Tankerpilot75
Well Known Member
The reason I have my own airplane today (RV7A) is because I damaged a friend’s Bonanza pulling it out of his hanger. I turned the nose wheel too tight, it popped the seals and the strut collapsed. I was a named pilot on his policy but also had my own “renters” policy through AOPA (AIG). I filed the claim through “my coverage” and it covered most of the repair cost. By the way, his policy was also through AIG and I never asked whether the claim on my policy affected his renewal but I was removed as a covered pilot.
But here was the problem, he was without access to his plane while it was being repaired. He used it in his business! The incident didn’t do our friendship any favors for a while but it has since recovered (good friendships usually do). When I bought insurance for my RV I had to list any “claims” within the previous five years. My policy renewal period just went past the five year mark.
“Claim history” follows the pilot (pilots) on the policy. Selling the plane won’t change the fact that your policy has had a claim against it. Selling the plane, buying new will still require claim disclosure within the last five years - which this storyline will involve two claims.
My friend won’t entertain any future aircraft partnership or “named pilot.” I won’t either for the same reasons and this “sad story” just reminds me shared costs also includes shared liabilities and responsibilities. Just like when your teenager starts driving, the idea seems good - the reality of an accident has unforeseen costly consequences.
Side note: I was a military heavy driver, retired and didn’t fly again for over twenty years. Getting into GA seemed like a great idea and my military flying was useful experience. However, flying single pilot piston aircraft is a whole different skill set from crew based heavy jet aircraft. Yea, that first year I was shaking off a bunch of rust, but I was also learning a complete set of new skills. In fact it took several years and over 100 hours to feel like I kind of knew what I was doing and doing it safely. If I had also added tail wheel to the equation I’m not sure a flying incident of my own wouldn’t have occurred during that first year.
Let’s face it, thousands of hours flying experience is great when it comes to handling things your use to doing and even the unexpected event, but it can hide to others the need to gain the information and experience you need to fly a single pilot, piston powered tail dragger safely and not damage the piston engine by poor fuel/power management. Just like I don’t want a 10,000 hour GA piston pilot trying to be checked out as PIC of a B737 in under a couple of hundred hours much less the 6-8 hours of training insurance typically requires for a highly experienced jet pilot flying an RV. My own experience says respect both types of skill sets but don’t assume too much transferability. Assuming to much usually makes an: *** U ME!
But here was the problem, he was without access to his plane while it was being repaired. He used it in his business! The incident didn’t do our friendship any favors for a while but it has since recovered (good friendships usually do). When I bought insurance for my RV I had to list any “claims” within the previous five years. My policy renewal period just went past the five year mark.
“Claim history” follows the pilot (pilots) on the policy. Selling the plane won’t change the fact that your policy has had a claim against it. Selling the plane, buying new will still require claim disclosure within the last five years - which this storyline will involve two claims.
My friend won’t entertain any future aircraft partnership or “named pilot.” I won’t either for the same reasons and this “sad story” just reminds me shared costs also includes shared liabilities and responsibilities. Just like when your teenager starts driving, the idea seems good - the reality of an accident has unforeseen costly consequences.
Side note: I was a military heavy driver, retired and didn’t fly again for over twenty years. Getting into GA seemed like a great idea and my military flying was useful experience. However, flying single pilot piston aircraft is a whole different skill set from crew based heavy jet aircraft. Yea, that first year I was shaking off a bunch of rust, but I was also learning a complete set of new skills. In fact it took several years and over 100 hours to feel like I kind of knew what I was doing and doing it safely. If I had also added tail wheel to the equation I’m not sure a flying incident of my own wouldn’t have occurred during that first year.
Let’s face it, thousands of hours flying experience is great when it comes to handling things your use to doing and even the unexpected event, but it can hide to others the need to gain the information and experience you need to fly a single pilot, piston powered tail dragger safely and not damage the piston engine by poor fuel/power management. Just like I don’t want a 10,000 hour GA piston pilot trying to be checked out as PIC of a B737 in under a couple of hundred hours much less the 6-8 hours of training insurance typically requires for a highly experienced jet pilot flying an RV. My own experience says respect both types of skill sets but don’t assume too much transferability. Assuming to much usually makes an: *** U ME!
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