That sounds interesting! I'd love to pick your brain and see what your thoughts are! Unfortunately, since I am a new member, I do not have the PM feature yet. I could post my e-mail addy, but am not sure if that's okay with the Admins.

Thanks!

 

I'd be careful with the email posting. I did it on here until I could PM people just for a method of contact. Very quickly after doing so I started to get a lot of emails letting me know I'd won the lottery.

Jim

 

Yeah, I don't know if I would post your email. I'm assuming that there is federal money behind this, and if so, how much? Why did Cape leave the market? What were the numbers for their flights?

I would want nothing more than to see scheduled service between SBN and IND, US-31 is a nightmare of a drive!

 

Is that a Chris as in Chris G?

 

Aww..come on...there are only about 13 really bad traffic lights through kokomo...as soon as the bypass is finished in 5 years it will all be better

 

Let’t not forget about a civilized roster. Report… no earlier than 10:00. The last flight of the day blocks in no later than 14:30… so one can be home in time for Grey Goose martinis… shaken not stirred.

Wait!!! can you get Grey Goose in SBN???

 

Considering the 117nm distance EVV-IND and 120nm distance IND-SBN, a Caravan or PC12 would be far more efficient and cost-effective on an intra-state segment than even the most efficient of RJs.

To put some figures to some airplanes...the 2008 Business & Commercial Aviation Operations Planning Guide shows the Cessna Grand Caravan ($1.934M) to cost $3.03/mi (300nm segment) and $524.36/hr to operate...compared to $2.69/mi and $691.78 for the PC12 ($3.86M), $3.42 and $759.82 for the Reims Aviation F406 Caravan II ($3.5M). For comparison's sake, on the small RJ side the E135BJ Legacy Shuttle ($20.63M) costs $7.93/mi on a 300nm segment, or $2560.89/hr and the Do328J (not currently manufactured) costs $8.38/mi and $2689.73/hr.

To put these operating costs per mile and hour in perspective, they show fuel budgeted at $6.57/gal...and Jet-A is 40-50% that these days.

Another good option is the Viking Twin Otter...but there is no operating data in the 2008 book for it. Let me know if I can send you any other figures.

As far as compensation goes...in a small operation in small piston/prop aircraft on short routes with tight margins like this would be, I could see a base salary of $45,000 for PICs and $30,000 for SICs to be reasonable, with raises of 4% annually for longevity AND 3-4% for COLA. Both salaries would put compensation above both Cape Air and Planesense, and be quite reasonable for the cost of living in EVV, IND or SBN (or anywhere in the F'in state for that matter).

Fellow (adopted) Hoosier myself,

BoilerUP