4 Airplanes And Two Helicopters For Sale

The State of Ohio plans to sell six of the 11 aircraft in its fleet as a cost savings measure, but even though two of the aircraft have not flown for over a year, the state still hopes it can bring in as much as $875,000 for the aircraft.

The 4 airplanes and two helicopters were all manufactured during the 1960's and 1970's, and are in need of major repairs. One Cessna 182 last flew in February, 2007, and Piper Navaho has not been flown since February 2008. Aviation Administrator James Bryant told ODOT Director Jolene Molitoris in mid-March that some of the aircraft should be sold to save the costs of the necessary repairs, but ODOT has not yet made any move to put the aircraft up for sale.

The aircraft are tasked to a variety of missions, from search and rescue and drug interdiction to VIP transportation. The Dayton Daily News reports that selling the older aircraft would help reduce costs and standardize training for the aviation division.

Bryant pitched the Ohio State Legislature on a proposal to buy newer aircraft over the next 5 years at a cost of nearly $11 million, but there has been on decision on that idea, either.

FMI: www.dot.state.oh.us