introduce ourselves

Greg Morris. 21, flying for seven years. I work as an aerobatic instructor in the LA area with Sunrise Aviation flying Decathlons, a Pitts S-2B and an Extra 300.

Rob here... have not flown in a few years but thinkin about gettin back into it. got my PP/ASEL in Santa Barbara, CA. Flown C152/172,
Mooney M20B, Tobago, Piper PA28. Currently living in Austin, TX ... yeehaw!

Hi, I'm working on my private pilot's license out of Santa Monica Airport here in California, flying mostly 172s and Archers. I also belong to Fox Flying Club just outside of Chicago.

Does anyone know of a good flying club in the LA area?

-Allie

John here, 39, bay area. Flying for just two years, and not nearly as often as I'd like to...

I've had my license for about four years, but had to stop flying for nearly two of them for various reasons (financial + too much work!). I just started flying again two weeks ago. I did all my training in a 172, but I now fly a Cherokee 180 based at Fresno's Chandler airport. My favorite $100 hamburger destination is Columbia (the gold rush town, not the country!).

I'm a CFI (unemployed right now) in Salt Lake City, fixed wing, hoping to go rotor someday. I fly with a local flight club that has a nice variety of planes, including the normal 172s and Archers, then then 310's, a Cirrus, a Bonanza, a Comanche and some other fun babies!

I'm Joe, flying in the beleaguered Washington ADIZ, based at Gaithersburg, MD (GAI). Been flying on and off for 6 years, all-on for 3, up to about 300 hours, working on my commercial, then CFI. Mostly Cessnas, occasional Arrow, Archer, or Diamond du jour (Katana, etc.)

Hi, I'm Tom, based out of Detroit and Pontiac (Michigan). Been flying on and off for 10 years: 152, 172, 182, Arrow, and Archer. Just tried out the SR22 which is a wonderful plane.

hey, i am sean, 36. based in hawaii. have flown 150/2, 172, katanas, sail planes (gliders), be-76, twin otters, dash 8, and currently fly a 737 for aloha airlines. on my off time i also like to fly paragliders.

Hi, I'm Kevin, 49, and I've been flying for 6 years now. I started very aggressively, flying 200 hrs/yr for the first 4 years. I got my private ticket at the West Valley Flying Club in Palo Alto, CA. A great club with great CFI's and members. I started flying Piper Warriors. My first plane was a Bonanza B36TC which is my first love. A year later I bit the bullet, got my IFR and IMEL and bought a Baron 58. Great plane, but lot's of little and big things went wrong (including just the TCM crankshaft recalls (that's right, 2 of them!)). My next plane was a Citation II and I earned my type rating and my commercial rating. Subsequently I owned and flew a King Air C90B. Today, I operate my CII out of Yolo County (2Q3) and San Jose Jet Center.

After all of that I can tell you a lot about ownership, partnerships, sim training, tax issues, etc. or point you in the right direction. I also started a thread on lessons learned and hope it turns into something interesting.

I learned to fly in 1997 at Palo Alto, in 152s at Palo Alto Flying Club. In 1998 I started instrument training in 172s, but gave up on the bad avionics and switched to Warriors, getting that ticket in late 1998. In late 1999 I bought a 182 with one other pilot, based at PAO.

Shortly thereafter the stock market tanked, and by 2002 I was flying fairly little. I last flew in July, although I still own half the plane and still pay half the fixed overhead. I'm not quite ready to be an ex airplane owner. My partner still flies pretty often, which is good for the plane.

By the way, if there are any of you out there who like to (and can afford to) fly but have already gotten enough $100 hamburgers (which cost $200 in my experience), consider Angel Flight. I joined and flew 7 missions for them in 2001 (the last one after 9/11, during the time that all VFR was still prohibited). It's fun and makes you feel good.

Graham, San Franicsco based, fly Pitts S1S out of Livermore, member of ex-miltary jet syndicated (Jet Provosts) in UK.

Want to become an instructor someday....

A close to getting IR (he says.... been there for a while). Looking for flying buddies esp to complete IR and for trips.

Hi, I'm John, 29, and I have been flying since 2000 out of Santa Rosa, CA (STS). I'm instrument rated and working, slowly, on my commercial and then my CFI. I have most of my 300 hours in warriors and an arrow, but I am lucky enough to have a friend with an A35 bonanza which I now have about 40 hours in.

A Kiwi friend of mine got me hooked by taking me up in his open cockpit blue and yellow little "experimental" airplane and flying me over the Black Rock Desert in Nevada a bunch of times - but he's back in New Zealand for good.

Can't see myself devoting the time and resources to being the pilot myself in this particular chapter of life but who know what the future holds.

so if there are any Bay Area pilots around looking for an appreciative passenger I'd love to be up in the air again. Am happy to pitch in for fuel, buy lunch, etc.

Hi I'm Audrian. I just started flying a little while ago out of Princeton, New Jersey. All I've flown so far are 172's but I am looking forward to try other makes/models too.

hi, i'm nenad, 22 years old, student pilot flying r-22's (helicopter) flying out of torrance, ca. currently have 40 hours with my exam coming up real fast. my plans are to get my commercial, cfi, etc... but i'm thinking about the military route also. any helicopter pilots out there? any advice on the military route? thanks.

Hi, I'm Chris and am a student pilot (about 50 hours) getting ready for my checkride. We bought a Cherokee 140/160 (N6414W) a couple of months ago. My wife is also a student pilot. We fly out of 14A (Lake Norman Airport, near Mooresville, NC).

Hi, I'm Zac, 26, and working on my pp. I fly 172's out of Eau Claire, WI.

I am Gustavo from FL. I used to fly corporate which allowed me to fly a bunch of airplanes and to have the time of my life (at leaset one of them, he he. I've flew Cessnas 172, 206, 210T, 402, 421; Bonanzas V35, A36, A36TC (with Allison conversion, incredible!, Single engine Pipers, Senecas, Chieftain as well as Queen Air and King Air (great plane) B-90 -28 and B-200.
Oh, I almost forget Super DC-3 and Convair 440.
My next toy will definetely be an aircraft. I am exited about the new generations of "affordable jets" that will be in the market soon staring just under a Million.
Gustavo

Hi - I'm Kevin, 35, flying on and off since I was 15. Started in gliders, ran out of money, bought and learned to fly a Microlight Trike in the UK in '96, accumulated about 300 hours on that.

Currently working on my conversion from my British PPL (Microlight) to US pilot's certificate (money permitting) at Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, CA.

Aspire to own a C172, Cherokee 180 or (one day) a Beech Debonair.

Greetings, I took ground school a few years ago just for grins. On the plus side, it made me a calmer and more informed passenger on commercial airlines. On the minus side, I came to understand the importance of safety and attention precludes my continuing with actually flying a plane. After being a passenger in a Cessna a couple of times and listening to the chatter, I realized that I did not have the ability to parse much of what I heard on the radio (must be a borderline hearing problem), so I am happy to be an observer/passenger, but still read and understand aviation on a different level than a mere consumer.

I am Patrick. I fly out of Wiley Post in Oklahoma City, License for two years and I don't get to fly much. I rent a cherokee 160 and am always looking for flying buddies and local destinations.

Hello all,

I'm Leo. I fly a Super Decathalon and an SR-22 Centennial (based in Palo Alto). I bought the Centennial in November and put 115 hours on it in the first two months... what a great airplane.

Hey Mark - Let's go formation flying some day... I'd like to get some pictures of my airplane with the GG Bridge in the background.

Cheers,

Hi, I'm Bruce. been licenced for about 6 yrs, took my first lessons over 25 years ago (one of the biggest mistakes I've made was not getting licence then!). Now have about 320 hours, about half and half in Pipers and Cessnas, with six or eight hours in a Decathlon recently :-) <=BIG s.e.g.! Aerobatics is great fun! Coincidentally, Greg Morris helped hook me on that interest the first time I visited the FBO at SNA where he works - thanks Greg! I'm based EEN, Keene NH, with a share in a club owning a Hawk XP, nice place. Club previously owned an Archer II which I also liked. Come to think of it, I have yet to fly a plane I didn't like. hmm...


btw, anyone looking for a computer (especially infosec) geek for hire please inquire, I've got to pay for flying somehow. thx.

Hello, I am Rob. I have been flying since 1990, most of that in Cessna singles. I live in Northwest Washington State, where I am getting my teacher certification in secondary social studies.
I haven't flown in over a year, so I am anxious to finish school and get back at it. I used to own a 1946 Cessna 140, I loved flying that plane. Hope to build an RV-8 some day.

Hi, my name is TJ, but among those I work with I go by the callsign "Doogie". I've been a pilot since 1991, starting with Piper Warriors, and have since flown my share of light singles and twins, including a fair amount of aerobatic time.

I am currently a civilian flight test engineer for the USAF, working at the AFFTC, Edwards AFB, as test & support aircrew in the KC-135, KC-10, F-15, and T-38. I also used to work with the F-16, but new regs limit us to two ejection seat aircraft at a time.

I am also an aerial photogrpaher, less for the AFFTC now,and more for myself. I don't fly much on my own, but the fiance and myself have future plans for aircraft ownership...

Cheers,
-Doogie

Hello, i'm Steve, 31, and have had my pp for about 10 years. Sad to say for a long time I have not used it. I have flown 150/2 172 and did all by training in NY/Long Island area. Looking for a flight club on Long Island were I can start to get back in the air.