Hello Everybody!!

Well a little bit about myself. I have been interested in aviation and flying ever since my grandfather's construction company was contracted to do airport improvements at Lakeway Airpark in Austin Texas back in 198something. I was pretty young and spent the whole summer down at the airpark with my grandfather as he made improvements to the runway and would stand in awe as planes took off and arrived over our head. That's when the bug bit me.

I was going to take lessons as soon as I was able to and was even offered a partnership in a Piper Super Cub. But, the partnership never got airborne and I was resigned to ride shotgun with my best friend after he got his ppl. I went to college at Texas A&M University and majored in aerospace engineering to further my addiction. While at college, I participated in an internship at Chyrsler Technologies Airborne Systems where I was able to work on the modification of a Boeing 747-400 for VIP service for South Pacific Royalty (that's the plane on my avatar). That was awesome! I crawled around every nook and cranny of that airplane, places most people never get to see, plus spent several sleepless nights working on the environmental system (which required me to be up in the cockpit monitoring the cabin environmentals on the EICAS screens).

However, this was around the same time that there was a downturn in the aerospace engineering job market because of the demise of the Soviet Union and shut down of a lot of defence contractors. This forced me to make a major decision to change majors which I did to Agricultural Engineering. However, I also finally decided it was time to get my ppl. I joined the Texas A&M Flying Club and started training in a C152. But I did not finish before I graduated in May of 1995 and got a job in a small South Texas town, that although has an airport, does not have an FBO that offers training unless you own your own airplane.

After 9/11, I decided that I needed to do more for society, so I decided to become a police officer and today I am a Lieutenant for a local police department. I practice my engineering trade on the side and still have plans to finish that ppl. For now I fuel my passion with computer bound flights, where I mostly fly the Beech Baron and King Air (I know guys it's nothing like the real thing, but it's all I got right now).

I am planning to finish that ppl and am seriously considering buying an aircraft to train in, more that likely a Beech of some type, so I am sure I'll be reading the posts and askin questions. If I bug ya too much just tell me to go away .

Anyway, I look forward to gaining and contributing as much as I can and making a bunch of new friends.

Thanks and Greetings for South Texas.

Howdy Will,

Welcome to the group, and you will be a fine addition. This is a great group of people!

Pic of my 1968 Beech 36, N7513N, Serial E-47.

Welcome Dio, and good looking Bonanza!

Hi Guys,
My name is Matthew Sheil I live in Sydney, Australia based out of Bankstown airport.
I am married 43 with 4 kids, I own and operate a Truck Accessories and equipment company in Australia.
I have just purchased a 2000 model B58 Jaguar Special Edition that I had flown over from the USA
You can see pictures at my facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15733&l=4b9f5&id=519357928

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15736&l=df0d6&id=519357928

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15743&l=8ae57&id=519357928

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15745&l=4212e&id=519357928

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=16786&l=9081c&id=519357928

Here you will also see pictures of my other toy a 747-400 Simulator
http://www.hyway.com.au/747/

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15873&l=091cc&id=519357928


I owned a Duke for 7 years but sold it 8 years ago, I have been hiring Barons and for the last 2 years been flying a new Cirrus, it was time to get back in to a Beechcraft.

Hi all,

Many of you may recognize me from various other venues. I was on Avsig when it was CompuServe. I've been on the AOPA forum regularly for quite some time, and I've been to PilotsOfAmerica from time to time. It looks like this BeechTalk forum could become a favorite in a hurry!

I have a sordid and checkered past. Nine years after I graduated from High School I finally earned a B.A. in French, which pretty much guaranteed I'd never have a real job. In the 70's I taught French, did linquistic research, and earned a real estate license. In the early 80's I put groups of investors together and bought apartments and nursing homes. In the mid 80's I opened an Entré Computer Center. In the late 80's I wrote a program for managing apartment complexes called Rent Roll. In 95 I sold off my software company and got into aviation. My sister and her husband and I founded Best AeroNet, the contract fuel network, which we sold two years ago. I say that because the people who bought it drove it into the ground within a year and ruined it. Sigh.

I took my first flight in the left seat of anything in December 1993 in a C310 I bought for my software company needs. In fact, virtually all my private pilot training was in either the C310 or the plane I traded up for, a C421. As of today I have an ATP, a LR-JET type rating, and a bit over 3,000 hours in 30 different types.

I operate the FBO at KGYI (Lake Texoma Jet Center) and manage corporate aircraft--Lears and Falcons mainly. I own a C340 http://www.texomajet.com/n655rm and a cherry little Debonair C33A http://www.texomajet.com/n9520Q. In addition to the FBO we have a jet engine overhaul shop (CJ610/CF00/J85) and a complete interior refurbishing shop. We've done everything from a Baron to a G-III.

We're having a monster fly-in on April 19. Everyone is invited! http://www.texomajet.com/flyin.htm.

Plane pix? Hmmm... Let me find a couple.

Bonjour Yves. Je vivais en Belgique de 1969 à 1971--Liège, Mons, La Louvière, et finalement Bruxelles. Quel beau pays!

I have a 1966 C33A Debonair http://www.texomajet.com/n9520q. I've owned a number of aircraft, and the Debonair is my favorite ever. It is fast, fuel efficient, and roomy inside. The Mooney is a great plane, but nowhere near the cabin space of a Beech. I believe the support network for a Beechcraft is extensive as well. I seriously encourage you to choose Beech for your new wings!

Hi Yves,

When I saw "Yves" I guessed you were French. Sorry! (No offense intended <grin>.) I'm well aware of the Wallon vs Flamand annoyances. When I lived there from 1969 to 1971 there were occasional open hostilities. It worked to my advantage when I lived in Brussels--the movies were in English with French and Flemish subtitles!

I heard some really rude jokes from the Wallons about the Flamands. I'm sure the Flamands know a few about the Wallons, too... "Vous savez la différence entre Anvers et une femme flamande? L'un, c'est un port de mer. L'autre, c'est une mère de ..."

Yikes! My car could get burned for repeating that one in the wrong neighborhood!

I enjoy Belgium. I think despite the cultural differences the country is very proud of what it represents--a financial, cultural, and governmental capital for all of Europe. I'll bet if someone seriously suggested that the Wallons join France (and have to start saying "soixante-dix" again) and the the Flamands join Holland, there might be more than a few on each side who would privately (or even openly) object!

Where do you fly from? Is the airspace in Belgium fairly friendly to general aviation? I flew VFR near Paris once about 10 years ago, and it seemed like we were dodging restricted airspace everywhere. It seemed to me that about anyone who wanted to keep a plane from flying directly overhead could do so. Though I did orbit Disney World Paris a time or two.

Steve,

Sorry for my delay as I have been out flying around doing one of my jobs -- welcome to Beechtalk. I am glad that you are here. I have long admired your work, and loved Best Aero when you owned it. You are/were right -- it went down like the Titanic after Phoenix bought it!

Welcome to the board, and I look forward to reading your contributions!

Hi fellow Beech Nuts

I'm Greg, known as GG33 on other forums. Based here in the UK, I won a flying scholarship with Betty Windsor's Flying Club - more usually known as the RAF, way back in 1974. Finally decided I could afford to move into aircraft ownership in '2000' after working on a contract in Washington DC. My first plane was a 1968 Piper Arrow 180. What I learned about pre-buy inspections from the exercise would fill a whole magazine article - I'll spare you the agonies but lets say it was very expensive. 18 months later I traded up to my 1977 F33A, what a contrast in terms of quality and performance.

My wife and I have flown to many destinations in Europe including many trips to France and Spain, Denmark, Poland, Germany, Austria and Ireland. I have a rating for Courchevel which allows me to take the plane into that very challenging altiport (1500 foot runway at 7000ft altitude with an 18 degree slope, no possibility of a missed approach go-around and you land and take off in opposite directions, needless to say there have been many serious accidents there).

In 2005 three of us ventured off an a very interesting trip to Svalbard in Spitzbergen, which happens to be the worlds most northerly official airport (ENSB). There were 11 guys in total, on board three aircraft. A Cessna 310, a Piper Aztec and three of us in my trusty F33A. We competed the trip in March (still winter) with temperatures as low as minus 40 degC, this obviously involved lots of planning and a huge dose of faith. A very interesting eight page article was written in a UK Flyer magazine and I have a pdf copy which I would be happy to attach, if someone could tell me how to post attachments to the site.

Well, nice to meet you guys, and keep up the good work.

Greg Garnett (N78GG)

Nearly forgot - here's a picture from the trip



ps - article upload failed as it 1.27Mb

Now, that's a beautiful F33, and a great paint scheme. The background's pretty slick, too.

My best friends live in Wales; we don't fly over there [paucity of airfields nearby], but when they come this way we fly our Rockies on scenic tours in a borrowed A36 or my crusty old A55. Best way to show off the area....

Greg,

Welcome to the forum! Your article sounds interesting. I would love to read it and am confident that the forum mods can help you find a way to post it.

Ed

Hi Steve! Great to see you here after the diaspora from Compuserve.

I sold the Beech 18 two years ago, and got back in the air last summer in a '63 P35 Bo. Nothing fancy (love your Deb), but works for me. And, I can afford it as my kids are going to College!

Best,
Jay

Hi, Jay! Good to be back in touch. I still have my C340, but I don't use it much at all anymore. I have a couple of partners, but with fuel getting close to $5 everywhere it's just not as much fun as it used to be to fly a twin! We should get serious about selling it--it sits around too much.



The early Bo is a great plane! By '63 they had come through several rounds of innovations. I have a friend who has a '58 K model that he converted to the IO-550. Amazing planes! I get about the same mileage flying LOP at 7500 MSL as people get in their SUVs, only I'm traveling three times as fast!

Steve: Hoping you can make it to KIER for the fly-in. Looks like Jay will be here. We also have folks flying down from Toronto, and dropping in from Hong Kong.