Why buy plane tags when you can get these?
Posted by magnumfan89@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 46 comments
I was going to buy a plane tag, but I hesitated for a bit since all the planes id want a piece of are pretty expensive, but I saw on eBay these. It's an inspection cover from a Curtiss C-46. It was a lot of 5 for $11, much cheaper and much more material than any plane tag. Plus it was goshawk unlimited selling them so the money should (hopefully) go twords their PBY and FW190.
duckredbeard@reddit
We did a giant skin repair on a plane and I have a piece of it. Can't give you the registration number but I can give you some hints. Blue belly. Lots of VIP amenities.
Confident_Option@reddit
What are common causes to need skin repair on plane? Plane noob here
FonsBot@reddit
Bird strikes can damage the fuselage and dome from the aircraft or an hail encounter that can cause that same damage.
magnumfan89@reddit (OP)
That's neat!
blizzue@reddit
That’s pretty cool. I have purchased one plane tag because it was from the first 767 I ever flew. I likely won’t purchase any others.
magnumfan89@reddit (OP)
They are just way too expensive for what they are. Most of them cost as much or more than just getting on an actual flight.
eternalbuzzard@reddit
I had no idea they are hundreds of dollars. That’s whack
magnumfan89@reddit (OP)
Some of them are. There are some cheaper ones, but even those are $40-60
FonsBot@reddit
On EBay they are really expensive, you can go there for an sold out edition you really want but those are expensive. You can also buy from a known seller that manufactures them like Aviationtag or Planetags
condomneedler@reddit
Careful, this sub doesn't like it when you criticize anything related to their favorite airplane.
magnumfan89@reddit (OP)
I see that
spastical-mackerel@reddit
That would be cheating
KinksAreForKeds@reddit
Now do the work to cut that into tag-sized pieces, with engraving and/or other embellishments, and you'll realize why plane tags cost what they do.
magnumfan89@reddit (OP)
I have no desire to make tags out of them. I just wanted a piece of aluminum
KinksAreForKeds@reddit
Right, but you're missing my point. It would take a lot of effort to make tags out of them. You asked the question why are tags so expensive... and that's why. The cost of something is rarely about the cost of the raw materials, it's about the effort required to design and produce that thing.
You wanted the raw materials. That's always going to be cheaper than a finished product made from those materials. That's a compromise you made; you're okay with a raw, unrefined piece, whereas others want that refinement and are thus willing to pay more.
magnumfan89@reddit (OP)
But really, that labor is not worth $2,3,400. Most of it is done with machines, so the computer does most of it. It's not like someone is sitting at a desk with a Dremel making them.
stevzon@reddit
Man you’re super salty. Just don’t buy them, I’ve got two and they cost nowhere near that much money. The rarer aircraft will cost more due to any number of factors, acquisition cost, storage, labor to cut the blanks, capex on the machines to do the machining, marketing, etc. Just say you don’t understand how pricing works if you don’t understand how pricing works. No need to tuck someone else’s yum.
Cessnateur@reddit
The company has been in business for years, is continuing to introduce new tags, and is apparently doing well, with plenty of people continuing to purchase the products.
All available evidence, therefore, indicates that the labor is absolutely worth what they're charging.
magnumfan89@reddit (OP)
They also have 2 business, one is making custom desks and whatever out of plane parts, id guess that probably makes the most money since everything is custom as has a high premium
george__kaplan@reddit
Because I can’t attach whatever that is to my car keys.
SwitchbackHiker@reddit
Here's mine. o7 Nine-0-Nine
magnumfan89@reddit (OP)
That's the one that I almost bought. Besides that I can't really find a piece of B-17 skin.
theFooMart@reddit
Yes you can. It just wouldn't fit in your pocket.
IndependenceStock417@reddit
The thing about having aviation as a hobby is that it requires large pockets
m00ph@reddit
Cargo pants
Conor_J_Sweeney@reddit
I mean, you could if you really wanted to…
Ok-Border-2669@reddit
Yeah but then if you went on a plane tsa would pull you up asking why you have a manhole cover in your pocket
magnumfan89@reddit (OP)
Anything will fit if you try hard enough
cozy-stoner@reddit
What a coincidence!
magnumfan89@reddit (OP)
Just Dremel it. The ones I got already have bolt holes for some wire or key ring or whatever, just use some tin snips or a Dremel and cut them down.
danit0ba94@reddit
I see that P61 model.
My beloved. ❤️
magnumfan89@reddit (OP)
Biggest pain in the ass I've built so far, but it definitely looks good.
Late-Mathematician55@reddit
I think my neighborhood Starbucks has one attached to their bathroom key
magnumfan89@reddit (OP)
What plane do they got on there?
Ruepic@reddit
My dad got a carbon fibre cut out of a window from seat 1A on the 787, which was from the same fin that he did his first 787 flight as captain.
mohawk990@reddit
Awesome! What a nice keepsake.
brettles84@reddit
i just checked, i cant find any pby catalina 2nd hand parts.
but in all fairness, i missed out on the pby planetags too
magnumfan89@reddit (OP)
here's the goshawk page, they got some other cheap souvenirs
magnumfan89@reddit (OP)
I'll see if I can find the goshawk page (btw I meant the privateer bomber, not the Catalina)
Ruepic@reddit
My dad got a carbon fibre cut out of a window from seat 1A on the 787, which was from the same fin that he did his first 787 flight as captain.
r1Rqc1vPeF@reddit
I was gifted a pen, the body of which is made from wood from the propellor of a spitfire.
RMAutosport@reddit
I have only one plane tag….and it won’t fit on my keychain.
NASA MLP-2
Independent-Reveal86@reddit
Yeah ok. My plane tag makes a nice luggage tag, has the aircraft details written on it, and is from an aircraft I’ve flown. It wasn’t all that expensive either.
magnumfan89@reddit (OP)
I understand why people want plane tags, personally I don't want to spend that much money on one since I just wanted a piece of aluminum, but I understand if someone wants all the details and whatnot
Independent-Reveal86@reddit
Yeah, different use cases. I gave someone the top of a piston from a Rolls Royce Merlin (Spitfire engine) modified into an ashtray once.
magnumfan89@reddit (OP)
Thats pretty neat!