Wonderful story for me.

[Dick Denenny]

For months I have wanted to share my recent experience on this site which I have been reading, enjoying and getting a great deal of information from other Mooney owners over the last many months. I owned in a partnership a c182 for 25 years and had to sell it about 7 years ago. divorce and life changes. had always dreamt of getting a Mooney. Looked at my resources and age and said I could and should do it. Figured 10 years or so of health and at least I think mental acuity to continue flying and could afford it. besides, have a 22-year-old grandson that really wanted me to get it. I’ll tell more about this soon. we shopped together. So in March I found a 1966 M20E with Ray Jay. Good condition, low hours and reasonable price. Live in Spokane and thought I’d have to look and travel all over to find one, but one was in Moses Lake about 100 miles away. Bought it and started my adventure. I got a hold of an instructor and began my training and transition from the high wing, fixed gear experience. got checked out and flew a bit. Got about 25 hours in it and wanted to get it to my grandson to get his rating in it.

This is what I want I really want to share. For those of you that have children and grandkids this is special. Love this young man. Grandson is a senior student at U of North Dakota in the aviation program. Already at 22 a commercial helicopter pilot with instructor rating but not fixed wing.  So I’ve helped get the new generation into flying. So in June he and I flew it back to Grand Forks for me to leave it with him to get certified. A few problems and difficulties with the plane and hard time getting  A&Ps to work on it took some time along with weather and his schedule kept it with him a bit longer than anticipated. Finally in December he got his check ride done and he is now in that unique arena of being dual certified. And in a Mooney. Then needed to get it back to Spokane/KCOE. With the winter weather. He and a friend got some good weather and got it to Billings. Left it there and went back to UND for finals. Then he, his wife and his instructor got in the car to come home for Christmas. Picked the plane up in Billings and got it to Missoula. I met them and then realized I really should not fly it to Spokane. It was night and not a good idea so drove back home. Last Wednesday we drove to Missoula and after a wait for bad weather finally was able to leave with a clear sky to the west. Flew on top to Sandpoint (KSZT) where we were able to descend through a hole and land. Took a rest and brought it to its home in KCOE. So i finally have it back and now after many months need to refamiliarize myself with instruction to get fly “my” plane again.  Thanks for reading. I’ve enjoyed sharing this. Hope you like it. Dick

[Dick Denenny]

Picture of Grandson and pland

[LANCECASPER]

I learned to fly in Grand Forks, ND  ..  crosswind landing practice always available. I did my training at an FBO/Flight school with UND trained instructors and did my checkride over at UND. 

[Schllc]

I keep waiting for one of my daughters or a nephew to get the bug, but I have to practically force them into the front seat and none of them even want to touch the controls. 
They are still young, and I hope it happens to at least one of them!  
You would have had to beat me with a stick to keep me away from the plane if my dad had  one when I was growing up.   
I have been obsessed with aviation since very young.
I built my first flying model at 8, a guillows p38, my first RC model at 10, a bearcat, and continued building them for 30 years.  The last one being a 33% ziroli scratch kit P51  it was huge!  Retracts, smoke, droppable fuel tanks etc..  

It’s a wonderful thing to bring a young soul into aviation, I can’t wait for the opportunity!

Great story!

[PT20J]

Wow. Great story. Thanks for sharing it!

[carusoam]

UND shares a bunch of their videos… on line.

If you know anyone with any interest…. The videos are easy to watch and cover every step from day one to IFR….

Great story Dick, congrats to the GS!

-a-

[Will.iam]

On 1/4/2022 at 9:13 PM, Schllc said:

I keep waiting for one of my daughters or a nephew to get the bug, but I have to practically force them into the front seat and none of them even want to touch the controls. 
They are still young, and I hope it happens to at least one of them!  
You would have had to beat me with a stick to keep me away from the plane if my dad had  one when I was growing up.   
I have been obsessed with aviation since very young.
I built my first flying model at 8, a guillows p38, my first RC model at 10, a bearcat, and continued building them for 30 years.  The last one being a 33% ziroli scratch kit P51  it was huge!  Retracts, smoke, droppable fuel tanks etc..  

It’s a wonderful thing to bring a young soul into aviation, I can’t wait for the opportunity!

Great story!

I feel the same way my kids have no desire to fly. Where as I grew up flying with my parents. I guess if everybody loved to fly there would not be any airplanes left for me.