ferrying taildraggers
Moderators: GAHorn, Karl Towle, Bruce Fenstermacher
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ferrying taildraggers
this is kinda in the vein of
the post on TD instructors.
how many of you have been
asked to ferry a TD for someone?
during my life as a TD pilot,
i have been asked to do this
a few times.
usually s.o. wants to buy one
but cannot fly it yet.
just curious
when one looks around at oshkosh
it appears like there are all kinds of TD pilots.
but compared to the entire flying population
we surely represent a small minority
does anyone know the %?
iowa
the post on TD instructors.
how many of you have been
asked to ferry a TD for someone?
during my life as a TD pilot,
i have been asked to do this
a few times.
usually s.o. wants to buy one
but cannot fly it yet.
just curious
when one looks around at oshkosh
it appears like there are all kinds of TD pilots.
but compared to the entire flying population
we surely represent a small minority
does anyone know the %?
iowa

1951 170A 1468D SN 20051
1942 L-4B 2764C USAAC 43-572 (9433)
AME #17747
- Bruce Fenstermacher
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- bradbrady
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Re: ferrying taildraggers
Iowa,iowa wrote:this is kinda in the vein of
the post on TD instructors.
how many of you have been
asked to ferry a TD for someone?
during my life as a TD pilot,
i have been asked to do this
a few times.
usually s.o. wants to buy one
but cannot fly it yet.
just curious
when one looks around at oshkosh
it appears like there are all kinds of TD pilots.
but compared to the entire flying population
we surely represent a small minority
does anyone know the %?
iowa
I get more rerquests to fly Ercoupe's and Apachies, than anyother A/C. I've ferried several 170'S and Aeronca's,C-140'S and Piper tail dragers! My fav. is the Areonca's and old Pipers! as long as I don't have far to fly!!I've worked for several years with Bill Cox (A REAL FERRY PILOT!) He goes over the water big time, (I don't have that type of fortatude) Talking with him, when we work togehter at the EAA flyin, is like learning how to fly again!!! (I only have to hold the aircraft in a pisiotion that he can fly on me, and, Jim Lawerance can get a shot) It has worked for us as long as I have worked with these guys! And they are amazing to work with!! Espically Jim. He is a real person! We never leave eachother with out a hand shake and a promice to keep in touch!
brad
- cessna170bdriver
- Posts: 4115
- Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2002 5:13 pm
I was once asked by an AI to ferry a 172 back to its owner after an annual. With tongue firmly planted in cheek, I told him I wasn't current in nose draggers as it had been several years since I'd flown one. He just grinned and handed me the keys.
Miles
PS: I also had the honor of ferrying charter member George Mock's 170B back to Anderson, IN after the 2001 Shelbyville Convention.


Miles
PS: I also had the honor of ferrying charter member George Mock's 170B back to Anderson, IN after the 2001 Shelbyville Convention.


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What are the legalities of ferrying an aircraft for someone if you don't have a Commercial certificate? Is it OK if you aren't paid to fly it? What if the owner/buyer/seller covers your expenses? I'd be happy to fly someone else's airplane cross country but don't care to run afoul of the feds.
Jon B.
Jon B.
I'm flying a Champ 'til I get the 170B!
- GAHorn
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- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2002 8:45 pm
There's no problem with having your expenses covered. You just can't receive compensation for pilot services. (Being paid for an opinion on how the airplane looks is a different matter, of course.)Jon B. wrote:What are the legalities of ferrying an aircraft for someone if you don't have a Commercial certificate? Is it OK if you aren't paid to fly it? What if the owner/buyer/seller covers your expenses? I'd be happy to fly someone else's airplane cross country but don't care to run afoul of the feds.
Jon B.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.

- canderson
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2006 10:32 pm
When Angela and I bought our 170 we had to get it back from LA to Denver. Neither of us were TD certified, but her dad certainly is. We flew Ed Booth commercially to LA to inspect the plane and "help" us fly it back. then got him back to South Carolina.
It's a minor hurdle looking back. Angela and I quickly got certified and, other than being grounded for 4 consecutive weeks now due to weather, have been flying as much as the weekend daylight allows.
So, while I haven't been asked to ferry one, we definitely needed to have it done for us.
It's a minor hurdle looking back. Angela and I quickly got certified and, other than being grounded for 4 consecutive weeks now due to weather, have been flying as much as the weekend daylight allows.
So, while I haven't been asked to ferry one, we definitely needed to have it done for us.
Chris
1953 170B N3234A #25878
1953 170B N3234A #25878
- canderson
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2006 10:32 pm
When Angela and I bought our 170 we had to get it back from LA to Denver. Neither of us were TD certified, but her dad certainly is. We flew Ed Booth commercially to LA to inspect the plane and "help" us fly it back. then got him back to South Carolina.
It's a minor hurdle looking back. Angela and I quickly got certified and, other than being grounded for 4 consecutive weeks now due to weather, have been flying as much as the weekend daylight allows.
So, while I haven't been asked to ferry one, we definitely needed to have it done for us.
It's a minor hurdle looking back. Angela and I quickly got certified and, other than being grounded for 4 consecutive weeks now due to weather, have been flying as much as the weekend daylight allows.
So, while I haven't been asked to ferry one, we definitely needed to have it done for us.
Chris
1953 170B N3234A #25878
1953 170B N3234A #25878
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i'm not sure that i'd ferry one if asked again.
lawyers and liability.
i think i'd only do it for family.
we had a gentleman from atlantic, ia
do fly bys in his P-51 for our fall parade here is GC
which honored our veterans.
i asked him how many rides he gives,
and his response was typical in this 'litigation' age we live in:
"only family"
when the funeral's over,
the family's of your dead dearest friends
will listen to attorneys!!
iowa
lawyers and liability.
i think i'd only do it for family.
we had a gentleman from atlantic, ia
do fly bys in his P-51 for our fall parade here is GC
which honored our veterans.
i asked him how many rides he gives,
and his response was typical in this 'litigation' age we live in:
"only family"
when the funeral's over,
the family's of your dead dearest friends
will listen to attorneys!!
iowa

1951 170A 1468D SN 20051
1942 L-4B 2764C USAAC 43-572 (9433)
AME #17747
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A few years ago I ferried a 125 Super Cub from Central Washington to Michigan for the brother of a fellow pilot at my local airport. The fellow had no flight training but wanted to start when I got the plane to him. I checked with my insuance co. and they bound me for an extra $10Gs to cover the added value of the cub over my 170. 18 hours sitting in a Super Cub causes sore butt. I had research the database and gave him a list of CFI's in the area that were TW indorsed. I found out a few months later that He decieded to self-instruct and destroyed the plane and almost self-destructed himself. Sad. Nice airplane.
Larry
Larry
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in the same vein,
i had been called to fly a plane
to carry sky divers up in winterset, iowa.
i have a friend that does this all the time.
but everyone i asked said the same thing:
'if you are willing to risk all that you own,
go ahead and do this.'
what do you think of this?
surely some of you might have done this before?
iowa
i had been called to fly a plane
to carry sky divers up in winterset, iowa.
i have a friend that does this all the time.
but everyone i asked said the same thing:
'if you are willing to risk all that you own,
go ahead and do this.'
what do you think of this?
surely some of you might have done this before?
iowa

1951 170A 1468D SN 20051
1942 L-4B 2764C USAAC 43-572 (9433)
AME #17747
- thammer
- Posts: 137
- Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 5:07 am
I've never flown jumpers but I've jumped 352 times. Most of then are out of 182's but include Baby Great Lakes, 207, 208, 206, D-18, DC-3, Kingair, probably a couple others but those are the most memorable. I've talked to most of the pilots and they like doing it. It's not boring one take-off and one landing with hours of level flight in between. The passengers are happy to see the pilot and treat them pretty good, they're a major part of the sport. The pilots I've flown with ranged from very young trying to build hours to airline pilots who did this for fun and a father son DC-3 team. The father having flown C-47s during WWII.
I'd wonder why the people you talked to thought you'd "risk all that you own". Skydiving has been a very successful at self-regulation for decades. The FAA has been able to keep their fingers out of it for the most part. Like any other flying, if the pilot commits grievous errors like not checking the fuel sumps and the plane crashes due to engine failure, well, that has nothing to do with skydiving.
Just like flying there are accidents most do not involve the pilot. A few, such as when a pilot chute escapes prematurely in the aircraft and gets out the door, or when a chute gets caught on the tail. This is one reason why the pilot wears a reserve, so he can bail out.
I'd say those folks might be excessively risk adverse, probably don't understand the sport and its rules, and wonder why they fly if they think that way, especially if they carry passengers. But that's just me.
tye
I'd wonder why the people you talked to thought you'd "risk all that you own". Skydiving has been a very successful at self-regulation for decades. The FAA has been able to keep their fingers out of it for the most part. Like any other flying, if the pilot commits grievous errors like not checking the fuel sumps and the plane crashes due to engine failure, well, that has nothing to do with skydiving.
Just like flying there are accidents most do not involve the pilot. A few, such as when a pilot chute escapes prematurely in the aircraft and gets out the door, or when a chute gets caught on the tail. This is one reason why the pilot wears a reserve, so he can bail out.
I'd say those folks might be excessively risk adverse, probably don't understand the sport and its rules, and wonder why they fly if they think that way, especially if they carry passengers. But that's just me.
tye
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