After getting my private, I started working on my instrument and this lead to the commercial, not becasue I wanted to fly for money but because I wanted to get better. I have yet to make a single $ as a pilot, I have spent a few though. I got my multi in the early 90s as part of my learning journey but did not really want or need a twin back then.
Like most people I started with trainers, 152s, 172s, warriors and the like. My first plane was a fraction of a Mooney. The Mooney moved me to a 145 knot cruise and openned up many more adventures. I sold my original share bacause I moved and bought into another mooney which I flew for 17 years until my partner stopped flying.
By this point my flying had started to evolve and I was doing more public interest flying and travel. I chose to step up to the F33A Bonanza which meant 170 knot cruise, more comfort, and more capability. I ended up selling this plane and buying another F33A as work forced a minor detour in my flying. I flew about 1200 hours in the Bonanza and it increased my horizon, literally.
I had been eyeing twins for quite some time. You know, clicking through the ads, reading articles. It was a big jump becasue I was not initially convinced the twin would be safer for me. I knew that Piston Twins are marginal performers after losing an engine and that the joke about a twin having a second engine to get you to the crash site had a bit of truth. Twins were also a bigger investment and cost more to fly.
As my career was winding down, I made the leap. I finally had the time to devote to training and proficiency and a mission to make the twin worthwhile. I remember one trip crossing the Appalachian Mountains in the Bonanza and thinking my emergency landing options were pretty slim. So in 2020 I started looking at those ads a bit closer and in December 2020 one plane caught my eye. I was not sure about it but it was only 30 minutes South. My wife said what do we have to lose, let's go see it, so we flew down and in 2021 I had the Baron. As a bonus I was now moving 190 knots.
Looking back I am pretty happy with the numbers this year. I stayed instrument and night current/proficient. I flew 13.3 instrument hours with a good bit of actual and 13.6 hours at night. I shot 34 instrument approaches and completed an IPC. Trip wise I did fast trips to Pensecola, Savannah, Misouri for the eclips and Washington DC to see my daughter graduate.
We also did the our big cross country of over 5000 miles and touched 13 states along the way. I clocked 213.7 total hours in 2024 which was down 3.3 from 2023 but I did have some downtime with a leaking fuel cell. Overall a great year and a continuation of my journey. Airplane is in annual now but already planning new adventures for 2025. Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year!
No comments:
Post a Comment