K
Ken Stallings
Guest
It sure is! It's what makes it nice to help defend the nation -- no way I could have done it for a nation not a democracy!
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Please see the most recent updates in the "Where did the .com name go?" thread. Posts number 16 and 17.
It sure is! It's what makes it nice to help defend the nation -- no way I could have done it for a nation not a democracy!
K
Ken Stallings
Guest
Thanks!
I enjoy doing them. Flew a patient from Abilene, TX to Portales today. Another pilot was supposed to fly him the second leg to Albuquerque but it was snowing there. So, he drove to Portales and is driving him the rest of the way. This is likely to be the last Grace Flight mission I plan to do in the Skyhawk. From now on, the 310R will be the primary Grace Flight bird.
Kind of ironic. This was precisely the reason why I decided to pull the trigger on the 310R. Even though anything more than light enroute and arrival icing is too much, it still makes things much more robust in terms of getting medical patients where they need to go. And, I've always felt badly having to cancel due to poor weather. Still, I have no problem doing it. It's better to miss an appointment than to ensure the patient will never need another one!
Ken
K
Ken Stallings
Guest
Well, my A&P was very impressed with it. Enough so that he told me it was a hell of a deal and I should pull the trigger. So, I did.
Plane's mine!
Ken
Plane's mine!
Ken
K
Ken Stallings
Guest
Let's replace the attachments of the photos. Found a few better ones also!
Cheers,
Ken
Cheers,
Ken
Panther_99FS
Retired SOH Administrator
Moparmike
Administrator
Congratulations on the upcoming purchase Ken!
Sounds like it's outfitted nicely too. I hate to even thinking about the pricetag for one with all those goodies.
I agree with you and the others here about that beautiful 310 styling.
Although I still like the looks of the old straight tails with the pudgy nose better, any 310 airframe is real easy on the eyes.
Sounds like it's outfitted nicely too. I hate to even thinking about the pricetag for one with all those goodies.
I agree with you and the others here about that beautiful 310 styling.
Although I still like the looks of the old straight tails with the pudgy nose better, any 310 airframe is real easy on the eyes.
K
Ken Stallings
Guest
Mike,
I agree. I don't think there is such a thing as an ugly C-310 -- at least not one well maintained and not wrecked.
The purchase is now complete. Bank has sent the previous owner all their money and it's now officially mine!
My A&P has had it doing the annual in very careful fashion for three days now and he's more happy with it today than he was when he first saw it -- and he was impressed then.
I cannot wait to fly my first Grace Flight mission with this aircraft. I'm sure the passengers are going to be awefully impressed to get in it. Likely also happy that their trip will go so much faster.
Got another piece of unexpected great news today. In doing online research, it seemed I needed to pay the state of New Mexico about a 6.5% excise tax. Well, I had a few questions about exactly how it applied to aircraft purchases. So, I called the state's tax audit and compliance department. The lady took my information and said she would research how much I owed and how to pay it. She called me back two hours later and asked a few additional questions. Since I bought it from a person who's company doesn't sell aircraft as a core part of their business, and since I'm not a business, she said it is considered by the state to be a "non-regular" sale. This means it's just two people making a one-time sale of private property.
Upshot is I don't owe the state of New Mexico a penny in taxes! Whoo Hooo! That's $7.5k that I was saving up that I don't have to spend now!
Cheers,
Ken
I agree. I don't think there is such a thing as an ugly C-310 -- at least not one well maintained and not wrecked.
The purchase is now complete. Bank has sent the previous owner all their money and it's now officially mine!
My A&P has had it doing the annual in very careful fashion for three days now and he's more happy with it today than he was when he first saw it -- and he was impressed then.
I cannot wait to fly my first Grace Flight mission with this aircraft. I'm sure the passengers are going to be awefully impressed to get in it. Likely also happy that their trip will go so much faster.
Got another piece of unexpected great news today. In doing online research, it seemed I needed to pay the state of New Mexico about a 6.5% excise tax. Well, I had a few questions about exactly how it applied to aircraft purchases. So, I called the state's tax audit and compliance department. The lady took my information and said she would research how much I owed and how to pay it. She called me back two hours later and asked a few additional questions. Since I bought it from a person who's company doesn't sell aircraft as a core part of their business, and since I'm not a business, she said it is considered by the state to be a "non-regular" sale. This means it's just two people making a one-time sale of private property.
Upshot is I don't owe the state of New Mexico a penny in taxes! Whoo Hooo! That's $7.5k that I was saving up that I don't have to spend now!
Cheers,
Ken
Moparmike
Administrator
Good deal on the tax break! Lemme see...$7500, 6.5%, equals OUCH!
Well earned though! Enjoy!
So can we get a hint on the color scheme or do we have to wait til you bring your new baby home? :d
Would like to add that one to my FS9 310 AI repaints.
Nevermind...the attachments are back and I see the pix. NICE rig!
Well earned though! Enjoy!
So can we get a hint on the color scheme or do we have to wait til you bring your new baby home? :d
Would like to add that one to my FS9 310 AI repaints.
Nevermind...the attachments are back and I see the pix. NICE rig!
K
Ken Stallings
Guest
The annual has gone amazingly well. The best news so far is the compressions on the engine cylinders are outstanding -- with the lowest readings being 71. That's really on par with new engines.
Ken
Ken
TeaSea
SOH-CM-2014
Good deal on the tax break...unfortunately Florida is not so considerate...they wanted their piece when I bought the Archer and there was no way out. 6.5%, just like yours. Fortunately, I knew about it well in advance and had budgeted for it. I've talked to a few guys out here who were caught completely by suprise.
That's a great looking panel -- I have the KX155 w/GS also, and a GNC-250Xl. I'd like to replace the GNC with a GNS-430 (the GNC is VFR only), but I think that will have to wait a year or so.
That's a great looking panel -- I have the KX155 w/GS also, and a GNC-250Xl. I'd like to replace the GNC with a GNS-430 (the GNC is VFR only), but I think that will have to wait a year or so.
K
Ken Stallings
Guest
Yeah, Florida is a bit extreme. If you move there, regardless of how many years ago you purchased your aircraft, Florida requires you to show proof of prior taxes paid. Folks who owned airplanes for over 10 years moved to Florida and were shocked to find the state demanded to see the tax receipts paid for the aircraft!
If the owner could not show original documents showing the tax payment, the state leveid a full tax charge!
If the owner could produce a tax receipt, then whatever it tallied less than what Florida charged, Florida wanted that balance paid!
Worse than that, the tax office started to try to claim taxes on out-of-state owned aircraft that were brought in for maintenance -- like avionics repair or upgrade, or an engine overhaul. A few who simply traveled to Florida for vacations or business trips were sometimes sent a tax bill! Needless to say, these many people told the state to shove it. Some hired lawyers and claimed it was un-Constitutional, got the case remanded to federal court, and the feds dumped on Florida pretty hard to stop the collection efforts. For years now, AOPA has tried to work with the Florida legislature to close down the stupid loopholes which the tax department is trying to use.
For this reason, many aircraft owners refuse to travel to Florida. A lot of maintenance shops in the state are pretty outraged by the lost business. You wonder the mentality of some people in government thinking this sort of greed improves their economic health overall! The state never has collected an out-of-state residents money, but they sure have cost local aircraft shops millions in lost revenues because aircraft owners got the word and opted to fly elsewhere to avoid the potential hassles!
Common sense says there should be a reasonable time limit, say one year, where a state cannot go back and try to demand taxes for an aircraft purchased out of state.
Ken
If the owner could not show original documents showing the tax payment, the state leveid a full tax charge!
If the owner could produce a tax receipt, then whatever it tallied less than what Florida charged, Florida wanted that balance paid!
Worse than that, the tax office started to try to claim taxes on out-of-state owned aircraft that were brought in for maintenance -- like avionics repair or upgrade, or an engine overhaul. A few who simply traveled to Florida for vacations or business trips were sometimes sent a tax bill! Needless to say, these many people told the state to shove it. Some hired lawyers and claimed it was un-Constitutional, got the case remanded to federal court, and the feds dumped on Florida pretty hard to stop the collection efforts. For years now, AOPA has tried to work with the Florida legislature to close down the stupid loopholes which the tax department is trying to use.
For this reason, many aircraft owners refuse to travel to Florida. A lot of maintenance shops in the state are pretty outraged by the lost business. You wonder the mentality of some people in government thinking this sort of greed improves their economic health overall! The state never has collected an out-of-state residents money, but they sure have cost local aircraft shops millions in lost revenues because aircraft owners got the word and opted to fly elsewhere to avoid the potential hassles!
Common sense says there should be a reasonable time limit, say one year, where a state cannot go back and try to demand taxes for an aircraft purchased out of state.
Ken
TeaSea
SOH-CM-2014
Much the same with Yachts....
You'd think a state like Florida would want to encourage the yacht industry as a source of new tax revenues. But that old class against class argument jumps up and they can't help themselves.
As a result they have basically killed the yacht industry.
So short sided.
You'd think a state like Florida would want to encourage the yacht industry as a source of new tax revenues. But that old class against class argument jumps up and they can't help themselves.
As a result they have basically killed the yacht industry.
So short sided.
K
Ken Stallings
Guest
So true! It is so terribly inaccurate to term general aviation as a sport of rich people. It most certainly is not! The vast majority of friends I know in this GA gig are not wealthy. I won't say we are poor, certainly not true to say that. But even those who own aircraft are generally not wealthy. They just saved up their hard-earned money to enjoy something very special.
Simply put, for me personally, I decided that instead of a $20,000 or $30,000 bass boat, I would save for a $65,000 Skyhawk, work hard to pay it off, and then go for a $110,000 C-310R. I'm blessed and appreciative. That's why I am dedicated to Grace Flight (before that Angel Flight West) because it lets me give back.
But when institutions impose liabilities that presume wealth it unfortunately reduces the effectivness of the industry. Ironically, it can reduce the benefit for all people, including those who may not yet understand the true impact that GA has on their daily lives. I sometimes wonder how many of the patients whom I fly gratis anticipated that ten years before, the quality of their medical care might come down to a middle income person saving money and purchasing a transportation instrument that makes their far-flug medical care affordable and efficient?
I think there's a good lesson there for all of us. Take care not to covet what others have lest you harm yourself and others in ways unanticipated. Rather, embrace and celebrate the freedoms all have and rejoice in their success and happiness. For that success and happiness may yet benefit your own self.
Cheers,
Ken
Simply put, for me personally, I decided that instead of a $20,000 or $30,000 bass boat, I would save for a $65,000 Skyhawk, work hard to pay it off, and then go for a $110,000 C-310R. I'm blessed and appreciative. That's why I am dedicated to Grace Flight (before that Angel Flight West) because it lets me give back.
But when institutions impose liabilities that presume wealth it unfortunately reduces the effectivness of the industry. Ironically, it can reduce the benefit for all people, including those who may not yet understand the true impact that GA has on their daily lives. I sometimes wonder how many of the patients whom I fly gratis anticipated that ten years before, the quality of their medical care might come down to a middle income person saving money and purchasing a transportation instrument that makes their far-flug medical care affordable and efficient?
I think there's a good lesson there for all of us. Take care not to covet what others have lest you harm yourself and others in ways unanticipated. Rather, embrace and celebrate the freedoms all have and rejoice in their success and happiness. For that success and happiness may yet benefit your own self.
Cheers,
Ken
TeaSea
SOH-CM-2014
Yep, guys at my airport aren't all that well off...but they do scrimp and save for that one passion.
I'm fortunate in that I am at that stage in life where I can start to loosen up a bit on finances, but I was not always in that position.
I would add that I don't mind paying Florida state sales tax. I don't think it's that unreasonable in terms of the transaction between myself and the seller. However, they have gone well beyond the bounds in their pursuit of relatively small amounts... and it hurts the state overall.
Again, exceptionally short sighted.
I'm fortunate in that I am at that stage in life where I can start to loosen up a bit on finances, but I was not always in that position.
I would add that I don't mind paying Florida state sales tax. I don't think it's that unreasonable in terms of the transaction between myself and the seller. However, they have gone well beyond the bounds in their pursuit of relatively small amounts... and it hurts the state overall.
Again, exceptionally short sighted.