[dmcummins]

As Ive mentioned before I started taking flying lessons in December, I got my PPL in May, along with a plane, a Beech Debonair. Since I was a new pilot, actually still a student pilot when I bought the plane, the insurance company required me to have 25 hours dual before solo and 5 hour under the hood before I could take passengers.

So I got my private in the 172, which cost me about $8000 including rental insurance, books, ect. And probably another $5000 to get the high/performance, complex endorsement, and the hours to meet the insurance requirements, fuel included.

Since I got my plane I only had a couple of things that needed done to it. The door needed new bushings in it. No big deal, only cost $500 for a couple of bronze bushings and a hour or so of labor. And the plane did not have shoulder harnesses, so I had some installed, only $2000. I knew I wanted the harnesses and the cost, and I also knew there would be some things to take care of. So no biggie.

So now I'm finally at the point that I can fly without my instructor, and can take the wife or friends along. Took the wife on her first trip without the instructor along. We flew to Hannibal Mo, and then down to Mexico MO and back to St. Charles. The trip to Hannibal would have been around 1 1/2 drive, but took a little over 1/2 hour to fly. The wife is really liking the idea that we can fly to Hot Springs in a little over 2 hours, or be in Chicago in under 2.

I still have a lot to learn. At Mexico I made a mistake, I said I was entering the downwind for 35 and it was actually 36. No big deal, there was no one there. But all my wife heard me say was " whoops, thats not right". She said she doesn't want to hear those words.

So Hopefully there won't be any big maintenance surprises with the airplane. And next winter I'll get my IR rating.