Aircraft Partnership

About Us

I started this website as one answer to the high cost of flying. The clear solution for me is a partnership. Since my search on the web came up empty I figured it was time to start a site where potential owners could meet. Where they could join their monetary forces and conquer the prohibitive cost of flying.

I grew up around aviation, I was probably 4 years old when I first watched my Dad crop dust the wheat fields in Eastern Washington and from that day on I was hooked on aviation. Dad retired as a Senior Captain with Delta Airlines. I took his advice and took classes in computer science so I could find work if I was ever furloughed from my airline.

As a new hire pilot with a computer science background I found a need for automation in the Airline scheduling so I started a software company that currently works with 7 major airlines and over 20,000 crewmembers. As we developed scheduling, notification and pilot to pilot communication for Airline crewmembers I began to see a need for the same type of automation for my aircraft partnerships.

Currently I own 3 different aircraft. My Citabria which the I fly just to see the sites and log some good old Stick and rudder aerobatics, a Twin Bonanza that we load up for Hunting and Fishing Trips and a very Nice Piper Navajo. Flying and Maintaining the Twin bonanza and Navajo under an aircraftpartnership allow me to fly these wonderful aircraft at a reasonable cost. But more importantly, these airplanes are flown enough to keep them from wasting away. I have always believed the worst thing you can do with any aircraft is not to fly it and let it sit.

I hope we can help in your search for flying partners.

Raymond James

About Aircraftpartnership.com

I started this site as one answer to the high cost of flying. Like many, I flew years ago in my twenties when it was cheap. J3 cups sold for $1500.00. Renting a Cessna 150 cost $8.00/hour wet! Now in my forties I am looking to getting back into flying by buying an airplane. However the high cost of ownership is daunting. The clear solution for me is a partnership. Since my search on the web came up empty I figured it was time to start a site where potential owners could meet. Where they could join their monetary forces and conquer the prohibitive cost of flying.

My personal dream aircraft is a Lake EP. I flew the (new at the time) Lake EP at Oshkosh in 1983. It wasn't like the older Buccaneers with 180 horsepower. It was almost a totally different airplane. Since then I have wanted to own one. However to get a acceptable rate on insurance you have to go through a twenty-five hour training course given only at a few select locations. My plan would be to get one or two partners go back East where they have the training program and purchase a Lake EP. Then we would all take the training at our leisure. This would differ the cost of the airplane (about 100 to 115 thousand) to one half or one third of that.

It's just this kind of networking that I hope happens at this site.

I had thought of building my own airplane. I even put $5,000.00 down on a kit only to have the manufacturer fail in his attempt to deliver a 4-place amphibian. I am handy with wood and steel. I used to work in fiberglass making water-skis in college. I also have a complete shop with every tool known to man. So I have the ability, tools and desire to build my own airplane. But not the time. Constructing a homebuilt still interests me and I will probably do so one day. For now buying one seems the best way to go.

I hope we can help in your search for flying partners.

Bob Jensen, your Internet co-pilot.