Tom and Carole Logan are great Americans! They flew the airplane down from PA and delivered it at Bush Field. When we arrived, Tom was furiously wiping down the airplane to get the bugs off the wings. And N224DH is a beauty! Except for a little normal wear on the seat fabrics and a little cracking of the seat backs (the trainer had both seat backs broken) you swear the airplane was new! Took Tom to get a rental car and then took them to Rhinehart's for dinner. Worked with the great folks at AIC Title (AOPA-recommended) and cleared the escrow, and other paperwork!
Gene and I are now the very proud owners of Remos G3/600 N224DH.
Now if the winds will callm down, I'll fly her!
Friday, April 23, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Happy Anniversary to all four of us!
Robert and Terri Cork had the most wonderful wedding nine years ago. All their nefarious sailing buddies contributed talents and love and the weather was perfect. Micky and Johnnie Poole decided to use their "good Ju-Ju" and steal the date for their wedding. To further reinforce the bond, we share the anniversary/honeymoon trip.
This year it was the Worldwide McDonald's convention.
Along for the ride were Shannon and very pregnant Angie (girl in July) and Ryan and Allison (Just plain fun in shoes !)
Micky and I have heard for years about the "big doings" of a MacConvention and this year we were in Orlando at the same time.
We didn't go to the convention floor, although we were invited. We ahd to drive home to sort out the details of acquiring the Remos, but one year we'd love to see that part too!
We had a great meal in the Shingle Creek Resorts Italian restaurant "Bela Cala". The conversation and camaraderie were much more enticing than the food. Since the food was excellent, you can understand the rest.
Shannon, Ryan, Robert and I just seem to click.
Shannon and I are RockBand Beatles freaks! He even has a full-sized Fender rigged as a game controller and plays through headsets to keep from waking up the neighborhood. He wants me to get the Xbox 360 version so that we can jam over the net. I told him about the "YouRockGuitar" that will eventually arrive, but he's not that interested in "real" guitar music.
The core group (Robert, Terri, Micky and I) went to Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville to buy a hat and eat the best cheeseburgers made. J.D. Spradlen was DJ'ing "Radio Margaritavile" from his booth in the restaurant. We sent up a request to play Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds" (our wedding recessional!). Next thing we're all in the booth sending out the request. We had called Rhonda Hatcher, a true Parrothead, and she was all atwitter when Robert was given the microphone to introduce the song! Robert was full of questions about the digital systems used to queue the show and the radio logging programs. Much has changed since I worked at a station.
We were invited to go to Seaworld with the MacGroup. They do amusement parks right! The park closed at 6 PM and the staff swept all the riff-raff out the front as the busses full of us came in a back entrance. Food,beer, wine and soft drinks in every corner of the park. Most of the rides (all the big ones) were open.
The Dolphin and Pilot whale show is the star attraction now. They have the usual dolphin acts, but also trapeze artists, a trained false killer (pilot) whale, and Macaws that are released in the stadium to fly overhead. A really wonderful show.
The Shamu show is crippled. Since the trainer was killed by "Tilly", that whale is still in the show, but the trainers do not get in the water with them. And there were large awkward gaps that apparently were whales refusing to cooperate and perform. But they had one of the best guitar soloists working on a movable big screen and doing stuff with a Stratocaster that shouldn't happen!
Thanks to Shannon for inviting us along.
This year it was the Worldwide McDonald's convention.
Along for the ride were Shannon and very pregnant Angie (girl in July) and Ryan and Allison (Just plain fun in shoes !)
Micky and I have heard for years about the "big doings" of a MacConvention and this year we were in Orlando at the same time.
We didn't go to the convention floor, although we were invited. We ahd to drive home to sort out the details of acquiring the Remos, but one year we'd love to see that part too!
We had a great meal in the Shingle Creek Resorts Italian restaurant "Bela Cala". The conversation and camaraderie were much more enticing than the food. Since the food was excellent, you can understand the rest.
Shannon, Ryan, Robert and I just seem to click.
Shannon and I are RockBand Beatles freaks! He even has a full-sized Fender rigged as a game controller and plays through headsets to keep from waking up the neighborhood. He wants me to get the Xbox 360 version so that we can jam over the net. I told him about the "YouRockGuitar" that will eventually arrive, but he's not that interested in "real" guitar music.
The core group (Robert, Terri, Micky and I) went to Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville to buy a hat and eat the best cheeseburgers made. J.D. Spradlen was DJ'ing "Radio Margaritavile" from his booth in the restaurant. We sent up a request to play Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds" (our wedding recessional!). Next thing we're all in the booth sending out the request. We had called Rhonda Hatcher, a true Parrothead, and she was all atwitter when Robert was given the microphone to introduce the song! Robert was full of questions about the digital systems used to queue the show and the radio logging programs. Much has changed since I worked at a station.
We were invited to go to Seaworld with the MacGroup. They do amusement parks right! The park closed at 6 PM and the staff swept all the riff-raff out the front as the busses full of us came in a back entrance. Food,beer, wine and soft drinks in every corner of the park. Most of the rides (all the big ones) were open.
The Dolphin and Pilot whale show is the star attraction now. They have the usual dolphin acts, but also trapeze artists, a trained false killer (pilot) whale, and Macaws that are released in the stadium to fly overhead. A really wonderful show.
The Shamu show is crippled. Since the trainer was killed by "Tilly", that whale is still in the show, but the trainers do not get in the water with them. And there were large awkward gaps that apparently were whales refusing to cooperate and perform. But they had one of the best guitar soloists working on a movable big screen and doing stuff with a Stratocaster that shouldn't happen!
Thanks to Shannon for inviting us along.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Sun 'N Fun 2010
Sun 'N Fun is the second largest aviation event in the world, behind AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI. For a plane-crazy like me this is refined heroin! Every direction, airplanes, scooters, helicopters and stuff! Even a flying jon-boat!
I went two days. The first day was Friday and I made a BIG Mistake! I left Micky at the RV Park with a promise to return in the "early afternoon". I got back at 5:30 PM which is only early if you're summer above the Artic Circle and can argue that it's two months to sunset!
I went to shop for airplane "stuff" and wanted to beat the weekend crowds. Got "Show Specials" on a handheld VHF COM/NAV radio and a Portable Collision Avoidance System that receives the transponder altitude signals and gives you a dispplay of the nearest threat. A very useful thing to know when you're down with "The Indians" and nobody's in charge! Just like I like it! See and avoid!
But a little help in seeing is a great idea. They make one that gives direction for three times the cost, but I'm not sold on their antenna, having stuggled with the directional antennae on high-dollar TCAS systems. This PCAS won't give you any warnings other than "Traffic!" but that should get your eyes outside for a look.
I brought Micky with me on Saturday and we had a ball. It's really unusual that a spouse is so enthusiastic about flying and airplanes. She's got it bone-deep from her Dad's love of Aviation.
My friends from Missouri arrived in Orlando yesterday for the MacDonald's convention. 30,000 operators and franchisee's from around the world. Exhibitors with all the latest gadgets to cook, clean, and surveill the Golden Arches. Thursday afternoon is our shot to wander the exhibit hall.
Wednesday night they will close Sea World early for our anniversary! Well, not just ours, the Corks' too! We'll have the place all to ourselves. Along with our invited MacD guests! All the shows,rides, food, the only thing money is for is gifts!
I went two days. The first day was Friday and I made a BIG Mistake! I left Micky at the RV Park with a promise to return in the "early afternoon". I got back at 5:30 PM which is only early if you're summer above the Artic Circle and can argue that it's two months to sunset!
I went to shop for airplane "stuff" and wanted to beat the weekend crowds. Got "Show Specials" on a handheld VHF COM/NAV radio and a Portable Collision Avoidance System that receives the transponder altitude signals and gives you a dispplay of the nearest threat. A very useful thing to know when you're down with "The Indians" and nobody's in charge! Just like I like it! See and avoid!
But a little help in seeing is a great idea. They make one that gives direction for three times the cost, but I'm not sold on their antenna, having stuggled with the directional antennae on high-dollar TCAS systems. This PCAS won't give you any warnings other than "Traffic!" but that should get your eyes outside for a look.
I brought Micky with me on Saturday and we had a ball. It's really unusual that a spouse is so enthusiastic about flying and airplanes. She's got it bone-deep from her Dad's love of Aviation.
My friends from Missouri arrived in Orlando yesterday for the MacDonald's convention. 30,000 operators and franchisee's from around the world. Exhibitors with all the latest gadgets to cook, clean, and surveill the Golden Arches. Thursday afternoon is our shot to wander the exhibit hall.
Wednesday night they will close Sea World early for our anniversary! Well, not just ours, the Corks' too! We'll have the place all to ourselves. Along with our invited MacD guests! All the shows,rides, food, the only thing money is for is gifts!
Friday, April 16, 2010
(Motor)home, sweet (Motor)home!
What a long day!
Micky and I ,both, were completely finished with Miami. Been there, done that! Not going back!
Once you've tasted life on the road from a motorhome, other accomodations are less inviting.
BlueGreen Solara Surfside was a beautiful, stylish and fun hotel. Art deco inside and out and a very nice suite of rooms, but not our stuff! The chairs didn't hit me right, the bed wasn't perfect, the room had a slight "not mine!" odor. In other words, it wasn't "home".
The only place I like better than my motorhome, is my home. And I can live in either.
So at 5:45 AM I woke Micky and we started the process of packing and moving back to Tampa (Seffner) to pick up the Neptune.
I really have to work with Micky about travelling lighter. I will allow that we had moved out of our Motorhome for ten days and probably carried excess stuff, but the luggage cart was literally creaking under the load. I contribute a few books and my flight bag, but Micky always plans for more activities than we ever do. We had full dancing outfits including ballroom shoes, rain jackets and umbrellas.
The one item I'll readily concede is the food. Since the motorhome was empty, the refrigerator was shut down for the ice-maker repair. All the perishables had to travel with us.
But still, way too much stuff!
We stopped first in Naples to retrieve three more bags of stored stuff. The dogs were glad to see us, but we missed seeing Phil and Gayle. That occupational disease, again! Phil's totally inconsiderate neighbors were out running a noisy RC car in their driveway. Phil and Gayle chose to live in what Floridians, or at least the Naples variant, call "the estates". They live in a very nice neighborhood of individually designed and built homes. No restrictive covenants or deeds, and no neighborhood nazis telling you what to do. Except they need a Nazi!
Right smack on the property line is a deteriorating tarp-carport with three older small rice-burner sub-compacts. One of which the "boys" have beaten the windshield out of. Along with the boat parked in the front yard and the piles of true junk outside the garage, they've built a "shop" (had it delivered, probably) in the back yard and lead a loud, ATV-motorcross life-style. And neighborly conversations haven't worked with this collection of "Bumpus" hounds. Hopefully, they're sloppy around fuel and will set the place ablaze!
We put the kayaks and bicycles on the roof and left for Tampa. The added drag was only partially offset by the 20-knot tailwind, so the mileage dropped to 25 MPG.
LazyDays almost made it on time! The last item on their list was nitrogen in the tires. For those who scoff, a set of tires for this rolling luxury apartment is a $2500-3000 investment that will usually last until the sidewalls crack after 5-7 years. The worst thing you can do is run the tires low on pressure and water vapor makes the tire pressure vary and the inside of the tires rot. Add to that a truly reactive nature and getting the oxygen out is a good thing. The tires hold pressure longer and periodic topping with air won't hurt.
At least LazyDays has a half-century long tradition of pampering customers and the service lounge is clean, comfortable serves Starbucks coffee, and has several large-format TV's going. I like the tables to spread out the computer on.
By the time we had arrived in Orlando and wandered the wrong direction on several lanes in Thousand Trails Preserve, I was whipped having done most of the driving. At least setup is easy.
Tomorrow, I'm going to give Micky the option of nesting here while I go to Lakeland, but I doubt she'll stay here.
Micky and I ,both, were completely finished with Miami. Been there, done that! Not going back!
Once you've tasted life on the road from a motorhome, other accomodations are less inviting.
BlueGreen Solara Surfside was a beautiful, stylish and fun hotel. Art deco inside and out and a very nice suite of rooms, but not our stuff! The chairs didn't hit me right, the bed wasn't perfect, the room had a slight "not mine!" odor. In other words, it wasn't "home".
The only place I like better than my motorhome, is my home. And I can live in either.
So at 5:45 AM I woke Micky and we started the process of packing and moving back to Tampa (Seffner) to pick up the Neptune.
I really have to work with Micky about travelling lighter. I will allow that we had moved out of our Motorhome for ten days and probably carried excess stuff, but the luggage cart was literally creaking under the load. I contribute a few books and my flight bag, but Micky always plans for more activities than we ever do. We had full dancing outfits including ballroom shoes, rain jackets and umbrellas.
The one item I'll readily concede is the food. Since the motorhome was empty, the refrigerator was shut down for the ice-maker repair. All the perishables had to travel with us.
But still, way too much stuff!
We stopped first in Naples to retrieve three more bags of stored stuff. The dogs were glad to see us, but we missed seeing Phil and Gayle. That occupational disease, again! Phil's totally inconsiderate neighbors were out running a noisy RC car in their driveway. Phil and Gayle chose to live in what Floridians, or at least the Naples variant, call "the estates". They live in a very nice neighborhood of individually designed and built homes. No restrictive covenants or deeds, and no neighborhood nazis telling you what to do. Except they need a Nazi!
Right smack on the property line is a deteriorating tarp-carport with three older small rice-burner sub-compacts. One of which the "boys" have beaten the windshield out of. Along with the boat parked in the front yard and the piles of true junk outside the garage, they've built a "shop" (had it delivered, probably) in the back yard and lead a loud, ATV-motorcross life-style. And neighborly conversations haven't worked with this collection of "Bumpus" hounds. Hopefully, they're sloppy around fuel and will set the place ablaze!
We put the kayaks and bicycles on the roof and left for Tampa. The added drag was only partially offset by the 20-knot tailwind, so the mileage dropped to 25 MPG.
LazyDays almost made it on time! The last item on their list was nitrogen in the tires. For those who scoff, a set of tires for this rolling luxury apartment is a $2500-3000 investment that will usually last until the sidewalls crack after 5-7 years. The worst thing you can do is run the tires low on pressure and water vapor makes the tire pressure vary and the inside of the tires rot. Add to that a truly reactive nature and getting the oxygen out is a good thing. The tires hold pressure longer and periodic topping with air won't hurt.
At least LazyDays has a half-century long tradition of pampering customers and the service lounge is clean, comfortable serves Starbucks coffee, and has several large-format TV's going. I like the tables to spread out the computer on.
By the time we had arrived in Orlando and wandered the wrong direction on several lanes in Thousand Trails Preserve, I was whipped having done most of the driving. At least setup is easy.
Tomorrow, I'm going to give Micky the option of nesting here while I go to Lakeland, but I doubt she'll stay here.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Not an Urbanite!
Micky and I are anxious to get away from this city!
Even though Miami is one of the the prettiest cities on the planet with some of the most interesting people and cultures, I want out!
I've really enjoyed the Cuban and Hispanic culture and language. All that time learning Spanish has paid off in understanding the conversations and bi-lingual signage. And the Cubans we've met have been wonderful! So don't think that we're irritated by that. In fact, rude,chatterbox Canadians have been more grating than this cultural stewpot.
The daily friction of even the simplest tasks, like gassing the car, gets to me quickly. The constant 24/7 traffic and crowds, and the lack of a regular dose of "my stuff" is maddening!
The real problem is the tofu-eating moron at my credit union that decided to "purge" both of our ATM cards. And I did, indeed, call that person by that name in my emails complaining about the "policy". Seems that they have a "use it or lose it" deal going on, but they don't tell you that! I'm glad I wasn't international when they did this. Much of the world is still "cash only" and we stopped carrying trtaveler's cheques a while ago. But we'll always have a supply from now on!
I'm really looking forward to being back in my own bed in the motorhome and shutting the world right out. It's fun to visit, but I don't ever want to live in any major city or tourist area.
And I miss my friends and the regularity of small things like the birds out of my bathroom window.
We've been gone for a month now and I think I'm homesick. I know that once we pick up the motorhome and start going to Sun 'n Fun this will get much better.
We don't have to leave here until around 9 AM tomorow. Micky is frantically packing and we'll be out of here with the sunrise (or earlier)!
I'd much rather dally around on the way to Tampa than stay here longer.
Adios!
Even though Miami is one of the the prettiest cities on the planet with some of the most interesting people and cultures, I want out!
I've really enjoyed the Cuban and Hispanic culture and language. All that time learning Spanish has paid off in understanding the conversations and bi-lingual signage. And the Cubans we've met have been wonderful! So don't think that we're irritated by that. In fact, rude,chatterbox Canadians have been more grating than this cultural stewpot.
The daily friction of even the simplest tasks, like gassing the car, gets to me quickly. The constant 24/7 traffic and crowds, and the lack of a regular dose of "my stuff" is maddening!
The real problem is the tofu-eating moron at my credit union that decided to "purge" both of our ATM cards. And I did, indeed, call that person by that name in my emails complaining about the "policy". Seems that they have a "use it or lose it" deal going on, but they don't tell you that! I'm glad I wasn't international when they did this. Much of the world is still "cash only" and we stopped carrying trtaveler's cheques a while ago. But we'll always have a supply from now on!
I'm really looking forward to being back in my own bed in the motorhome and shutting the world right out. It's fun to visit, but I don't ever want to live in any major city or tourist area.
And I miss my friends and the regularity of small things like the birds out of my bathroom window.
We've been gone for a month now and I think I'm homesick. I know that once we pick up the motorhome and start going to Sun 'n Fun this will get much better.
We don't have to leave here until around 9 AM tomorow. Micky is frantically packing and we'll be out of here with the sunrise (or earlier)!
I'd much rather dally around on the way to Tampa than stay here longer.
Adios!
Miami by Bus and Boat
I'm not as jaded as I thought. The tour was well worth it. I got to see parts of Miami I probably wouldn't have ventured out to see.
I particularly enjoyed the short time in "Pequeno Habana". The rollers had not started in the Padilla Cigar Factory, but the place was a genuine cigar factory, gussied up a bit, but cigars were made. And good ones too. I had a Padilla 52-ring Torpedo that rated a 90 in "Cigar Aficionado" that cost under six bucks! The finish of the cigar, and the draw were superb. I'm not one of the smokers with a literary palette. I can't describe the flavors in wine-tasters terms very well, but the taste of chocolate and a little pepper along with a medium body or strength worked well. And it smoked well in the wind. One of the problems with cigars is that they are normally smoked outside in our "nanny" society. I actually agree with that dicta. The stench of bad plastic-tipped "blunts" and cigarettes is truly disgusting. The Padilla Factory was surprising light in aroma. More like old leather chairs, than a smoking lounge. I've visited some shops with lounges that were absolute health hazards since they refuse to properly ventilate them. You should have a slight aroma on your clothes after a smoke, but not be tempted to throw them away!
And I love Cuban coffee. Hot, sweet and strong enough to make "Red Bull" a sedative! If you don't sweat after a cup, your cardio-doc should turn up your pacemaker! I'd love to sit in Padilla's front room, drink Cafe Bustelo and smoke another Torpedo while listening to the machine-gun rhythms of a native Cuban political harangue. "Para Libertad! Para Cuba!"
It's really hard to explain such a richly destructive craving in practical terms. The end result of such indulgence would be death or debilitation. But the end result of everything else is also death and debilitation. So moderation is needed, damnit!
The boat tour was the artificial, in every possible way, islands of Biscayne Bay. Except for the camouflage of "Fisher Island", these retreats of the over-paid are given real-estate agent floral names like "Palm" and "Hibiscus". Dredged literally from the bottom of the bay, they are the gaudy public display pieces of the super-rich. Elizabeth Taylor, the doctor who invented Viagra, "P Diddy" Combs, and even "Vanilla Ice" have followed the stylistic lead of Al Capone. I guess I'm just too egalitarian to approve of such true excess. But it all becomes a tribute to the American dream when you start to realize the vast scope of it all. Take miles of millionaires homes, thousands of luxury cars and boats, and then multiply that by the hundreds of such enclaves in this country from Kennebunkport to Palm Springs and you realize that something is really right here. Other countries may have a few at the top, we have cities of them! And the satellite dishes are out even in the poorer neighborhoods. And unless you are addicted to your own delusions and refuse help ,only then, are you truly homeless. In Miami Beach even the Haitians are smuggled in aboard luxury yachts. (See the reports in the news from two days about a group that beached the boat at speed on Haulover Beach!)
I particularly enjoyed the short time in "Pequeno Habana". The rollers had not started in the Padilla Cigar Factory, but the place was a genuine cigar factory, gussied up a bit, but cigars were made. And good ones too. I had a Padilla 52-ring Torpedo that rated a 90 in "Cigar Aficionado" that cost under six bucks! The finish of the cigar, and the draw were superb. I'm not one of the smokers with a literary palette. I can't describe the flavors in wine-tasters terms very well, but the taste of chocolate and a little pepper along with a medium body or strength worked well. And it smoked well in the wind. One of the problems with cigars is that they are normally smoked outside in our "nanny" society. I actually agree with that dicta. The stench of bad plastic-tipped "blunts" and cigarettes is truly disgusting. The Padilla Factory was surprising light in aroma. More like old leather chairs, than a smoking lounge. I've visited some shops with lounges that were absolute health hazards since they refuse to properly ventilate them. You should have a slight aroma on your clothes after a smoke, but not be tempted to throw them away!
And I love Cuban coffee. Hot, sweet and strong enough to make "Red Bull" a sedative! If you don't sweat after a cup, your cardio-doc should turn up your pacemaker! I'd love to sit in Padilla's front room, drink Cafe Bustelo and smoke another Torpedo while listening to the machine-gun rhythms of a native Cuban political harangue. "Para Libertad! Para Cuba!"
It's really hard to explain such a richly destructive craving in practical terms. The end result of such indulgence would be death or debilitation. But the end result of everything else is also death and debilitation. So moderation is needed, damnit!
The boat tour was the artificial, in every possible way, islands of Biscayne Bay. Except for the camouflage of "Fisher Island", these retreats of the over-paid are given real-estate agent floral names like "Palm" and "Hibiscus". Dredged literally from the bottom of the bay, they are the gaudy public display pieces of the super-rich. Elizabeth Taylor, the doctor who invented Viagra, "P Diddy" Combs, and even "Vanilla Ice" have followed the stylistic lead of Al Capone. I guess I'm just too egalitarian to approve of such true excess. But it all becomes a tribute to the American dream when you start to realize the vast scope of it all. Take miles of millionaires homes, thousands of luxury cars and boats, and then multiply that by the hundreds of such enclaves in this country from Kennebunkport to Palm Springs and you realize that something is really right here. Other countries may have a few at the top, we have cities of them! And the satellite dishes are out even in the poorer neighborhoods. And unless you are addicted to your own delusions and refuse help ,only then, are you truly homeless. In Miami Beach even the Haitians are smuggled in aboard luxury yachts. (See the reports in the news from two days about a group that beached the boat at speed on Haulover Beach!)
Monday, April 12, 2010
Miami Beach ain't that much fun!
I think we're spoiled! We're used to visiting places and virtually having no hassles and our perpetually-comfortable motorhome to live in.
We're staying at the BlueGreen resort on Miami Beach. It is all we expected it to be. Great suite, a little used, but very nice. The staff is ever-solicitous. And even though we did not sign up for a time-share arrangement, it is still wonderful, but it ain't our style.
The traffic sucks, major-league, big-city, sucks! It points out the precarious nature of our infrastructure. It's as though a designer had built a building that the first woodpecker that happened by could destroy! Every time there's a breakdown or a trucker that skipped high-school and doesn't get the physics of driving his truck and lays it down on the on-ramp, the whole system literally grinds to an hours-long halt.
And I'm ready to get on with buying the Remos! Or going to Lakeland. Maybe tomorrow's tour will divert us for the day. We're touring by bus and boat to see Miami. Should be what passes for fun as tourists.
Then Thursday we're on the beach, unless the motorhome is ready early, then we're leaving!
We're staying at the BlueGreen resort on Miami Beach. It is all we expected it to be. Great suite, a little used, but very nice. The staff is ever-solicitous. And even though we did not sign up for a time-share arrangement, it is still wonderful, but it ain't our style.
The traffic sucks, major-league, big-city, sucks! It points out the precarious nature of our infrastructure. It's as though a designer had built a building that the first woodpecker that happened by could destroy! Every time there's a breakdown or a trucker that skipped high-school and doesn't get the physics of driving his truck and lays it down on the on-ramp, the whole system literally grinds to an hours-long halt.
And I'm ready to get on with buying the Remos! Or going to Lakeland. Maybe tomorrow's tour will divert us for the day. We're touring by bus and boat to see Miami. Should be what passes for fun as tourists.
Then Thursday we're on the beach, unless the motorhome is ready early, then we're leaving!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Finally! Miami Beach!
A lot has happened since the last post! Our plan all along has been to put the motorhome in for service at LazyDays while we visit the BlueGreen resort in Miami Beach. I had to delay the input to LazyDays on Good Friday and must have gotten the "grumpy guy". "They couldn't possibly change the schedule and see my unit until November! YADA YADA YADA!" I do not argue with terminally stupid people. So I waited until my "real" service advisor was back on Monday and suddenly everything was straightened out after a nasty email. "Illegitimus Non Carborundum!" Don't Let The Bastards Wear You Down!
So we turned in the motorhome, loaded our toys on the Prius and went to Naples to see Phil and Gayle. Just adding air drag to a Prius drops it from extraordinary to mediocre-- the mileage dropped to an amazing 22 MPG at 70 MPH! Back up after the roof was removed!
Had a fun time with the Coxes and Luecke's and, of course, their dogs! One memorable event was seeing a rehearsal of Gayle's a Capella chorus "Spirit of the Gulf". It is inspirational to see women of all backgrounds and body types, some compromised by health issues, able to form a powerful 80-member chorus and harmonize. The "phantom voices" (beat frequencies) in their four-part harmony will make the hair stand up on your neck! Beautifully American!
We're at a resort vacation club / interval ownership club that we signed up for a "sampler package" before the motorhome and airplane were on the scene. It's very nice! On South Beach. The suites are more than acceptable and the activities and amenities are just what we need. To bad that it won't fit into our plans now. So we'll sit through another sales spiel and turn them down. But if you're interested in vacationing in very nice surroundings for reasonable overall rates, I recommend BlueGreen. Everything has been as promised.
I've been dealing with the details and administrative stuff of buying the airplane. It's almost as involved as buying a home, but the FAA is involved. We're doing escrow, title search and insurance, hull insurance and getting Gene on the policy as a student to train in his own plane, etc. It takes time and the Internet to do it. And money! Every service has a price. I love capitalism! No bribery or "insiders" needed, just pay the fees! Try that in the Third World!
The sunrise over the Atlantic was one of the steel grey cloudy affairs this morning, but the palms are a-sway and the water is warm enough. wind brings out the kite-boarders. That is an exciting and fun thing to watch combining surfing, knee-boarding, and flying! Spectacular leaps and flips! Oh to have good knees for just one more day! But, they have youth, I have an airplane!
So we turned in the motorhome, loaded our toys on the Prius and went to Naples to see Phil and Gayle. Just adding air drag to a Prius drops it from extraordinary to mediocre-- the mileage dropped to an amazing 22 MPG at 70 MPH! Back up after the roof was removed!
Had a fun time with the Coxes and Luecke's and, of course, their dogs! One memorable event was seeing a rehearsal of Gayle's a Capella chorus "Spirit of the Gulf". It is inspirational to see women of all backgrounds and body types, some compromised by health issues, able to form a powerful 80-member chorus and harmonize. The "phantom voices" (beat frequencies) in their four-part harmony will make the hair stand up on your neck! Beautifully American!
We're at a resort vacation club / interval ownership club that we signed up for a "sampler package" before the motorhome and airplane were on the scene. It's very nice! On South Beach. The suites are more than acceptable and the activities and amenities are just what we need. To bad that it won't fit into our plans now. So we'll sit through another sales spiel and turn them down. But if you're interested in vacationing in very nice surroundings for reasonable overall rates, I recommend BlueGreen. Everything has been as promised.
I've been dealing with the details and administrative stuff of buying the airplane. It's almost as involved as buying a home, but the FAA is involved. We're doing escrow, title search and insurance, hull insurance and getting Gene on the policy as a student to train in his own plane, etc. It takes time and the Internet to do it. And money! Every service has a price. I love capitalism! No bribery or "insiders" needed, just pay the fees! Try that in the Third World!
The sunrise over the Atlantic was one of the steel grey cloudy affairs this morning, but the palms are a-sway and the water is warm enough. wind brings out the kite-boarders. That is an exciting and fun thing to watch combining surfing, knee-boarding, and flying! Spectacular leaps and flips! Oh to have good knees for just one more day! But, they have youth, I have an airplane!
Monday, April 5, 2010
License in hand, despite the FAA !!!
What an irritating day! Yesterday, I struggled mightily with the FAA's IACRA system to get an application for a Sport Pilot License entered. This systems is the most counter-intuitive, cryptic POS I've had to deal with since some of the DOS dinosaurs finally died. Screens change, you can't necessarily back up to fix an error, etc.
After I threw my hands up, Sherman rode shotgun on my wing over the phone last night at around midnight and we thought all was good.
This morning I'm about ten minutes from the airport when Jim Julius calls me and says there's no need to come in, there's a huge f____ with the FAA over the spelling of my name. I told him I was continuing in anyway and would work with him to fix it.
For background, my MOM spelled my name wrong on my birth certificate. She spelled in with a "Y", but taught me to spell it with an "IE". At age 15 (1965 for those playing along on the home game) she took me to get my Learner's Permit and Georgia has issued my Driver's Licenses since with an "IE". The Marines insisted that I spell it with a "Y" and "Y" is on my passport. Now, I'm the third of the name, the first two are with an "IE" or "Y" , but my grandfather's grave is JOHN so who knows. I'm one of the few people around that doesn't know how to spell his own damned name!
But it doesn't really matter, the social security number never changes.
And to my surprise, the spelling of the first name was not the problem! It was the lack of "III" on one form and the contraction of my middle name to an initial on another. Talk about a split personality! To the FAA that was three different people none of whom had satisfied all the requirements for Sport Pilot.
The FAA was the archetype that George Lucas based his "Empire" on. Totally unresponsive and all-powerful. Jim Julius had been trying to get an answer. Apparently the only way for the cabal in OK City to verify that I'm not really "Achmed Osama Poole" is to make an appointment to see an inspector at the secret FAA office in St. Pete (they took the sign down after 9/11) Of course the GPS will still take you there, but the suicide bombers will only blow up the 7-11 on the corner!
So now I'm totally steamed, neck-vein bulging, lock-wired to the "Kill" position as only a Marine Sergeant Major can get with faced with super-stupid. The fall-back position was for the Pilot Examiner to fix it, which everybody assured me would not happen. My overload warnings were shrieking in my head like a Three-mile Island coolant sensor!
Of course Dave Whitman, the Pilot Examiner and ex-Eastern pilot, comes in examine the issue and decides the student license can just be ignored, and the name on the written test report doesn't kill the program. All I had to do was make sure the suffix showed up on the new application. Odd that it was on the Student ticket and automatically filled in on the application! But we did as he asked and a miracle occurred! The application worked!
Now for the part I could study and prepare for! I was so out-of-tolerance that I considered cancelling the ride because as a pilot I was concerned that I was jazzed on adrenaline and other bodily "Kill" juice!. But I managed to regain composure and enter into the Oral portion. Dave made it easy, but there was a question I didn't know. Because I will never come close to taking off with a 1000 foot ceiling as VFR. The law says you can, but practically, the airports I operate out of are where people actually live and 1000-foot separation from urban areas is required. So It would mean flying my wings at cloud level. The other part of the law say I have be 500 feet below clouds. Simple math says 1500 or better to takeoff, but the arcana of CFR 14 is such that I guess somewhere out west you could do that.
Next we went flying, and there was considerable wind and turbulence on the way to the practice area. I'm doing my best to demonstrate to Dave "quiet hands" flying and we're being knocked thirty degrees on our ears and hitting thermals that drive you up 200 feet. But Dave recognized that I was working it. A couple of steep turns after clearing the area followed by full-flap stalls and a power-on stall went very well with me talking to Dave and explaining what I was doing.
Next according to Dave, I lost an engine. Right over the most perfect field I've ever seen! It was even plowed parallel to the wind!
I started yakking away at Dave while trimming for a good glide and circling "Perfect field". I explained all the stuff I'd do while I had speed and altitude. And when I got down to 1000 feet above that field I rolled out on a downwind, spotted my base turn, and was working final, when Dave said to go-around.
I think it tickled him when I called out "Positive Rate!" He made the motions and called "Gear up"! Standard big-plane stuff in a Light-Sport!
We wandered back to Sarasota with me working the radios as needed. We were once again chased down the glideslope by AirTran. And Dave did not appreciate the 30-second separation! But I had the taxiway and he had to wait me out!
So after shutdown, Dave told me I passed! Not a second before!
Now I'm officially one of the "wind people" a true steely-eyed, square-jawed Sky God of a man! Feels goooood!!!
After I threw my hands up, Sherman rode shotgun on my wing over the phone last night at around midnight and we thought all was good.
This morning I'm about ten minutes from the airport when Jim Julius calls me and says there's no need to come in, there's a huge f____ with the FAA over the spelling of my name. I told him I was continuing in anyway and would work with him to fix it.
For background, my MOM spelled my name wrong on my birth certificate. She spelled in with a "Y", but taught me to spell it with an "IE". At age 15 (1965 for those playing along on the home game) she took me to get my Learner's Permit and Georgia has issued my Driver's Licenses since with an "IE". The Marines insisted that I spell it with a "Y" and "Y" is on my passport. Now, I'm the third of the name, the first two are with an "IE" or "Y" , but my grandfather's grave is JOHN so who knows. I'm one of the few people around that doesn't know how to spell his own damned name!
But it doesn't really matter, the social security number never changes.
And to my surprise, the spelling of the first name was not the problem! It was the lack of "III" on one form and the contraction of my middle name to an initial on another. Talk about a split personality! To the FAA that was three different people none of whom had satisfied all the requirements for Sport Pilot.
The FAA was the archetype that George Lucas based his "Empire" on. Totally unresponsive and all-powerful. Jim Julius had been trying to get an answer. Apparently the only way for the cabal in OK City to verify that I'm not really "Achmed Osama Poole" is to make an appointment to see an inspector at the secret FAA office in St. Pete (they took the sign down after 9/11) Of course the GPS will still take you there, but the suicide bombers will only blow up the 7-11 on the corner!
So now I'm totally steamed, neck-vein bulging, lock-wired to the "Kill" position as only a Marine Sergeant Major can get with faced with super-stupid. The fall-back position was for the Pilot Examiner to fix it, which everybody assured me would not happen. My overload warnings were shrieking in my head like a Three-mile Island coolant sensor!
Of course Dave Whitman, the Pilot Examiner and ex-Eastern pilot, comes in examine the issue and decides the student license can just be ignored, and the name on the written test report doesn't kill the program. All I had to do was make sure the suffix showed up on the new application. Odd that it was on the Student ticket and automatically filled in on the application! But we did as he asked and a miracle occurred! The application worked!
Now for the part I could study and prepare for! I was so out-of-tolerance that I considered cancelling the ride because as a pilot I was concerned that I was jazzed on adrenaline and other bodily "Kill" juice!. But I managed to regain composure and enter into the Oral portion. Dave made it easy, but there was a question I didn't know. Because I will never come close to taking off with a 1000 foot ceiling as VFR. The law says you can, but practically, the airports I operate out of are where people actually live and 1000-foot separation from urban areas is required. So It would mean flying my wings at cloud level. The other part of the law say I have be 500 feet below clouds. Simple math says 1500 or better to takeoff, but the arcana of CFR 14 is such that I guess somewhere out west you could do that.
Next we went flying, and there was considerable wind and turbulence on the way to the practice area. I'm doing my best to demonstrate to Dave "quiet hands" flying and we're being knocked thirty degrees on our ears and hitting thermals that drive you up 200 feet. But Dave recognized that I was working it. A couple of steep turns after clearing the area followed by full-flap stalls and a power-on stall went very well with me talking to Dave and explaining what I was doing.
Next according to Dave, I lost an engine. Right over the most perfect field I've ever seen! It was even plowed parallel to the wind!
I started yakking away at Dave while trimming for a good glide and circling "Perfect field". I explained all the stuff I'd do while I had speed and altitude. And when I got down to 1000 feet above that field I rolled out on a downwind, spotted my base turn, and was working final, when Dave said to go-around.
I think it tickled him when I called out "Positive Rate!" He made the motions and called "Gear up"! Standard big-plane stuff in a Light-Sport!
We wandered back to Sarasota with me working the radios as needed. We were once again chased down the glideslope by AirTran. And Dave did not appreciate the 30-second separation! But I had the taxiway and he had to wait me out!
So after shutdown, Dave told me I passed! Not a second before!
Now I'm officially one of the "wind people" a true steely-eyed, square-jawed Sky God of a man! Feels goooood!!!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Okay, I didn't wait!
I found a listing for MY airplane online that had 1103 viewers. It drove me nuts that someone else could buy the perfect airplane out from under me. So this morning we (read that Micky and I) called the owner and sent the deposit.
So it's gonna happen! Micky and I will arange the money for transfer and when I get back to Georgia, Gene and I will set a date to drive to inspect and take delivery.
The airplane is North of Philly by about 30 miles, so a one-way rental car will go. There's probably the obligatory box of spares, manuals, and other stuff that we'll UPS back from there rather than spend expensive 100LowLead to schlepp back in the airplane. After the inspection, official change of ownership and insurance binders, Gene and I will fly back.
I'm a little nervous about wandering back in an LSA through the Greater Bos-Wash corridor, but if yankees can do it, I'm game.
We'll try to leave early and stop in New Bern, NC or thereabouts for fuel and de-watering, and then across the Low Country to Daniel Field in Augusta.
Like they say, along trip is just several short trips in a row. It'll be an adventure and Gene will learn a lot about a Remos on that trip.
Today, my new friend Phil Perkins got his Sport Pilot License. When he came back from his checkride, he was pale and grim-looking and nobody in the office could tell whether he had failed the ride or not! Finally we asked the pointed question and applauded! He's a really nice guy and deserves a little fun and freedom in his life. And his brand-new Jabiru 250 is super-cool!
We also met a really neat couple that have been live-aboard cruisers on a Morgan 51 for the last 30 years. Bonnie and Dennis are the kind of people that we immediately bonded with. Bonnie is taking her license training very enthusiastically! Dennis is a real NASA Aeronautical Engineer with a Mooney in a hangar somewhere. And he's not afraid to work either!
The Remos GE that we train in has been chafing through tubes if the pressure gets low in the tires and Dennis had right main tire go flat on the takeoff roll. So he helped Jim change the tire. Jacking the main up consists of lifting the wing onto a box to change the tire!
The really big news for Micky and I is that we obligated to buy an airplane! As soon as Gene gets his share together we'll have the Fantastic Flying Foursome! It will be great to see N244DH used regularly and flown all over the country.
Gene( and maybe Janeen?) will need to train and get the ticket, but at least he'll have the airplane to do it in. I think the closest CFI is over in Lawrenceville. I'll probably position the airplane over there and tie-down while Gene is training. If he can't take the time for an accelerated course, I'll probably do that quite often to get him to the instructor or the instructor to AGS. It'd probably be more efficient to pick him up and pay for a hotel and meals, rather than pay for a rental car to get me back and accomodations for Gene. The CFI will make that call. If he's a real airplane guy, he'll fly himself to Augusta and Gene will put him up while training. It should go faster for Gene because aircraft availability will be 100%.
I've found a Remos G3 to Buy and a Partner!
Micky I went to Sebring, Florida and demo'd a really pretty, well-equipped 2006 CTsw Short Wing Cruiser. Loaded with equipment and ready to go anywhere. Unfortunately, I'm not ready for it yet. It uses drooped ailerons as part of the flap program, and has had two pages of accidents in the ASF database. Everybody from students, to CFI's have crashed on landing. Each case is the result of pilot competence issues.
Well I have pilot competence issues since I'm a greenhorn pilot! Maybe in a couple of years, a more advanced airplane is what I'll want, but not right now.
As an example, a low-time pilot bought a CTLS at Sarasota and hired his CFI to check him out in it. The CFI says he is a competent pilot, but has restricted him to no-flap landings! So I'll pass.
But, the Remos G3 is another matter! I can do full flap landings in it anytime I want a steep, short approach and rollout. It handles totally predictably and is forgiving. And the controls are responsive right past the published stall speed.
So Monday, after my license is firmly in hand, I'm putting down a deposit to buy a late 2006 Remos G3! The airplane is equipped with avionics very similar to what's in sn 199 and only has 400 flight hours on the engine.
My partner is enthusiastic and his participation financially is very welcome. But more important, Gene and I are decades-long friends with interlocking interests and massive mutual respect. We're both retired military and understand and abide by rules. And we like each other! Now if we can sit down and write a perfect agreement, all is good!
I'll get and post pictures as soon as possible.
Well I have pilot competence issues since I'm a greenhorn pilot! Maybe in a couple of years, a more advanced airplane is what I'll want, but not right now.
As an example, a low-time pilot bought a CTLS at Sarasota and hired his CFI to check him out in it. The CFI says he is a competent pilot, but has restricted him to no-flap landings! So I'll pass.
But, the Remos G3 is another matter! I can do full flap landings in it anytime I want a steep, short approach and rollout. It handles totally predictably and is forgiving. And the controls are responsive right past the published stall speed.
So Monday, after my license is firmly in hand, I'm putting down a deposit to buy a late 2006 Remos G3! The airplane is equipped with avionics very similar to what's in sn 199 and only has 400 flight hours on the engine.
My partner is enthusiastic and his participation financially is very welcome. But more important, Gene and I are decades-long friends with interlocking interests and massive mutual respect. We're both retired military and understand and abide by rules. And we like each other! Now if we can sit down and write a perfect agreement, all is good!
I'll get and post pictures as soon as possible.
Last training flight!
Today was my last training flight. I've got four-tenths of an hour over 20 hours. Sherman and I had a great time doing airplane stuff. We did shallow and steep turns, Sherman pulled the power off several times to simulate engine trouble. My mistake was in landing straight ahead instead of looking straight down. Once you've got the glide going look down! Check out the fields below you and turn to spiral down to one of them rather than trying to estimate the condition of a field 2 miles away. Sure you can glide to it, but why pass up a good thing! I picked a field one time that looked like a pasture, but at 300 feet it was some kind of canes standing in water.
Turns around a point are always a problem. It sound so simple to do a circle around something on the ground. The problem is the wind will try to blow you away or over your target, so the bank angle never stops changing. But it is a great way to test your ability to divide attention.
Steep turns are just a hoot, Jet fighter turns! Load on the power, hold the nose up, kick the rudder to coordinate and the G's come in. Yeehahh!
In downtown St. Petersburg on the bayside is the Vinnoy Hotel next to the marina where the "Strictly Sail" show is in February. Just south is a pier with a Mall and restaurants on the end. Next is runway 18/36 of Albert Whitted Airport sticking out in Tampa Bay on a man-made peninsula. It was my first carrier landing in a civil aircraft! The approach is beautiful, over the bay with boats and schools of fish, then turn over a sandbar dotted with rays and aim at the penthouse of the pink condo tower! Turn in and the runway has a seawall, a little grass and the strip, off on the other side water. The saying is "One a day, in Tampa Bay!" I don't know how bad it'd have to get, but stupid would have to happen somewhere.
Back to Sarasota and land while three commercial guys are trying to leave. One is already at the end behind a Baron when I mosey down and stop at A4 to clear the runway. Coming from my left is an AirTran MD-80 who stops to let ME pass to Dolphin, the tower comes up "Citrus 280, Beware Prop Blast, Clear to taxi to one-four" so I keyed the mike "Yeah,brief the passengers!"
A perfect ending to a good training day. My logbook is fully endorsed and the appointment is made for the Pilot Examiner to come Monday for my checkride. The ticket is issued electronically and my printed Temporary will be in hand that afternoon. Then I'm going to borrow the plane as soon as I can and taqke my lovely wife on a tour of Tampa Bay and the coast!
Turns around a point are always a problem. It sound so simple to do a circle around something on the ground. The problem is the wind will try to blow you away or over your target, so the bank angle never stops changing. But it is a great way to test your ability to divide attention.
Steep turns are just a hoot, Jet fighter turns! Load on the power, hold the nose up, kick the rudder to coordinate and the G's come in. Yeehahh!
In downtown St. Petersburg on the bayside is the Vinnoy Hotel next to the marina where the "Strictly Sail" show is in February. Just south is a pier with a Mall and restaurants on the end. Next is runway 18/36 of Albert Whitted Airport sticking out in Tampa Bay on a man-made peninsula. It was my first carrier landing in a civil aircraft! The approach is beautiful, over the bay with boats and schools of fish, then turn over a sandbar dotted with rays and aim at the penthouse of the pink condo tower! Turn in and the runway has a seawall, a little grass and the strip, off on the other side water. The saying is "One a day, in Tampa Bay!" I don't know how bad it'd have to get, but stupid would have to happen somewhere.
Back to Sarasota and land while three commercial guys are trying to leave. One is already at the end behind a Baron when I mosey down and stop at A4 to clear the runway. Coming from my left is an AirTran MD-80 who stops to let ME pass to Dolphin, the tower comes up "Citrus 280, Beware Prop Blast, Clear to taxi to one-four" so I keyed the mike "Yeah,brief the passengers!"
A perfect ending to a good training day. My logbook is fully endorsed and the appointment is made for the Pilot Examiner to come Monday for my checkride. The ticket is issued electronically and my printed Temporary will be in hand that afternoon. Then I'm going to borrow the plane as soon as I can and taqke my lovely wife on a tour of Tampa Bay and the coast!
Friday, April 2, 2010
MacDill AFB
Mick and I visited MacDill AFB out on a prime peninsula in Tampa Bay. It is immaculate, groomed, and gardened. The facilities are gorgeous! Their PX is well-stocked and the prices are very good plus no sales tax. I need a netbook for weather and other planning while flying. $259 and no tax for a Dell. Right after the license is in my hands.
We wanted to see their family camp. There are Yankees that do the snowbird on Macdill each winter. In fact all the available reservations have been made for November through March 2010-2011. They do have some first-come, first served sites available
The base is home to Central Command and the Special Ops Command, so soldiers, Marines, and sailors seem to outnumber the airmen. They had the best collection of "Grunt Apparel" I've seen so now I've got three new USMC hats and two gorgeous shirts that Micky picked.
And the Marina is going to be a great place to base out of while sailing "Jazz". It feels good to finally and officially be a retired Marine.
We wanted to see their family camp. There are Yankees that do the snowbird on Macdill each winter. In fact all the available reservations have been made for November through March 2010-2011. They do have some first-come, first served sites available
The base is home to Central Command and the Special Ops Command, so soldiers, Marines, and sailors seem to outnumber the airmen. They had the best collection of "Grunt Apparel" I've seen so now I've got three new USMC hats and two gorgeous shirts that Micky picked.
And the Marina is going to be a great place to base out of while sailing "Jazz". It feels good to finally and officially be a retired Marine.
On the Uses of Savings
I am going to use most of my life savings to buy an airplane since it is the fiscally conservative thing to do.
I can hear the sharp intake of breath, see the snap of the spine to full extension as though electrocuted, and hear the indignant cries of "Rape!" "He's spending his money on an Airplane!"
Money is just one component of wealth. Durable goods of investment grade are also wealth. The power-house financial companies like General Electric have long understood this and quite often the engines on the airliner you fly on are not owned by the airline, but leased from GE.
Liquidity is the issue. If you want perfect liquidity, put only cash in a mattress. No growth, no fun, great liquidity!
The reason I'm buying an airplane now is a studied reaction to my observations during this pilot training evolution. My fellow students are men and women of some means spending time and money to learn to fly after 60. Or returning to flying, but opting out of all the commercial-inspired requirements of the Private Pilot route.
Currently there are not enough flight instructors and schools to match demand and it will get worse as word of this Sport Pilot license and it no-medical policy spreads. As the license numbers increase the demand for Light Sport Aircraft will increase. I expect to be able to recoup every dime I invest and make a profit on the sale of my plane. That's why I'm buying an old man's plane. Big cabin, fast climb and designed to cruise in comfort.
Just changing wealth from one form to another. And using the aircraft in the interim.
I can hear the sharp intake of breath, see the snap of the spine to full extension as though electrocuted, and hear the indignant cries of "Rape!" "He's spending his money on an Airplane!"
Money is just one component of wealth. Durable goods of investment grade are also wealth. The power-house financial companies like General Electric have long understood this and quite often the engines on the airliner you fly on are not owned by the airline, but leased from GE.
Liquidity is the issue. If you want perfect liquidity, put only cash in a mattress. No growth, no fun, great liquidity!
The reason I'm buying an airplane now is a studied reaction to my observations during this pilot training evolution. My fellow students are men and women of some means spending time and money to learn to fly after 60. Or returning to flying, but opting out of all the commercial-inspired requirements of the Private Pilot route.
Currently there are not enough flight instructors and schools to match demand and it will get worse as word of this Sport Pilot license and it no-medical policy spreads. As the license numbers increase the demand for Light Sport Aircraft will increase. I expect to be able to recoup every dime I invest and make a profit on the sale of my plane. That's why I'm buying an old man's plane. Big cabin, fast climb and designed to cruise in comfort.
Just changing wealth from one form to another. And using the aircraft in the interim.
Checkride Monday!
Exactly twenty days after starting and twenty flight hours (15 dual, 5 solo) I'll take my checkride. The checkride is an oral and practical exam by a very senior FAA-designated Pilot Examiner. Mine is a retired Eastern Airlines captain with more time flying than I've been alive.
After the oral quiz, we review the cross-country flight and navigation plan I'll have and then we'll go to the aircraft. I will brief him as any passenger and work out the weight and balance of the aircraft using his real-world weight. Then I'll get him in the already preflighted seat and complete the plan. We'll discuss emergencies . I'll show him how to use the harness, headset, door handle and how to eject the door for water landings.
Then we'll talk about the exact method by which I will give him the flight controls to fly the aircraft.
Then, we'll go on the planned cross-country trip to Sebring, home of the famous race track. For a while. Then we'll cancel that plan and he'll have me do other maneuvers like stalls, steep turns, ground reference maneuvers and landing all the while distracting me in various ways, if I allow it.
Immediately after the flight I'll know pass or fail. Fail rates a do-over later on the things failed. A large portion of student fail the first checkride. The examiner has the power and knowledge to fail anyone. I just hope we get along!
After the oral quiz, we review the cross-country flight and navigation plan I'll have and then we'll go to the aircraft. I will brief him as any passenger and work out the weight and balance of the aircraft using his real-world weight. Then I'll get him in the already preflighted seat and complete the plan. We'll discuss emergencies . I'll show him how to use the harness, headset, door handle and how to eject the door for water landings.
Then we'll talk about the exact method by which I will give him the flight controls to fly the aircraft.
Then, we'll go on the planned cross-country trip to Sebring, home of the famous race track. For a while. Then we'll cancel that plan and he'll have me do other maneuvers like stalls, steep turns, ground reference maneuvers and landing all the while distracting me in various ways, if I allow it.
Immediately after the flight I'll know pass or fail. Fail rates a do-over later on the things failed. A large portion of student fail the first checkride. The examiner has the power and knowledge to fail anyone. I just hope we get along!
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