Hi, Joel!
I hope that all is very well for you and Pris.
I've been hoping that you might speak up on this topic.
While I am sure that there are other technicians who use flying as a
part of their business, other than yourself, Pris, and Bob Cloutier, I
haven't known any that have so tightly integrated it into their work.
Thanks very much for bringing your experience and expertise to the table.
Kind regards.
Horace
On 4/22/2019 5:00 PM, Priscilla Rappaport via Piano Technicians Guild wrote:
> Please do not forward this message due to Auto Login.
>
> Peter,
> There is a lot to recommend flight training and getting a general aviation pilot's certificate. Of course, there is the thrill of flight, but also the sense of satisfaction whether you complete your training, a flight test or a successful trip that you have planned and executed. Besides the flying itself, you will sharpen your math skills, learn more about physics, keep better track of your health for those flight physicals, improve your communication skills, dive into weather systems - how they behave and what to watch out for - and, if you fly on instruments and land in low conditions, it will exercise your pucker factor . These are just a few side benefits.
> It is a lot more expensive now than when Priscilla and I did our flight training in the 1970's, but we have used it extensively in our piano service work. We live just north of Austin, Texas. When we were very active in concert service, we would fly up to Fort Worth (Meacham Field) to take care of the pianos for the Van Cliburn Foundation, both the competitions every 4 years and the ongoing concert series. We would also fly back and forth when we were the concert technicians for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (using Love Field - "keep your speed up; there's a Southwest 737 on your tail"). Each was an hour and a half flight as opposed to a three hour car trip. An added benefit was the assurance that we would not be pulled over for speeding up the Interstate. As a matter of fact, using the plane, we would go as fast as we could. That could be a financial advantage if your foot is heavy when driving. We would keep a car at each of those airports at the FBO (Fixed Base Operator) parking
> lot, grab our tools from the plane, hop in the car and be at the concert hall in minutes.
> Speaking of finances, if you do enough flying for business (all expensable using actual expenses), there is also a formula that the IRS will accept (check with your accountant) if you calculate the Percentage of Total Hours flown for Business, then figure the Percentage of Total Hours flown in Training and Proficiency (dual instruction, flight tests, even practice flights), you can multiply theT&P percentage by the business percentage and expense out that end percentage of all your expenses. Our calculations always turned out to be around 99.7% to be allowable expense. That rounds up to all of our airplane expenses being a business expense for tax purposes. Of course, we did not do very much "flying for fun" although all the flying was fun.
> The plane came in handy when we did service/warranty calls for manufacturers throughout Texas and the surrounding states. We could fly into the smallest towns if they had an airport and a lot of them do - you would be surprised. The clients were always happy to drive out to the airport to pick us up; it was something unusual. The service call could be completed and we would be back home that evening rather than drive for hours each way and have to spend the night in a motel.
> When we did our hands-on classes at annual PTG conventions, we could pack up our tools and equipment in the plane and fly to the event without having to shut down our shop a week early to ship our tools and wait a week afterwards for our shipped tools to arrive back home.
> One of the nicest things about flying yourself, is that the flight will never leave early or without you. You can imagine the time saved by not having to arrive extra early, check in at the airline desk and go through airport security. And there is no problem with bringing any of your tools onto your own plane!
> The only disadvantage we have experienced is really dangerous weather. The airlines might be flying but we have our personal guidelines about flying in thunderstorm systems (don't do it). If an appointment has to be cancelled, the customers were very understanding and we just rescheduled for a nicer day.
> If this post has a picture associated with the sender on the left, you can see Pris standing by the tail of our Cessna 182. It is a custom paint job that let the customers know when we arrived. It was a great conversation starter with clients.
> Maybe this was more information than you wanted, Peter, but it may get you thinking about the uncommon benefits of being a private pilot.
> Best regards,
> Joel Rappaport
>
> ------------------------------
> Priscilla Rappaport
> Rappaport's Piano Workshop
> Round Rock TX
> 512-255-0440
> ------------------------------
> -------------------------------------------
> Original Message:
> Sent: 04-20-2019 14:04
> From: Peter Grey
> Subject: Flight training
>
> For those of you who have a pilot's license and fly regularly:
>
> Do any of you incorporate this into your business, or is it purely recreational (i.e. hobby) for you?
>
> I've long wanted to learn to fly. Contemplating whether it's worth the expense (except for fun).
>
> Pwg
>
> ------------------------------
> Peter Grey
> Stratham NH
> 603-686-2395
>
pianodoctor57@gmail.com <
pianodoctor57@gmail.com>
> ------------------------------
>
>
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Original Message------
Peter,
There is a lot to recommend flight training and getting a general aviation pilot's certificate. Of course, there is the thrill of flight, but also the sense of satisfaction whether you complete your training, a flight test or a successful trip that you have planned and executed. Besides the flying itself, you will sharpen your math skills, learn more about physics, keep better track of your health for those flight physicals, improve your communication skills, dive into weather systems - how they behave and what to watch out for - and, if you fly on instruments and land in low conditions, it will exercise your pucker factor . These are just a few side benefits.
It is a lot more expensive now than when Priscilla and I did our flight training in the 1970's, but we have used it extensively in our piano service work. We live just north of Austin, Texas. When we were very active in concert service, we would fly up to Fort Worth (Meacham Field) to take care of the pianos for the Van Cliburn Foundation, both the competitions every 4 years and the ongoing concert series. We would also fly back and forth when we were the concert technicians for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (using Love Field - "keep your speed up; there's a Southwest 737 on your tail"). Each was an hour and a half flight as opposed to a three hour car trip. An added benefit was the assurance that we would not be pulled over for speeding up the Interstate. As a matter of fact, using the plane, we would go as fast as we could. That could be a financial advantage if your foot is heavy when driving. We would keep a car at each of those airports at the FBO (Fixed Base Operator) parking lot, grab our tools from the plane, hop in the car and be at the concert hall in minutes.
Speaking of finances, if you do enough flying for business (all expensable using actual expenses), there is also a formula that the IRS will accept (check with your accountant) if you calculate the Percentage of Total Hours flown for Business, then figure the Percentage of Total Hours flown in Training and Proficiency (dual instruction, flight tests, even practice flights), you can multiply theT&P percentage by the business percentage and expense out that end percentage of all your expenses. Our calculations always turned out to be around 99.7% to be allowable expense. That rounds up to all of our airplane expenses being a business expense for tax purposes. Of course, we did not do very much "flying for fun" although all the flying was fun.
The plane came in handy when we did service/warranty calls for manufacturers throughout Texas and the surrounding states. We could fly into the smallest towns if they had an airport and a lot of them do - you would be surprised. The clients were always happy to drive out to the airport to pick us up; it was something unusual. The service call could be completed and we would be back home that evening rather than drive for hours each way and have to spend the night in a motel.
When we did our hands-on classes at annual PTG conventions, we could pack up our tools and equipment in the plane and fly to the event without having to shut down our shop a week early to ship our tools and wait a week afterwards for our shipped tools to arrive back home.
One of the nicest things about flying yourself, is that the flight will never leave early or without you. You can imagine the time saved by not having to arrive extra early, check in at the airline desk and go through airport security. And there is no problem with bringing any of your tools onto your own plane!
The only disadvantage we have experienced is really dangerous weather. The airlines might be flying but we have our personal guidelines about flying in thunderstorm systems (don't do it). If an appointment has to be cancelled, the customers were very understanding and we just rescheduled for a nicer day.
If this post has a picture associated with the sender on the left, you can see Pris standing by the tail of our Cessna 182. It is a custom paint job that let the customers know when we arrived. It was a great conversation starter with clients.
Maybe this was more information than you wanted, Peter, but it may get you thinking about the uncommon benefits of being a private pilot.
Best regards,
Joel Rappaport
------------------------------
Priscilla Rappaport
Rappaport's Piano Workshop
Round Rock TX
512-255-0440
------------------------------