Hangar Talk

When it comes to the Piper Cub, this classic airplane has been a pilot favorite since it began deliveries in 1938. Personally, I love flying some good ol’ low level, open door fall color flying in these airplanes; so naturally I was thrilled when Bob called. The trip began by picking up the airplane in Oklahoma City and making the trek all the way up to Sandusky, Ohio on Lake Erie! But this was no ordinary cub, no, this is one of only two certified Cub’s with TWO DOORS; I think it’s fair to say it was even twice the fun!! Read on to catch pictures from the journey and see how clean this beautiful airplane is.

Continue reading “One of Two: The Two Door Cub” →

This Cherokee 181 headed out west for it’s new life as a flight school trainer. With two major storm systems passing through the United States, this trip began with a strait shot to the West before getting caught in the Kansas snow, a race to stay ahead of the next system, which pushed us to Tucson, Arizona and a final hop over to California with clear blue skies!

Continue reading “A Snowed In, Flat Tire, California Dream” →

This Hatz CB-1 first flew in 1988, began its life near Dayton, Ohio and won Grand Champion Homebuilt in 1995. Between some new owners, this plane has traveled the tri-state area but ended up sitting for the last 5 years. With an inspection complete and a ferry permit in hand, I departed Illinois on a cold Friday morning with clouds just over 1000ft and temperatures around 35 degrees Fahrenheit, probably not the best time to fly a fabric covered, open-air biplane, but I saddled up and headed down toward Dallas, Texas. 

Continue reading “Hats off to the Hatz” →

This year, I had the opportunity to attend my first NBAA BACE conference in Orlando. I was able to catch up with old friends in the industry, see familiar airplanes and experience brand new products like Embraer’s Praetor 500 and 600! You could argue that the best part of my trip was spent visiting a high School friend at Disney World… but tied for first was the unexpected opportunity to ferry a Quest Kodiak 100 from the Orange County Convention Center through city streets to the Orlando International Airport (KMCO).

Continue reading “I Follow Roads: IFR To A New Level” →

It’s funny how you always remember the flights with a bad headwind, when the tailwind flights are so much more enjoyable… On this trip, my friend Manny and I had a Piper Warrior to take to the Miami Executive Airport. Along the way, we went where the fuel was cheap and stops were short; plus we pushed the airplane to get there. With 16 knots directly in our face there were times we could only pull off 80 knots across the ground, not to mention the building storms. Check it out!

Continue reading “Battling Winds With A Warrior” →