COAMiG29 From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 515 posts, RR: 2 Posted (8 years 5 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 6289 times:
I know this would be very far out but the thought crossed my mind earlier today when i was taking a final exam. What would it take to save 1 or 2 of each type of plane in the god forsaken arizona desert restore them and fly them on a regular basis. How cool would an A.net airline be that flys only salvaged a/c
--COAMiG29--
If Continental had a hub at DFW with nonstop flights I would always fly them, unfortunantely good things take time.
Silver1SWA From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 4536 posts, RR: 26 Reply 3, posted (8 years 5 months 1 week 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 6166 times:
Your idea eh? I think not! I proposed a similar idea in a recent discussion! HA HA!
ALL views, opinions expressed are mine ONLY and are NOT representative of those shared by Southwest Airlines Co.
Kaddyuk From Wallis and Futuna, joined Nov 2001, 4125 posts, RR: 28 Reply 5, posted (8 years 5 months 1 week 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 6124 times:
Well, first of all you will need to get the aircraft into a flyable state on location in the desert. Then you have to get it to hangar. Where you will be required to overhaul it to the most recent check package.
If its been in the desert for a number of years, you can guarentee it will be overdue a C Check. Maybe even a D check. This will cost you a few million dollars and a crap load of time in the hangar. I think current D checks can take near 20 days to complete on a 24hr shift basis...
Whoever said "laughter is the best medicine" never had Gonorrhea
SlamClick From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 10062 posts, RR: 71 Reply 6, posted (8 years 5 months 1 week 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 6130 times:
The big problem that you face is the business plan. One might presume that passengers buying tickets are the main support of conventional airlines. Your problem is that airline passengers are about the least romantic people out there. They want only three things out of an airline:
1. Cheap
2. Allows them to show up at departure time but still gets them to destination on time.
3. Cheap
Passengers who are the big revenue source in this industry are not in love with flying. Most of them hate flying. They are just in a hurry to get to Cleveland. Most of them don't even want to be aware that they are in an airplane. They want to think of it as a long narrow movie theater that serves booze. They especially don't want to think they are on board an old airplane.
So where is your cashflow coming from? Museum-goers? I love to spend hours in a good museum but I don't want to be two thousand miles from my car when I come out.
No, I think maybe it is up to private enthusiasts to keep them alive. What we need is a hundred John Travoltas.
Or maybe not.
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
Whiskeyflyer From Ireland, joined May 2002, 224 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (8 years 4 months 3 weeks 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 5898 times:
Money, luck and an ego the size of Texas.
I work very closely with an airline owner and you should see him talk to a bank manager (he'd be real scary selling second hand cars as he could sell you anything). You need unbelivable coinfindence and will power to run an airline.
Also cash flow can look good on the business plan but you must build up reserves for planned (eg maintenance checks) and unplaned events (e.g. bird takes out your engine, pilot does hard landing and buckles your plane, US decides to put on of your destinations on the do not visit list, dollars crashes and your contract signed in dollars, fuel price goes up, SARS hits asia etc etc etc) I know you can get insurance but it costs and you may await pay out.
2% return is considered good for an airline....... why bother if you have a lot of money put it in the bank and you'll at least get that return.
AeroWeanie From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 1600 posts, RR: 52 Reply 11, posted (8 years 4 months 3 weeks 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 5805 times:
The best way to make a small fortune in aviation is to start with a large fortune.
Travelplus From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 47 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (8 years 4 months 3 weeks 22 hours ago) and read 5702 times:
Oh and be sure you won't get put out of business by WN. You need to find some tatics that will get people to your airline. For instance Free Direct TV or Free PTVs with headsets,free alcohol like Horizon Airlines. You need to ask yourself questions like Why will people fly my airline? Who is my clients business people,leisure or both?,What aircrafts should I use?(Boeing 777,Airbus 340,380 for longhauls and transcontinental).If you use the Boeing 777 for all US flights over 900 miles you will increase the comfort for your passengers,have entertainment,be be able to fly more passengers at one time. For short haul you could use a 737 or Airbus 320. But be sure you can let the passengers select their seats. Oh and also you could have an option where the passenger pays more and gets a first class meal even in coach. In F/C this meal is included but if the passenger in coach wants the F/C meal he or she will pay but the food will be high quality served on nice plates etc. You see even in coach a good meal is important from a nutrition point of view. Any unappetizing chicken will go to waste.
Also the business plan is very important. Without a plan you'r company will go into Chapter 11 before you can say"I'm the President of such and such an airline".
I want to own my own airline. And yes I have thought about so many approaches and it's tough. But the main thing now it's a dream not reality because of the crises of the other airlines. Dream on and I hope your dreams will come true and that you will have an airline that makes profit.
Aviation From Australia, joined Dec 2004, 1143 posts, RR: 23 Reply 13, posted (8 years 4 months 3 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 5659 times:
I think bottom line would be cool but never going to happen and I think I speak for all when I say everyone on this site's dream would be to own their own airline but 99.999999999999999999999999999999999% of the time not going to happen! Am I right fellas
Thanks,
Aaron J Nicoli
Signed, Aaron J Nicoli - Trans World Airlines Collector, Stoie Systems CEO
RaginMav From United States of America, joined May 2004, 372 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (8 years 4 months 3 weeks 11 hours ago) and read 5651 times:
A couple months ago I met a guy that helped start an airline (they fly a PC-12 BFF-LBF-GRI-LNK-OMA and back a couple times a day), he was kind of the guy that knew all the rich people who funded the thing.
He said the hardest/most expensive part was getting (and now maintaining) a part 121 certificate, that and getting the essential air service grant and subsidization that they wouldn't make a profit without.
Wing From Turkey, joined Oct 2000, 1552 posts, RR: 25 Reply 16, posted (8 years 4 months 2 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 5561 times:
I know this would be very far out but the thought crossed my mind earlier today when i was taking a final exam.
Excuse me this should be out of topic but what did you get from your final exam while you were thinking about starting airline instead of writing the answers?Man I just get out from a history final exam two hour ago and hell I only had enough time to finish all the questions let alone dreaming about anything else.
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