Advice
Sound Advice
Live by the numbers.
Understanding the performance of an aircraft is critical to safe operations. No matter which aircraft is chosen, there will likely be flights where it is pushed to the limit in some form or fashion. Learn what to look for beyond the number of seats, cabin height, published range and cruise speed. A takeoff performance figure may look suitable at first glance; but can be significantly impacted by many variables like the number of passengers, field elevation, temperature, fuel load, engine health, winds and pilot fatigue to name a few.
Know which way is up.
Looks can be deceiving. Purchasing, operating, maintaining and upgrading aircraft can be very complex and the consequences of an uninformed decision can be severe. You have to consider all of those when buying an aircraft to assure it will meet your needs and provide value from your sizable investment. "Off market" aircraft may be more attractive than those publicly advertised, so it pays to know a professional on the inside to get the best aircraft for your needs.
Understand Maintenance.
Maintenance schedules can be complex. It can be difficult to know if something "big" (costly or lengthy downtime) is coming up without a thorough review. A "Visual Maintenance Forecast" example to the right plots the routine inspections and separate structural inspections having both calendar and hourly requirements. In addition, many life-limited parts and overhaul requirements make careful tracking and intelligent maintenance planning very important to avoid unnecessary downtime and expense. Budgetary figures for given tasks can provide a detailed forecast for scheduled maintenance cost year by year.
