Some people are full of CRAP!!

[WWhunter]

I have not been posting on here in quite some time. It isn't that I wanted to, I have just been so darn busy I don't have time to think! Anyway......I have heard this saying many times....The best two days of an airplanes owner life are the day he (or she) buys and the day he sells. Well, I have got to say that they are full for CRAP!!! I have been half-a$$ advertising my Champ for a couple of years. I honestly didn't want to sell it but owning several planes and the Champ being on floats I didn't have the time to fly it. It was based 30+ miles from my house at a seaplane base and in a hangar. Also, a few of you guys know I have a medical issue that limits my lifting/movement/mobility functions and it is the main reason for selling. Anyone else out there with a very bad back can understand what I am saying.

After my son graduated college and is now flying in the Air Force, I found that without his help getting out of the hangar and into the water, and then reloading it on the trailer and back into the hangar after flying, was just way to difficult to do by myself. Therefore I flew it infrequently unless it was almost a windless day. Any wind would make it almost a circus act for me to get it off the trailer before the wind blew it across the lake. I flew it only about 15 hours last summer. I finally had a guy that actually wanted a plane instead of just a tire kicker make me a fair offer on it and gave me a deposit. I sold it much lower than I wanted but realized it wasn't doing it any good setting in the hangar. After he gave me the deposit I had serious second thoughts...and get this...my wife told me NOT to sell it!!! How often does that happen to most guys? She knows I love the plane and it is also her favorite to ride in. I had to face the fact that it is better for someone that is going to enjoy it more than for me to keep it and not fly it.

Sorry for the rambling but I needed to vent....I am having gut wrenching doubts about selling it. I will miss it terribly and just wanted you guys to know that selling a plane is not always a 'best' day. Didn't mean to make it sound like I was whining too much but it is a very sad day.

[Richard Murray]

I've always heard that 'best day' expression attributed to boats and perhaps a float plane would qualify. I've never enjoyed selling an airplane and have fond memories of the hours I've spent in each of them. My reasons for parting with each all seemed to make sense until the remorse arrived. Each time I have had to recall all the reasons I made the decision to sell in the first place. I understand your grief.

[MikeB]

Boy can I relate to that (selling your bird)! I'm getting the final payment for my white Champ today. I told the guy that bought it he could pay for it over a period of a year and I wanted it to go to a good home. I know he'll take care of it and not let it sit out on a tie down somewhere. Right now it's stored in his garage with the wings off until he retires and then he'll probably build a new hangar at our airport. I'm not sure that plane ever sat outside much if at all. When I owned my Cherokee my wife told me I didn't need to sell it but that went to a good home on our airport, too. I owned it for 25 years. She did mention when I bought the Chief "not to fall in love with it" (unsure what that means but I think it has something to do with selling stuff). When you restore something you have part of your 'heart and soul' in it after working on the project for several years. I'll most likely keep the L16 but the Chief will keep me busy for a year or two and that's what important. On the other hand: the side by side in nice and being a CC there's not too many of them left...maybe I'll keep this one too . I've been thinking about building on to my hangar anyway.

MikeB

[Red(neck) Barron]

That saying has applied to some things in my life (I'm thinking about a camper here) but never an airplane. I've always hated to part with a plane although most times it was done so I could start the buying process over again which usually dulled the pain a lot. The only one that I regret selling was a Navion. What a plane that was but it also caused severe bleeding of my bank account and I needed to stop that. The transfusions weren't coming fast enough.

Yesterday, a fellow member of this board and myself helped a mutual friend sell his 172. Normally a 172 doesn't inspire much emotion but this particular one had been first his Dad's and then his since 1976 and to him, it was a part of the family. He only sold it now because his body is laying down on him and there isn't much chance of ever possessing a medical again. To be there for that transaction was a very sad thing to watch because I knew what it all meant to this long time friend. Anyone who has experienced the passion of flying can appreciate the emotion of coming to the day when you realize that this is 'The End'.

[mike newall]

I think this needs to be qualified/tempered by the caveat, why are you selling an aeroplane ?

Having owned 15 aeroplanes over the years, I can qualify the original statement and agree with it.

I have owned 2 Champs and 2 Citabria's and would own another in a heartbeat.

My Brother and I built an RV7 over a 5 year period, I am still flying that with a new partner, he still flies his P*per PA-12 for which I always express my sympathies......

I detect that the frustration is that the sale may be being forced upon you and therefore, I would agree that the day of the sale would not be a good one

So....

Perhaps the question should be,

As I have restrictions, what affordable aeroplane would suitably replace a Champ such that I can access, egress and fly it ?

Let's face it, the Champ needs a certain technique to get in and out - eh ?

I think all is not lost, but a re appraisal of what you can sensibly do, how you get support from other aviators and what is next is probably appropriate here.


Here is a tale..........



One of my proudest moments was when we took a good friend of ours on our annual pilgrimage to Sun n Fun some years ago.

Tommy was riddled with arthritis, had been for 30 years. Mainly used sticks, a chair if he was at a show.

He said he would be a burden, he said he would hold us back, he said it wouldn't work......

Bullsh*t.

Tommy quickly became an irreplaceable member of our 6 man team.

He was our Mission Access Specialist

What a trip - everywhere we went, we had a dedicated Tommy Man each day - they were tasked with assisting and helping Tommy to keep up with our schedule.

2 days stand out.

One of my long time friends, Peter Scott, had a PA-11 on floats at Eagles Nest at Crescent City, Florida. We arranged a lunch event based at the St Johns River.

My, my..... What a day.

We based ourselves at a Mom and Pop restaurant with a dock, we ate, drank and made merry as Peter took each of us up in turn to fly at 50 feet over the Gators and trees. Tommy held back..........

No, no, no - you are going, we said

The photos of Tommy being helped into the Cub, taxiing off with the door open and coming back with a grin from ear to ear are precious memories.

2 days later.

We are now at Kermit's place in Polk City.

Tommy is mine that day, we go round the exhibits and get to the B-17.

I am faced with an empty chair and Tommy struggling through the innards of the B-17

Afterwards, he did say it was a little difficult, but the thrill of being able to go through the B-17 overwhelmed him.

WW........

Whatever your predicament.

Whatever lays next.

The community of aviators, and particularly Champers and.... darn it, Cubbers will ensure that you get looked after, involved and aviated for years to come.

My best buddy in UK has MS. We fly, we laugh, we drink.

We are here for a good time, not a long time.

Make the best of your visit


Mike