BeechTalk - BT

Username Protected · **Posted:** 18 Dec 2018, 23:15

I flew the II up to the service center to get some stuff fixed; lots of stupid annoying things; nothing expensive. My only ride home was a borrowed Champ. I hand propped it and flew it 70 minutes at 1000 feet. I noticed so many little details of the lakes and farms and cars going below. I day dreamed and had happy thoughts. I refrained from pulling out my phone and dead reckoned the 100 mile trip home. I had none of these warm, fuzzy feelings flying the Citation 20 minutes. I'm not sure what any of this means but the champ is in my hangar and I love it.

The Champ wins, hands down.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 19 Dec 2018, 00:50

Most of my favorite flying hours were in a Champ. I only flew it above 1000’ if I was climbing up to do spins.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 19 Dec 2018, 01:09

A PC-12 will carry 5x more people than a Champ, 5x faster and further nonstop. Don’t get me started on the 550!

Username Protected · **Posted:** 19 Dec 2018, 01:45

Username Protected wrote:

A PC-12 will carry 5x more people than a Champ, 5x faster and further nonstop. Don’t get me started on the 550!

YeAH! can a Champ take off with 750lbs of passengers from an airport at 8,000 feet?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 19 Dec 2018, 02:15

Username Protected wrote:

The Champ wins, hands down.

Great.

I'll trade you a Champ in pristine condition for your II, straight up.

(But give me a week to get it there...)

Mike C.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 19 Dec 2018, 02:24

Wow, these replies are hilarious!

But on a serious note, I agree with your reflections Michael. There’s something really fun about flying low and slow.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 19 Dec 2018, 06:36

I’d rather ride a motorcycle than drive a car.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 19 Dec 2018, 06:43

I’d rather fly than almost anything else.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 19 Dec 2018, 06:50

Username Protected wrote:

I’d rather ride a motorcycle than drive a car.

I know the feeling! Nothing like it.

But...

I spent 20 years in the ER.
I sold my motorcycle during Year #5.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 19 Dec 2018, 08:28

According to the actuarial tables, riding a motorcycle had about the same relative risk as operating a general aviation aircraft (single pilot/owner-op).

I completely agree on your observations with the Champ. I fly an MU-2 for my business, but if I have spare time on a weekend or nice weekday evening, I always pick the tandem bush plane (Husky in my case, but same deal). Flying those planes is much more like what “flying dreams” were like...30 to 500 AGL, full view out both sides, land in 500 feet wherever you want.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 19 Dec 2018, 08:32

Username Protected wrote:

According to the actuarial tables, riding a motorcycle had about the same relative risk as operating a general aviation aircraft (single pilot/owner-op).

I completely agree on your observations with the Champ. I fly an MU-2 for my business, but if I have spare time on a weekend or nice weekday evening, I always pick the tandem bush plane (Husky in my case, but same deal). Flying those planes is much more like what “flying dreams” were like...30 to 500 AGL, full view out both sides, land in 500 feet wherever you want.

On a bike you can’t eliminate other drivers.

In a plane you can eliminate running out of fuel, Flying low/showing off, and Flying into storms. The numbers look very different when you do.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 19 Dec 2018, 08:43

It was an analogy, not a change of subject.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 19 Dec 2018, 08:54

I think it was at Sun 'n Fun a number of decades ago when I paid for a ride in an open-cockpit biplane. I don't recall the model, but it had a sort of "bathtub" seating arrangement up front with bench seats all around. I sat up there. It was so cool because as we flew slowly over the local farms, I could actually hear cows mooing and people talking down below.