Here we go again....

[DonH]

Okay one more aviation story, perhaps two. The first plane I owned was a 172M with an STC for auto fuel. We charged ourselves $21/hour to fly wet which is how I got my instrument. I flew that thing all over the Midwest including with ExW and kids. Had Loran and basic IFR which I actually shot several ILS to minimums in actual (200 foot ceiling and 0.5 vis). I think we were up to $35/hour when I sold out for about $4,000 more than I paid in. It was some of the most cost effective flying and best times of my life. Then I bought into the Cirrus SR22. It had it all - IFR certified GPS, datalink radar, storm scope, moving map, synthetic vision and full auto pilot. Plus of course the parachute for the plane. although it would fly itself on a coupled approach to minimums I never did it in actual nor much actual IFR. I did fly a couple 100 hours in it though. We charged ourselves $85/hour, only problem is when I sold out out three years later instead of a 40% increase I lost nearly $5,000 on my share. I loved both planes at the time. Thing is, I just don't think I could go back to a bare bones 172 at about 125 mph after flying 210 mph plus with all of the bells and whistles of the SR22. But, the costs have really gotten up there.

Which brings me to the even better story of how I got my license for free. So I was 28 when I started flying. I may have been able to afford what then was about $4K to get a license but I just could not justify it. However, what I am great at is the art of the deal. I was chief engineer of an AM radio station that happened to be the producer of a nation syndicated radio show called Aviation Today. They were bought by the origional Flight Training Magazine, now published by AOPA. I also owned and still do own a recording studio. Among other things, we did jingles, commercials, production, etc. Sooooo I proposed that I create and provide their show theme and jingles, as well as provide other studio services. They would give a flying school free commercials on the radio show, and the school would then give me free flight training. It worked! While I had to hire some musicians, etc, fir the jingle, I did most of the work myself and it was still a great deal. And that's how I got my pilots license "for free."

Damn, I want to get back in the air. That needs to happen one of these years. V, the lady from 10 hours away that I'd love to date more was working on her license a few years ago but has not yet finished. I so hope God has a plan here.