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Why and How. SSB Fleet Upgrade. Why Target the Blanik to Upgrade the Fleet ?.
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Why and How SSB Fleet Upgrade
Why Target the Blanik to Upgrade the Fleet ? • Our glider fleet is aging. The Blanik is 30 yrs old and although it may have several seasons left of safe flying there will come a time where it has to be retired (the suggested lifetime originally indicated by the manufacturer was 2000 hours of service) • We can sell the Blanik ,after its spring annual, in good faith and conscience • The Blanik has been expensive to maintain. It would be the most profitable glider due to its high usage if not for the maintenance costs.
Why Upgrade/Target the Blanik? • The Blanik is our poorest performance twin • The club is running out of depreciating aircraft. If we do nothing we will begin having to pay income tax!! (Not the best use of club funds) • The Blanik is nasty to rig and trailer • Upgrading a twin works out better economically, as the flight charges from training and normal club use can support payoff of most of the capital. • Whereas a new singleplace will never fly enough to repay capital outlay.
What to replace the Blanik with? • Something with reasonable (Mtn) performance (LD 30+/1) • Something with spin and acro capability • Something with easy ground handling, rigging, and trailering • Something with good front and rear seat visibility • Something easy to fly (responsive,light on controls) • Something with low maintenance expectations • Something that is fun to fly • Something we can afford
Desired Flight Characteristics Control pressures -light Roll Rate- responsive Stall Characteristics- well behaved Performance – L/D- 30+ Basic Acro (loop,clover-leaf,HH) Spin Characteristics- +ve, easy-out
Roles for Glider Twins • G103 – primary training & club use • DG-505 – primary, acro, XC training & club use • 2-32 – wave flying, science & club use • When it is thermic we expect to DG to be used for soaring – pattern training will take place in the G103 • If it is flyable expect the DG to be in the air!
Financing Assume a flight_charge of $15 Deposit $15000 on glider/trailer cost of $95000 8 years to pay annual interest rate of 5.5 % then 69 flights per month 828 per yr pays annual loan of $12383 add in annual costs insurance $3600 + tie_down $300 + maintenance $1000 then 96 flights per month 1152 per yr pays total annual of $17283
Total Cost 96000 Down Payment 30000 Borrow 66000 Sell Blanik 14000 Buy Engine 16000 - Applying 1 year reserve funding Buy Engine 25000 Borrow 7000 - Applying 3.5 years reserve funding Payments for ~7 years Two Purchase Scenarios • Total Cost 96000 • Down Payment 7000 • Borrow 87000 • Sell Blanik 14000 • Make loan prepayment • Payments for ~7 years