Flying sure beats driving

[Don Ro]

I see...thanks.
I asked because the only small planes I've flown in were Cessna 150 & 172 and I liked looking out w/o a wing to obstruct the view.

[tevake]

Glad to hear that you are really enjoying the plane and flying it, DMC.
It was fun following you in the process of getting your lic. and hunting for THE Plane!
stoked for you that all is good there. I love the look of the plane you ended up with.

Oh and I'm not a Dr. either!

Cheers Richard

[flipper35]

Envious here as well. I would be happy with at least 4 seats a prop and a decent cruise speed. Should I win the lotto though it would be a Cherokee 6 or similar for the hauling capability.

[recycled sixtie]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

I see...thanks.
I asked because the only small planes I've flown in were Cessna 150 & 172 and I liked looking out w/o a wing to obstruct the view.

Low wing planes may look cooler but the view is more important for me. High wing planes are better in the bush, take off performance is better, gravel does not impact on the bottom of the wing as much. Mooneys and Bonanzas are fast cruisers and definitely cooler looking....envious of your ride!

[NeedSpace]

Originally Posted by dmcummins

I am sure I am not alone here, but I long for this view again! I only have about 100 hours and recently, I have been only adding about an hour a year (with instructor of course).

Hopefully, one day, I will own a plane. I tried on 152s and 172s but really enjoyed flying a Cherokee Arrow, really smooth flight. I also enjoyed the 162 I tried about a year ago. I look through Controller.com and ebay on a regular basis and dream.

If I were to going into poverty and sell my house, I would be living in one of these...


Congrats and enjoy!

[wdfifteen]

Thanks for the cool pic in the OP. That's what the cockpit looked like when I was flying. Only thing missing is the hook for the big heavy microphone.
I enjoyed flying, but I didn't like long cross country flights. Got most of my time in a PA-28 but some time in a Cub and a few hours in a 172, plus some unofficial instruction time in an Apache and a Beech 18. I like the view from the Cub and the 172 better than the Cherokee. When I considered going back to it a few years ago the economics vs driving just didn't add up for me.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by dmcummins

I also looked at the Mooneys, I'm sure I would have been happy with one of those also. When I was looking it was basically a toss up for me. I just happened to find the Beech first.

I guessed Mooney because of the fuel mileage 'bragging'... Mooneys are famous for sipping fuel.

A Debonair is called a Bonanza now... no V-tails.

[widgeon13]

Originally Posted by dmcummins

My plane is old and doesn't have any of the fancy new stuff. And I'm not spending 10 to 15K for a gps when I can use an ipad and $75 app. I still head to VORs and look out the window to find my way. But since Ive gotten the plane we rarely drive more than a 100 miles from home. We don't have to be anywhere so we pick our days.

Here is a shot of my instrument panel on our little day trip to Eureka Springs AR. I'm running around 55%-60% power, my IAS calculated out to around 140knts. We had a tailwind and the groundspeed was around 190mph. I was running 9.6 gph.



I still drive the Porsche to the golf club and the airport. But flying is what gets me excited these days.

What app are you using on your iPad and do you like it? Thanks. I still keep paper sectionals in the plane.

[FLYGEEZER]

Very nice!! Beech has always built damn good airplanes. Powerplant an O-470 ??????

[tcar]

Well, he didn't say a year...

They never had an O-470.

IO-470 on the early ones. All were injected.

Then went to an IO-520.

My uncle owned several (Bonanzas), starting in the 50's... C35 was the first, I think.

[romad]

Is flying better than driving?.......sometimes, on any long repeating trips for sure.....for business if you can swing it.....for pure thrill ( other than flying fighter A/C and maybe some exciting IFR trips).... racing cars is a more exciting experience.
For me I would love to be still flying, but I had to make a choice, and cars are more rewarding for the money and time spent.

[dmcummins]

The app is foreflight and I like it a lot. I also have a additional box that picks up and display's the in flight weather info and radar on the foreflight moving map. I still carry my out of date paper maps just in case the ipad quits on me, and it has overheated on me and quit. I also make out a nav sheet with the info I need in case I lose my GPS.

I have the IO-470 fuel injected engine. I believe they did make a O-470 in 1957, for one year, after that they were all injected.

I'm sure I cant beat the Mooneys on MPG, but by pulling the power back I can come close. This was about as lean as I want to run it and keep everything cool, I had a engine monitor added along with balanced injectors. I can cruise around 160knt/185mph at 75% power, but that's at 12.3 gph.

I never got into the racing so I can't compare it. The airport is 5 miles from my house and I can generally fly whenever the weather permits. It is expensive though. If you just want to get from point A to point B driving will alway's be cheaper, the cost to own and fly a plane cannot really be justified. No more so than a high performance boat. It's just something I like to do at this point in my life.

[NeedSpace]

Had a GREAT flight today. I had my first lesson in a helicopter. I am still coming down from the high. I knew I would enjoy it but wow, didn't expect this.

I flew 30 minutes in a Robinson R22 Beta. I flew out of Linden (LDJ) and zipped around the lower harbor, just south of Brooklyn. I might have to get my heli license....

Here is she is in all her glory. Comparing it to flying a fixed wing, you are constantly doing something. It is like trying to stand on a big beach ball and trying to maintain your balance.

[Hydrocket]

My wife always asked me why I never had my pilots license, as I enjoy planes so much. It's because I would NEVER be content with "just" a Cessna 172 or similar plane. And now with jets coming out, I'd want an Eclipse or a HondaJet.

This is the same reason I never bought a powerboat despite living on a lake. I wouldn't be content with anything short of a 40+ foot Fountain.

I'd have to live in a cardboard box so I could afford the aircraft I'd truly want to fly....so it's best to have none at all.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by Hydrocket

My wife always asked me why I never had my pilots license, as I enjoy planes so much. It's because I would NEVER be content with "just" a Cessna 172 or similar plane. And now with jets coming out, I'd want an Eclipse or a HondaJet.

This is the same reason I never bought a powerboat despite living on a lake. I wouldn't be content with anything short of a 40+ foot Fountain.

Hydro, I fully understand you on this.

In other words, for you, the upper limits... aka the pinnacle... of everything... is the only thing worth having because you couldn't be content with anything less.

This explains your irrational opinion of Danica Patrick as someone who "shouldn't be in racing" because she hasn't won as many races as you think she should have (by now).

Thanks for spelling it out. It is as I suspected.

[petrolhead611]

A 172 with the 180hp engine is not to be sneered at. I was pleasantly surprised by its hot and high performance out of Palm Springs.
High wing with sporty looks=177.
Good visibility with low wing-any TB. Why do mainstream US GA planes have such small windows compared to French aircraft( maybe the French are still looking out for Messerschmidts to run from!)

[romad]

Originally Posted by Hydrocket

My wife always asked me why I never had my pilots license, as I enjoy planes so much. It's because I would NEVER be content with "just" a Cessna 172 or similar plane. And now with jets coming out, I'd want an Eclipse or a HondaJet.

This is the same reason I never bought a powerboat despite living on a lake. I wouldn't be content with anything short of a 40+ foot Fountain.

I'd have to live in a cardboard box so I could afford the aircraft I'd truly want to fly....so it's best to have none at all.

So you bascally do nothing.

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by NeedSpace

I had my first lesson in a helicopter.
I might have to get my heli license....

I have had a fixed wing license since the 90's and helicopters were off my radar. Then I took the controls of a Jetranger in 2011 and was hooked. I now have around 37 hours and will probably take an add-on ride later this year.

Nice, clean panel on your debbie, Mr. Cummins.

One of my customers took his E35 from S17 to OKC on Tuesday for a work related meeting. He said it beat the heck out of being groped by TSA and having to screw with the airlines. Under 7 hours of flight time, and averaged 9.7 gph.

[KNS]

Originally Posted by NeedSpace

Had a GREAT flight today. I had my first lesson in a helicopter. I am still coming down from the high. I knew I would enjoy it but wow, didn't expect this.

I flew 30 minutes in a Robinson R22 Beta. I flew out of Linden (LDJ) and zipped around the lower harbor, just south of Brooklyn. I might have to get my heli license....

Here is she is in all her glory. Comparing it to flying a fixed wing, you are constantly doing something. It is like trying to stand on a big beach ball and trying to maintain your balance.

Strange thing happened to me about 20 somethin' years ago. I just finished my private fixed wing but had never taken a flight in a helicopter - I had to try it out. I got a flight in an R22. Completely different!! Cruising around at 500 AGL with the doors off - I was converted. Currently flying an AS350B3 for my job.

[romad]

Back in the day I was hung up about flying fix wing..........turned down 3 different opportunities to fly Army/ Army guard........OOOOps as they say.