Use of General Aviation Services during an EOFTW scenario

I know a few people have private aircraft so, without you giving away OPSEC, what ideas or plans you have in using them during a grid down scenario. Leap frogging supplies comes to mind but my imagination is limited!!

 

Reconnaissance. Also make a heck of a good repeater while up, acquiring even more Intel without spending as much fuel.

 

If I was bugging out I see a usefulness so long as I'm not likely to be targeted. If I'm not bugging out then it's a great way to advertize my presence to the unwanted. Due to fuel and maintenance concerns only a short term possibility at best.

 

This has come up numerous times for me, my bird can run both 100LL and automotive gasoline, uses some standard automotive engine parts, and is other wise about as good as it gets. Can haul a 600 pound load at MTOW, and can usually handle around 800 pounds with minimum fuel and good head winds. Take off and climb is astounding, and landings are based on how brave I am! A max effort take off/minimum fuel load at 600 pounds load will take aprox 35 feet with a 10 knot head wind, and with the brakes locked, can usually land in my own length, and that's with a 600 pound payload! Best cruise is 90 m.p.h., a speed run is a good 120 m.p.h. and max cruise range at best cruise is about 630 miles while burning 7.2 gallons of 100LL fuel, and slightly less on auto gas! Maintenance is exceptional, both hot and cold weather performance is quite good, and other then icing the leading edges, it's a pretty safe bird to fly. I can fly at night as long as I have a good moon and stars, and I stay above 500 feet AGL, and the engine is muffled, so I gotta be right on top of ya for you to hear me, so sneaking around at night would be the best option! I can also fold the wings and road tow it, carefully as the landing gear is over max road width, but shouldn' be a biggy!

 

Lol Sec! Ironically, that's not the really mean bird, that one is still in the hanger all in pieces! Don' even know if I will ever get it put back to gether or not, now! That one has better climb and cruise performance despite less engine power, and has better range at higher 120 knot cruise speed, but it's AV fuel ONLY, cannot fold the wings, and cannot get into and out of the places the " little plane" Can! Some one wants to buy it, I'll sell it super cheap for what I have into it! Gots a brand new full certified Lycoming AEI O-435 and a brand new certified MT prop with constant speed hub and controlls! Also has the second fuel tanks in the wings for 88 gallons fuel and brand new Alaskan bush Wheels of the 31 inch size with Clevland brakes, and Baby Bush wheel mod for the tail. Has been converted to PA-18 landing gear legs 6 inches over, 10 foot wide track, and brand new Alaskan Airframe Wing struts! Build it your self, I toss in a set of reman EDO Floats with struts and mounts! Cost to build would be 320k, I sell it to you fer 160k u-haul! Has a stack of certs 5 inches thick too!

 

I do know were a feller can get into a super schweet hot rod kit with all the bells and whistles for about 120k brand new! It's The bird that has won the big show S.T.O.L comps in Valdes and every where else! A feller could prolly pick up a good used one for under 80k and be ready to rock and roll! www.Just-aircraft.com Super stol, or for less money, less stol, a highlander, which is actually a better bird, and about 10k less, depending on options!
Another super slick is www.savageaircraft.com iCub
Wanna spend some real money, www.backcountrysupercubs.com rev 2.0
the 1st production bird is now for sale used, and is in awesome shape. My buddy owns it, and just upgraded to a CarbonCub! Sucker! Lol

 

Those Just birds sell like hot cakes in a logging camp, and the CarbonCubs are selling more birds then Boeing ever did during the cold war, so yea, folks is standing in line! If I had my Denali Super Scout put together and flying, it would sell purty quick, especially with all the really desireable bush mods and that stunning engine!

 

The only suck part is the cost of an engine, or engine parts! A new Lycoming IO-350 will kill a good chunk of 26k! The most popular engine of all time, and it still costs a small fortune to buy or overhaul!
Best to build a "Experemental" and you can usually save about 1/3 to 1/2 the costs! It also removes the Fed Annual requirements which will also save serious coin!

 

once a Dart, always a dart