• Objectives:
• Build skills and gain experience in a broad range of aircraft
• Attain skill level consistent with safe aerobatic/ACM operation of the J-3, RV-8, Stearman, T-6 and Thunder Mustang
• Build ~100 hours/year (~8+ hours/month)
• CY 1998
• Build total flight time to 200 hours
• Attain tailwheel endorsement
•     - 4.5 Hours J-3
•     - 2.6 Hours PT-17
• Complex
•     - ~3-5 hours in Piper Arrow (Thunderbird Aviation, has 2 - $?)
•     No ground
• Multi
•     -~6-8 hours ground
•     ~6-8 hours in Seminole (Thunderbird Aviation, has 2 - $?)
•     Books recommended but not req'd
•     Can combine with Complex
• High Performance
•     1-2 hours in Cherokee 6 (Thunderbird Aviation, has 1 (VERY available) - $?)
•     No ground, books
• Work on Stearman checkout
•     - 2.6 hours PT-17
• CY 1999
• Build total flight time to 300 hours
• Attain Stearman checkout
• Begin RV-8 construction

• CY 2000
• Build total flight time to 400 hours
• Complete RV-8 (uh-huh :)
• Sell PA38-112
• Begin Thunder Mustang Construction
• Need to schedule delivery for the latter ½ of CY ’00
• Begin T-6 checkout
• CY 2001
• Build total flight time to 500 hours
• Work on Thunder Mustang
• Complete T-6 checkout
• Includes High Performance/Complex checkout
• CY 2002
• Build total flight time to 600 hours
• Complete Thunder Mustang
• Complete Thunder Mustang Checkout
• Begin IFR
• CY 2003 & Beyond
• Complete IFR
• Glider rating

Aircraft Ownership

Flying Humor

Ways Your Driving Changes While Learning to Fly

• You roll down the window and shout "CLEAR!" before starting the car.

• You keep resetting the trip odometer to match the compass.

• You find yourself trying to drive on magnetic headings.

• Everytime you drive on a hill, you reach for the trim tab.

• You find yourself looking carefully at the color of Amaco Silver 92 Octane.

• You know where your office is by it's lat/long.

• You call your S.O. on the way home with your cellular and report "3 southwest, inbound for dinner, with Whiskey".

• You keep running out of gas, because your water temp gauge looks like a "right" fuel indicator.

• About 10 miles from your destination, you tune to 88.5 FM for the "ATIS".

• You refer to your use of The Club as "locking the controls".

• With your cruise control set on the highway, you begin to suspect a blocked pitot.

• You keep looking for L/R/Both indications on your ignition switch.

• Everytime somebody says "Whoa, lookit the babe!" you respond with "looking for traffic".

• You use the license plate to identify your car, i.e., "I'm taking 570 LLF over to the grocery store."

• You refer to locations by 3-letter identifiers, i.e. "After WRK, I'm going to the BAR before coming HME."

Flying Experience and Notes

J-3 Cub

PT-17 Stearman

Flying Links

General Aviation

Aircraft Sales/Locator Links

Experimental Aircraft Links

Historic/Warbird Links

General Aviation Links

GTE Preflight (sm)

Mn/DOT : Aeronautics : First Page

Shell Oil Lubricants

Textron Lycoming

Aircraft Sales/Locator Links

Aircraft Shopper Online

Experimental Aircraft Links

Thunder Mustang

Van's Aircraft, Inc. - RV Aircraft Series

Historic/Warbirds Links

Confederate Air Force Homepage

Southern Minnesota Wing Confederate Air Force

Collings Foundation Home Page

Dryden Research Aircraft Photo Gallery

Museum of Flight

Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome

Zeno's Warbird Video Drive-In