Another aviator here. Finally hung it up last fall. Have Comm, Inst, Multi eng, senior Parachute rigger, repairmens certificate. The latter because I built a Pulsar kit plane back in the late nineties and that allows one to due his own maintence. (Homebuilts are nothing more than flying hot rods.) Got into sky diving heavy in the '60's and sold my '36 3window to buy a new parachute. Survived 1826 jumps with only (2) broken legs. Have owned all or part of (8) different AC. Do I miss it...no. My '31 hiboy is all I need for grins now. Never got those rods out of my mind.
Need a Solo X country, pass written and check ride for PPL. Will have it soon. Had some health issues. Fly C172 and C150/C152. Also have some C-47 time.
Retired Fire Department shop manager with prior military flight time in AD's, AF's and OV-10 Bronco's. Still ticketed for multi engine commercial. Now split my time between Wild Land Fire Seasons and a small shop. Normbc9
Got my licenses in '86, last plane I owned was a Piper Turbo Arrow. Have some time in helicopters to. Flown many different airplanes helping some friends with there business/hobby, buying and selling planes. I was the pick-up and delivery boy. Have not been flying in at least 10 years now.
Got my license in '85, got our aircraft in '86. 1946 Aeronca 7AC/7CCM, 90hp conversion. Did a 3 year plus, bare tube, new spars in the wings, restoration to Military configuration from '89 to '92 and logged over 1,000 hours in her. Got my A&P in the mid '90s and the I.A. added to it in 2000. Had some health issues in '08 and between that and retiring onto Social Security income gave up aviation and let her go in '09. Miss it every day, but it's more than my body and bank account can deal with so I'm on to other things and back to my roots with our HA/GR build.
I also met that "Bob" guy at Midland, Texas, while I was participating in AirSho 07. I spoke with him alone for several minutes before the dozens people in the room began to recoginize him. They mobbed him as I was walking away. I loved watching Bob Hoover flying the Rockwell Commander with one engine feathered in his legendary performances at OshKosh.
My ride. 1939 J-3 that last flew in 1961. I picked it up as a "project" in 2009. It was a covered fuselage and tail feathers with wings "ready" for cover that I purchased in Kentucky. After getting it home and looking it over, I found a rust hole the size of a pencil eraser in one of the cabin supports. I figured if they covered it with that there, what does the rest of it look like? LOTS of time and MONEY later, this is what I have. Word to the wise: Airplanes are more expensive than hot rods But what a blast!
Been flying since 77. Rented at first, 150's,172's lots of Grumman Cheetah and Tiger time. Then bought the Taylorcraft pictured, the fastback 150, and partnered on restoring an Aeronca Chief. Flying stopped and airplanes went away when the kids came. The pic of the Taylorcraft as it is now with its latest owner I think its in Montana. I miss all the airplanes. It was a great time. I dont think its affordable now. I think I bought the taylorcraft flying for $3200 in 1980, the 150 for $4500 and the Chief as a basket for $800.
I own and fly a 1956 Cessna 172. It is the 91st one produced. I am entering my retirement and would like to find someone who might possibly trade a hot rod for it. I just don't fly it enough any more.
Completed my 50th year last year. Many years as a corporate pilo[8 for the AHRA] My son and I have a 1939 funk[90 cont.] and a 1947 Luscombe [90 cont.]. Many years competing in F1 racing and unlimited at Reno [3350 Wright powered Sea Fury] #71 Southern Cross. Our last year 2005 we qualified @419.5 finished 7th in unlimited. Still at it, do some maint.and putt around in the Funk.
I didn't think there was a lot of pilot HAMB'ers around. I'm on the A320 with Frontier out of Denver. For those of you who don't know of them, we have the animals on the tails. A lot of cool hotrodder/car guys fly for them. Not sure if its frontier, or a great hobby amongst pilots & A&P's in general.
only as a rider I love the felling of a C-131 taking off. and the gentel roll of a H-60 slick. but lusted as a kid over sky kings plane, Pennie was ok too
Passed my A&P when I was 19. Pilots license at 21. Maintenance and inspection on heavys . I have a 1946 Commonwealth Skyranger 185. It is a taildragger and fun to fly. My Grandson and I go up often. It is on YOUTUBE under " 1946 Commonwealth Skyranger" I didn,t know that so many HAMBERS were fly people also. I guess that is because we all like speed and mechanics.
I've been flying one of these since 1982 (850' at a time) I'm going to "fly" about another 10 years before I hang it up.
I too, had a '56, N6900A, sold it last Oct. It was #1000 in the production of these great flying old birds.
While we are telling jokes... as a crewchief this ones my favorite.... A F16 pilot died at the controls of his plane and went to pilots' hell, where he found a hideous devil and three doors. The devil was busy escorting other pilots to various "hell rooms." "I'll be right back--don't go away," said the devil, and he vanished. Sneaking over to the first door, he peeked in and saw a cockpit where the pilot was condemned to forever run through preflight checks. He slammed that door and peeked into the second. There, alarms rang and red lights flashed while a pilot had to avoid one emergency after another. Unable to imagine a worse fate, he cautiously opened the third door. He was amazed to see a pilot getting ready for a flight while crew chiefs dilligently put the final touches on a perfectly-maintained aircraft, even bringing him coffee and saluting him sharply as they presented the forms for his approval. He quickly returned to his place seconds before the devil reappeared. "Okay," said the devil, "Which door will it be, number 1 or number 2?" "Um, I want door number 3," answered the Pilot. "Sorry," said the devil. "You can't have door number 3. That's crew chiefs' hell."
Hellraiser & boutlaw, with for Pan American World Airways for 20 years, and am retired from the FAA like y'all. Hired on as an Air Carrier Inspector in the Dallas FSDO assigned to American Airlines, spent 5 years as an Air Safety Investigator investigating accidents for AAI 100, retired as the Office Manager of the Kentucky FSDO. Certificate holding office for UPS, Comair and DHL. I haven't flown since leaving the FAA. Its a lot different when Uncle Sam is footing the bill. Now I just fool around with old cars, a lot less money then renting aircraft.
727,737,747,757,767,777,DC9, Falcon 10, Beechjet 400, all Learjet models,Westwind, Hawker 750,S2E, A4E, H3,H46, R44,H34,H1,and many single and multiengine airplanes. I still like hot rods better after 57 years flying and about a 100+ hours.
A MILLION hours!! Man, I need to catch up, I've been flying for 51 years and only have a little over 7,000 hours and most of that is out of my own pocket.
Is that the current T10 ? We had a"tojo" T10 (circa 1964) that featured an ellipical opening and slippable risers. Looks like a "60's 7 gore TU that anybody with a sewing machine could produce back in the day. That 850' ride is way to short......unless someone is shooting at you! I was a rigger in 101st '62 to '65.