I WALKED to the local FBO because I could not afford a bike at age 13. I told my parents I wanted to learn to fly. They said find a way to pay for lessons and it was okay w/them (cool parents!) Got a job cutting grass, washing planes, pumping gas, cleaning FBO bathrooms -- real CRAPPY JOBS (pun intended) just to pay for lessons. Soloed at age 16, licensed at age 17 (Pipers), driver license and multi-engine at 18....then won the lottery at age 19. Yes, PILOT license BEFORE drivers license. The lottery is another story... My draft number (Vietnam) was 7...so off to Ft Rucker to fly Huey UH-1 helos...last VNAF were in my class and I was the first class NOT sent to 'Nam! First female military pilot was in my class...that's a whole story in itself. I wound up flying Bell Jet Rangers in Savannah...beaches and sailing every weekend. Great gig as a Command Aviation Pilot. Turned down a job offer w/UAL out of grad school but disliked the idea of moving and/or deadheading and living in hotels. I have huge respect for corporate and airline pilots. I could not do their job and be happy w/myself. Three years ago SECAF (who is also a Tifosi) arranged a ride in one of the USAF F-15 Eagles...90 minute ride. I got to fly the a/c from FL18 to the deck -- and no one was firing missiles at me. Great to see a bunch of Tifosi w/other interests -- Thanks Rob! By the way, my FAA cert # is 1981883...issued way back in 1968. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Another fchat crossover. Flying since 1989 and currently own a Beech Debonair. Have a ferrari and a few porsches and mercedes. Guess i am trying to recreate that feeling on tierra firma that I get in the air but never seems to happen. There is NOTHING like flying but the ferrari comes close. Not surprised that there are so many pilots on fchat, they kind of go hand in hand. To all those student pilots out there, keep at it, it will be the best thing you will have ever done.
Hi all, this is just what I didn't need; Another Forum to get hooked on. I essentially grew up with airplanes. My Grandfather was a pilot and member of the OX5 club, and my dad is a retired Eastern Airlines Captain. There was never any doubt what I would do for a living. After College, I started Flight Instructing and bought a Champ instead of a decent car. I worked my way up through the commuters and finally landed my dream job with a Major Airline. I do not fly the champ very much anymore as it is in Florida and I am busy with my work and family in Virginia. There is definitely a void inside where General Aviation once was. In 07 my wife said that she wanted a Ferrari and I couldn't believe it! I thought the Ferrari would compare to the thrill of flying but no such luck. The Ferrari is a kick but it is almost impossible to drive 100 percent within the law and fully enjoy the car. There is always that frustrated feeling of holding back when you know the car would be happier at 150mph. A light airplane, on the other hand, leaves you free to enjoy yourself without fear of a ticket or worse. The sky, and Vne, being the limit. Great to hear everyone's story, Keep the shinny side up (or better yet, don't). Dave
Wow, I guess I'm another that somehow missed this thread... I've been into cars since I was 15 and planes longer. In a former life I worked for several NASCAR teams as an engine builder and then as company GM...now I own a MasterCraft Boat Dealership (been in business 8 years). Many cars have come and gone from Yenko Camaros, Judge GTOs, Countach etc...currently we have the 1990 TR and 2009 C63AMG as the toy cars. My wife has her Pvt pilot and I have made it through my multi and IFR...currently we own a 2007 Cirrus SR22GTS Black edition...it is our third Cirrus and we fly it as often as possible. Recently owning an airplane has made life much easier as both my mother and my wife's mother have been hospitalized. Words can't express the convenience of being able to go when family makes the call that you are needed. Our families are spread from northern Ohio to Florida and having the Cirrus makes any of these runs a 2 hour flight instead of an 8 hour drive! I have time in several aircraft including the Citation Mustang...but if you really want a kick here is a video of my first tail dragger landing in a different Mustang: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W3YAlERvqg&feature=channel Lastly a picture of our current Cirrus: Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi everyone, I've been lurking at F-chat for a couple of years, obviously for the Ferrari related info. I'm an airline pilot currently flying the Boeing 747-400. I haven't been involved in General aviation in a few years but I do keep my CFI current. It's cool to see so many pilots here too. I guess a love airplanes and cars go together.
Welcome and congrats on flying a great airplane. I worked on the -400 but had nothing to do with the elex problems. Still a great airplane. I worked on the original unit in 1967-8-9 and we sweated blood then. That airplane is still better than the A380 and the 747-8 will be better yet. That guy is 250 feet long and has a new wing and engines plus new carbon fiber structures. It will be a good one. Jack Wadell after the first flight said that the airplane was ridiculously easy to fly. But he is a test pilot. As far as I know, the 747 is still the fastest commercial jet in service.
'59 C180. This was the first plane I ever bought on my own (early 80's). It was in a residential garage in a subdivision in MS (or AL? I forget, lot of water under the bridge ) The wings were obviously off of it, so I trailered it home, had the wings put on, and flew it for awhile before selling it (couldnt afford to keep it...some things never change ), but, while I had it, I flew the wings off it. I found this plane in Trade-A-Plane, out of Crossville, TN...an hour's drive from my home in Knoxville. At that time, Trade A Plane was of course printed 3 times monthly, and on the day of printing, they would always put a stack out on the sidewalk in front of their office so people could pick up the newest issue for free the day it was printed. (this was before the internet and ebay!). On the day of printing, I'd always be there, on that sidewalk, waiting for the newest issue. Therefore, me and a few other guys around this area got it 24 hrs before anyone else in the country could get it (the best anyone else could do was 24 hr, overnight delivery ) I had "first dibs" on every "new good deal" in TAP in the Nation!! This went on for several years before the dealers in other parts of the country began crying "foul", and TAP was then forced by the some of those dealers into not putting their papers on the sidewalk that soon anymore. LOL (Iguess they felt a "competitive disadvantage" heh) Oh well, that's the story of how I came to find this particular plane. I found some others the same way (until my "operation" was "shut down" ). Anyway...these planes are great. And in THIS one, heck, a man could fly it in his over-alls and chew tobacco, landing in hay fields and never feel outta place. That was when I was a young whipper-snapper. Life was good...never had the money to go and buy what you guys can ;( There's some NICE planes on here But I took 'em as they came, and loved 'em all for what they were or weren't (for the MOST part lol) Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Great plane, still think the Skywagon would be the only plane that could meet all my missions tailwheel local fun/XC's/4 adults/hunt scouting.
It's suprisingly easy to fly. Except for the inertia, once you are in the air you'd have no clue that the airplane is as big as it is. Once Concorde retired the 747 reclaimed the title of fastest airliner (I think the Cessna Citation X may be the fastest transport category airplane). MMO for the -400 is .92 Mach and economy cruise is often .85+. The -8 will be an awesome airplane, I can't wait until she flies!
Glad to see there is an aviation section to this website...nice. I have been flying for 36 years....yeah, since 1973. Started flying gliders/sailplanes at age 14 and worked up to multi-engine airliners, but now I am working on a civilian astronaut program through the Rocket Racing League. Take a look at our website: www.rocketracingleague.com I am assigned to the Santa Fe Rocket Racing Team, and our team website is: www.santaferocketracing.com You can see my bio under TEAM Joe 1992 F348TS
The Rocket Racer is extremely experimental...and only the test pilot (former Shuttle astronaut--Col Rick Searfoss) has flown the rocket plane. There are many modifications taking place. Here is a video segment that was aired in Western USA this past weekend on ABC: http://www.atyourleisure.info/episodes.asp?season=7&episode=30&category=4 It will further explain what we are working to accomplish. We have a sports industry side and and a space commercialism side to our involvement. Both are rather exciting. Oh...the rocket plane is only flying at 300 mph at this point so we can keep it entertaining for the audience and until we further test the airframe, which is built from Velocity Aircraft co. in Florida. We have several display events planned for 2009, with racing planned Sept. 2009 at the Reno Air Races.
Thought you might like to see a photo of the Velocity Aircraft with the Rocket Engine...producing 1500 lbs thrust, powered with Lox and Ethanol Image Unavailable, Please Login
Just saw the AviationChat link on FerrariChat. Am working on getting my PPL; started in March this year and they say I'm about ready to solo. My grandfather owned 20 airplanes during his lifetime and I promised him when I was 16 that I would learn to fly. Never forgot that promise. Now, so many years later (with three grown sons and a grand-daughter), here I am working to fulfill that promise. A fellow Ferrari enthusiast learned of my interest in flying, pushed me out of the nest, and now I'm on the road to follow the family tradition. My grandfather flew, my dad flew, my uncle flew and my brother also has his PPL. Ironically, my grandfather and step-grandmother died in 1969 while he was piloting his Cessna 182 toward California from Florida. They crashed into the Guadalupe Mountains in Texas and died instantly. He had over 900 hours. Will check back from time to time on AviationChat. I hope to buy my own airplane one day soon after I receive my PPL. Currently I'm flying the Cessna 150 and Cessna 172. Going now to study my Gleim... The best days are when I can put a note on my office door that says "Gone Flying!" Thanks, Rob, for starting AviationChat.
Julie- Welcome to the fold. I spent quite a bit of time in Anderson before you, and most likely your father, were born when I went to Clemson in the 60s. Have fun here and nice to know you have great taste in cars and aircraft. Taz Terry Phillips
Welcome, Julie, from an old Duke Blue Devil and ex-pilot. keep us informed as you go through your training and let us know about your experiences. Switches
As DaVinci once said: "Once you have flown, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been, and there you long to return." (amazing how right he was) Welcome.
Hi there What a coincidence, both my hobbies united on 1 website . Well I'm Maarten and I live in the Netherlands. I study Aerospace Engineering at the Technical University of Delft. It's my first year at the uni but I really like it. If everything goes to plan I get the chance to fly an airplane myself one time, so that would be kind of cool . My hobbies are Ferrari (and other sportscars) and of course aerospace. By the way, are there any Aerospace Engineering Students here on this site? Greetings, Maarten S
New to both sites as I set both flying and the Dino aside for years to do other things. Now I've re-located to Texas, got the Dino running and resumed flying light planes around North Texas. Enjoying both sites the last few days. -------- J.R.
Welcome Julie, Maarten and Robert! Great to have you here, and look forward to hearing your adventures. Best to all Russ
hi guys been on fchat for a bit huge ferrai fan since i was a kid. also been a fan of aviation since i was young too. dont own a ferrari or a plane but am going to school to be a pilot just solod for the first time last month should have my private certificate soon.
Just discovered this section, so I'm still busy reading all the threads haha; but a short introduction: I'm still a student pilot, training for the Royal Netherlands air force to fly the mighty F-16 Viper. I'm currently at Sheppard flying the T-38C talon. Previously flown the T-6 Texan II (also at Sheppard) and I started my training on the PC-7 (in the Netherlands).
Hey JRZ, nice to have you here. Nice to read that you want to fly for the KLu (Dutch Airforce). I'm really interested in how things go there. If you would like to, could you give us some info of how things go and maybe show some pictures? Where are you stationed? Leeuwarden or Gilzerijen or...? Have fun here!
He's still in Sheppard as you can read. F-16's are only based at Leeuwarden and Volkel, Gilze is the base of the DHC (Dutch Helicopter Command), no real planes there. @ JRZ, say hi to Trolley from me (ex-334 Sq. Fokker 60).
