Foresight Aviation can provide a contract pilot for your TBM. Yes, most TBMs are owner flown and we get that. Yet, at times you may prefer to sit in the back with friends and family or have a busy schedule that makes it impractical to attend to all of the requisite duties of planning and executing a safe, comfortable flight. Occasionally you might even be a bit intimidated by weather or unfamiliar, complex or busy airspace and decide you would rather have a pro along for backup. Most seasoned aviation professionals share a cockpit (and a great safety record). Perhaps you should too. Whatever your personality and mission, there will ultimately come a day where a wise aviator looking over your shoulder would say, “You know, I think you really ought to get some help with this mission.” If you ever think you hear that voice, Foresight is here for you.
OK, enough preaching, Let’s look at flying your TBM from another angle. With such a fun capable machine, who wouldn’t want to take the left seat to enjoy the challenge and exhilaration of taking off in your own private aircraft from a cold rainy airport and bursting through the clouds into a glorious sunny day; or watching a runway appear dead center in the windscreen after breaking out of a low overcast as the sun sets over the ocean. On the other hand, after the novelty of being the pilot (as well as the owner, operator, director of maintenance, check pilot, and flight attendant) wears off, what keeps most pilots interested in flying is the departure, and arrival. Yet to enjoy those first and last few minutes of a flight where most of the action happens, a pilot who intelligently manages the overall operational risks of that flight will have many hours of background work to do to: checking weather, choosing alternate airports, planning the most efficient and comfortable routes and altitudes, planning optimal fuel stops, selecting and coordinating with the best FBO to arrange hangar or ramp accommodations and ground transportation, filing a flight plan and any necessary EAPIS or CANPASS information, computing fuel requirements and supervising the fueling, pre-flighting the aircraft early enough to ward off last minute problems, getting oxygen and nitrogen service if needed, arranging catering or just getting some drinks and snacks on board, obtaining an IFR clearance before the passengers arrive, getting a GPU arranged and settling up with the FBO…well you get the idea and we haven’t even taken off yet. Then the laundry list picks up again after landing.
TBM pilots are a diverse group of individuals and, for some, all of this “pilot stuff” is just part of the fun. If that’s you, that’s great. But if some of this makes sense to you, it makes sense to call Foresight and see how we can take 80 percent of the hassle out of flying for little added cost. What is the cost…
$900/day; plus expenses