"Goshen, formerly Darkcode" (thedarkestofallcodes)
02/20/2014 at 13:58 • Filed to: PLANELOPNIK
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"Goshen, formerly Darkcode" (thedarkestofallcodes)
02/20/2014 at 13:58 • Filed to: PLANELOPNIK | 1
| 15 |
So yeah, basically, which jet fighters have been bought and registered by civillians? I know that Fishbeds, Drakens (depicted) and Mirages can be found for sale on the webernetz. But what else? And why can't US warbirds go into civillian use?
CAR_IS_MI
> Goshen, formerly Darkcode
02/20/2014 at 14:02 |
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I didn't think a Civi could buy, register, and fly a jet fighter other than for museum / show purposes.
Thunder
> Goshen, formerly Darkcode
02/20/2014 at 14:05 |
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I knew a guy who flew into my local (childhood) airport in a MiG-17. He had a fleet of foreign military jet aircraft at home, including a supersonic MiG-21.
He had just purchased the MiG-17 and was flying it home from Vermont to California; he landed at our field over concern for foggy conditions in the Ohio valley (his planned stop) the next day.
Edit: Ah HA! Here he is (I figured his name would be in print somewhere). It was Jim Wickersham who stopped at UCA with a MiG-17 circa 1992. The Wild Red Yonder Oh, wow. That article doesn't sound good - especially as it sounds like a dead end as Jim's subsequent endeavors aren't mentioned.
NotUnlessRoundIsFunny
> Goshen, formerly Darkcode
02/20/2014 at 14:07 |
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But! There are some really cool trainers out there you can buy and fly in the US, like the L-39 or the T-38. As others have said (and I've heard secondhand) buying the actual fighters is painful to impossible.
f86sabre
> Goshen, formerly Darkcode
02/20/2014 at 14:07 |
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Paul Allen has a Mig-29 and F-5 that he flies.
ttyymmnn
> Goshen, formerly Darkcode
02/20/2014 at 14:17 |
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This MiG-17F appears regularly on the air show circuit, flown by Randy Ball. There's also a group that flies F-86 Sabres, a private F-4, and a private FJ3 Fury. I'm sure there are others, but those are the ones I've seen. All old iron, though. I believe they must also carry an Experimental certificate.
Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2
> Goshen, formerly Darkcode
02/20/2014 at 14:24 |
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A guy in Northern Virginia has a Harrier.
KatzManDu
> Goshen, formerly Darkcode
02/20/2014 at 14:39 |
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There are lots of planes out there, including a lot of ex-US aircraft, but they're from the early cold war (T-33, T-38, F-86, etc.) There are many others from the eastern block available, too. Just google for it. One broker that has a lot of this type of thing is in Rockford, IL called Courtesy Aircraft Sales (no affiliation, I just drool over their inventory.)
More modern US jets are prevented from public sale for a number of reasons. It's not illegal, but close to impossible. Usually we don't want other people getting our technology and alternately other friendly nations still use our seconds, so we recoup some of that investment by selling (or giving) those aircraft to friendlies. Stuff still goes on sale through the normal demilitarization processes: http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives…
If you want to be saddened, look at the aircraft graveyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base outside Tucson, AZ.
There are some limitations on not on ownership, but when/how you can fly them. And not just from the FAA.
First, if you have the money for one of these you also need the money to put jet fuel in it. Think up to 2000 gallons at a time (full load for an F-14), at $6/gal. Even if you're a millionaire, that adds up.
Also, depending upon how the aircraft is registered, it may be registered for "demonstration purposes only" under the Experimental Category which means you can really only fly it to air shows, and you need the FAA's written permission, first (you'll fax a form in and hear back within 24-48 hours from what I gather.)
Then there are issues with insurance. Although insurance is not required for airplane ownership like it is for car ownership, but you'd be a moron to not have some kind of liability and accident insurance. Even if you go down in a blaze of glory, your entire estate could go away to some ambulance chaser. Low-time pilots won't be able to get insurance on a jet like this, at least not easily. So if you win the lotto tomorrow and go and buy a jet (like an ex-Eastern Bloc L-39) even if you can get training on it, you won't get insurance.
It requires a lot of training and skill to pilot a jet. The fundamentals are the same as with your Cessna 150, but when you're 4x the speed, things happen 4x faster, and that's not easy for everyone to get used to.
BrewskiDoodle
> Goshen, formerly Darkcode
02/20/2014 at 14:41 |
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i saw a mig at an airshow that flew in.. seemed to be private
grom-commando
> Goshen, formerly Darkcode
02/20/2014 at 14:49 |
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These guys run F-104 Starfighters.
user314
> CAR_IS_MI
02/20/2014 at 14:52 |
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It's a pain in the tail to go through all the hoops , and expensive as all hell to buy and maintain a jet, but beyond that, it's no different than taking up a Cessna for a flight.
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CAR_IS_MI
> user314
02/20/2014 at 14:54 |
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Except it goes way faster than a Cessna.
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Goshen, formerly Darkcode
> Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2
02/20/2014 at 14:56 |
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That must be as awesome as it gets.
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Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2
> Goshen, formerly Darkcode
02/20/2014 at 15:12 |
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It flew over me on 295 once. Quite a shock.
slomaro
> Goshen, formerly Darkcode
02/20/2014 at 22:18 |
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A few years ago there was a Saab Gripen <3 for sale domestically for a price in the hundreds of thousands.
It was a video ad. I want to say that maybe an aviation museum owned it. Whoever the owner, the guy being interviewed was basically saying they needed to fly it to keep it in flying shape and they couldn't do that because they couldn't afford the fuel to make it happen. It was something like $80,000 to fill it up... (some quick googling says that might be right...assuming it runs on Jet A. Just a guess on the fuel type. No idea for non commercial planes.)
Love that plane.
The Compromiser
> Goshen, formerly Darkcode
02/20/2014 at 22:48 |
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I can.t find any info currently (Restricted access)but doesn't the confederate air force have a bunch. I've seen Phantoms at an air show that were american owned (Civilian) and alot of WW2 Planes.