Leaderboard

From a high time CFI (me), I would strongly recommend all of you guys and gals that are learning to go get in a trainer for at least the primary phase when you are learning how to fly an airplane, even if you already own your own Mooney. No instructor will let you go as far and make the same mistakes in a Mooney that will be no sweat in a trainer (that's why we call them trainers). And further, until you are allowed to go far enough to make certain mistakes, you really will not learn everything you shlould know. I don't care how high time or great your CFI is, or how many hours you have in the military as a crew member, or anything else. Learning goes way up when you get to experience mistakes, as well as how it feels to do everything right. FWIW.

When I started on my Private license, I beat up my club's 152 very badly. I mean, I dropped the plane onto the pavement when landing a LOT of times. I was really slow at learning the finer points of controlling an airplane. Fifty or sixty hours of that, and I got it out of my system. Then, I went 21 years without any flying at all, except for GIB (Guy In Back) flying in the Navy. When I restarted, I immediately bought a Mooney and set out to pass a BFR. That took me a year. Sure, NOW I do just fine. I'm just saying it took me a lot of time, and I inflicted a lot of abuse on both the club's planes and my own plane. As enticing as your own aircraft can be, it can be a cruel master, too. If you have landing problems with a new-to-you Mooney, you may become discouraged, and stop flying regularly. Even if you don't have any problems, your insurance quotes are gonna be outrageous. I recommend you buy a used Piper, or even a 152, and pound the bejesus out of the runway pavement with that. THEN get yourself a nice little Mooney. Your emotions will push you to buy a nice Mooney first, but I believe that would be putting the cart before the horse. Looking at airplane ads is a lot of fun. One poster on here said his wife referred to airplane magazines as "Airplane Porn". She wasn't far off the mark. You may not believe me, but I'll say it anyway: You'll have the most fun in the simplest and slowest airplane. There - I said it. And I truly believe it. And there are a bunch of people, who are no longer with us, who tried to push their advancement along too quickly, due to feeling that time is flying by quickly, and there's no time to waste on learning flying incrementally. Please keep us posted on what you decide to do. We are all interested in new pilots' progress.

Key West == awesome

I was sorry I missed it but the good news is that I was flying the hell out of N56FM.

As those who attended MAPA know, I am a second-generation MAPA member. My mother and father were MAPA members and flew with the West Coast MAPA group [Paul and Shery Loewen were at the helm]. For less than a dollar a week in dues, we are represented as owners, receive a magazine, have access to members-only forum and have great educational and social opportunities. I know that one organization cannot be all things to all people, there will always be tweaks here and there. In addition to AOPA and/or EAA and local groups, I feel the MAPA membership is a good use of my money. The conference was under $200 per person and included several meals, all seminars, and the famous ice cream social.

I'm a believer in MAPA, too. Just attended a refresher PPP on the 6th at Niagara Falls, so did not try to fly to the far reaches of Texas last week. They generally do a good job, and I haven't been a member long enough for the articles to feel like re-runs as some people complain. Having them on our side, updating the world about the factory, spreading ADs and SBs, getting the word out about upcoming changes and new technologies, is nice so that I don't have to pound the sidewalk and pour through innumberable web pages to get the information myself. The dues, in my mind, is money well spent.

My bird is back on the market.. came close to a deal wtih a fellow mooneyspacer, but he couldn't make it work without a partner..