Sue Bon

Fun fact: George Jetson's birthday (actual date of birth) was either July or August of this year! https://www.npr.org/2022/07/31/1114759037/happy-birthday-george-jetson I can't find the German Wikipedia page that put it at August 27, 2022. He may be flying it yet!

Last adventure for the year. Prague First pic is the airport falcon that brought its handler a dead rabbit. You can see its white cotton tail on the ground behind the vehicle. Poor bunny... Now it's just one or two CHF 300.- bratwurst(s) for me until another 4 weeks on the ground for a panel upgrade and annual. It's been an amazing year

A few years ago I was lucky enough to be invited to the Ferrari test track in Maranello. We got to go around the track with one or both of the test "pilots" and then we could go by ourselves. My first lap with the German "pilot," Thomas, went as I expected it to. Then it was my turn (embarrassing); then I went with the guy that's been driving that track for over 30 years. Every time I thought, "ok, he needs to brake now" was exactly when he floored it. It was the strangest experience! We spun out once, but he just rode it through and went to the next turn like nothing happened.

I love this thread

So, so good!!

A lot of the recent speed restrictions in Germany are because there is just more traffic on the highways than there used to be. There are also a lot more tourists that wreak havoc on the traditional German style of driving. They either want to drive 250 kph or are not comfortable going above 80. Or the worst offenders: people from countries that I won't mention here that don't drive at home, purchase a driver's license before their vacation and don't know anything about driving in Europe. They have been known to stop on the highways to look at their maps. Flash to pass is certainly a thing. Also here in Switzerland. I flashed one of the above mentioned tourists once on a highway (he was almost stopped) and when I passed, he tried to run me off the road. Luckily no one was coming the other direction and I could swerve into the other lane.

Is the plane usually towed with a tow bar (and help by pulling on the propeller) or with a little tractor? The '79 J in my hangar just broke its nose wheel bolt and they suspect it's due to being towed with a little tractor over the bumps where the hangar doors slide back and forth.

I'm so glad you answered the "ask me how I know" question. I was wondering!

Do you need a special certification to do this? We do over here... It looks so fun!

I've flown with a friend of mine that's in a wheelchair. He has full use of his upper body and partial use of one leg. He manoeuvred himself from his wheelchair onto the wing (flaps side - maybe we'll use leading edge next time), used his semi-good leg to hook under the disabled leg and swung both legs onto the wing, then scooched himself into the passenger seat backwards. Reverse for disembarking. It worked perfectly. He got in and out better any of my overweight passengers.

So pretty!!!

Too bad they don't have them in Europe. I checked to see if I could attend one in the US, but the registration form said to bring your airplane, so that is out

LFPN is Paris. N reg would be FAA rules.

I had mine installed December 2020. I will get the G5 HSI and GFC 500 this December. I love mine. Zero problems (not on the recall list, though).

I love weather like that. Here in Switzerland, it's called "hochnebel" or high fog. Breaking out on top is just magical What is void time?

No, unfortunately not. As good an excuse as any to go back

Same here. I spent a long time trying to decide between HaHa and Like..... I learned something today, and that is always a good thing

Cool. There's still lots of time. No pressure. If I don't hear anything by next Spring, I'll revive this thread to see what happens

I don't need J experience! I have that. I know my airplane. I need someone who can help me navigate summer weather at lower altitudes (FL 80 - FL 100). I just need help with all that goes on outside.... Plus, it's nice to share cool experiences with other Mooniacs. There aren't so many over here....

So... I'm looking for a safety pilot... A good friend of mine is going to the midsummer rally in Sweden next year. I met him in Sweden last year for some other car-related event and he wants to meet again next year for this. Here is the link from this year. I can only expect that the dates will be similar. https://www.midnattssolsrallyt.com/content/en/index.php The flights would be from Switzerland (LSZG) to Sweden (ESSB) and then back home, staying in Sweden for a week or so (scenic flights totally possible). I know that Americans don't have the luxury of long summer holidays like we have here in Europe, so I'm not optimistic about someone joining me for the entire time, but maybe someone would be interested in flying to Stockholm with me, or maybe meeting me in Stockholm and flying back home. I have all the experience necessary for flying in Europe, so that is not a factor. Where you can help me is weather. I can't climb that high (unless @EricJ comes and shows me how to climb to FL170 in my J), but it is flat, flat, flat between CH and S. In the best case, there is high pressure all over Europe... happy days. In the worst case, you help me navigate thunderstorms, CBs, and/or landing in gusty, rainy crosswinds. There is room for a +1. If any of you are interested in maybe coming out here next summer for a week or two of cool Mooney flying at only the cost of a normal European holiday, please hit me up.

Shhhh.... don't tell @Ragsf15e He'll out-cool me with a few keystrokes....

I will be chasing that high for a while

You should swing down to Switzerland for a few days. You can log some international flight hours with me in my J (Note: I don't think you can fly PIC with an FAA license, but that is just a detail...)

You can also look at planecheck.com for the European market.

I love flying in Europe! The regulations are SOP, so I guess I don't know any other way to do it. It is spectacular. Expensive, yes, but IFR flights going country to country is usually super easy and the experiences are amazing.