Light Aircraft
If a whirly bird is not your style, try a light
fixed wing aircraft, privately chartered to suit your travel dates
and times. Small airports that cater to flight schools are your
best bet for plentiful fleets with qualified pilots. Aircraft
rental prices will be determined by engine size and length of
flight, usually calculated by the hour. The pilot, however, will
require a fixed price and they do not come cheap.
If your aim is to take a short scenic flight, the two most popular and affordable single engine aircrafts come from Cessna and Piper. The Cessna two seater Skycatcher and the larger four place model, Skyhawk are constructed with a high-wing configuration with will afford you some beautiful unobstructed views. However, the high winged planes tend to sway with the winds and produce a rocky flight. Conversely, the Piper counterparts with the two place Warrior lll and four place Arrow are low winged crafts that fly with greater stability, but may take the "scenic" out of your flight as you crane your neck to take in the views. Both light aircraft have their own unique merit and are safe and sound; its your choice.
Booking a chartered light aircraft works best for short trips lasting less than three hours. Although its possible to fly coast to coast, light planes are the slowest moving things in the sky and the cost will be enormous. You must plan to make frequent stops for fueling and overnight rest periods thus racking up a fortune for a cross country flight. But for a once in a lifetime experience, it might be nice.
Weight restrictions are strongly enforced on the small planes, so be prepared to comply with the strict luggage weight requirements. In a two or four passenger plane, your pilot will determine the weight capacity and also the strategic distribution of it. He or she may ask you how much you weigh, but don't be offended. This is to properly balance the weight on each side of the plane for smooth and stable flight.
When selecting your captain for the day, be sure to ask if he or she is instrument rated. The polite thing to do is offer the job to your buddy with a license, but for a long trip be sure he has the precautionary rating. On clear days, most pilots fly under Visual Flight Rules, or "pilotage" which means they are navigating by sight and not dependent on the instruments. However, the clear skies can change on a dime bringing fog, clouds and difficult conditions for sight. An instrument rated pilot is trained to rely completely on instrument readings regardless of the visibility, and that pilot is the one you want in the cockpit when flying in bad weather.
If your aim is to take a short scenic flight, the two most popular and affordable single engine aircrafts come from Cessna and Piper. The Cessna two seater Skycatcher and the larger four place model, Skyhawk are constructed with a high-wing configuration with will afford you some beautiful unobstructed views. However, the high winged planes tend to sway with the winds and produce a rocky flight. Conversely, the Piper counterparts with the two place Warrior lll and four place Arrow are low winged crafts that fly with greater stability, but may take the "scenic" out of your flight as you crane your neck to take in the views. Both light aircraft have their own unique merit and are safe and sound; its your choice.
Booking a chartered light aircraft works best for short trips lasting less than three hours. Although its possible to fly coast to coast, light planes are the slowest moving things in the sky and the cost will be enormous. You must plan to make frequent stops for fueling and overnight rest periods thus racking up a fortune for a cross country flight. But for a once in a lifetime experience, it might be nice.
Weight restrictions are strongly enforced on the small planes, so be prepared to comply with the strict luggage weight requirements. In a two or four passenger plane, your pilot will determine the weight capacity and also the strategic distribution of it. He or she may ask you how much you weigh, but don't be offended. This is to properly balance the weight on each side of the plane for smooth and stable flight.
When selecting your captain for the day, be sure to ask if he or she is instrument rated. The polite thing to do is offer the job to your buddy with a license, but for a long trip be sure he has the precautionary rating. On clear days, most pilots fly under Visual Flight Rules, or "pilotage" which means they are navigating by sight and not dependent on the instruments. However, the clear skies can change on a dime bringing fog, clouds and difficult conditions for sight. An instrument rated pilot is trained to rely completely on instrument readings regardless of the visibility, and that pilot is the one you want in the cockpit when flying in bad weather.