Howdy, My name is Sidney Wakeham I'm 55yrs old and a 37 yr member of the UA Plumbers and Steamfitters and new member of BT. I was born and raised in Washington State and started flight training when I was 16, but didn't get very far. I was blessed as a young child when my Dad started flying as a mode of transportation for his business and obtained his PPL in 1969. He was a CPA, Resturant Owner and Mechanical Contractor. His daily travel around the Pacific Northwest to lots of remote locations made sense to get a PPL and an airplane, everything he did had to make sense. Our first plane was a 1960 Skyhawk, owned about 14months, the next one was a Mooney, owned it about 1yr, then came our first Bonanza, a 1962 Debbie, he hadn't even sold the Debbie, only had it 3months when he purchased a 1964 S, a plane which served him and our family of 6 well for the next 5yrs, it had a 5th seat and a ski tube, we would seat my brother in back, my 2 sisters and Mother in the middle, I always got to ride up front. This airplane was the beginning of my Love affair with Beechcraft. In 1975 he moved up to a 1972 A36. He was killed in this airplane, 9016V in Silver City NM on a business trip in Nov of 1978. I was 19 at the time, he was only 46. I married young at 23 my wife was 21 and fast forward today, we raised 4 kids have been married for 32 yrs and are now divorcing. It's now time for me to get a pilot license and maybe own a Bonanza of my own someday. Sorry if I bored you all to death.
Sincerely Sidney F Wakeham

Sidney welcome to BT. You will find great resources here to help you on your way to your goal of getting your pilot's certificate and one day into a Beechcraft aircraft.

Welcome to your new family! Love the story of all the planes. Very sorry your father lost his life in an A36. He obviously loved Beechcrafts! Putting your general location in your profile will help you meet others in your area. Again, welcome!

Thank You for the welcome, Larry Ball said it best, Those Incomparable Bonanza's, I have an autographed copy me Dad got from Larry when My Dad, Mom, Sister and I went to the annual ABS gathering in Scottsdale AZ the summer of 1977.

You'll make it happen! Sounds like you have a whole new life to look forward to.... Welcome to BT!

Thanks for sharing your story!
Welcome aboard! This site is a never ending source of information!
Having just recently jumped through all the hoops, done all my flying in v-tails; K model, and my solo work in my A model; and preparing to take my PPL checkride here soon, let me know if you need any help.
I strongly recommend using the Gleim Online Ground School to get your written exam endorsement unless you're already enrolled in a ground school.
IMO Bonanzas are really easy to fly, stable, responsive, and depending on the model; really light on the controls. The K model my dad owns but lets me fly, has a lot heavier feel on the controls than the A model.

Welcome Sidney, great intor!

Sidney, welcome to BeechTalk!!

Thank You again BT, I've probably spent 30hrs on this site this week and it not over.
What an AWESOME bunch of folks. Sincerely Sidney Wakeham

Mr Benjamin Gault could you please call me or write, I do have some questions for you, can't figure out how to PM you. 360 721 3009 or sidfw@aol.com

E mail sent from
Benjamin_Gault@msn.com

Welcome, Sidney

Gosh, I can't believe I wrote this stuff No editing, no emojis I'm truly embarrassed Must have been drinking too much?

What an Idiot

(Pipefitter)

Oh Well, I'm Still Here Haven't even gotten a Time Out............YET!