Aircraft ferry flight questions

Settle Ferry Group quotes ferry work as a pilot day rate plus the trip's expenses. The day rate covers the pilot for each day the trip takes, and it is higher for a twin engine airplane than a single. Days, not flight hours, are the unit because weather and daylight decide how long a trip really runs. An airplane held on the ground for a front still costs a day. The expenses sit on top: fuel, which scales with the engine, the distance and the price at each stop; landing, parking and handling fees, which vary widely by airport; lodging and meals on multi-day trips; and the pilot's airline travel to reach your airplane and get home after delivery. Two trips of the same distance can price very differently. Send the tail number and both airports, and the quote comes back itemized so you can see where every dollar goes.

Because the maintenance records are the only place the airplane's legal status is written down, and the pilot in command is responsible for it. A walkaround shows condition. The logs show airworthiness. Before a ferry flight, the pilot confirms that the annual inspection is current under 14 CFR 91.409, that applicable airworthiness directives have been complied with under 14 CFR Part 39, that any recent maintenance was approved for return to service under 14 CFR 91.407, and that the transponder check under 14 CFR 91.413 and the emergency locator transmitter under 14 CFR 91.207 are in order. Instrument flight adds the pitot-static and altimeter checks in 14 CFR 91.411. At the airplane, the pilot also verifies the certificates required aboard by 14 CFR 91.203 and the equipment required by 14 CFR 91.205. Send photographs of the relevant logbook pages with your quote request and the review happens before anyone travels.

A ferry permit is the everyday name for a special flight permit, which the FAA issues under 14 CFR 21.197. It lets an airplane that does not currently meet its airworthiness requirements, but is still capable of safe flight, make a specific trip. The most common reason is an expired annual inspection when the owner needs the airplane flown to a shop to have that inspection done. Other reasons include flying to a base for repairs, delivering an airplane, or evacuating one from an area of impending danger. A mechanic typically inspects the airplane first and makes a logbook entry saying it is safe for the intended flight. The permit comes from the local Flight Standards District Office or a designated airworthiness representative, and it carries operating limitations for that one trip. If your airplane is in annual and has no open airworthiness issues, it needs no permit at all. Share the status up front so any needed permit is in hand before the flight.

The fastest quote starts with six pieces of information. First, the tail number, which identifies the make, model and engine. Second, the airport where the airplane sits today and the airport where it needs to end up. Third, the date you need it moved, and whether that date is firm or flexible. Fourth, the airworthiness status: whether the annual is current and whether any maintenance items are open, since that decides whether a ferry permit is involved. Fifth, anything unusual about the equipment, such as inoperative avionics, no autopilot, or a known squawk the pilot should expect. Sixth, whether you want to ride along or log insurance transition hours on the trip, because that changes who flies the airplane and how the legs are planned. With those details, the quote can account for fuel stops, likely weather, and the pilot's travel. You can send it all through the quote form or by text to (972) 559-0871.

Flight time is simple math: distance divided by the airplane's cruise speed, plus time for climbs, descents and fuel stops. A 600 nautical mile trip in an airplane cruising at 120 knots is roughly five hours in the air before stops are added. Calendar time is what most owners actually care about, and weather sets it more than distance does. A line of storms or low ceilings along the route can hold a piston airplane on the ground for a day or more, especially when the pilot is flying that airplane for the first time. Daylight matters too, since many ferry legs in unfamiliar airplanes are planned to finish before dark. A short regional move often happens the same day it starts. A coast to coast delivery commonly spreads over two or three days. The quote includes a realistic estimate for your route, and planning a buffer day around any firm deadline is a good habit that prevents most scheduling headaches.

The pilot in command makes the final decision, and that is federal regulation, not just company policy. Under 14 CFR 91.3, the pilot in command is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of the aircraft. On a ferry flight that responsibility carries extra weight, because the pilot is often flying an airplane for the first time, over a route they may not know, with equipment they have not yet tested in the air. A conservative go or no-go decision protects the airplane, the pilot and your insurance coverage. Owners sometimes feel pressure from a closing date, a shop appointment, or a buyer waiting on the other end, and that pressure is exactly what a professional pilot is there to set aside. If weather holds the trip, it resumes when conditions allow. Building a flexible window into your timeline is the best way to keep a weather delay from turning into a real problem for you.

Often, yes, and many owners want to. Riding along lets you see how the airplane behaves, learn its systems from someone flying it, and arrive with it instead of meeting it later. If your insurance policy requires dual instruction before you fly the airplane alone, the trip can be flown as insurance transition training, with you in the left seat and a certificated flight instructor in the right seat, so the hours count toward that requirement. A few situations limit passengers. An airplane flying on a special flight permit operates under limitations set for that flight, and those limitations commonly restrict who can be on board. Weight and balance, baggage and fuel planning also matter on longer legs in smaller airplanes. Mention that you want to ride along when you ask for a quote, and the plan can account for it, including whether an instructor or a ferry pilot is the right person to fly your trip.