speaking of pilots...

[Martin]

I learned to fly in the Army Flying Club at Fort Huachuca, AZ in 1958. Then A&P Certificate and worked in aviation most of my working time. I retired in Y2K. I have personally worked on two of the airplanes in the Air Force Museum at Dayton.
Regarding Pilots and accidents: one day at work, we were looking at a old magazine and I noted when the U.S. Aerobatic team paraded the flag in ceremonies at Moskow in 1968. Bob Hoover was team captain. Later, all the U.S. team pilots in the parade behind Hoover were killed in various aircraft accidents.

[parnelli]

Beechcraft Bonanza, the V-tailed doctor killer

...and lawyer.

[Wood_workur]

Beechcraft Bonanza, the V-tailed doctor killer

Yeah right dude. I would rather have a cessna caravan with floats before any beechcraft. They are way too expensive. I myself don't fly. Ihave been up in a private plane before, but never had a license.

[just4funsies]

The twins, too. Rich people ram the ME training through ASAP, and then get killed on a one-engine failure because they can't bring themselves to cut the power on the good engine. It happens over and over again.

[Dwight]

Trainers

My uncle flew. Had his own plane, then rented. When I was stationed in Millington, TN doing my avionics training, he'd fly up from Alabama and take me to his place for the weekend. Let me take the stick, too. Later, I ended up in Pensacola, FL, teaching emergency flight procedures to newbie Navy pilots-to-be. I loved it; as close to jets as I've managed to get (other than being in V-2 division {flight deck launch and recovery} on the Saratoga in the early 70's.) I still remember how wonderful it felt to fly with my uncle. You guys who are pilots: hat's off.

Dwight

[Howard]

It is a blast. However, it does remind me of woodworking. You had better have the utmost respect for the machine and the surroundings. Either thing can either hurt or kill you if you're not careful. It's interesting reading the accident reports in Flying Magazine. The vast majority of accidents are caused by pilots overestimating their ability to fly in bad weather, making a series of bad decisions, ie. those idiots who busted the ADIZ airspace over DC last fall, flying perfectly good aircraft into mountains, etc. Just look at JFK, Jr. Flew at night, in bad weather, no instrument rating, in a hurry, operable AP that wasn't being utilized... bad news waiting to happen and it did. Rarely is it the airplanes fault. I'm not instrument rated yet, hope to get that later this year, but even after I get it, I hope I don't have to really use it in IMC. It just makes you a better, more precise pilot IMHO. Now if I can only convince my LOML to go with me! She's a chicken...

[Rayclav]

I'm a pilot and I built my own plane over ten years ago, all done from plans only, no kit parts available. It's a Turner T-40A, all wood (what else?) and it flies very well indeed. It's a side by side, low wing two place with a Lycoming 0-320 150 h.p. engine. I generally cruise around at 125 mph indicated at 2100 rpm. It will do 150 mph but then burns a lot of fuel.

I fly from a 1600 foot strip in B.C. Canada.

R

[Howard]

WOW! How long did it take you to build it?

[wreckwriter]

The twins, too. Rich people ram the ME training through ASAP, and then get killed on a one-engine failure because they can't bring themselves to cut the power on the good engine. It happens over and over again.

Twin Commanche, always heard that if you lose left engine on takeoff, you roll inverted if you're not fast enough. Never saw it happen, could be an old mechanic's tale.

[wreckwriter]

Yeah right dude. I would rather have a cessna caravan with floats before any beechcraft. They are way too expensive. I myself don't fly. Ihave been up in a private plane before, but never had a license.

Never claimed it was affordable, just cool and a classic.

[lrogers]

Although I do have a little stick time in a 150, 172 and a Challenger ultra-light, my flying is limited to R/C helo's; that's expensive enough!

[sacherjj]

I solo'ed when I was 16 in our 1946 Aeronica Champ. No electric, just Airspeed, Tach, Oil Pressure and a compass that kind of worked. That was a ball to fly. Got my ticket when I was 17. I haven't flown anything by taildraggers as Pilot in Command. Although I did fly a friends Mooney with my dad being the legal PIC. I also had a ball flying the Instrument rated C-120 (like a taildragger 150) to Oshcosh. It was instrument most of the way, and we were pushing that little plane with a cruise prop. I remember Indianapolis control (we left from Louisville area) calling on the radio "We need you at 8,000" and my dad replying with the best Scotty impression, "I'm given yeh all she's got, controller." Took us about an hour to get up to 8,000. We may have been a couple hundred over gross...

My best and most stressful situation was taking my check ride for my private. I left Bowman field in Louisville and during the checkride, we headed for Clark County Airport to do touch and gos. Well, we arrived at 11:50, 10 minutes before the airport was going to be closed for the air show. So I'm doing touch and gos for a crowd of 5,000 or so. I hear a voice on the unicom that asks if it is OK if they do a few passes while the slow little 120 or 140 is in the pattern. I see a P-47 and P-51 flying formation. I say no problem, I'll slow up my pattern as much as I can. There is a guy who restores war birds at Clark County and the P-47 Big Ass Birdy II is his. The P-51 happen to be Chuck Yeager. So I can actually tell people that I flew a little with Yeager. Got to meet him at the air show later that day, after I passed my check ride. I told him that I was in the plane and taking my check ride. He gave me congratulations for joining the club.

I am no longer current and would need to get a medical. It is an expensive hobby. Possibly more so than woodworking. Back with the Aeronica, we had an auto gas STC. I could fly with gas that was $0.70 a gallon and 4-5 gallons an hour. That was a ball.

[wreckwriter]

The P-51 happen to be Chuck Yeager. So I can actually tell people that I flew a little with Yeager. Got to meet him at the air show later that day, after I passed my check ride. I told him that I was in the plane and taking my check ride. He gave me congratulations for joining the club.

That's too cool!

[Howard]

way cool, indeed! We just paid 4.15 a gallon the other day... ouch!

[sacherjj]

I am no longer current and would need to get a medical. It is an expensive hobby. Possibly more so than woodworking. Back with the Aeronica, we had an auto gas STC. I could fly with gas that was $0.70 a gallon and 4-5 gallons an hour. That was a ball.

I guess to really put that in perspective, I should say that $0.70 was in the very early 90's. That was 87 octane at the pump of a little country gas station. We could only use pure fuel (no ethanyl sp?). I remember testing gas stations by putting some fuel in a jar with a little water. Marking the level and letting it sit over night. If the "water" level changed, it was the alcohol mixing with the water. I don't know if you can find a station anymore with pure fuel. You probably have to pay the extra for 80 octane at the airport.