a new owner, and i'm looking to see what would be a fair day rate? The individual is a student pilot, and I would be giving dual given the entire flight. My instructor fee for primary students is $35/hour. He would obviously be covering all meal's, lodging, and transportation fee's. I'm thinking around $250/day. Just curious to see what everyone would charge, and what you think would be fair.

thanks
mp
 
I've done some similar flying. I would just go with you hourly rate and something along the line of a four or five hour minimum per day. If you fly more then you get paid more.
 
When I did this type of thing, I would charge $45/hour, and $225 for anything more than 5 hours in a day. This was hours on the clock, not in the aircraft. This was pretty much my rate for ANY pilot services (ferry, CFI, etc). Basically, if I was overnighting someplace, then that would be a full day. I also charged for all meals, lodging, and incidentals (to include reasonable entertainment).
 
Man, that's awesome. I wish I could charge what you guys do for pilot service work. However, the attitude in this neck of the woods has always been if you didn't work for what was being offered (usually $25/$15) there was always someone out there wanting to build hours that would.
 
For ferry flights I charged $300 per day away from home, but $250 a day would be fair. All expenses paid of course.

Alex.
 
If it were me, I'd charge my normal hourly rate for dual instruction per flying hour, plus the standard perdiem wherever you overnight.
 
Man, that's awesome. I wish I could charge what you guys do for pilot service work. However, the attitude in this neck of the woods has always been if you didn't work for what was being offered (usually $25/$15) there was always someone out there wanting to build hours that would.

I've run into several people that didn't want to pay me appropriately, and I simply didn't want to build hours in their planes. If they're too cheap to pay for a decent pilot, how do you think they approach maintenance?
 
I recently got $450/day plus expenses from a guy to fly a DA40 from Dallas to Kenosha, WI. Typically, I get more like $300. Maybe $350 for a new Mooney or something that requires a more-qualified pilot.

You're worth whatever you negotiate for.
 
when I did this the guy got cheap and made me share a room with him and skipped out on meals. Make sure you are clear about what the expenses are. I charged 250/day back in 2004. I would charge no less than 300 per day plus room and meals.
 
I just got asked to ferry an AA5 Cheetah from Providence, RI to Houston, TX. This would be my first time ferrying an airplane for a new owner, and i'm looking to see what would be a fair day rate? The individual is a student pilot, and I would be giving dual given the entire flight. My instructor fee for primary students is $35/hour. He would obviously be covering all meal's, lodging, and transportation fee's. I'm thinking around $250/day. Just curious to see what everyone would charge, and what you think would be fair.

thanks
mp
I did the ferrying thing from Newport, RI to Cali a few years ago. It was an absolute blast, but I also earned every single penny of it. It was a Cherokee 235 and the guy was a student pilot, mid 50's, and couldn't fly to save his life...he did try killing me numerous times!!:panic: If I remember correctly, I charged $250/day plus expenses, and incidentals, and set a minimum amount of days.

Just curious how much time you have in a Cheetah, and your TT? Who is doing the pre-buy? Make sure you talk to the mechanics so you know exactly what is good and bad about the a/c. The mx shop that co-owned the flight school I worked for did the pre-buy on that a/c, so I knew every last little detail of that airplane.

Of course, we took longer than expected (don't try to cross the country in a prop during December...winds sucked until we got to Arkansas), but overall it was a great learning experience.
 
careful what we wish for....

I just got asked to ferry an AA5 Cheetah from Providence, RI to Houston, TX. This would be my first time ferrying an airplane for a new owner, and i'm looking to see what would be a fair day rate? The individual is a student pilot, and I would be giving dual given the entire flight. My instructor fee for primary students is $35/hour. He would obviously be covering all meal's, lodging, and transportation fee's. I'm thinking around $250/day. Just curious to see what everyone would charge, and what you think would be fair.

thanks
mp

When I was instructing full time, I got asked about a coast to coast flight in a Grumman (I'm a CFII, and Grumman owner with a little over 500 in type). I want to say I quoted $250/day, plus expenses plus the flight home. Of course someone with jumpseat privileges undercut me both on the daily rate and transportation home. I was really mad about it at the time.

However the first leg ended with the airplane on the side of the highway. The owner hired the right pilot. The pilot hired to fly the plane spent the night with the airplane on the side of the road, then flew it out the next day after repairs were made.

I would have called the owner and told him what mile marker his plane was at and headed straight to the bar for a drink it that had happened to me.
 
Re: careful what we wish for....

I would have called the owner and told him what mile marker his plane was at and headed straight to the bar for a drink it that had happened to me.

Forget the :sarcasm: tag? Anyone contemplating that--be sure you get pee tested first before you go to the bar. ;)
 
Re: careful what we wish for....

Forget the :sarcasm: tag? Anyone contemplating that--be sure you get pee tested first before you go to the bar. ;)

No. I didn't forget anything, and it really makes you look stupid to assume everyone else is stupid.

For your edification the meaning was, I would not have got back into the airplane after it broke on a ferry flight, not that I'd walk off and get drunk before dealing with the law dogs, FAA, etc.
 
Re: careful what we wish for....

For your edification the meaning was, I would not have got back into the airplane after it broke on a ferry flight, not that I'd walk off and get drunk before dealing with the law dogs, FAA, etc.

My friend and I left a Comanche sitting on top of a mountain in CA on a ferry flight. Of course that was the second time the engine quit, we should have taken the hint the first time!

Alex.
 
I charge $40/hr or $250/day plus expenses.

I have only done one ferry flight, and that guy offered either $500 or $600 before I said anything. It was a one day thing. I did fly an LSA for over 7 hrs that day :)
 
Re: careful what we wish for....

No. I didn't forget anything, and it really makes you look stupid to assume everyone else is stupid.

For your edification the meaning was, I would not have got back into the airplane after it broke on a ferry flight, not that I'd walk off and get drunk before dealing with the law dogs, FAA, etc.

Wow, take a chill pill dude
 
FYI-

The contract and terms have been accepted:

$300/Day away from Connecticut, including traveling days.

A private hotel room for every overnight.

cover the cost of all meals and travel expenses

one way ticket from KHOU-KBDL.

I am really looking forward to doing this flight. The gentleman I will be flying with seems like a real stand up guy, and I expect both him, and myself to learn a lot.

Someone asked before about my times in the airplane...A little over 500 hours in Cheetah's and Tiger's. My mechanic, who has been working on Grumman's since the early 80's, is close friends with the mechanic who'm as done the prebuy, and I trust his judgement. That said, this specific airplane is still unfamiliar, and since I will also be giving primary instruction to a student, I will try and do the flight in Day VFR conditions as
much as practical.

The flight will be flown via way of Taunton, MA-NYC (hudson cordor)-Indianapolis, IA. Second leg, Indianopolis-Houston. Anyone recommend any good fuel/food stops in between either NYC-Indianapolis/Indianopolis-Houston?

Thanks

mp
 
Re: careful what we wish for....

No. I didn't forget anything, and it really makes you look stupid to assume everyone else is stupid.

For your edification the meaning was, I would not have got back into the airplane after it broke on a ferry flight, not that I'd walk off and get drunk before dealing with the law dogs, FAA, etc.

Relax, chief.
 
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