Power Wagon Pilot Roll Call

[Overlander]

Nice! I was into RC planes back when they were nitro fuel and radios were analog! I'd love to get my 9 year old son into it some day. Should be so much easier now without having to work so hard at getting those fussy glow engines to start.

One thing I'd like to try is the FPV RC plane experience.

 

[Vicman]

I run mostly nitro stuff. Was heavy into pylon racing a few years back but work and kids slowed that down a bit.
FPV is a pretty cool new development. It really suits multirotor flying since you can loiter and really get a good look at what you are flying over. They've gotten pretty affordable lately too.

 

[old manS RAM]

My high school graduation present was a Private Pilot License, that I later upgraded to Commercial. Graduated from Embry Riddle in 1974 in Aviation Maintenance Technology. Earned my IA in 1977. I retired from the PA Bureau of Aviation in 2008 with 22 years as Aircraft Inspector (Director of Maintenance) on the state's executive fleet. I had the opportunity to serve 5 governors, including Tom Ridge when he was called to be Director of Home Land Security. My fleet over the years...Beech King Air 100, 200, 350: Piper PA24, PA31: and Cessna 182. Pic is of my baby upon retirement.
Currently, I cruise around in my 2011 Ram Crew-cab Outdoorsman.

 

[Overlander]

Nice! I too had the gift of a license at HS graduation. Though in 1989 a 150 wet was only about $30/hr!

It's really amazing at how good Beech was at engineering the KA fleet. That and the reliability of the PT6 and it's a phenomenal setup, even to this day.

 

[Socalramfan]

Ah I see we have another ERAU Alumni here. Go Eagles. DAB '89

Capt. 767ER / 757 out of LAX. One of the first things I love doing when I get home from a trip, of course after seeing my family, is a drive in my Ram

 

[Overlander]

One of the first things I love doing when I get home from a trip, of course after seeing my family, is a drive in my Ram

What do you use for your airport car? Or do you Uber in/out?

 

[Socalramfan]

What do you use for your airport car? Or do you Uber in/out?

 

[Overlander]

What a great car and plate to match! I see those pop up on BaT every so often and I've been temped... It's probably a good thing I don't have big pole building or I'd have more cars than Leno.

 

[old manS RAM]

Overlander & Socalramfan... 1966: Cessna 150 $15/hr. C 172 a whopping $18! But then average wage was $3. Lost My medical in 2004. When we needed an out of town maintenance flight the pilots would let me have the left seat; then they would sign off my log as dual instruction. Not bad for Commercial SEL to get (free) dual in a BE350. I worked with a great bunch of guys.

I was at ERAU when the only new buildings were the Gill Rob Wilson complex and one dorm. The classroom hanger was on the third turn of the speedway. Not much classroom during time trials... it was to noisy to hear yourself think. The best to both of you.

 

[Overlander]

I toured ERAU Prescott back in the day but finances didn't allow. I worked full time as a fueler then flight instructor through college and took whatever classes as Portland State that would fit into my flying schedule.

Ever have those dreams where the final is tomorrow and you've never been to class? Yeah, that was my real college life. A good trip always trumped a class... and there were a lot of good trips.

 

[Socalramfan]

What a great car and plate to match! I see those pop up on BaT every so often and I've been temped... It's probably a good thing I don't have big pole building or I'd have more cars than Leno.

Thanks. Bought it over 25 years ago as an airport beater. Have other cars but this one seems to attract the most praise.

 

[Socalramfan]

Overlander & Socalramfan... 1966: Cessna 150 $15/hr. C 172 a whopping $18! But then average wage was $3. Lost My medical in 2004. When we needed an out of town maintenance flight the pilots would let me have the left seat; then they would sign off my log as dual instruction. Not bad for Commercial SEL to get (free) dual in a BE350. I worked with a great bunch of guys.

I was at ERAU when the only new buildings were the Gill Rob Wilson complex and one dorm. The classroom hanger was on the third turn of the speedway. Not much classroom during time trials... it was to noisy to hear yourself think. The best to both of you.

Have you seen the current rates for a 172 ? $175/hr on SoCalf..... its insane.

Yep, Speedweeks comes around and the Thunder of all that horsepower graces the skys. Worked at the Speedway for 3 years. Cars, trucks and racing are in my blood.

WAs back there about 5 years ago and didn't even recognize the place. Totally redone, and looks like the campus it always should have.

 

[Overlander]

I commute to Portland from Sunriver 2x per month. I struggle with whether to buy an airplane. Drive is 3+15. S21 to UAO would be about an hour +/- depending on the bird. But by the time I drive to the hanger, preflight, get the plane out and ready, get the car at the other end, yada, yada, yada... I might save an hour on the trip door-to-door. The route crosses the Cascades so it wouldn't be a reliable all-weather flight - or even a night flight necessarily - unless I was in a FIKI twin. Hard to justify that expense for the hour saved. But then I remember I'd be flying and it becomes more justifiable.

Honestly I'd be happy with a little Super Cub (or equiv). But Mrs. Overlander is highly into family activities, and rightly so. I have three kids 10, 8, and 6. So we're talking Bonanza, Cherokee Six, C210/206. Or Seneca, Barron, 310. Things get expensive quick when you need six seats and want to cross mountains at night in the winter...

The sexiest thing Mrs. Overlander ever said to me was when her out-of-state mother was ill: 'you know, I really wish we had an airplane'... I should have struck that iron when it was hot.

 

[Crazy Horse]

Wow so many guys with awesome jobs. I managed about 60 hrs of the usual training types but eyesight prevented a commercial rating. Kids and houses got in the way until 2010 when the wife told me to call Stallion 51 and book a flight. So i have 4 hours of dual in the P-51 and a couple in a Stearman. My first tail dragger landing was in the Mustang. Now when Covid is over and the border is open there is a certain P-40 in Florida waiting for me lol.

 

[Socalramfan]

Wow so many guys with awesome jobs. I managed about 60 hrs of the usual training types but eyesight prevented a commercial rating. Kids and houses got in the way until 2010 when the wife told me to call Stallion 51 and book a flight. So i have 4 hours of dual in the P-51 and a couple in a Stearman. My first tail dragger landing was in the Mustang. Now when Covid is over and the border is open there is a certain P-40 in Florida waiting for me lol.

All amazing aircraft that you got seat time in. They are all legends

 

[Overlander]

Wow so many guys with awesome jobs. I managed about 60 hrs of the usual training types but eyesight prevented a commercial rating. Kids and houses got in the way until 2010 when the wife told me to call Stallion 51 and book a flight. So i have 4 hours of dual in the P-51 and a couple in a Stearman. My first tail dragger landing was in the Mustang. Now when Covid is over and the border is open there is a certain P-40 in Florida waiting for me lol.

This goes back a few decades, but back when I was giving commercial ratings the requirement was only that it be correctable to 20/20. The military, of course, had different standards.

I did have one student who was successful being legally blind in one eye. Accident as a kid. I didn't know about it until late in his training (his med cert didn't have any restrictions). In hindsight (pun intended), it may have been easier for VFR flying for him to learn from the right seat as his left eye was the bad one. I suppose there's no ideal in that situation, but he suffered from perceiving height above the runway just looking over the nose. Did pass his private though.

 

[Crazy Horse]

I had 2 medicals some years apart in the 70's and both restricted me to PPL only. I had wanted a military flying life from a very early age but by age 13 was wearing glasses. Closest I got to jets was working with Orenda OTF turbine standby generators. These engines were used in Canada's CF-100's. Two years ago I had cataract surgery and was restored to 20/20 uncorrected. A little late at 66 to start lessons again. Such is life. Hard to top doing aerobatics in a P-51 though. Stallion lets you do most of the flying. Did a 3 ship flight with 2 of my sons in 2012. One was also in a Mustang and one in a T-6. We're still talking about that day.