Hey Bill,
Glad to have ya here with us Beech Nuts. I see that you're down @ KFMY part of your time. I get down there a couple of times a month. I'll PM you next time I'm heading down, we'll get you introduced to a couple of other BTers in your neck of the woods.

Don:

It was filled with anticipation, as my Beech salesman promised me a complete tour of the Bonanza/Baron assembly line. As I had already flown Bonanza's for almost 5 yrs and 2400 hrs I was excited to get to see how they were manufactured. I was not disappointed and remember how surprised I was at how labor intensive the construction and assembly of the Bonanzas and Barons really are. I was hoping to see how the wings were constructed but the wings are manufactured at a separate factory and shipped to the final assembly plant in Wichita. I believe the wings were built in Saline, Kansas.

However, what I wasn't expecting or prepared for was being introduced to Fred Hedrick, the President of Beechcraft and then taken into the office and being introduced to the Chairman of the Board, Mrs. Olive Ann Beech. As I looked around her office, I asked myself "what the h--- are you doing in here. On every wall were award plaques and photographs of actors, entertainers, congressman, generals, admirals and astronauts. I consider myself a hard working semi-successful nobody, but she was very pleasant, sincere and exuded as much excitement for the Baron and bringing it into existence as I had for becoming an owner of one.

Mrs. Beech was truly a dynamic and inspirational person and during my visit, it was obvious how the employees admired and loved her. Getting to meet and shake the hand of this "Aviation Hall of Fame" member and legend, is one of the more memorable events in my flying experiences.

How Cool. thanks for sharing Bill.

Greetings to all. I have been reading selected conversations on BeechTalk for a few months and I decided it was time to introduce myself. My name is Dave. I live at the Lake of the Ozarks in South Central Missouri. My first flight in a private aircraft took place in 1961 in my best friend's father's G Model Bonanza when I was 16 years old. I fell in love instantly and told myself I would one day own one. That dream took 48 years to happen but I'm happy to report it did in June of this year when I purchased a 1968 V35A (D8886). In the interim years, I flew for the Air Force (C-130Es & C-7As) and spent 30 years in the air traffic control business in Albuquerque, NM. The time between my last Air Force pilot-in-command flight and my next pilot-in-command flight was 37 years. Yes, 37 years. I was hoping that flying would be like riding a bicycle; i.e., you never forget how, and fortunately it was. After 2 flights and some ground school refresher, my instructor certified me to fly again. It was quite a thrill and made me question why I had waited so long. Knowing I wanted to own my own airplane, I chose to hire a Bonanza expert to help with the purchase process and initial Bonanza training. It was a good decision. On my own, I probably would have ended up with a beautiful looking Bonanza that might have been best suited as a parts donor. Instead, I own a very well equipped and maintained Bonanza that will not win any beauty contest. To date, I have limited myself to VFR flying but I plan to reactivate my instrument rating in the near future. My airplane is well equipped for IFR flight so I need to be also. Because I haven't figured out how to import a picture into this document, I will attach one. Keep those conversations going on BeechTalk because it certainly helps my with my Bonanza education.

Don't be so sure........

............Gorgeous Bird !!

David,

Welcome aboard --- Great looking Bo --- looks well cared for! What Engine does she have -- IO-520B, IO-520BB or IO-550B?

Based on your intro - you and I are close in age. I really enjoy the Ozarks -- flown into and Harley'd into Osage Beach many times -- We need to meet next summer at "Backwater Jacks" and swap stories.

IO-550B. I've become a John Deakin disciple and use many procedures/techniques he recommends in his "Pelican's Perch" series to take good care of my engine, especially the lean of peak procedures.
A Backwater Jack's rendezvous sounds good to me.

Don:

It was filled with anticipation, as my Beech salesman promised me a complete tour of the Bonanza/Baron assembly line. As I had already flown Bonanza's for almost 5 yrs and 2400 hrs I was excited to get to see how they were manufactured. I was not disappointed and remember how surprised I was at how labor intensive the construction and assembly of the Bonanzas and Barons really are. I was hoping to see how the wings were constructed but the wings are manufactured at a separate factory and shipped to the final assembly plant in Wichita. I believe the wings were built in Saline, Kansas.

However, what I wasn't expecting or prepared for was being introduced to Fred Hedrick, the President of Beechcraft and then taken into the office and being introduced to the Chairman of the Board, Mrs. Olive Ann Beech. As I looked around her office, I asked myself "what the h--- are you doing in here. On every wall were award plaques and photographs of actors, entertainers, congressman, generals, admirals and astronauts. I consider myself a hard working semi-successful nobody, but she was very pleasant, sincere and exuded as much excitement for the Baron and bringing it into existence as I had for becoming an owner of one.

Mrs. Beech was truly a dynamic and inspirational person and during my visit, it was obvious how the employees admired and loved her. Getting to meet and shake the hand of this "Aviation Hall of Fame" member and legend, is one of the more memorable events in my flying experiences.[/quote]

Great story, Bill, and great Baron!! Hope you've been to Tullahoma and seen all the
Beech history and especialy that about Mrs. Beech!!

Dave W.

Welcome aboard. Nice Bird truly. So 30 years in ATC would that be as a controller? If so could you enlighten us with some good stories?



Cheers Don

Pat,

I've read about Tullahoma in the ABS magazine and seen photos of the early construction. Haven't been there yet, but will definitely make it there early next year. Do you have a Staggerwing? I think the Staggerwing and the Duke are two of the best looking aircraft every built.

Regards,

Bill

I have 950hrs, almost all of it in my DA40 Diamondstar. I have flown coast to coast five times now, most of the time with my family on board (tolerant wife up front with me, 13yr old and 11yr old boys in the back).

When I was looking at the Diamondstar I got the leather-binder sales brochure for a Bonanza with the G1000. My younger son still talks about it, "the fancy plane," because there was a picture of a kid in the back playing his Gameboy. That looked perfect to him. I have to say I love the idea of a cabin-class plane. The wet wing and post-crash fire possibility always loom large in my mind. I wish there were an STC to stick mesh in the tank or something that dimmed the possibility of a fire after my loss of directional control in a parking lot when I land off airport (like the recent crash in San Gabriel, near me here in Santa Monica).

Anyway, I look forward to learning more about the planes.

--Colin
N971RD
http://flyingsummers.com

N6670Z arrived at it's new home today under the excellent pilotage of ferry pilot Bill Sterling.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N6670Z

Check out those ground speeds on 12.5 GPH at 9,000 feet.

Pics to follow.

Wish I could have been there to meet you, Steve.
Enjoy your airplane. Its a "good runner" as the good ole boys say....

Bill said it was kinda quick. Looks like he's right. I'd like to think the rigging helped, of course.



Regards,

Paul

Congrats Steve - looks like it flew right over me, I am hangin at the farm this week. I am looking forward to the pics.

Paul - Did you rig it?

-MO

Steve had me go through the airplane in a fairly comprehensive manner.

The annual inspection was one part of that. Rigging was another.

PMC