Any experience with trainer jets?

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05-31-2022 | 01:20 PM

#31

Fat Old Tired

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Gets Weekends Off

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Quote:

Originally Posted by tnkrdrvr

The reality is (even if you are a single, senior captain making the big bucks) you can’t afford to own and operate a mil jet trainer. Training costs, insurance costs, fuel costs, etc will eat you alive. The only way you could make it happen is if you have lots of contacts in the airshow world who would pick up the tab for your gas flying from airshow to airshow. Of course, you would already need to be confident you could get the FAA to sign off on your performance routine. With no mil or airshow background, that’s a very expensive path in a jet. Buy a Yak52, T6, T34, etc and start knocking out the experience (formation training, aerobatics, FAA waivered airspace sign offs, low level aerobatics) you will need to be successful in a jet. A SWA captain managed to afford flying a F-104 for a few years around the airshow circuit, but I’m pretty sure it ate him alive financially.

Why are you being such a negative nancy? I did not share any of the details of my life or if I have another job/income source other than being a lousy airline pilot. I also said a partnership is something I would want to pursue if I could the right person. Doing so would, uhh you know, cut the operating expenses by like half.

But I appreciate your suggestions of the other planes.

05-31-2022 | 05:24 PM

#32

Violated

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Joined: Aug 2018

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If you are serious with this thread please take the T34 recommendation. They are stupid easy to fly (almost literally a 2 seat Bonanza), plentiful, and relatively cheap to own. It will give you a foot in the door with “warbirds” and is unlikely to kill you. Small steps keep our industry off of the 9pm news.

06-01-2022 | 08:13 AM

#33

tnkrdrvr

Living the SloBus life

Joined: Jan 2018

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat Old Tired

A partnership would split your fixed expenses. However, your insurance, training, and fuel would still be all you. Those were already the long poles in this very expensive tent. You and your partner will likely want to have your own policies. Otherwise the better qualified pilot subsidizes the other. There are no sims to split the cost of training in these jets. The FAA will require type training. The insurance company will require a “mentor” pilot ride along for your first 50 hours or so. Fuel is self explanatory.

If you really want to get serious about flying jet trainers, join the Red Star Pilot Association. You can peruse their resources and see if it really is what you want. If it is, they can help you find a good one (it won’t be a bargain).