I’m currently in the process of evaluating the prospect of a share in a number of different aircraft (4 seat SEP). My mission is light touring in Europe with probably 1-2 other people. Searching around the net one can find many good questions to ask. Do you have any in particular that you think are “must asks”? Is there anything that would be a red flag or red line for you when considering an aircraft share?
This will be my first time embarking on this exercise, are them some obvious and not so obvious pitfalls to be aware of?
VFR, IFR, what sort of plane? Based where?
Majority VFR but some light IFR. I’m looking at SEPs at the moment, typically PA28s or similar four seaters that have a reasonable kit out for IFR. I don’t need any huge load carrying capacity nor FIKI. My current search location is in the south of England, anywhere within reasonable proximity to London.
A search here on e.g.
syndicates
digs out a number of threads e.g. this one which contains a good number of ideas to check out.
It is more a case of making a list of things to avoid – as in much of life, if you want things to work out 
If you want an aircraft good enough for IFR in the Eurocontrol system (rather than hacking around IFR in UK Class G) that will narrow down the syndicate options a lot, because you need something with a reasonable performance, to be able to cruise above the weather and out of icing conditions.
What do the other syndicate members do with the aircraft? If the majority tour with occasional IFR your in luck. There will be a majority for maintaining it in that condition. If the majority seldom fly, you’re in luck for availability, but will likely have a fight on maintenance.
A syndicate should run as a business, with the members their own customers. Every hour flown makes a small profit, above engine fund, etc.
The members don’t have to be a social group.
The syndicate I’ve been in for 28 years is now a mess, as the majority want to avoid spending money, which we have, on an engineer to help re-assembling after we got the wing repaired, and returned to us in mid December.
I’m in a new, forming, syndicate hoping to buy an aircraft by the end of this month. I’ll stay in the Jodel syndicate, but fly it much less, if it gets finished within my lifetime.
