What Would An OPPO Fly?

"Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight" (gizmoq) 01/17/2014 at 12:53 • Filed to: Plane lopnik

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With the recent influx of what/ifs and hypotheticals, I thought I'd throw one out there for the OPPO universe. Lets assume you have the necessary flight certifications and had $8 Million to spend, what aircraft would you buy and why? It has to become your private air conveyance, i.e., you fly it, not a hired "chauffeur," you are not John Travolta so 747s are out (you can't get a 747 for $10M anyway). This is a personal plane, not shared, not company-owned, not a rental.

I'll start. (Why I have put so much thought into this... I blame too much snow) I'll take a used Antonov AN-74TK-400. After a full overhaul and refurb, it would become my primary mode of travel for any trip over 100 miles.

With its high wing and engines mounted across the wing it has short take-off and landing, i.e., if you can land a Turbo Viking there, this can too. Cruises at 460kts, 2800 mile range, and can carry 13,000lb payload, 3000ft runway requirement.

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! seating up to 8 plus pilot and co-pilot. It has internal APU (more on that later). It sleeps 6. The main cabin has couch and 2 chairs. The galley has fridge, microwave, sink, bathroom and breakfast nook for 2. The bedroom cabin has a full bed, make-up vanity, sink, shower, and closet. When you land, it can become your "mobile home" with hot and cold running water, WiFi, Internet TV, and supplies for a week while the internal APU supplies power to everything inside the aircraft the whole time.

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But best of all.... IT HAS A GARAGE FOR MY CAR plus possibly a scooter or a golf cart. The rear cargo area has a load bearing door and is just large/deep enough for the Million dollar sports car I buy with the leftover money from the aircraft purchase and mods. The first mod would be to convert the area under the full bed to store my track wheels, hydraulic jacks and tools that also run off the APU. I could store all my spare parts and equipment above the upper rear door. Install halogen lighting on the ramp and side pods for night repairs.

Maybe I've been watching too much TV (Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D), but I'd hoon that all over the world. Imagine no more long, boring roadtrips to car shows or racing events. I could show up a day early. Land it on the runway we're going to race on. Pull it off to the side of the taxiway and set up my pits at the back of the aircraft. Sure, I'd have to wait till the day after the event to leave(after everyone's gone and they cleared the runway for air ops again) but it'd be worth it. No more TSA and long waits at the airport. No more questionable hotels: soft bed, hard bed, questionable A/C, no heat, etc. No more rental cars for business trips. What say you?

Jayhawk Jake > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 12:56

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Next question?

Bad Idea Hat > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 12:56

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You had better sit down.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 12:56

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A Spitfire.. I can have one for 8 million dollars right?

Brian, The Life of > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 12:58

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Catalina Flying Boat

Because if I could afford to burn $8MM on personal air conveyance I would not be in a hurry and I really can't think of anything cooler.

f86sabre > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 12:59

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I would fly everything! But if I have to choose just one aircraft...

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 13:01

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Antonov AN-225 because its the biggest so I could fit the most cars in it to fly from Track to Track around the world. First Stop Monaco!

Jagvar > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 13:01

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At that price point, either a Learjet 40:

...or an Embraer Phenom 300

Gulfstreams cost more than $10mil, or they'd be on my list.

Jayhawk Jake > Brian, The Life of 01/17/2014 at 13:02

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A Grumman Albatross would be another option

It's more useful than a Catalina

oldirtybootz > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 13:02

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Dat Mustang. Fuck practicality.

André - Volvo4Life > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 13:02

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The Miata of the air.

Gamecat235 > f86sabre 01/17/2014 at 13:02

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SHOCKING!

Gamecat235 > Jayhawk Jake 01/17/2014 at 13:02

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I like the way you think

Jagvar > Luc - The Acadian Oppo 01/17/2014 at 13:04

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With an $8 million budget, you might be able to afford a couple of the tires.

Jayhawk Jake > Gamecat235 01/17/2014 at 13:04

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The DC-3 is like the manual diesel wagon of the skies.

It's reasonably fast, easy to work on, reliable, can hold a lot of stuff, and can access short strips.

There's nothing to not like about a DC-3

f86sabre > f86sabre 01/17/2014 at 13:05

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$795k. can I buy more planes? I also need a B-25, Grumman Goose and a DC-3 as well.
http://www.courtesyaircraft.com/Current%20Inve…

Gamecat235 > Jayhawk Jake 01/17/2014 at 13:05

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You are preaching to the choir. My father instilled a love of DC-3/C-47's in me at an early age and it never, ever waned.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Luc - The Acadian Oppo 01/17/2014 at 13:05

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I guess I did not read carefully enough and went overboard. Screw it this is my fantasy and I will have a Antonov!

f86sabre > Jagvar 01/17/2014 at 13:06

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You could get 3 engines.

Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight > Luc - The Acadian Oppo 01/17/2014 at 13:09

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I considered it and the IL 76 but they're just too big to be considered a personal conveyance (and its WORK getting those things off the ground and back).

Jayhawk Jake > Gamecat235 01/17/2014 at 13:10

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I continuously defend it as the greatest aircraft ever produced.

Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight > oldirtybootz 01/17/2014 at 13:10

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If I was shooting just for sport, I second that!

getchapopcorn > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 13:13

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Wow, that's a hard one. I don't think I'd go luxury at all, instead opting for speed, history, or overall badassery. I'm thinking I'd probably be looking at a Sukhoi SU-27, a P-38 lightning, and then have enough left over to pick up a P-51 mustang, Messerschmitt BF-109E-7, or TA-4J Skyhawk.

Jayhawk Jake > Jagvar 01/17/2014 at 13:13

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Why not a Citation?

http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail…

This one is selling for $8 mil. Mach 0.93.

http://media.sandhills.com/img.axd?id=100…

You could get a used Gulfstream if your heart is set on one

http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail…

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 13:13

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CAR_IS_MI > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 13:15

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Beriev Be-103.

Can land in water and has gull wing doors...

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 13:16

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RFB Fantrainer. Jet aircraft flying dynamics with the running costs of a prop craft. Did I mention that the prototype was powered by a Wankel?

Alternatively, if I had a family I'd get a Beechcraft Starship.

carcrasher88 > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 01/17/2014 at 13:16

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From what I've read online, they usually sell in the $2-4 million range.

NaturallyAspirated > Jayhawk Jake 01/17/2014 at 13:28

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Those R-1820s make a great noise, too.

getchapopcorn > getchapopcorn 01/17/2014 at 13:32

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**p-38 or su-27** (both check in around 4-5MM)

Jayhawk Jake > NaturallyAspirated 01/17/2014 at 13:33

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Indeed. It's a dream in the air

Jayhawk Jake > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/17/2014 at 13:34

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Good luck finding a Starship for $8million

Pretty sure there's only 4 left.

DanimalHouse > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 14:04

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Because Afterburners.

Nighthawkwill7, Hoon Depot Manager > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 14:09

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SU-27 Flanker because air cobra hoonage. They can be bought for 4-6M.

Also, I've seen used 737's going for half a million so it wouldn't be that bad. Obviously no 747 but still.

MountainCommand > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 14:26

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Gulfstream G550. Because cruising at anything below 50K feet is for chums.

Ive been in one a few times, and once at over 47K feet and it was the highest and fastest ive ever gone.

The g650 is better sure, but i like the slim design of the 550.

pdthedeuce > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 14:30

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because Mad Max ...

Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight > DanimalHouse 01/17/2014 at 14:39

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Been there, done that, got the skidmarks
Intersting story: Worked on Strike Eagle in Georgia one summer. One pilot was giving his ground crew a hard time for a while. To get even, on his scheduled Max altitude TO-climb mission they turned on all 5 afterburners (only 3 used routinely stateside). Guy takes off mil power, 100 AGL sucks up the gear, 500AGL rotates the nose and hits the burners, the plane literally somersaults along the wing axis. He shuts everything down, aborts the mission, and lands. No more crap to the ground crew... evah.

DanimalHouse > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 14:48

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Haha, no kidding! Good story

ihm96 > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 14:53

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Sounds like, while the captain was an asshole, the crew did something incredibly dangerous and reckless

Stephen the Canuck > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 15:18

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DeHavilland Beaver. I've always wanted to have an air access hunting/fishing camp in northern Ontario. And with my pilot's licence, this would be what I would go for. Or the Otter if I needed more room.

Makoyouidiot > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 15:22

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I hope 8 mil is enough to commission a one off Conway L-16

911e46z06 > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/17/2014 at 16:05

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I'd say a Widgeon, but I think we can all agree it's definitely some sort of flying boat.

911e46z06 > CAR_IS_MI 01/17/2014 at 16:08

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That looks so sketchy. I've never seen a seaplane where the wings sit that close to the water.

CAR_IS_MI > 911e46z06 01/17/2014 at 16:11

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The wings are actually used to help displace the water and stabilize the craft.

911e46z06 > CAR_IS_MI 01/17/2014 at 16:18

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Am I crazy, or does it seem like a little unexpected one-foot swell or a gust of wind that rolls you a couple degrees would send this thing cartwheeling?

CAR_IS_MI > 911e46z06 01/17/2014 at 16:31

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Lol. It IS actually quite light and susceptible to such factors, so much so that it actually comes with a ballast that you must fill and place in the cabin to equalize weights when flying solo.

I don't care through, this would be troll plane 1, land it in a lake, let it float while you sit on the wing and watch every boat come up like OMG! DID YOU CRASH, ARE YOU OKAY!?

911e46z06 > CAR_IS_MI 01/17/2014 at 16:34

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Jesus dude. At least the water would extinguish the fire.

CAR_IS_MI > 911e46z06 01/17/2014 at 16:40

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Lol, no fires, just fun flips and shit should you not ballast it. And whats the point of flying if its not dangerously fun...

911e46z06 > CAR_IS_MI 01/17/2014 at 16:45

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Lol. I'm usually just in it for going to places inaccessible to the unwashed masses. I'll watch a scary movie or ride a roller coaster every now and then, but I prefer my air travel to be boring and uneventful.

CAR_IS_MI > 911e46z06 01/17/2014 at 17:04

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That's boring and uneventful!

911e46z06 > CAR_IS_MI 01/17/2014 at 17:14

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It's Cessna 206s with floats for all my seaplaneing needs.

CAR_IS_MI > 911e46z06 01/17/2014 at 17:15

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But no gullwing doors so...

911e46z06 > CAR_IS_MI 01/17/2014 at 17:24

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good point

CAR_IS_MI > 911e46z06 01/17/2014 at 17:30

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Right! I mean, whats the point of spending $1M+ on an airplane, if it doesn't even have gullwing doors?

911e46z06 > CAR_IS_MI 01/17/2014 at 18:11

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I could always throw a Lambo door kit on the Cessna. Maybe some under-body neons too.

CAR_IS_MI > 911e46z06 01/17/2014 at 18:15

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Take it easy there Uncle Ben...

EvilFD > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 01/19/2014 at 00:00

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This is absolutely astounding. The fact it still has a Daimler Benz engine and not the Rolls Royce many have been converted to is, by itself, pretty awesome. Factor in the pedigree and this thing is jaw dropping.

http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail…

DrAdequate > Jayhawk Jake 11/19/2015 at 20:40

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Boeing Model 247-D. Not, as other commenters claim, the Douglas DC-3.

SukhoiRomanticthenonfacebookloginversion > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 11/20/2015 at 02:44

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How about a Sikorsky S-38? Land it by the pier and have Jeeves pick you up in the Duesenberg

TchmilFan > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight 11/24/2015 at 15:53

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I’m quite partial to the PC-12.