Future Dilemma?

[Lucy]

Hi,
Sorry, I hadn't been paying attention for a while. I actually brought the plane back already. We set up a blog to post pictures of our trip for friends, family and any other interested parties. Link is: http://n4009b.blogspot.com It was a great trip!
-Lucy

[MikeB]

That is one beautiful plane!!

MikeB

[Aerco]

Hi,
Sorry, I hadn't been paying attention for a while. I actually brought the plane back already. We set up a blog to post pictures of our trip for friends, family and any other interested parties. Link is: http://n4009b.blogspot.com It was a great trip!
-Lucy

I dream of trips like that! It will be a couple of years before my plane is ready for something like that, though.

[jc pacquin]

Re: :Thats the kind of people we hire"......I was taught by an ex P51 pilot and WW2 Glider instructor. He enlisted in '41 from 12 th grade. He was superb in a 65 or an 85 champ and made you recover from a spin, slip nose high on landing close to the ground, take off with stick all the way back ,(soft field takeoff) land in a stiff cross wind, etc.and all that good stuff. Most.....not all but most taildragger instuctors today are light in the hours dept and their technique is pretty elementary. Most airline types can't fly one at all! I learned in the 50's when alot of people still propped aircraft and tailwheel instruction was alot better. There are always exceptions however. After 2008, being a banker or a lawyer doesn't impress me much. As for "light sport" I think anything 2 seat ,like a super cub, husky, two seat Maule should be light sport. My humble opinion is that 150-180 hp is much safer than 65hp, especially on a hot day with two heavy weights on board. ,(with a minimum of 100hp.) The only close calls I have ever had were in 65-75hp aircraft.jp

[jimknuck]

I have also struggled with the future of general aviation. I am 57 and work as a school counselor in a middle school, I started an aviation club and we are building n experimental airplane. As far as i knoe we are one of the few middle school that have attempted this. I see kids that do not get to expierence real thrills because they are looking at computers all day. I am pleased that there are several kids that are really into this project and want to fly. As a bonus I will let them come to our airport with their parents and take them for a Chief flight or arrange a floght for them. I managed to have our Governor come by and talk to them (he is a big supporter of general aviation). He spent an hour with them with no news media. Since the school will not own an airplane, I have to pay for it out of my pocket so it is a slow process, but it is very much worth the effort. Aviation has lost the mystique it once had but the first time a kid go up, it fire them up...Just my small part..Jim