Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with stories

Tac Gunner

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Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with stories

Not sure if this fits here but it seemed like it would so I thought I'd give it a shot.

Who else enjoys flying? Whether it be commercial, private, fixed wing or rotary anything that is airborne. I myself hold a private pilot certificate with a single engine land rating but it's been over a year since I last flew. I had been flying a Piper Cherokee 140 but things have changed and lack of time as well as finances have put flying on the back burner. Currently I'm in college to be an A&P so still around aircraft everyday.

Who else is a pilot or A&P? Favorite make and model? Story you'd like to share? For those that enjoy aviation but aren't a pilot or A&P do you work in the aviation field or just a hobbiest? ATC, lineman, dispatcher, TSA, etc.?
 

Charlie Fox

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

I enjoy flying and don't let the frustrations that most travelers experience get to me. I try to remain positive and go with the flow.
 

Greta

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

EXCELLENT topic for this forum!! :twothumbs
 

blankc72

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

I've been an A&P for a year and a half now. Became a turbine engine mechanic in the army in 2008. Got my tickets in 2012 but put off doing my exams until 2014 mainly due to cost and time. Almost all of my experience is with the Chinook helicopter with a little bit of time working on Blackhawks and C-12's.
 

Tac Gunner

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

I enjoy flying and don't let the frustrations that most travelers experience get to me. I try to remain positive and go with the flow.

I don't either. Being on time, being prepared (have tickets ready, be ready to go through security, have proper size bags, etc), have patience and being polite go a long to having an enjoyable travel. I have flown commercial multiple times and have never had trouble. When going through security I have all my things in one small bag that way I don't have to stop and unload my pockets, makes it so much quicker and I have never been harassed by TSA for anything.

EXCELLENT topic for this forum!! :twothumbs

Thanks Greta, glad it's in the right place and the boss lady approves!
 

Tac Gunner

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

I've been an A&P for a year and a half now. Became a turbine engine mechanic in the army in 2008. Got my tickets in 2012 but put off doing my exams until 2014 mainly due to cost and time. Almost all of my experience is with the Chinook helicopter with a little bit of time working on Blackhawks and C-12's.

Thank you for your service! What engines do those birds have? I'm currently in the airframe section of school, power plant is another year out.
 

blankc72

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

Chinooks use the honeywell/allied signal T55-GA-714A engine capable of a sustained 4000 shaft hp. Each and up to 5069 shp for 12 seconds. Temp is the main limitation for time. Blackhawks use the GE T701 C ... Engines and the new MH-60M have GE T706 engines that have FADEC. Chinooks also have fadec but It's a much older system than GE's. I don't have a clue what c-12's have other than being a turboprop. I much prefer the t55 because it's more of a challenge to work on and troubleshoot. It's what makes it fun.
 

blankc72

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

The powerplant section for me was a breeze because that's my job. However for the airframe section I had a lot to learn before testing. Mostly sheetmetal. As an engine mechanic I got a lot of electrical and hydraulics experience already.
 

Tac Gunner

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

The powerplant section for me was a breeze because that's my job. However for the airframe section I had a lot to learn before testing. Mostly sheetmetal. As an engine mechanic I got a lot of electrical and hydraulics experience already.
Yea power plant is pretty easy for me as I have done mechanic work most my life. I haven't had much trouble in airframe so far. I had hydraulics and electricity in high school so those were a breeze. We just finished HVAC/cabin environmental systems and are in fuel systems now.
 

Steve K

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

I spent a few years in the Marines as an avionics tech. Not a bad way to earn some money for college and do something different for a while. I worked on A-4 Skyhawks, which were a compact little aircraft. Lots of little holes and corners to reach into and repair wiring and connectors (ugh!). One fun aspect was that the aircraft was simple enough that I worked on everything that had wires going to it... radios, nav equipment, fuel systems, engine systems, etc. It gave me a good understanding of the whole aircraft. It also gave me a reason to be trained to run the engine for maintenance purposes, which was pretty cool too!

Fortune smiled on me when I was assigned to my permanent base after completing training. I was sent to sunny Yuma AZ to be part of a Skyhawk training squadron. This meant that we had some two seat trainer aircraft, and I was able to get a few hours of flight time in the back seat! I haven't had that sort of perk on any subsequent job (although I did get to go on a test flight for the MD-11 about 10 years later).
Here's a photo from the first flight in the TA-4 Skyhawk....

3556737473_e0faff63bd_z_d.jpg


After the Marines, I got my degree in electrical engineering and went to work for McDonnell Douglas (the manufacturer of the A-4 Skyhawk and other notable aircraft) designing electronics for aircraft and spacecraft. It certainly paid better than fixing aircraft, but I did miss working directly on aircraft.

Nowadays, I visit airshows and aviation museums. It's nice to see the aircraft and smell the JP-5 again!
 

Unforgiven691

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

Another Illinois A&P here. I work in the inspection department for a maintenance firm and still get to go out and get my hands dirty from time to time. We have four guys from my A&P class in school here. There's nothing like the smell of jet A in the morning. I have some time in the left seat, but never finished my license. I want to eventually but between work and trying to get back into school I haven't had time for it.
 

Tac Gunner

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

Another Illinois A&P here. I work in the inspection department for a maintenance firm and still get to go out and get my hands dirty from time to time. We have four guys from my A&P class in school here. There's nothing like the smell of jet A in the morning. I have some time in the left seat, but never finished my license. I want to eventually but between work and trying to get back into school I haven't had time for it.

No there definitely isn't another smell like it, it stinks lol. Much rather smell 100LL
 

harro

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

Hi TacGunner,
I hold an unrestricted PPL ( CTA ). Like you, I'm also not current, but for medical reasons ( inner ear issues ).
Flew gliders for about 4 years, then a hiatus with marriage and mortgage. Started power in '88 and on a C172.
Have flown C150/152 ( very squeezy for 6'4" ), C172, C172R, C182, PA28-140 ( 160HP version ), PA28-160 and 161 ( Warrior )
PA28-180 and 181 ( straight wing Cherokee 180 and Archer [tapered wing] ) and a couple of jaunts in Cherokee Six and Lance and PA28-200R
To me, its a HUGELY EXPENSIVE hobby, which with hindsight I probably wouldn't do again, but its also a skill that not too many have.
These days, family ( have to say that... ), torches, golf, torches and flashlights are far more important.
I introduced a good friend's son to flying, and these days, he is a captain for a regional airline ( flying SAAB340's ) in Australia. Friend's other son
is a qualified LAME with Australia's main airline.
Cheers,
Mike.
 
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Tac Gunner

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

A Cherokee 6/300 is what I would really like to have. I want something with plenty of room and not have to worry about being to heavy with more than 2 adults and half tanks of fuel like the PA28-140 is. The runway at my home airport is only 3850 feet long with a vertical cliff at one end and a levee at the other. In the summer you can't take off with more than 2 adults and half tanks of fuel in the PA28-140 as you can't get a high enough climb rate to clear the cliff or levee with a good safety margin if you are any heavier.
 

harro

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

I very nearly bought the PA28-160 in a half share with a mate who also flys. Fate stepped in and he divorced his missus, which meant i would have ended up holding the bag for the whole thing, so to speak. It was actually a reasonable little performer, indicating around 118 kts at about 5,000'. It had wheel pants on the mains, and control surface seals etc.
The 300's are nice, especially on the runway. A bootful or right rudder and a decent kick in the back is always good fun, but 60 LPH ( not sure what that is in US gals ) tempers that. Two or three blades of CS prop is also another fair old kick to maintain also. IO540's are about 50-60k AUD to properly overhaul here at present. Mind you, they will cart a heap of payload about for you. Ideally, and if cash was no object, i'd have owned a PA28-235 with a fixed pitch prop. They would carry more than they weighed.
Mike.
 

Tac Gunner

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

It's about 16 gallon per hour here. I'm between a 6/300 and a dakota. They both burn about the same fuel rate, both have constant speed props, and cruise speed is close. Main advantage to the 6 is room.
 

harro

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

Both are nice! ! For mine, the Dakota would get the nod pretty much on looks alone. The Lance has that rather longish look that seems to characterise most of the six seaters, i guess workhorse like is a good description. The PA28-236 just looks right, especially with three blades and wheel pants. A great tourer. A D or E model 235 would also fit the bill, particularly the later E's where you would get the tapered wing, not the Herschey Bar wing, although they were ok if you were aware of their slightly greater tendancy to bite you in a stall or incipient spin situation.
 
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Tac Gunner

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

I haven't studied the Dakotas enough to tell the difference in the models, I just know the Dakota my instructor has is an extremely nice plane. The guy he bought it from had it repainted, all new leather interior, 3 glass panels, autopilot, xm radio, and Bluetooth for your phone. I'd just like to have all that in a 6
 

harro

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

Whilst I don't know heaps about the Dakota in general, The Cherokee 235 ( early Dakota ) was characterised by the fact that you could load in 4 x 200 pounders and still add full fuel and bags, a true take everything tourer. Just make sure your c of g was within limits and the doors would close, and off you go !! ( within reason ). 235 HP driving a 78" Sensenich 2 blade was enough. To me, adding a CS prop complicates things a bit, even for the few extra knots it gives. Like all 235-250 HP carb Lycs you had to keep an eye on/ear open for carb ice. Could come as a bit of a shock if you'd let down into a cct after a couple of hours on the right day and pulled heat on base ( 'gosh, the engine sounds unhappy', springs to mind ). Ask your instructor how carb ice and constant speed prop can affect the serenity of a flight !! Not such an issue with injection, but NOT unknown !!
Cheers again,
Mike.
 

KuanR

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Re: Who else enjoys flying? I know there are fellow pilots& A&P's on here with storie

I personally enjoy flying, whether I'm a passenger or the pilot. Obviously it's more enjoyable when I'm the pilot!!
 
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