Sometimes it just doesn't get much better. When I can combine two things that I like to do, and make a little money to boot. Taking off from my home base in Ft. Myers (KFMY), going to north FL to pick up a customer (sorry, can't say where that is) and take him to Augusta, GA to look at the machine he wants to buy. I'm lucky enough to have a Mooney with a new paint job. 155 knots on 10 gph. Will overfly Lakeland where the spring EAA show starts today. Real heads up flying. Then finally getting into Augusta where the Masters for golf starts in the coming days. Landing at the airports where the golf pros fly into, and for a short while just pretending I belong there with them. Then home by 6PM for dinner, three hours each way. As Homer (not the philosopher) would say Woo Hoo !
For you aviators out there
- Thread starter mac
- Start date
I used to fly till it got so expensive. So I fly Rc now. At one time, I had an Ultralight (Similar to an Eipper Qicksilver) and a Cessna 150. That was back in the 80's when life and $$$ was good! I can remember flying the Ultralight, totally seat of the pants and so effortless. (AS long as the winds were calm) ... 
That was real flying for me. I wish I hadn't sold it.
I can relate to what you posted! Flying was a fun part of my life....
That was real flying for me. I wish I hadn't sold it. I can relate to what you posted! Flying was a fun part of my life....
Washmee
Fullservice Tunnel
I'm an R/C flyer also. Where do you fly?I fly only electric. My latest is a Carbon Cub.I used to fly till it got so expensive. So I fly Rc now. At one time, I had an Ultralight (Similar to an Eipper Qicksilver) and a Cessna 150. That was back in the 80's when life and $$$ was good! I can remember flying the Ultralight, totally seat of the pants and so effortless. (AS long as the winds were calm) ...
I can relate to what you posted! Flying was a fun part of my life....
I belong to a small club here in Southern Ohio. I fly Electric and Nitro Helis and fixed wing up to 91" wingspan...Tonight I'll post some pics of a few of the planes I fly. If the truth were know, If I took all the money I've spent on Rc, I could own another small plane! BUT what I've spent on the Hobby has been spread over 20+ years....
Kevin Reilly
self serve carwashes
2-Biz those are beautiful! Did you build them?
Flying is like most things in life. If God had meant for us to do it, He would have given us more money. With my Mooney I have three other partners and we are going to add another one or two. That helps the sticker shock. My only real surprise on this trip was that the airport, Daniels Field in Augusta, charged us $50 to park there. There was a lot of heavy iron stuff there: small biz jets, turbo props, and elegant twins and singles, and me and my customer going to look at a car wash. Beautiful flying, no real headwinds either way, no scary stories, and I'm pretty sure I got a sale out of the deal.
I built all of them. Although, I usually don’t build them as the kit suggests. I tend to overpower them! Like putting a 20lb thrust motor in a 9 lb plane. You can hand launch them, straight up….And will hover at about ¼ throttle! I’ll get a pic loaded of my 9# Katana when I get a chance.
Mac….Didn’t mean to hijack your thread. Flying has always been a huge part of my life. (Until I bought this carwash!) All of my time and $$$ is going into it. Not much time to play with my toys! You being able to mix pleasure with work is Win Win no matter how you look at it!
When I owned my 150, I did the same thing as you. I bought the plane myself and got my pilots license. Then I sold 2 shares of it to other pilots to help control costs. I can remember we flew it for $15 per hour that covered fuel, maintenance, and insurance. That wouldn’t even cover the fuel today. I live within a half a mile of our county airport. There is no way near the traffic that there used to be.
No issue, it's all flying. Those are some nice aircraft you put together. Some of the videos I've seen on you tube of the indoor competition are just hard to believe that it isn't done with animation rather than with a joystick. You're right about traffic at the airports. With a bad ecenomy, fences around them to discourage new kids getting involved, it's harder to justify owning one. That's why I've been a fan of partnerships and clubs. My share on our Mooney is a lot less than what some guys have in their flats boats down here. The fact taht I can use it on business helps a lot. The cost per mile for me to drive a service van or fly is the same per mile. And my customers think it's neat.
As promised. This photo was taken during the build of the Katana V2 70 Slab...It was designed for a 60 size nitro motor. Because of my need for speed and thrust, I opted to shoe-horn a DLE 30cc Gas motor in the airframe! The results is a plane that weighs 9# and the engine puts out about 20# of thrust....Definetly a treat to fly...
