Ebay Trauma !!!!!!!!

Wow. I would actually invest the money to fix it up. I would love to get my pilots license. Do not really know how to though. Never even flown in an airplane actually.

Nope...not mine...I just got bored and conned a co-worker into taking the photo! It's a 1947 Beechcraft V-35 (notice the total lack of a third window) that belongs to a friend of mine. He bought it this past Summer from an owner that'd had it for a long time. The guy had managed to land it with the wheels still tucked into their wells, and Brian bought it for a winter project!

We were just moving it to a different hangar when I decided to get creative....

Godsey3.0 wrote:Wow. I would actually invest the money to fix it up. I would love to get my pilots license. Do not really know how to though. Never even flown in an airplane actually.

Hey Jacob, have you ever heard of EAA Young Eagles?

No I have not. Please enlighten me.

Godsey3.0 wrote:No I have not. Please enlighten me.

Getting your Pilot's License is quite feasible now ~

http://www.youngeagles.org/

Take a look around, especially at the the youth programs. Basically, they give kids free airplane rides once every month and teach them about the airplane while you log each visit. They set up at a local airport. You get a certificate to Sporty's flight school, where you are eligible to take the test. If you score good you get 2 (I think) free flight lessons.

I have gone about three times now, but have not taken the test.

The Young Eagles Program was started in 1992 by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) as an effort to give young people an avenue to explore aviation with an emphasis on individual attention. I was fairly active in it for several years, and it was a lot of fun. The original idea was to provide more than a simple "Plane Ride". Young Eagles are given a "Walk-Around", an explanation of an airplane's workings, and the operation of the plane in flight.

You can find information on the Experimental Aircraft Association's Website.

Almost had my classes done for a glider license, then my instructor moved back to Hawaii right at the end, and at that time it would have meant for me to find another instructor and start all over again. College fired back up and life went on and never did go back to finish. Very peaceful with the gliders once you disconnect from the tow plane, all you hear is airflow. Take it right to stall speed and hold it there, and the world gets very quite.

Funny this came up because me and a buddy have been talking about maybe getting a sport pilots license, which is one step under and quite a bit cheaper than a Private Pilot ticket with instrument certification (muiltiple passenger seating, night flying, ect).

Maybe someday.

Yeah, the Sport License is a great thing...just got to find a school that participates in instructing for it.

You might consider joining the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association for a year to get some info around it, and all the stuff going on with full scale flying. They're pretty much the leading organization in protecting what's left of our rights, and need all the help they can get.

There are lots of dark things on the horizon for General Aviation, which will eventually bounce on downhill to other activities, including model airplane flying.

Kim wrote:
There are lots of dark things on the horizon for General Aviation, which will eventually bounce on downhill to other activities, including model airplane flying.

Good for you, Kim, for supporting the Young Eagles program. I've known several pilots that have contributed their plane and time to encourage these kids to develop an interest in aviation --- it is a worthwhile endeavor.

The private side of general aviation is being hammered from all sides: the high cost of private aircraft (most of which is tied to certification cost, liability and legal judgements against the manufacturers), increased restrictions and regulations, medicals and the general cost of operation. There was a time when a J3 could be had for less that the cost of a car; today, it's more like the cost of a house.

I'm not optimistic about the future of either GA or the modeling industry. The FAA is almost like a massive boulder rolling downhill -- your only opiton is to get out of the way or be crushed.

Our Cabela's store in Lacey, WA has a full-scale J-3 suspended from the ceiling with the prop slowly rotating driven by an electric motor. A beautiful plane in excellent condition for all to admire.

If you look closely there's even a moose rack attached to the wing struts.

Makes the trips to Cabela's all the more worthwhile.

Kim wrote:Yeah, the Sport License is a great thing...just got to find a school that participates in instructing for it.

You might consider joining the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association for a year to get some info around it, and all the stuff going on with full scale flying. They're pretty much the leading organization in protecting what's left of our rights, and need all the help they can get.

There are lots of dark things on the horizon for General Aviation, which will eventually bounce on downhill to other activities, including model airplane flying.

Yep, very true on the dark stuff, sadly.

We were thinking of just the Sport license and a couple hot rod Quicksilvers or something along that line. Buy it in kit form and put them together ourselves. Go in together on enclosed Hangar space and all that. Just a dream at the moment as we both are not prepared for it just yet.

As to the "dark stuff" as long as the voters elect those who favor top-down management from the government the "dark side" will prevail.

"Live free or die" - State motto of New Hampshire and leading cause in the American Revolution.

When I did my PPL in 1991 a PA28 140(we don't got the 160 over here)cost £88 per hour here, it's now 'just' a little bit more... think £190 ($300) P/H
My Pal finished his off and did his instrument rating in Florida where it was (probably still is) a quarter of the price.
It could be worse guys you could live here.
I let mine pass about 15 years ago as I couldn't afford to keep the hours up.

The glories of buying sight unseen just because the "price is right". Dumb is as dumb does.

SD

On occasion I like buying sight unseen be she you always get a challenge but I would not do that with a fulsize aircraft!

But to buy trashed Beech sight unseen. DUMB!

Reminds me of people who buy "needs a little work" cars sight unseen just because of the price is "cheap"..

Even a trashed Cox has some parts value. A like the one that was formerly used as weight for carp fishing.

There's a lot more to buying an aircraft than just it's perceived condition. A savvy rebuilder can tell very quickly what things the airframe may need, the cost involved in bringing it up to speed, and where to look for big trouble. But novice buyers are often driven by emotions (Ebay Fever !), and can run themselves right off a financial cliff.

Aircraft have Airworthyness Directives (A.D.'s) and Service Bulletins issued as defects are found, either out-right or over time. They can involve one-time or periodic inspections of a component, replacement with an up-dated component, minor work by a tech, or a massive mechanical correction that effectively renders the aircraft "Totaled" with a maintenance cost greater than the value of the plane.

Even a well-maintained, A.D./S.B. compliant aircraft can STILL turn into a nightmare if an inadequate title search was performed (and title insurance not purchased), and the new owner discovers (sometimes years after the fact) that there is a substantial lien against his Dream Machine.

So, a thorough "cold-as-ice" non-emotional background assessment is absolutely mandatory for anyone who wants to protect their investment.

Partnerships on aircraft can work, but no matter how honorable a friend may seem, it's STILL good sense to have legal documents drawn up for the financial safety of all involved. An accident, even without physical injury, can quickly put everyone at each others' throats when the bills start arriving...happens all the time.

It IS all great fun, and I've been addicted to it since my memories began...but like with anything involving large sums of money, and complex rules, a person is well-advised to learn the "lay of the land" before committing their life and hard-earned cash.

Kim's viewpoint is well expressed and spot-on IMO. When emotion trumps reason only the fool proceedes with his fantasies.

Countless aircraft (and automobilies) have been lost for this very reason.

Good for you, Kim, for supporting the Young Eagles program. I've known several pilots that have contributed their plane and time to encourage these kids to develop an interest in aviation --- it is a worthwhile endeavor.

I'm not optimistic about the future of either GA or the modeling industry. The FAA is almost like a massive boulder rolling downhill -- your only option is to get out of the way or be crushed. [/quote]

I was deeply involved in the The Young Eagle Program for several years, but finally dropped out after the program, in my opinion, lost it's way, and then being spooked by several incidents that made me feel that I was just risking too much.

The control of our country is now in the hands of idiots who are taught to vote in the same manner that a dog is taught to roll over, sit up, or fetch a newspaper..."Do this, and I'll give you a treat". There is no hope for voters to turn the tide, simply because an honorable man will not wade into the sea of filth that is our political system. The FAA, drunken leaders aside, does not answer to the voters anyway, and who cares if some "Rich Pilot" is hassled by these thugs? The poison of envy and greed is well planted into the shills who know who butters their bread.

Even if a politician IS eventually cajoled into making an inquiry, the Feds simple hide behind the "Camouflage of Safety", and everyone backs off.

It has always been my dream to fly a plane. I have been using Microsoft Flight simulator since I was 10. RC since 14. I have also bought and thoroughly read the 6th and 10th edition of the William K. Kershner's The Student Pilot's Flight manual. I like the 6th better due to because of its age, it talks more of the older style of operation of planes. I.e. Hand starting. I love the oldies like the J-3 Cub. It is just basic without all of the unnecessary gadgets. I prefer it all to be done manually.



P.s. We have a Bass Pro Shop with a plane hanging from the ceiling. We could not tell what it was. The prop on it does not spin or anything, but just sits there in all its glory.

The cub is such a nice plane as is the pietenpol.
They just look how planes should.
Made from real materials and powered by real engines.

I actually bought a Kit based on the Pietenpol. It is called the Pete n' Poke.

When talking about all the "fun oddities" in general aviation do not forget insurance. Several years ago a few of my friends and I were going to buy a Citabria together. I was the only one in the group with a tail wheel endorsement. Since the insurance company required everyone, regardless of time and experience to get 25 hours of dual in the plane and I was an instructor I would be allowed to give my partners the dual they needed but I would still need to get 25 hours of dual myself before I could be PIC. Before all of this, though, I would be covered for maintenance flights, demonstration flights and delivery flights. I thought that this was so incredibly stupid that only the FAA could have thought it up. I was wrong.

Bob