Duggar Aviation Part 3

[AnnaRuk09]

What's in Smith Center KS? It's in the middle of absolutely nowhere. They've flown to that location a couple times before, once in the fall of 2015 and the other in the summer of 2016. Interestingly enough, they stayed there for 1 week in 2015 and 12 days in 2016. I also thought it was interesting how their flight plan was from Smith Center to Gladeswater, TX (right next to Big Sandy) in 2015. Wonder what they're up to. The C172 is only a 4 seater.

Stopped in OK to refuel? They were there for less than an hour. I wonder if they went to ALERT to help out in Houston. According ALERT social media, they recently sent a team to Houston on the 29th.

[marmalade]

JB purchased four more junker planes in June from ALERT.  I worry since the newest one was built in 1977 (one was built in 1969!). I won't link here, but Pickles has all the documentation on her page for anyone, ahem @halcionne, who wants to see it.  All are publicly trackable. 

One just landed in Siloam Spings less than an hour ago. One hasn't been flown since 2013. Someone suggested that a flight school could be involved. I guess it would make sense if JD was now certified (and we don't know this to be a fact). Someone on Pickles' page suggested it's a pretty lucrative business. 

But where does one get parts to keep these planes in the air? They're all so...old! 

 

[QuiverFullofBooks]

4 minutes ago, marmalade said:

JB purchased four more junker planes in June from ALERT.  I worry since the newest one was built in 1977 (one was built in 1969!). I won't link here, but Pickles has all the documentation on her page for anyone, ahem @halcionne, who wants to see it.  All are publicly trackable. 

One just landed in Siloam Spings less than an hour ago. One hasn't been flown since 2013. Someone suggested that a flight school could be involved. I guess it would make sense if JD was now certified (and we don't know this to be a fact). Someone on Pickles' page suggested it's a pretty lucrative business. 

But where does one get parts to keep these planes in the air? They're all so...old! 

 

Maybe he's going to take one of the planes apart and use it for parts. Wow, they've got quite the fleet now! What should their motto be? "Duggar Air -  On a wing and a prayer!"

[marmalade]

Three of the four planes have been flown recently, so I don't think they're being junked. Well, maybe the one still at the ALERT academy is? That purchase is odd. 

And I stand corrected, that particular plane was built in 1987. So it's the NEWEST of the fleet, and its last known whereabouts was Glasgow, KY, not ALERT! There has to have been a flight in there somewhere to get the plane back to TX. Weird...

[guitar_villain]

27 minutes ago, marmalade said:

JB purchased four more junker planes in June from ALERT.  I worry since the newest one was built in 1977 (one was built in 1969!). I won't link here, but Pickles has all the documentation on her page for anyone, ahem @halcionne, who wants to see it.  All are publicly trackable. 

But where does one get parts to keep these planes in the air? They're all so...old! 

 

That's not old in plane world.  Properly maintained, these are just fine.  C-172s are literally the most common plane ever, and spare parts are everywhere.  Online sites will have dozens of Cessnas of that age and quite a bit older- they'll go for anywhere from $25-50k depending on options as compared to a new 172 which will be well over $300k

As a side note, the Hurricane Hunter planes that are currently flying into 200+mph winds in Irma's eyewall were built in 1975.  NOAA expects to keep them for another 20 years.

[halcionne]

Gah I don't have easy access to my laptop these days to do the research I used to. 

@marmaladecan you get a screen shot of whatever pickles has? I will make time to look into this tomorrow.

As far as JD starting a school, he would need an instructors license. Last time I checked he had a commercial license, which is not the same thing. I Will look  that tomorrow too.

[marmalade]

I don't feel comfortable posting the records here, but I can try to PM them to you? Will that work? 

I'm a little distracted by tennis, but I can get them to you sometime tonight.

[halcionne]

That would be great, marmalade. I'm not Facebook savvy and fear that I won't able to find it myself.

[SassyPants]

JB is buying planes and DD is begging for money. You can not make this BS up/

[nst]

3 minutes ago, SassyPants said:

JB is buying planes and DD is begging for money. You can not make this BS up/

well it's not DD's money and he has to do something to live with Jill. 

JB simply can't give him money to shut him up

again these son in laws are con artists but JB seems to hide it better. 

[Audrey2]

14 hours ago, QuiverFullofBooks said:

"Duggar Air -  On a wing and a prayer!"

I like the Faith Air Network. "Fly with us and be closer to God." Flight entertainment is provided by David Waller leading in devotions. A required flight collection will be split between John Shrader and Derick Dillard. Music will be provided by the Rodrigues family. Plexus will be used for the required in flight communion, if the concept isn't too Catholic. Why give money to those Godless Heathen commercial airlines when you can fly with Faith? Flight attendants will be stay at home daughters, dressed in frumpers and wearing crunchy curls.

[SassyPants]

My only hope is that someone other than a Duggar is maintaining these planes. The typical Duggar approach is not safe with something like a plane.

[halcionne]

Here's the lowdown on John David's license:

Certificates

COMMERCIAL PILOT                            FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR

Certificates Description

Certificate: COMMERCIAL PILOT  
Date of Issue: 9/27/2016

Ratings: 
COMMERCIAL PILOT
  AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
  AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
  INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE

Limits:
ENGLISH PROFICIENT.

FWIW, "commercial pilot" is highlighted in blue; "flight instructor" is not. No additional details re: the flight instructor certificate were provided. This information is available to the public at faa.gov and I have a screenshot that I don't feel like posting.  

ETA: Josiah is still the only other Duggar pilot listed. There could always be something in the works with another kid or certificate that hasn't posted at the website. I don't know how much lag time there is between actual license/cert changes and website updates.

[halcionne]

I don't have time right now to break down all of these planes and flights, but it looks like they were all registered on June 6 and have been flying between Hattiesburg, Big Sandy, and Springdale since then.

I found another plane listed as "registration pending" and not dated June 6, so that plane was evidently purchased more recently.

More later, maybe.

BTW I quickly looked up Duggar business licenses and the only active one is Duggar Aviation. Duggar Scammy Credit Card Processing is defunct. I'm surprised I didn't find more, but I didn't dig very deeply.

[marmalade]

So, JD IS a flight instructor? This fuels my suspicions that they are going to try running a fundie flight school so they don't have to train in Hattiesburg. 

[Bethella]

On 9/8/2017 at 3:46 PM, halcionne said:

FWIW, "commercial pilot" is highlighted in blue; "flight instructor" is not. No additional details re: the flight instructor certificate were provided. This information is available to the public at faa.gov and I have a screenshot that I don't feel like posting.  

All you have to do is click on "flight instructor," it turns blue and gives you the information. 

Certificate: FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR  
Date of Issue: 5/6/2017

Ratings: 
FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR
  AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE

Limits:
VALID ONLY WHEN ACCOMPANIED BY PILOT CERTIFICATE NO. . EXPIRES: 31 MAY 2019.

[halcionne]

Thanks, @Bethella. My clicker is on the fritz and that wasn't working for me.

[HereticHick]

On 9/8/2017 at 10:56 AM, Audrey2 said:

I like the Faith Air Network. "Fly with us and be closer to God." Flight entertainment is provided by David Waller leading in devotions. A required flight collection will be split between John Shrader and Derick Dillard. Music will be provided by the Rodrigues family. Plexus will be used for the required in flight communion, if the concept isn't too Catholic. Why give money to those Godless Heathen commercial airlines when you can fly with Faith? Flight attendants will be stay at home daughters, dressed in frumpers and wearing crunchy curls.

"Jesus is my copilot," "Jesus take the wheel"-- so many slogans to choose from.

Choose your in-flight meal: chickenetti, BBQued tuna or tator tot casserole.

No in-flight magazines, just Chick Tracts.

For long flights you might get to watch "Fireproof" and "God's Not Dead"

 

[Bethella]

So I hadn't realized that Nathan Bates also has a flight instructor's license. I'm wondering if he's going to join the Duggar flight school.

[Markie]

The oldest of the Seven Sisters, Jessica, also has her pilot's licence, too!

[Bethella]

2 hours ago, Markie said:

The oldest of the Seven Sisters, Jessica, also has her pilot's licence, too!

She's close enough in age that she could be a match for John David.

[halcionne]

Flights! There have been three since I last cracked open my laptop. BTW, if somebody wants to take over screencapping flights, be my guest. It's logistically impossible for me to put them up in a timely fashion at this time.

All three flights were made by the Cessna we've known about forever, N734UE.

Spoiler

First up, Big Sandy to Houston on Saturday around noon.

Spoiler

Return flight to Big Sandy Sunday evening.

 

Spoiler

And a buzz around east Texas this morning: Big Sandy to Longview and back a couple of times. The plane ultimately landed in Longview, which is 25 miles away from Big Sandy.

[beepy13]

9 hours ago, halcionne said:

And a buzz around east Texas this morning: Big Sandy to Longview and back a couple of times. The plane ultimately landed in Longview, which is 25 miles away from Big Sandy.

That airport's only about 20 minutes from me. Crazy.

[HereticHick]

Any chance that Duggar aviation too part in the Puerto Rico relief trip this week  that Josh and Anna promoted and donated to? https://www.gofundme.com/hurricanereliefpr

[marmalade]

Yes. One of the "new" planes just landed in San Juan. How much can four people with limited supplies and no rescue equipment (but lots of tracts) do in that mess? 

I also didn't know JD could fly internationally. They spent the night in the Bahamas.