moonshine
Line Up and Wait
Thought I'd share the story of the past couple of years
Flying was a hobby and I was a very happy weekend pilot for a while. Well, happy as it gets while I was close to a good place with good rentals at good rates etc.
Anyways, then I started a company selling LSA aircraft here in FL, but more importantly exporting used equipment overseas.
Not much flying (if you do it right and stay busy), but some quality experience- flew Pacific to Atlantic in a 185, learned to fly Lakes, owned unique aircraft (1943 Meyers OTW), went crazy with STCs (built a "beach buggy" 182 - big wheels, upped hp (tsio-520 jugs on the 470 engine), 84" seaplane prop - that thing was fun. New owner later installed the canard on it). All kinds of fun in other words.
Then the unfavorable exchange rate and worsening economy over the pond started impacting the business to the point of me wondering what I should be doing instead.
One of the guys who is a friend and occasional contract pilot for the company pretty much dragged me to the other outfit he was flying for as he was about to leave for the XO Jet and thought I'd enjoy doing what he did there.
And so, rather randomly, I became a part 91 corporate pilot.
Which is a glorified way of saying I was flying a Grand Caravan to the Bahamas. Even more randomly I ended up in the right seat of a CE-501, then 550B, 525, 525A, 560 and added two SIC types onto my certificate (CE-500 and CE-525)
While this isn't what I'd want to do till the end of my days, it is certainly good fun and change of perspective (things look way different from FL430).
Point being.. Not that there's a real point in there.. Wherever you are in your aviation undertaking - student, weekend pilot, hauling stuff around in a old beat up 402, CFI, regional pilot - keep your eyes and soul open and enjoy the ride, you never know what pleasant surprises lay ahead
(Drop the mic minion style and walk away)
Flying was a hobby and I was a very happy weekend pilot for a while. Well, happy as it gets while I was close to a good place with good rentals at good rates etc.
Anyways, then I started a company selling LSA aircraft here in FL, but more importantly exporting used equipment overseas.
Not much flying (if you do it right and stay busy), but some quality experience- flew Pacific to Atlantic in a 185, learned to fly Lakes, owned unique aircraft (1943 Meyers OTW), went crazy with STCs (built a "beach buggy" 182 - big wheels, upped hp (tsio-520 jugs on the 470 engine), 84" seaplane prop - that thing was fun. New owner later installed the canard on it). All kinds of fun in other words.
Then the unfavorable exchange rate and worsening economy over the pond started impacting the business to the point of me wondering what I should be doing instead.
One of the guys who is a friend and occasional contract pilot for the company pretty much dragged me to the other outfit he was flying for as he was about to leave for the XO Jet and thought I'd enjoy doing what he did there.
And so, rather randomly, I became a part 91 corporate pilot.
Which is a glorified way of saying I was flying a Grand Caravan to the Bahamas. Even more randomly I ended up in the right seat of a CE-501, then 550B, 525, 525A, 560 and added two SIC types onto my certificate (CE-500 and CE-525)
While this isn't what I'd want to do till the end of my days, it is certainly good fun and change of perspective (things look way different from FL430).
Point being.. Not that there's a real point in there.. Wherever you are in your aviation undertaking - student, weekend pilot, hauling stuff around in a old beat up 402, CFI, regional pilot - keep your eyes and soul open and enjoy the ride, you never know what pleasant surprises lay ahead
(Drop the mic minion style and walk away)
