[Rhodes22-list] Hey Brad

Mon May 15 15:39:59 EDT 2006

Bob,

Interesting that you used an article from Eclipse. 
The micro-jet market is the new, new thing, and
Eclipse has Microsoft money behind them.  Some of the
others won't make the final cut.  The new aircraft
business is infamous for eating capital and most won't
survive, Eclipse will.  The same is true of FBO's.  If
I were you I'd develop a series of questions about
their financing and what they see as their market. 
The real money in GA is in servicing fractional
ownership shares of corporate jets.  There simply
isn't enough Joe Blow weekend flyers to support an FBO
anymore.  Ask who they think their main competition
is:  other SUS FBO's or Bi-State, East Alton FBO's,
etc.  What niche are they seeking?  Fuel, maintenance,
charter, training?  MidCoast Aviation used to be the
big player in STL and opened an FBO in Little Rock
that got bought by my former employer, CFS.   I
remember 25 years ago asking Mr. Holbert of Central
Flying Service (now deceased) if he thought they'd get
enough of our business to survive.  The 'ole man"
Claude said, "Son, if they got all my business they
couldn't survive".  They didn't.  With the FBO
business it is all about overhead, and upfront costs. 
Your potential new employer better have deep pockets
or a really sweet political deal with the airport. 
The best case is corporate owners that don't care
about making money.  It has always been a tough, tough
business and nothing has changed in that regard.  It
sure is fun though and if you've got the bug, nothing
will cure it but to jump in.

Brad

--- Bob Weber <ruba1811 at hotmail.com> wrote:

> Brad, "MBA from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
> University"  Impressive I am glad 
> I inquired.  There have already been two major
> changes out at SUS.  The St. 
> Louis Business Journal did a article on those
> changes see 
>
http://www.eclipseaviation.com/index.php?option=com_newsroom&task=viewarticle&id=1019&Itemid=347
> Both co.s relied heavly on Capital Investment money.
>  The article also 
> suggest that consolidation is the best way to make
> it work.  That makes 
> sense the auto rental people did the same thing.  If
> you think of some good 
> questions for me to ask that would be great.  BW
> 
> 
> >From: brad haslett <flybrad at yahoo.com>
> >Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
> <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
> <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Hey Brad
> >Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 11:51:57 -0700 (PDT)
> >
> >Bob
> >
> >Let me do some homework.  Despite having a recent
> MBA
> >from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, I'm
> really
> >out of the loop on GA.  My guess is that things
> >haven't changed that much and they're
> >under-capitalized, unless they have a corporate
> angel.
> >  Getting a contract based on profits will be tough
> >(been there, done that) but not impossible.  Ask
> them
> >for a pro-forma income statement and a business
> plan.
> >If they hesitate they are either not shooting
> straight
> >or "betting on the come".  After working for
> Central
> >Flying Service in Little Rock for five years, one
> of
> >the best, I wouldn't hesitate a bit about being
> >confrontational with any aspiring FBO about what
> makes
> >them think they can succeed in a market with so
> high a
> >death rate.
> >
> >Brad
> >
> >--- Bob Weber <ruba1811 at hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Brad, They are looking for their first hire who
> will
> > > be incharge of hiring
> > > the rest of the group and starting the bus. 
> Their
> > > operation in Kansas is
> > > pretty impressive
> http://www.midwestaviation.com/
> > > It would be a hard job
> > > the first year or so but if I can get my income
> tied
> > > to profitability it
> > > would be worth it.  If you think of any place
> that I
> > > could check to be
> > > better informed for my next meeting, drop me a
> note.
> > >  Bob
> > >
> > >
> > > >From: brad haslett <flybrad at yahoo.com>
> > > >Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
> > > <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > > >To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
> > > <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > > >Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Hey Brad
> > > >Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 10:59:42 -0700 (PDT)
> > > >
> > > >Bob,
> > > >
> > > >That FBO is not familiar but I've been out of
> > > General
> > > >Aviation for 25 years.  You've probably heard
> the
> > > >story from me about taking the first jet into
> Wiess
> > > >airport on the south side of St. Louis with car
> > > parts
> > > >for Chrysler.  We told them they could sent a
> truck
> > > to
> > > >Lambert or Spirit of St. Louis in the future (I
> > > damned
> > > >near rolled the little jet into a beer can). 
> What
> > > >position are you seeking?  GA is really hot now
> > > since
> > > >9/11.  Spirit of St. Louis was a nice airport
> 25
> > > years
> > > >ago and my guess is that its only gotten
> better.
> > > I'm
> > > >in the market right now for a M-20C Mooney to
> make
> > > >trips to the MS Gulf and to Mom and Dad's (they
> are
> > > >getting old).  The GA market has changed a lot
> with
> > > >avionics but still no new airframes, except for
> the
> > > >foriegn built composite stuff.  Thank you trial
> > > >lawyers!  Keep me informed about what's
> happening.
> > > >Getting back into GA is almost as exciting as
> it
> > > was
> > > >when I was 15.
> > > >
> > > >Brad
> > > >
> > > >--- Bob Weber <ruba1811 at hotmail.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Brad, good to hear from you again.  In all
> your
> > > > > flying days did you deal
> > > > > with an FBO out of COLONEL JAMES JABARA
> airport
> > > in
> > > > > Witchata, KS named
> > > > > midwest corporate aviation?  I ask because
> they
> > > are
> > > > > going to start an FBO at
> > > > > Spirit of St. Louis and I am interested in a
> > > > > position there.  Any help you
> > > > > can give me to do better researching would
> be
> > > much
> > > > > appreciated.  Thanks Bob
> > > > > Weber
> > > > >
> > > > > >From: brad haslett <flybrad at yahoo.com>
> > > > > >Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
> > > > > <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > > > > >To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
> > > > > >Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Your New Nightmare
> > > > > >Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 10:13:00 -0700 (PDT)
> > > > > >
> > > > > >Boys and Girls,
> > > > > >
> > > > > >Ken and I are serious about the e-bay
> Rhodes-22
> > > and
> > > > > >are watching the market.  Ken just married
> his
> > > > > Chinese
> > > > > >girlfriend from Shenyang China, and is
> retiring
> > > > > soon.
> > > > > >Our plan is to put a boat in Gulfport, MS
> and
> > > > > perhaps
> > > > > >another one on Kentucky Lake.  The good
> news is
> > > > > that
> > > > > >between flying, teaching, and trying to be
> a
> > > > > >responsible CEO to our Katrina inspired
> > > > > construction
> > > > > >company, I really don't have time to get
> > > involved
> > > > > in
> > > > > >R-22 list political discussions.  BUT,
> here's a
> > > > > quick
> > > > > >response to the latest issues on the
> archives.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >Spying
> > > > > >
> > > > > >If you want to get pissed off about
> government
> > > > > spying
> > > > > >into your personal affairs, start with the
> IRS.
> > > > > They
> > > > > >know about every deposit you make, your
> mutual
> > > > > funds,
> > > > > >your bank accounts, etc., etc.  Data mining
> is
> > > > > pretty
> > > > > >common.  The ACLU recently had a row with
> their
> 
=== message truncated ===

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