EricJ Posted January 27 Report Posted January 27 +1 on kudos for continuing a long, successful run and knowing when to manage things to an end. Also +1 on thanks for planning to hang around here.
Bartman Posted January 28 Report Posted January 28 Don I have never met you, but I do enjoy your posts and look forward to your always positive contributions. I will contact you soon and take you up on the Visors by Muncy.
GeeBee Posted January 28 Report Posted January 28 I feel your pain Don as I am approaching your point in life in a few years. It was painful enough to retire from professional flying, to remove it all seems all too much, yet you know when. You know because your training and skills that aviating has imparted knowledge to you, tell you it is time. Be grateful for that skill and knowledge, few people in this world ever acquire it. You can say, "I am an aviator" which is something very special yet few understand fully.
00-Negative Posted January 28 Report Posted January 28 Don, my wife and I met you at MooneyMax 2024 in Fredericksberg, TX. A group of us, along with you, stayed up late one of the nights in the lounge having drinks and telling stories. If I recall correctly, you closed down the place with us, but didn't have any alcohol while I think I paid the consequences for my behavior the next day. I guess that's why at 87 years old, you can still fly an airplane- you make good decisions. See you at this year's MooneyMax. - David 2
cliffy Posted January 28 Report Posted January 28 Don I've read your postings for years and respected every one of them. I too, can see the sun setting on over 60 years of flying (I'm 7 years behind you). I'd like to do 3 or 4 more years before pulling the plug but I do watch the cognitive process very closely and I will pull the plug myself (just like you) before its pulled for me. I gave up IMC years ago and now only do Day VFR. I can see a day not to distant when I may have to forsake the Mooney for a fixed gear from the dark side. I may even go ultralight single seat in the end just to "fly around and bore holes in the sky" on calm clear days :-) Do use all a favor and do more postings- we like reading them! 2
donkaye, MCFI Posted January 29 Report Posted January 29 How time "flys"! Don, I think you are one of the last people I know still flying (other than Jerry Johnson) who was around when I bought my airplane in 1992. We have certainly seen a lot of changes in GA over those years. I still have a lot of good memories, but it is still sad to have to say "goodbye" to new adventures and images seen only by the few of us fortunate enough to inhabit the skys. Unlike many who have commented about giving up instrument flying, I find that it stimulates the brain and helps keep it sharp in other aspects of life. Just last week I had a student, who had just gotten his Instrument Rating, fly up from LA on the way to Top Gun and stopped by San Jose, who wanted me to accompany him to Stockton and work with him later doing actual instrument approaches. The Valley had been socked in for weeks and this day was no exception at 300 and 2. There was still nothing like running an approach and breaking out at near minimums with the bright strobes on and bright runway lights. It was the lowest for the newly minted instrument pilot, and he was thrilled. Certainly, our advanced avionics makes staying ahead of the airplane at an older age a lot easier than 30 years ago when you were lucky if we had a DME. I'm doing my yearly Wings Basic and Advanced tomorrow. I always ask my long time CFI (I've been flying with her for over 20 years so she knows my flying skills) to tell me if she notices any diminution of cognitive ability, but I think I would notice it before she did. I'm going to keep flying as long as I feel safe. I'll make a determination, too, if I'm ever denied insurance. Meanwhile, Don, I'll look forward to seeing you at more Mooney events. Epilogue: The Wings Basic and Advanced went better this year than last. The Soft Field landing might have been the best of the day with the wheels rolling on without the slightest hint of touchdown. 3
toto Posted January 29 Report Posted January 29 6 hours ago, cliffy said: I may even go ultralight single seat in the end just to "fly around and bore holes in the sky" on calm clear days :-) The most fun I’ve ever had in an airplane was getting my seaplane rating. Moving to an Aventura LSA and then an Aventura UL would be a heck of a way to wind down a flying career. https://www.aeroexpo.online/prod/aero-adventure-inc-181888.html You can get a used Aventura LSA for a song.
cliffy Posted January 29 Report Posted January 29 4 hours ago, toto said: The most fun I’ve ever had in an airplane was getting my seaplane rating. Moving to an Aventura LSA and then an Aventura UL would be a heck of a way to wind down a flying career. https://www.aeroexpo.online/prod/aero-adventure-inc-181888.html You can get a used Aventura LSA for a song. I live in the desert We don't know about landing on water :-) 1
201er Posted January 29 Report Posted January 29 It was greeting meeting you Don. Knowing when to quit and quitting while you're ahead is the way to go. And you sure got every bit out of it. Congratulations.
toto Posted January 29 Report Posted January 29 16 hours ago, cliffy said: I live in the desert We don't know about landing on water :-) Good thing it’s an amphib It’s not a Mooney, but the gear go up and down, and you don’t need a license or a medical to fly it
clh Posted January 30 Report Posted January 30 While I'm sorry to hear you will be giving up the left seat, it is good to do so before you become a statistic, The fine gentleman I got my plane from arrived at the same place, ( a few years younger than you tho) I was able to fly with him for several years after the sale. Keep giving us your sage advice here.
Mcstealth Posted January 30 Report Posted January 30 (edited) Congratulations and/or I'm sorry. Sincerely, David Edited January 30 by Mcstealth
Will.iam Posted January 30 Report Posted January 30 My instructor that gave me my private pilot’s license when i was 17 is still instructing new kids around the neighborhood. He is 83 and has over 55,000 hours. You read that correctly. The most hours i know of personally. I asked him and the record is 65,000 hours and some change but that guy passed away so i think he is the oldest living person with that many hours. And he is a machine! I thank god my hanger is further from the runway than his as he is taxiing by my house 3 times a day and i wouldn’t want to get into his way when i wanted to taxi out! No one else can teach at our airpark as it’s prohibited but he was teaching here before the airpark came i to being and is grandfathered in. Still sharp as a tack. Just the other day told me just match your flaps to same angle as full defected aileron throw and that is approximately 10 degrees. That kind of useful stuff is only gleamed from years of experience. We have another retired AA captain that is 96 years old. Still rides his 10 speed bicycle around enough to shame my ass out to go exercising and flys a c-140 tail-dragger on sunsetting evenings. That’s my plan when priced out of the mooney from insurance, is to get a c-140 and put around the patch on 4 gal / hr during my free time.
amillet Posted January 31 Report Posted January 31 I’ll be 75 in April. Insurance premium only increased $200 over last year. I know my time is coming in the not too distant future
ArtVandelay Posted January 31 Report Posted January 31 For me, it was the hangar rates, they were steady for years until covid inflation started, 167% rise in 5 years. This year it jumped 75% and they didn’t bother to wait for Jan 1st, it’s a money grab. My annual cost doubled and insurance premiums increased 50%, the hangar was the last straw. Those 3 expenses would be $20k/year, airplane ownership has never made sense, but that’s just insane.I immediately put my plane up for sale when I got the notice, I had enough. And with those annual costs, it definitely doesn’t make sense to buy a less expensive plane, actually the cost of the airplane is the least expensive thing. Hope the new owner enjoys my plane. 1
PT20J Posted January 31 Report Posted January 31 Aw, shucks, Don. Well, it happened to Hoover and Dick Collins, so you're in good company. Hope to see you at MooneyMAX sometime.
willerjim273 Posted February 1 Report Posted February 1 Don, I have always enjoyed your posts. I have also saved a lot time with your pointers. We all will be right behind you. Just hope we can be as honest and brave as you. Take care. I Western Colo if you are in the area!!
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