Flying the Mooney for a year and a half had given me just the remedial practice I needed. By this time I had logged more than 800 hours. Now, it was time to simply enjoy flying to the max. Getting in the plane had become as natural as getting in a car. If a destination
1986-1987 As anyone who has observed a newly minted teenage driver’s first few years on the road (or those who can honestly remember their own), earning the license is when the real learning begins. My experience as a pilot was no different. In my rush to attain a bunch of ratings (Private, Instrument, Commercial, Instructor,
1986 Reassessment Although the FAA had certified me to fly a five thousand pound twin with 570 horsepower through the sky at more than 190 knots (220 mph) in all kinds of weather, a streak of burnt rubber on the pavement and a mashed up runway light off to the side left me not so
1984-1986 Baron N4801J arrived at my hangar in early May. By the end of the month, I learned to fly this new bird and made two long cross country trips. I could manage all the dials and switches and, when things were routine, was quite comfortable flying it. Much like when Dad had the Bonanza,
1984 As I reflect on the prior twenty years, I realize they were simply preparation for what lay ahead. The business crisis was behind me. I was now a private pilot with an instrument rating. I could go anywhere in almost any kind of weather. But thus far I was sharing planes with other pilots.
