Any pilots here on this forum?

Me.

I flew a little in Alaska, always thought I would get around to it and start flying more.

Take a look at the zenith CH701, it will take off in a few feet...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tJuO16hRTk

Guilty as charged!

Tell me more! What do you fly?

I'll be shopping for a plane this year hopefully.

Not sure I want a super slow STOL plane, might be willing to go for a zippy little composite bird.

We were thinking of the stol because you can operate it on a few acres w/a tin barn and pump gas... Check out the Long EZ and type for zippy fiber performance...

Not sure the Long EZ falls into the light sport category. Too fast, too heavy, and has retractable nose gear.

I'm thinking Luscoumb, Supercub, Ercoupe, taylorcraft, there's a hundred small, 2 place aircraft that are good for light sport.

Many, are new and composite, and while costly, are sweet little planes. Others are older but it's easy to find well maintained planes with full records. My Dad bought his Ercoupe for $14,000 and it's a sweetheart.

If I can pass medical then I'llbe getting my full private pilot's license, and then I'll probably shop for a 200mph composite plane like a Glasair, or a nice RV4 (which is made of aluminum).

I fly.

Commercial, IFR, SEL, MEL, CFI, MEI.

I also work as an Aviation Insurance Agent.

Currently residing in East TN, but I'll be relocating to the Bay Area (most likely in Fremont) after the 1st of the year)

Yeah, the LSA thing slipped away... What about a 152 ? On the subject of insurance, a new pilot in a home built v. a new pilot in a 152 ??

What is the cost difference for insurance ??...

P.S... What about BRC ? Is insurance much cheaper if you have a ballistic chute ?

I my case, it's going to be a few months before I begin lessons, and shopping for a plane.

I've been told to "wait and see" because there may be big changes to the medical requirements for getting a full private pilot's license.
This might open things up for me as to what license I can get and what plane I can shop for.

I really want a composite plane, either that, or an aerobatic plane. But that's all a long ways away.

Im a B737 Airline Captain, so I'm a little out of touch with general aviation, but if I was looking for a personal plane, I would consider a Piper Cherokee 180. Solid plane, good performance, good range, not homebuilt or experimental, and above all safe and forgiving. I have about 400 hours in one; mostly cross country trips all over Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.

http://m.controller.com/Listin...1389563&categoryId=6

This would be a good machine not only to learn in, but to fly and enjoy for many years. I would recommend you get get at least 1000 hours under your belt before considering something riskier (ie. Experimental, faster, retractable gear etc). I've seen too many people kill themselves by getting in over their heads!

If it was me, I'd spend $50 grand on a good Cherokee 180, have it re-upholstered in nice high end materials, upgrade the electronics to one of the fancy new touch screen EFIS systems, and install a ballistic parachute. Probably $60 -$65 grand total, and it would be a stellar machine.

G

I could not agree more with dr oldsmobile. My best friend burned to dead in one of those shitty so called planes. A few months before I did fly with him and I thought how is this even legal. It is dangerous for the pilot and others if it goes wrong. Sorry if this sounds hard but I feel very strong about this. Urbain

I agree 100%, sadly enough I know (knew) more people who killed them self (and their passengers) in light Aircrafts than on the Roads! All common denominator pushing the limits beyond their or their Equipments capability combined with not enough experience. DONT DO IT!

You start with a Bag of Luck and the Recipe is to replace the Luck with experience before the Luck runs out!

Just a few years ago a very Experienced Airline Captain I know did a wing-over followed by a low pass, did a high speed stall when he tried to pull up as the ground came close. Killed his passenger and he is now disabled him self and can't work. All in an attempt to impress people on the ground including his passengers party. What a tragedy. Again DONT DO IT! I am sorry if I sound negative, just seen it too often for comfort.
btw I fly as Captain on a Corporate Jet (Global Express) and have of course also flown a lot of hours on small single engine Piston Aircrafts. But now a days only on the odd occasion when the sky is blue ;-)

quote:

Originally posted by goodroc:...

You start with a Bag of Luck and the Recipe is to replace the Luck with experience before the Luck runs out!...

Good advice for Life!

Safe fun is why we looked at a CH701 w/ballistic chute, operated from 5 acres w/a tractor barn... just gently fly it around the house. If you buy a small aircraft that has low stall speed then chances are you "hit something" at a very low speed. Many of the high wing air-frames will practically fly to the ground if you push them off the roof.

But the truth is, as stated here in the other posts... You may not get a second chance so If there is any question, any question... The answer is no. The fact that you are even questioning it means the answer is no. Come back another day....

Well, I know from being around planes my whole life that it's a different ball game. No "showing off", lots of regulations, and you take things gradually.

I don't plan on going straight into a hotrod plane, but there are also a lot of newer composite LSA planes that look sweet, and perform well, as well as many older, well kept planes available.

This is all a few months away, I'm going to start taking my lessons, and I have friends who fly, many have said a nice RV4 (I like the RV12) are sweet little planes, but we will see. Price, and what license I'm able to get will determine what plane I get. My Dad has a sweet little Ercoupe, luscoumbs are sweet too.

Cross country is fun but I started leaning toward the stol option for it's versatility and ease of operation. I'm only a spectator at this point, I went to GS and flew around with a few different guys and got plenty of stick time. The way they do it in AK is if you can get some stick time before your lessons, then you are much, much more relaxed and you will do better during instruction. The cubby crowd up there are maniacs, check this clip out...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21El16OPZoc

Um Mike, you've only had the Pantera like 5 minutes and were struggling to keep it running plus recovering from something like open heart surgery.... Why not get out and enjoy the Pantera, wind down the windows and blow the cobwebs out of your hair and head

I've been known to have multiple hobbies at the same time. In fact I usually do.

I AM enjoying the Pantera right now profusely. I've been driving it at least once a week. It's running perfectly (albeit pig rich) but runs and idles and hauls the mail in a big way. I'm happy.

It, though, like most hobbies, is a money pit, if i choose to make it one, there's many directions I can go with it. Presently it runs and in a state that I can just drive and enjoy it, so that's the plan for it for now.

Flying is something I've always wanted to do. I work with composites, worked at a glider airport fixing composite sailplanes for a while, came very close to getting my sailplane license, but never did finish that. I was working for the owner for trade for teaching me composites repair, and lessons, and he fell short on payment so that ended.

My Dad flew F-104's, and when I was young he had a Cessna, which we took to Mexico often, where he was a big game fisherman, family has a long history in aviation. Grandfather was one of THE first pilots for united, flying Ford Tri-motors and DC3's (was killed on approach at Oakland-they found that the mike was falling into the controls and jamming them up, solved the mystery of a few other DC3's that had crashed just after the pilot had radioed in, and they put boots around the yokes on all planes after that) and my grandmother was one of the first 20 stewardesses for United (you had to be a registered nurse back then, and they had to give all the male passengers a kiss as they exited the planes).

My Dad just bought an Ercoupe for 14G's, and that opened my eyes to the fact that flying WAS within my budget, and so I've decided to start taking lessons here in a month or 2 and get my license, and eventually get a plane.

I'm single, probably going to stay that way, I have minimal bills, so why the heck not?

Livin life man, following your dreams, that's what it's all about!

quote:

Originally posted by Joules:
Um Mike, you've only had the Pantera like 5 minutes and were struggling to keep it running plus recovering from something like open heart surgery.... Why not get out and enjoy the Pantera, wind down the windows and blow the cobwebs out of your hair and head

quote:

you had to be a registered nurse back then, and they had to give all the male passengers a kiss as they exited the planes).

Aaaaah,.... the good old days

quote:

Originally posted by mike the snake:

My Dad flew F-104's,

[/QUOTE]

Very cool...but as the Pros up above said...crawl, crawl, crawl, walk, walk, and never run (on the pool deck)!

This is what I have in mind. It's Light Sport, and just beautiful. It can be set up to go a lot faster too if one desired, but easily complies to the LSA rules.

http://www.flylightning.net/

quote:

Originally posted by mike the snake:
It can be set up to go a lot faster too if one desired, but easily complies to the LSA rules.

http://www.flylightning.net/

Yes be safe and don't fly too fast or too high

I flew for 25 years. Every step was a joy...except the company I worked for last which had a chief pilot who was charming but otherwise a complete idiot.

I always wanted to to work for the airlines. It was always my goal. Things which happened in life preventing me from pursuing it. I did actually a short stint with American Eagle. I was basses at JFK which was a cesspool. 1 month before 9/11 my wife fell ill again. With out question I walked into the chief pilot office, handed in my resignation and drove home.

I went back to my previous King Air Job flying an F-90 which was a really fun airplane. My previous employer was happy to have me back. They were a great group. When he sold his business the flying went to once a month.

I bounced around a bit and ended up at a jet job. I got type ratings in 2 jets. Flying the jets was fantastic but everything else about the job was the worst experience I ever had. Back stabbing incompetent and arrogance people where the even operate illegally not from choice but from ignorance. To say anything was not being a team player. I ended up with the short end of the stick.

So I found myself tired of corporate politics, tired of getting up at 3am, tired of sleeping in motel rooms across the country. After 25 years and over a year of my life spent in the air, Decided it was time to work for myself.

I think if I had chose the single life from day one things would be different. That is not to complaint, just a part of the situation. I however would not change a thing. I enjoyed the aviation career but it was time for a change.

I myself have so many hobbies and interest it was easy to do other things. In fact my interest in learning new things and doing new things is a big drive in my life.

Learning and doing new things was a big drive for my life in aviation. The process is what it is all about!

An old captain once said,

Rookie pilots fly Piper cubs.
Pilots with experience fly Piper singles.
With more experience you fly twins.
Superior pilots fly turbo props.
Superior pilots with experience fly jets
-----
Superior pilots with the most expert experience fly piper cubs!

BTW, choosing airplane,

Having fun going no where I chose Stearman.

Limited funds with great durability, good visibility and a great single engine workhorse, I have always liked the Cessna 182.

From there money and experience would open up a variety of twins even to the Citation Mustang which is an extremely simple and user friendly jet which revolves around a neat instrument package.

I am tired of being gone. I chose the Stearman.

My friend Tom has/had 3 planes;

a Cardinal (still has it) holds 6

a Maule (just sold it great plane)

and he built a RV8 (still has it).

It is fun to fly with him he lives in a fly in community and parks the planes in a hanger in his house. His best quote to me was "if you have retractable wheels one day you will land with them up!"

He is looking to get me into a plane some really good ones are for sale around him, but at 57 I can still swim, but I can't fly Smile!

I just go fast on the ground.