Airplane Intel Podcast - Aviation Podcast

This time, we review the Cessna 182-series of aircraft to give you a complete buyer’s guide. We’ll discuss everything you need to know from its history and model differences, performance specs and ownership costs, maintenance gotchas and ADs, and look at the current market and pricing. If you’ve ever thought about buying a Cessna 182, you won’t want to miss this!Check out the full show notes here.Send us your questions!Support us on Patreon.Subscribe to our YouTube channel.Boy, do we have an excited episode planned for you! Today we are talking about the Cessna 182-series of aircraft—by far one of the most ubiquitous aircraft in the skies today. In fact, it is one of the most common aircraft we help our clients buy. The Cessna 182 is a simple, reliable, and safe aircraft easily accessible to pilots of all skill levels. It’s packed full of utility and performance with excellent parts support and a ton of upgrade options. The 182 has a lot of history, with its roots dating back to the mid-1940s and almost two dozen iterations. The Cessna 182 also fits a wide variety of mission profiles. However, despite its success, not all Cessna 182s are created equal. In just a moment, we’re going to take a deep dive into the history and specs of the Cessna 182 series, including model differences and performance specs. There’s so much here that I have to break this down into two parts. So, in part 2, which will air in February, we’ll get into ownership and maintenance costs, current pricing and inventory, and more to give you a complete Cessna 182 Buyer’s Guide.

This time, we interview A&P/IA Dean Showalter to get an introduction to aircraft maintenance for airplane owners. We’ll cover everything you need to know about maintenance from inspections and overhauls to preventative and owner-assisted maintenance, to upgrades and STCs. Plus, how to save money with your aircraft’s maintenance. If you’re an airplane owner or plan to become one, you won’t want to miss this!This podcast is all about aircraft ownership. Like it or not, maintenance is an inevitable part of ownership. Unfortunately, maintenance is often the most expensive and misunderstood aspect of ownership. It is often the source of anxiety, frustration, and contention. However, with the right knowledge and a good team on your side, it doesn’t have to be that way… The truth is your aircraft requires maintenance regardless of how much it flies. All aircraft must comply with scheduled inspections such as annuals, phases, or letter checks. They must also comply with the replacement of life-limited parts such as landing gear assemblies, engine components, and safety equipment. Of course, aircraft will inevitably require unscheduled maintenance such as troubleshooting, component replacements, and servicing. In other words, there’s no way around aircraft maintenance. For most, aircraft maintenance is overwhelmingly mind numbing. It can be both complex as well as convoluted. Some maintenance is only performed on condition, while in other cases, it is accomplished on a specific schedule such as hourly, by calendar date or by cycles. Likewise, some maintenance events are required by regulation while others are mere recommendations. Knowing what maintenance to complete and when, is vital to keeping your aircraft safe, compliant, and airworthy.  The next hurdle to overcome is finding a qualified, capable, and competent maintenance provider to perform maintenance on your aircraft. Some maintenance providers are certified by the FAA as a Repair Station under FAR Part 145, while others operate under the less restrictive FAR Part 43. How do you know which shops you can trust and which ones to run away from?  In today’s discussion, we are going to cover everything you need to know about maintenance as an airplane owner. We’ll help you understand what maintenance is required versus what is recommended, show you where to find maintenance and inspection information for your airplane, demystify some common terminology used in aircraft maintenance, give you advice on how to select a quality mechanic, and show you ways to save money on your maintenance with preventative maintenance as well as owner-assisted maintenance, plus a lot more.Our guest today is Dean Showalter. Honestly, I can’t think of a better guest for this topic. I consider Dean a great friend of mine; he’s probably the nicest A&P/IA I know and is also extremely knowledgeable and experienced with it comes maintaining GA aircraft. Dean has been fixing and flying a large variety of piston-powered airplanes in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia for 27 years.  As an A&P/IA and pilot who loves planes and people, Dean has found there's an endless supply of adventure and inspiration in general aviation.  He hosts the Airplane Owner Maintenance podcast, which has put him in touch with so many amazing people around the country and beyond. In fact, I met Dean through his podcast, so I’m really excited for our conversation today. So, without further ado, let’s get into today’s interview.

This time, we interview the owner of a Piper PA46 Malibu to get a detailed review of this impressive aircraft. We’ll cover everything you need to know about the Malibu from its strengths and weaknesses to performance and specs, and cost of ownership. Plus, how to use an airplane in your business as a tool to increase productivity and a crazy horror story about an engine overhaul. Check out the full show notes hereSubscribe to our YouTube channel hereSend us your questions & feedbackSupport us on PatreonI’m very excited for today’s interview as it’s sort of a part 2 from our last episode where we got a 30,000-foot view of the entire PA46 lineup from our friend, Joe Casey. If you missed that episode, be sure to go back to hear episode 89. Today, I’m interviewing Tyler Hayes to get his outlook on buying and flying the Piper Malibu, also known as the PA46-310P, a 310-horsepower, six-place pressurized piston single. Tyler is an experienced pilot/owner of the Malibu, so he has excellent perspective as well as some interesting stories, including a horror story about his engine overhaul that you won’t want to miss. Without further ado, let’s catch up with Tyler.

This week, we catch up with Joe Casey of Casey Aviation to find out everything you need to know about the Piper PA-46 lineup. We’ll dive deep into the entire lineup from the early Malibu to the present-day M600 and everything in between. If you’ve ever wondered if the PA46 is the right airplane for you, stay tuned to find out.Check out the full show notes hereSend us your questions and feedbackSupport us on PatreonCheck out our Airplane buyer ChecklistToday we’re diving deep into the entire Piper PA46 lineup, from the first-generation Malibu to the second-generation Mirage, the unpressurized Matrix, and the latest M350. We’ll also unravel the turbine PA46s, including the JetProp, Meridian, M500, and M600. The Piper PA46 is one of my favorite aircraft, but it is often overlooked by many prospective buyers. In my interview with Joe Casey of Casey Aviation, we’re not only going to discuss the features, benefits, specs, and performance of each model, we’ll also shed some light on the common problems and shortcomings so you can decide whether the PA46 is the right choice for your mission. We’ll also demystify transition training, cost of ownership, and a lot more. I’m really excited for this interview; without further ado, let’s catch up with Joe Casey.

In today’s episode, we are going to find out what it’s like to buy, fly, and own a King Air 90. We’ll be talking about the pros and cons of King Air ownership, from how to buy one and get proper training, to insurance and ownership costs, plus a whole lot more. Our guest, David will also explain the differences in the King Air 90 models, popular modifications, and important maintenance considerations. Even if you’re not in the market for a King Air, our guest, David Miller, is going to share a ton of tips that apply to all pilots, buyers, and owners of any airplane. While I’m pretty excited for today’s topic, I’m even more excited for today’s guest. David Miller is a long-time columnist for Twin & Turbine Magazine. He’s owned a lot of airplanes over the years and currently has a King Air C90. I’ve been reading David’s articles for years, so I was pretty thrilled when he agreed to come on the show. I really think you guys will enjoy today’s interview. Without further ado, let’s get right into it. Access the full show notes hereJoin our team - apply here2009 Piper Malibu/Matrix for sale

Our guest today is Seth Lake. Seth is the owner of VSL Aviation, a flight school located in the Arkansas River Valley, specializing in multi engine training from private pilot to ATP. Seth is also a designated pilot examiner and U.S. Air Force C-130 instructor pilot. Seth is not only an experienced aviator, he’s also a great guy and experienced airplane owner. Seth and I are going to discuss everything you need to know about buying and flying a piston twin aircraft from getting your initial multi-engine rating to stepping up into larger twins like Beech Barons, Cessna 340s or Piper Navajos. We’ll also talk about how to buy a piston twin, why the piston twin market is very different from single-engine airplanes, cost of ownership, gotchas, and common mistakes. Check out the full Show Notes here.Support us on PatreonSubscribe to our YouTube channelSend us your questions & feedback

This week, we interview the owner of several popular light jets to learn to the pros and cons of jet ownership. He’ll share a ton of advice and compare features and benefits of some of today’s most popular private jets plus a lot more. If you’re thinking about flying or buying a jet, you won’t want to miss this! Check out the full show notes hereSubscribe to our YouTube ChannelAsk Us your QuestionsSupport Us on PatreonI’m very excited for today’s guest, Mark Hangen. Mark is an extremely interesting guy and experience jet pilot and owner. I think you’ll really enjoy our interview as well because we cover a lot of common questions and topics from folks looking to step up into their first jet. We will cover a lot of ground during our interview such as how to buy a light jet, including mission and market considerations, how to train and build time in a light jet to combat today’s tight insurance climate, the pros and cons of dry-leasing a jet rather than owning one outright, as well as managing and maintaining your new jet in the most cost-effective and efficient manner. We’ll also be comparing the features, performance, and mission profiles of the most popular light jets on the market – the Citation Mustang, 550, 560, and 525 Citation Jet series and why they remain competitive and desirable among owners and pilots despite increased competition from the Embraer Phenom, HondaJet, and Pilatus PC-24. Today, we’re speaking with Mark Hangen, the founder of an innovative commercial ice machine company based in Michigan called Easy Ice. Mark knows ice almost as much as he knows airplanes. Mark has flown and owned a wide variety of aircraft throughout his career, including piston singles, light twins, and large turboprops like the Turbine Commander. Mark’s not only the CEO of Easy Ice, but also its Chief Pilot. Today, Easy Ice operates multiple light jets including the Citation 500-series, Citation Mustang, and the Citation CJ2.

One of the most widely asked questions we get is, “What will it cost me to own and fly this airplane?” Along with other important factors, having a good idea of what it’s going to cost you to fly, maintain, and own a particular airplane is critical to your success as an aircraft owner or operator. Remember, the purchase price of an airplane is just the cost of admission… While you may be able to afford purchasing the aircraft, there are other ownership cost variables to consider including total acquisition cost, annual fixed costs, and variable operating costs.Check out the full show notes hereSubscribe to our YouTube channel hereSupport us on Patreon hereSend us your questions & feedback here

Today is a sad day for aviation, and to be honest, it’s a very sad day for me, too. It is with regret and a very heavy heart to report to you the original Prebuy Guy, Don Sebastian, my good friend and mentor, passed away peacefully in his sleep over the weekend after a long, yet tenaciously fought battle with cancer.  Don took me under his wing when I was a young A&P when I got out of the military. I’ll always remember the drive I made to meet him for the first time from Florida to North Carolina. My relationship with Don truly changed my life. He taught me just about everything I know about prebuy inspections, aircraft ownership, and even fixing and flying airplanes. In fact, he practically invented the word prebuy. Don was basically a walking and talking aviation encyclopedia, recognized by AOPA, EAA, and NBAA along with many other organizations for his innovation, knowledge, and willingness to share his passion with others.   On a personal level, Don helped jumpstart my civilian career in aviation and as many of you long-time listeners already know, he was instrumental with the inception and production of this podcast. More importantly, however, I’ll always appreciate Don for treating me like an equal, despite our gap in both age and experience. I believe I owe a lot to Don, both professionally and personally. He always treated me with respect and was excited to watch me grow. He helped me make many important decisions throughout my career and encouraged me to keep going when things seemed uncertain or impossible.  Don truly loved aviation; it was undoubtedly his one true passion in life. I’ll always remember Don’s eyes light up and the upward inflection in his voice whenever we’d talk about airplanes or working together on a new aviation project.  Don’s absence will leave a hole in my heart and a permanent void in the aviation community… Don, you will be sorely missed by myself, our faithful podcast listeners, and the entire aviation community. My thoughts and prayers are with your family.  And now I ask everyone listening to join me in a moment of silence…  Thanks again everyone for joining me today and for your continued support. Normal podcast episodes with resume in the coming weeks. Until then, please stay safe and take care.

Check out the show notesAsk us your questionsCheck out Coflyt for freeI’m very excited for today’s guest, Adam Meredith, the President of AOPA Finance. We interviewed Adam back in episode 47, but a lot has changed since then. Adam is going to break down why you might want to consider financing an airplane as well as what financing options are available. Adam will then walk us through the process of financing an airplane so you can avoid some common mistakes. Finally, Adam will give us an update on used airplane market trends and share some interesting tips of aircraft buyers and owners.   

Check out the full show notes hereGet a Free 60-day trial of CoflytSupport us on PatreonAsk us your questionsWatch us on YoutubeHappy Holidays and welcome to the New Year edition of the Airplane Intel Podcast, we’re an aviation podcast about the ins and outs of airplane ownership. I’m Adam, I’m a CFI, A&P/IA and cofounder of Airplane Intel. If you’re a long-time listener, welcome back, it’s great to see you! If you’re new to the show, welcome aboard, it’s great to have you along for the ride! On the show, we compare airplanes, interview aircraft owners and industry experts, and of course, share our real-world experience as professional pilots, mechanics, and inspectors working in the field everyday with airplane buyers, owners, and operators.A few weeks ago, I was invited to Pensacola, Florida to meet my friends and long-time supports of the podcast, Tal and Pace Clark of Coflyt.com. You guys all know how much I love Coflyt, a really neat desktop and mobile app that helps you manage your airplane. So when I was invited out to Pensacola, I was pretty excited. While there, I met up with Tal and Pace, got a tour of Coflyt headquarters, saw the Blue Angles practicing in their new F/A-18 Super Hornets, and had the privilege of meeting today’s guest, Mr. Roy Kinsey. Roy is an amazing guy – not only is he a respected attorney here in Florida, he also owns and flies three airplanes – a Mitsubishi MU-2, Cessna 140, and get this, a Boeing Stearman! Roy will share what it’s like to own these airplanes and gives us a unique perspective into how airplanes can be used to give back. Roy is an inspiration to me as well as many others. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did.

Check out the full show notes hereSupport us on PatreonAbout Blackstone LabsSend us your questions & FeedbackThe inner workings of an airplane engine cannot be seen or inspected with the engine still attached to the airplane. As mechanics, there’s really no way to know the overall health of the engine’s critical parts, specifically on the bottom end of the engine where are your crankshaft, and all the rods, bearings, and are located. Oil analysis is a quick, nondestructive way to gauge the health of an engine by looking at what's in the oil. People use oil analysis for different reasons: to see if there are any problems developing, to see if their oil is working well in the engine, and to see if they can run longer oil changes. In other words, an oil analysis is another tool in the toolbox, like a flashlight, allows you to shine a light into the inner workings of your engine to see how everything is holding up. As an A&P/IA that does a lot of annual inspections and prebuys, I am a huge proponent of doing regular oil samples. It’s a fast, simple, and affordable way to help detect unusual engine wear and ensure long-term engine health to TBO and beyond.

Check out the full show notes hereSupport us on PatreonSend us your Questions & FeedbackCheck out Coflyt for 60 days free!In today’s episode, we’ll catch up with aircraft logbook expert, Larry Hinebaugh to talk about why you should care about your aircraft’s logbooks, how to improve them, how to avoid common mistakes, and how to ensure all the appropriate information is there. Guess what, guys… As the aircraft’s owner or operator, you’re responsible for proving the airworthiness of your aircraft, and the only way to do that is with your aircraft’s logbooks. All maintenance, inspection, and even preventative maintenance events must be recorded in the logbooks with an approval for return to service for the aircraft to be deemed airworthy again. Remember, if it’s not documented, it didn’t happen!  Not to mention, 30% of your aircraft’s value lives in the logbooks making them almost as valuable as the aircraft itself. This is true whether we are talking about a Cessna 152, a King Air, or a Gulfstream G650. Now I realize that talking about logbooks isn’t as fun as say making a cross-country flight or even … Don’t worry, Larry and I will do our best to keep this discussion interesting, entertaining, and enjoyable as well as relevant to your experience as an owner or operator. So, without further ado, let’s dive right into it.

In today’s episode, we’re talking about all about the pre-purchase inspection—what it is, what it’s not, and why it’s a critical step in the purchase process of any airplane, from a Cessna 172 to a Gulfstream 550. I’m also going to share 5 tips for finding and hiring the right prebuy expert as well as five big-ticket items to look for when doing a prebuy that are often neglected. We’re also going to hear from my favorite co-host, Don Sebastian—the original Prebuy Guy. In fact, he practically coined the term prebuy! So I’m very excited about that.

In just a moment, we’re going to catch up with our guest, Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF. For those that may be unfamiliar with VREF, VREF Aircraft Value Reference & Appraisal service delivers aircraft, avionics and engine valuation services for General Aviation, business aviation, and airliners through its printed and online publications. Most notably, VREF provides quarterly pricing guides and real-time value data for aircraft owners, operators, and aviation professionals. If you are in the market for an airplane, changes are you’re very familiar with VREF as it is a trusted resource for AOPA members. Whether you’re looking to buy an airplane or ready to sell your current one, VREF should be your first stop in determining what your airplane is worth or what to sell for.Our guest, Jason is VREF’s president and is an Accredited Senior Aircraft Appraiser with the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), an Accredited Member of the Appraisers National Association (ANA), and an Accredited Member of the International Society of Appraisers (ISA). Jason is also an Expert Witness, aircraft broker, inventorying dealer, acquisition agent, aircraft owner, aircraft operator, contract negotiator, consultant, teacher, conference speaker, and author. In other words, Jason is the perfect person to talk to us about what’s going on the used aircraft markets…

Tal will share his his perspective as a Beechcraft Baron owner. We’re going to cover everything you should know about twin aircraft ownership from pilot training, maintenance management, ownership costs, performance, specs and much more. Tal will also share his wisdom and hard-learned lessons as an airplane owner. If you’re in the market for a high-performance piston single or twin, stay tuned!

Access the full show notes hereJoin us on PatreonSend us your questionsCheck out Coflyt.comIn today’s episode, we are covering one of my favorite topics – aviation taxes. You may be asking yourself, “What’s so interesting about taxes?” Well, if you want to save money, reduce your tax liabilities, and maximize your aviation assets, you need to have a high-level understanding of taxes. If you’re planning to purchase an airplane or own one now, whether for business or pleasure, taxes play a major role in your planning and decision making. Everything from sales and use tax, excise tax, depreciation, deductions, and tax recapturing could cost you big bucks without the expertise and guidance of an aviation tax professional.Fortunately, I know the perfect person to speak with on this topic, and that is Sue Folkringa. Sue will reveal everything you should know about aviation taxes to help keep you out of trouble and put more money in your pocket presented in a fun and interesting way using easy to understand, real-world examples we can all relate to.

Contact our Guest, Jeremy CoxCheckout our sponsor, Coflyt.comSend us your questions & feedback!Join us on PatreonCheck out the FULL SHOW NOTES hereComing up, part 2 of our interview with Jet Values Jeremy. If you missed part one, check out episode 74 in your podcast player or head over to the show notes. To wrap up, Jeremy goes into great detail about how to use the pricing guides like VREF and aircraft bluebook digest as well as rules of thumb for determining the value of avionics, modifications, engines, and a lot more. Plus, what to do about missing logbooks and damage history.

When we’re helping one of our clients buy or sell an airplane, a question that comes up virtually 100% of the time is, “how do I know what this airplane is worth?” Valuing an airplane can be difficult and downright dubious because aircraft values revolve around a plethora of variables such as market trends, aircraft condition, aircraft history, total times, modifications installed, and even the integrity of its maintenance records.In today’s episode, our guest, Jeremy Cox, will shed some light on the process of valuing and appraising an aircraft. Jeremy is the founder of JetValues Jeremy and is an experienced pilot, aircraft mechanic, aviation consultant, and Senior Certified Aircraft Appraiser. Jeremy is also a columnist for AvBuyer Magazine.

We’re happy to have you aboard for another episode of the podcast and I’m very excited for today’s interview. Today’s episode is brought to you by our friends at Coflyt.com. Our guest is Tal Clark, co-founder of Cofylt.com, an innovative desktop and mobile app that completely automates and simplifies your aircraft management. As an A&P/IA, I’ve used all kinds of software programs to manage aircraft, but none like Coflyt. The Coflyt app is packed with features and functions that are easy to use, customizable, and very comprehensive. Best of all, it’s affordable, too. Exclusively for Airplane Intel Podcast listeners, Coflyt is giving you a free 60-day trial and 20% off your subscription. Simply head over to Coflyt.com and enter the code PREBUY at checkout. Trust me when I tell you, once you start using Coflyt, you’ll wonder how you ever flew without it!