Helicopters. Benn doing it since '66. Uncle Sam paid for my training but I had to go East to pay him back!! God Bless
Here are a couple of fun ones, both from 1936. The Caudron replica isn't mine, but we built it in my shop and I get to fly it. The Monocoupe is mine, picked it up a couple of months ago. Both are real flying hotrods.
It got a bit costly but I used to own a 172 XP, continental powered 6 Cyl 195 HP Skyhawk. I couldnt keep both bad habits of owning aircraft and hot rods, so I decided to stay with the cars. Still enjoy flying when I can, I just dont own any aircraft anymore
We own a Globe/Temco Swift and a Cherokee 180, and live on an airport. My wife is the Pilot though. Love the 30's air racers, and that Cauldron is awesome. My uncle was Crew Chief on Wedell-Williams #44
I always enjoy seeing a 4 seater (cessna, piper) something with a small block chevy up front. I fly for the airlines, but like to keep my hands in GA. Almost bought one, but went with the car instead!
Used to be in a partnership on a Cessna Cardinal 177B. Great airplane to travel in, stable and roomy. Decided to retire and could'nt justify the expense.
After 109 years of powered flight I wonder how many people have a pilots license? I has to be a small percentage of the total population.
dont quote me on this, Less than one percent of the population of the United States has some type of pilots license, with the number is around 630,000 persons
Just attended an aviation seminar today and this subject came up. You are right on the money (give or take a few thousand). I currently have a Mooney M20J. Have had a variety of planes over the past 29 years. Piper Archer, Globe Swift, Cessna 195 (my avatar), Falco F8L, Glastar, and a few others. The Swift, Cessna 195 and Falco were the most sensually pleasing... Ray
I'm not a pilot myself, but a friend took me up in one of these last week. Beechcraft Super King Air 350, lotsa fun.
Lintmann and myself aren't pilots but we are the guys on the ground maintaining those birds and keeping them in the air.
100ll in my race bike (yz125) and a 75/25 mix in my graham when its done... we only get 90 here so somethin has to give.
pa-28-236 Dakota. Only thing i had experiance in for several years. A few years back, A friend had rented a cessna 172. He threw me the keys and said have a ball. I was lost. I had to read the manual on the apron. Ground roll wasnt bad but the climb was long and slow..
Did through the late 70's till 2003. It just got to be too expensive for me, especialy insurance. I still get a little seat time flying with my buddy in his 220 hp Maule. Was PM chatting with Hnstray the other day, and it occured to me that even though I entered aviation in the "modern Age", I have never piloted any thing but tail draggers. Former owner pilot of '61 C-150 Cessna with Texas Tail dragger conversion. '41 Stinson 10F Reliant '49 Temco Swift
I no longer fly, but was a pilot in the USAF, 67-74, logged about 2000 hours. T-41s, T-37s, T-38s in pilot training, then C-119s for a year and a half in CA (raced some at Fremont and Half Moon Bay while there), then crosstrained into helicopters. CH-53s flying missions into Laos from Thailand. Last tour in UH-1s in Cheyenne, WY. Funny thing is that while I liked flying, seems like I was frequently wishing I was on the ground and driving. For a hobby, like someone else commented, the expense of flying is pretty rough. These days, if I hear something with a radial engine flying over, I'll run outside to see what it is, but that doesn't happen much any more!
:LOL: My Bulldog "HAP" doesn't chase cars he chases Radials. Guess he got that from my wife and I. We get plenty Stearmans, AT-6/SNJ's passes and frequent warbirds. I love having my shop on a Runway, although it does slow my progress from time to time.
Started flying in '65 after I got off active duty. Owned the Citabria (150hp) for 14 years, the picture was taken right after I painted it (my neighbor was an A&P). Great little airplane, wish I still had it. Last time I flew was Oct of '09 - I haven't had a medical since '06 because of Cancer so I was flying dual. That was from a runaway that I was the Project Manager in charge of rebuilding/lighting - the IP said if I had a valid medical he'd have signed me off as OK. My Doc does FAA Medicals and says I should pass now with no problem so that's on my list of things to do this summer.
The Jalopy Journal
