My flying blog.

[GGCC]

abridged:

I have to be honest, I probably will never own a plane but I like to discuss buying them. Sorry if anyone feels deceived reading posts about those ideas.

I don't think i'll have a plane either, i haven't won the lotto, i'm getting old, my health has gone to hell, i probably couldn't be re-licensed to fly anything but a kite, nevertheless i visit here, read posts and i make posts.....

I appreciate your posts and your candor ......

Best Regards;
Dave

[Colonel Sanders]

I probably will never own a plane

Not sure why you would say that - unless you don't want to own an airplane, in which case it will surely never happen. Argue for your limitations, as the saying goes, and sure enough they are yours.

I understand you and the wife and kids went to Hawaii. You live in Alberta, where I understand there are a few bucks floating around for someone that wants to hustle. If you really want to, I'm sure you could buy into an aircraft partnership on a small aircraft.

[CpnCrunch]

You don't need to be rich to own a plane (but it helps). You can get a cessna 150 with a worn out engine for around 20k, then insure it 3rd party and ground risks only for under $1k a year and get the maintenance done by a cheap freelance AME ($500 annual + parts). However, having said that you do need to realise that an old plane will have 'surprises' and you should budget at least $1k a year for maintenance on top of your annual.

Regarding being nervous: I think it is normal to be a little bit nervous if you haven't flown a while or doing a test. If not, I think you're probably not a very good pilot and I certainly wouldn't want to fly with you

[Beefitarian]

Yeah, if only my mother in law liked airplanes, instead of buying trips for her kids and grandchildren where I get snared into going along because I won't leave my wife, get a job an apartment and take up flying again. Don't get me wrong. I have appreciated the trip, I'm laying here listening to the waves crash while I compose this here. It's just not my first choice for the money spent on commercial air and condo rental. In 2006 she paid airfare for us to visit her in Austrailia.

Having said that, this trip allowed me to spend just over $500 US on my first choice 1.8 hours flying a model L American 172, seeing parts of some islands few others have and getting to practice a crosswind landing. I read that's rare now for some reason.

Thanks GGCC and I have enjoyed your discussion about the AN-2.

The Colonel has a good point. Never give up, I know some days that sounds like kids story rhetoric but faith in your ability to get back to it is a very important part of doing anything.

A few times I have been bed ridden and honestly was not sure I would be able to walk normally again. Some days I don't! I'm sure thankful for indoor plumbing, natural gas central heat and electricity. My grandfather and his brother lived their lives with with none of that. I don't know if I would have survived a couple of winters out on the Alberta prairies in a wood shack.

For that book titled "Beef's only regret." I bought a house in 1998 and had a personality conflict with the guy who's name is in my log book in the column labeled, "PILOT or 1st PILOT or INSTRUCTOR" across from the remark, "Practice commercial flight test" twice. From then on I wasted $1040 per month of perfectly good flying money on paying the bank for the place.

~sigh~ At least my wife loves her house. I planned to sell it to buy an airplane.

[JMACK]

I probably will never own a plane

Not sure why you would say that - unless you don't want to own an airplane, in which case it will surely never happen. Argue for your limitations, as the saying goes, and sure enough they are yours.

I understand you and the wife and kids went to Hawaii. You live in Alberta, where I understand there are a few bucks floating around for someone that wants to hustle. If you really want to, I'm sure you could buy into an aircraft partnership on a small aircraft.

I gave the group ownership a try it was a very positive experience even though shortly after buying in I ended up in a job a long way away! We payed a monthly fee 240 which seemed very very reasonable every month you got 2 hours of flying in the bank! We owned the plane and the hangar. I miss the little red Cardinal. I would definitely consider this again! I think there were 10 of us. Never had a problem getting the plane when I wanted and it was always clean and warm and dry in our little hangar!

Jim

So for 3500 to buy in and 240 a month which included 2 hours of flying wet......... it worked for me!

[FenderManDan]

Beef, we all agree that the thread without some Hawaii from the air pics is worthless

[Beefitarian]

I probably will never own a plane

Not sure why you would say that - unless you don't want to own an airplane, in which case it will surely never happen.

I will allow this opinion full credit.

In my opinion I have realized that I can't make full use of a plane if I owned one. Last year was a big year for flying hours in my log book. True in 1998 I flew way more and nearly took a CPL flight test, but there are many years I did not fly at all.

I have been to Fort MacMurray 3 or 4 times, I don't even mind going there to work. The one thing I learned from it is making a lot of money per hour somehow does not make people wealthy. I have worked around hundreds of guys that cleared $60000 a year and were way further in debt than me, didn't even own a house let alone an airplane. Uh? Yeah.

So this year I currently hope to fly 1 or more times per month in a rental 172 with some nice instructors, maybe one will eventually decide I can go by myself again. If I pull it off I might plan something even more ambitious for 2013 if the Mayans only ran out of space on their calendar instead of predicting the meteor/global warming/zombie....

[MIQ]

Beef, we all agree that the thread without some Hawaii from the air pics is worthless

I pretty much told him the same in a private message, still waiting...

[Beefitarian]

If you read my Catalina Island flight you'd know I like to fly but forgot I even took a camera. After we landed and secured the plane I found it on the back seat with my hoodie. You're not as lucky this time. My wife was in the back with it and took a bunch of pictures. She said she wants evidence I have actually been flying, "For all I know you've been drinking beer at the flying club." I don't know how many people I'm buying for at those prices. I can't finish a six pack by myself anymore.

I owe everyone some photographic evidence for not blocking me, when I get home I might even set up an account at some picture website.

The sun is up so I have to go take advantage of my mother in law's generosity for the penultimate day here.

[Beefitarian]

Pikshurs! It says I can only do three per post.

[rapid602]

Look at you guys all saying nice things to encourage a commrad.

Put me on the list. 1.2 it to death. Many more flights.

[Beefitarian]

Here's the airport on the peninsula under the cliffs where the park is with the leper colony.

[Beefitarian]

Here's the ship wrecks and Club Lanai. The one with the masts is a wood ship that's been there for over 100 years and the other one is a cargo ship from WW II.

[Beefitarian]

Here's Kaho' olawe, I'm kind of facinated with this one because you're not allowed to go on it without special permission which is unlikely. The navy used to use it for target practice and now it has been returned to the state.

[Beefitarian]

Here we head back to Maui. There was no little step or handles on this plane so I had to jump forward off one foot to get up on the strut to check the fuel level and make sure the caps were put on right by the last person. The instructor said it had just been filled but I don't think I could fly without looking for myself.

[Geo]

You live in Alberta, where I understand there are a few bucks floating around for someone that wants to hustle. If you really want to, I'm sure you could buy into an aircraft partnership on a small aircraft.

There is some Truth in that thar quote.

Just FYI, not all the money is in Fort Mac, and the oil business is definitely trending "up" at the moment. (Though as I'm sure you well know, it can turn around too. Well, that just makes it more exciting. But opportunity abounds in Calgary right now, and you're already here.

As to opportunities for aircraft, I saw a very reasonably priced looking share in a 1969 Cherokee at CYBW. Check the "Aircraft For Sale" forum, it was posted just a little while ago.
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=79236

Of course there is insurance and fuel and all that other fun stuff...but it's not *completely* out of reach. Don't sell yourself short! You may not get there this year, but you can get there!

geez I feel like I'm pushing crack or something. <grin>

g

PS: Great pics! Love the open air concept in that little airport. Well, at Honolulu too!

[FenderManDan]

Now we are talking......I got to find some of my pics too.

Love the "....SPINS PROHIBITED" sticker. Those crazy tourists.


EDIT: Here some
My ride

Maui from up in there

Back to Kahului heliport

[Beefitarian]

I wanted to buy a plane for years, especially when I was flying often. I even talked about it quite a bit when I was not flying much or for the years I didn't fly at all. I finally pretty much gave up. I thought just before joining this forum I might never fly again. After some text based prodind from Kernel Saunders I started walking more and apart from a few times off, I have lowered my portions and make better dietary choices. Last june I went in and got my Cat 3 back and started flying a little bit again.

I'd love to have a plane but I allready own a motorcycle that just doesn't get enough love in the car shed and I don't know if I could help that poor cherokee out.

1969 Piper cherokee is now for sale out of springbank airport. We just haven't had the time to use it as much as we'd like.

I rarely say never and if I do it about buying an airplane it's more hoping that I'll be wrong like I can be quite often.

[Beefitarian]

The helicopters are pretty popular there. Did you go up Haleakala Dan?

[Colonel Sanders]

Piper Cherokees are THE deal right now! They cost MUCH less than a 172.
I haven't a clue why, but don't argue - find a partner (or two) and get one!
They're incredible easy to fly - though I once meet a guy who claimed to
have groundlooped one, not sure I believe him - and because they're metal
you can tie them down outside.

PS I'm glad I could be of some help. I tell people, you don't need to spend
a lot of money on a gym membership or fancy diet program to lose weight -
all you need to do is spend a lot more time walking, and less time eating -
smaller portions.

More calories out, fewer calories in. With a bit of work, you can arrange
a 500 calorie per day deficiency which is a loss of one pound a week or
50 lbs per year. All you have to do is put down the fork, turn off the
TV and computer and go for long walk in the evening. On a beach, if
possible!