This is something I've been doing since high school. I'm always on Controller.com, playing "airplane buyer", looking for an airplane depending on the bracket of money that I may fit in. I'm normally looking for airplanes priced at or below $35,000.
There have been some deals that I have found online at Controller, and I wish I could be in a good financial position to get one. Something cheap, something to start flying with. I've done it so much, that I have a good idea of where and when to look for a certain plane. I prefer buying a Cessna 150, or a 152 as a first airplane. But, if your mission profile means you must fly with one more, or added range or speed, a Cessna 172 is a good pick. They normally go for less than a comparable Piper (PA-28 family). I prefer Cessnas over Pipers anyway, because of flying characteristics (I've had a couple of really bad landings in a Piper Warrior...she may have been the runt of the fleet, but I was willing to spend a little more on the other planes).
As far as Pipers go, anything in the PA-28 family is good, so long as you can find the deal (which is hard). Since there are so many variants to the PA-28 family, it's hard to find a deal. And because of the cloudy existence of ambiguity, some sellers will take advantage of this and raise their price a tad. But, that's something you need to look for as a buyer.
But, that's just me playing airplane buyer. I'll continue to play the game until the game becomes real in several more years to come. Rather than financing a car, I'll go for an airplane as my first real "big-ticket" purchase.
21 August 2009
15 June 2009
Last Friday...Lantana Airport
Palm Beach Flight training held an open-house event. It was my first social event...ever.
I didn't think I'd stay as long as I did. But I did. If you can tell from my new flagship blog, GolfNovember Art, and you know what I feel when I'm around people, you would understand.
First thing I did was look around for someone I knew. I ran into a few students from my ground school class, and mingled with them a little. Then I saw the seminar on aircraft ownership and the IRS (very interesting, by the way).
I went back out, after having some food and a couple of Cokes, to check out the planes close up. They were sporting three brand-new Cessnas. One Skyhawk, a Turbo Skylane, and one fresh, brand new Corvalis (my dream plane). All three were sporting the G1000 glass cockpit system from Garmin. It was beautiful. I ran into an old teacher from a previous ground school class, and she asked how I was doing. I felt so good being there, around people I knew, and around people who are like me: pilots, aviators, aviation enthusiasts...my people.
I stayed for the entire event. And I enjoyed myself. For the first time, I enjoyed myself in a social setting. It was wonderful!
Check out Palm Beach Flight Training at Palm Beach County Park Airport/Gassaway Field.
I didn't think I'd stay as long as I did. But I did. If you can tell from my new flagship blog, GolfNovember Art, and you know what I feel when I'm around people, you would understand.
First thing I did was look around for someone I knew. I ran into a few students from my ground school class, and mingled with them a little. Then I saw the seminar on aircraft ownership and the IRS (very interesting, by the way).
I went back out, after having some food and a couple of Cokes, to check out the planes close up. They were sporting three brand-new Cessnas. One Skyhawk, a Turbo Skylane, and one fresh, brand new Corvalis (my dream plane). All three were sporting the G1000 glass cockpit system from Garmin. It was beautiful. I ran into an old teacher from a previous ground school class, and she asked how I was doing. I felt so good being there, around people I knew, and around people who are like me: pilots, aviators, aviation enthusiasts...my people.
I stayed for the entire event. And I enjoyed myself. For the first time, I enjoyed myself in a social setting. It was wonderful!
Check out Palm Beach Flight Training at Palm Beach County Park Airport/Gassaway Field.
02 June 2009
Anthropomorph Aircraft?
I thought I was the only one who did this.
I had kept contact with my flight instructor from California, and very dear friend, Holly, about a number of things. Work, love, aviation... I mentioned to her in making a point at the difficulty of understanding love, that I could understand an airplanes actions and language better than that of love.
Turns out, she also speaks my language.
To put it better, I can feel if an airplane is happy, uncomfortable, saddened, and even upset. It sounds odd, but I can feel the aircraft's personality. It also sympathizes with me. I'll give you two examples. When I last flew over Los Angeles on 21 May 2004, the airplane that I was flying, a Cessna 152, I was sad, since it was going to mark the end of my flying over my beautiful hometown. The airplane felt sad. The wings sagged, and the controls felt slow.
Return to flight, five years later, December of 2008. In a Cessna 172, the airplane felt a little upset at the beginning, just a few seconds after takeoff, the airplane felt happy again. It was almost as if the airplane didn't recognize me in the beginning, but felt that she was in the hands of a capable pilot (if I can say so myself). The airplane felt happy that I was back. The airplane felt that my heart was flying in absolute happiness. That morning, it was me. I was flying. I was back in the saddle.
I felt the language of the airplane again after five years. I apparently, am still fluent, and the airplane still understands me. So I guess all hope is not lost. I will try once again to get back in teh saddle, but then again, that's all you have been hearing since the inception of this blog. But this is not a fight to finish quickly. This is a fight to win over time. I will win the battle over money, and fly once again.
I had kept contact with my flight instructor from California, and very dear friend, Holly, about a number of things. Work, love, aviation... I mentioned to her in making a point at the difficulty of understanding love, that I could understand an airplanes actions and language better than that of love.
Turns out, she also speaks my language.
To put it better, I can feel if an airplane is happy, uncomfortable, saddened, and even upset. It sounds odd, but I can feel the aircraft's personality. It also sympathizes with me. I'll give you two examples. When I last flew over Los Angeles on 21 May 2004, the airplane that I was flying, a Cessna 152, I was sad, since it was going to mark the end of my flying over my beautiful hometown. The airplane felt sad. The wings sagged, and the controls felt slow.
Return to flight, five years later, December of 2008. In a Cessna 172, the airplane felt a little upset at the beginning, just a few seconds after takeoff, the airplane felt happy again. It was almost as if the airplane didn't recognize me in the beginning, but felt that she was in the hands of a capable pilot (if I can say so myself). The airplane felt happy that I was back. The airplane felt that my heart was flying in absolute happiness. That morning, it was me. I was flying. I was back in the saddle.
I felt the language of the airplane again after five years. I apparently, am still fluent, and the airplane still understands me. So I guess all hope is not lost. I will try once again to get back in teh saddle, but then again, that's all you have been hearing since the inception of this blog. But this is not a fight to finish quickly. This is a fight to win over time. I will win the battle over money, and fly once again.
12 May 2009
Being called Cactus, and earning the respect of a captain...
In class, we were practicing holds. I have holding patterns down to a science...I am still making rookie mistakes, but I am detecting where my problems are. A compass rose is your best friend. Then, the instructor, seeing me in full work regalia, called me "Cactus" referencing the callsign my employer uses for air traffic control. So, from here on out, call me "Cactus"!
At work, during the last half hour of my shift, instead of getting voluntary time off for class, I had to board a flight. Lately, this has become a challenge...moving down to one agent boarding a flight, all the pressure of boarding is also put on one agent, rather than two...well, that's more for my Airport Chronicles blog. You can see more there, when I have time (AC is the neglected one).
Boarding the flight to Philadelphia, the captain was quite professional. I greeted the pilots working the flight, and after getting a few minor kinks with the flight (Philly will always be Philly), we were buttoning everything up for the flight.
"Fuel slip?"
"Got it."
"Got everything else you need?"
"Yep!"
"See this?" I said, pointing at my ERAU lanyard.
"I want to sit there one of these days!" I said, pointing at the right seat.
His face lit up, and said "I'll be waiting for you!" We shook hands in affirmation towards my blossoming career, and we got everything set, and ready to go.
Taking flight is the only way to live.
And in a few years, I will be putting on my three thin silver stripes, and sporting my chrome wings on the breast of my black leather jacket. I'll be flying jets for a living...the dream.
Keep flying, my friends.
At work, during the last half hour of my shift, instead of getting voluntary time off for class, I had to board a flight. Lately, this has become a challenge...moving down to one agent boarding a flight, all the pressure of boarding is also put on one agent, rather than two...well, that's more for my Airport Chronicles blog. You can see more there, when I have time (AC is the neglected one).
Boarding the flight to Philadelphia, the captain was quite professional. I greeted the pilots working the flight, and after getting a few minor kinks with the flight (Philly will always be Philly), we were buttoning everything up for the flight.
"Fuel slip?"
"Got it."
"Got everything else you need?"
"Yep!"
"See this?" I said, pointing at my ERAU lanyard.
"I want to sit there one of these days!" I said, pointing at the right seat.
His face lit up, and said "I'll be waiting for you!" We shook hands in affirmation towards my blossoming career, and we got everything set, and ready to go.
Taking flight is the only way to live.
And in a few years, I will be putting on my three thin silver stripes, and sporting my chrome wings on the breast of my black leather jacket. I'll be flying jets for a living...the dream.
Keep flying, my friends.
08 May 2009
Folded Wings: Jack Henderson, and James Breazeal
I have seen their red Bonanza at the east end of Hangar Row at Owen Gassaway Field (LNA, Lantana), my current home airport. I was unaware of their story.
A tragic accident occurred this past Wednesday with the same Bonanza and the two gentlemen aforementioned. On takeoff, the newly installed engine on the red Bonanza failed due to currently unknown reasons. Henderson tried to turn back towards the airport, but was banked so steeply at such a low altitude, he possibly couldn't recover.
The Lantana Airport Family mourns your loss. Our thoughts are with the Henderson and Breazeal families.
The NTSB is currently investigating the accident.
A tragic accident occurred this past Wednesday with the same Bonanza and the two gentlemen aforementioned. On takeoff, the newly installed engine on the red Bonanza failed due to currently unknown reasons. Henderson tried to turn back towards the airport, but was banked so steeply at such a low altitude, he possibly couldn't recover.
The Lantana Airport Family mourns your loss. Our thoughts are with the Henderson and Breazeal families.
The NTSB is currently investigating the accident.
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