I took a 5 day trip out to California to visit the wife who is commuting to the left coast every week for a 6 month business project. I wanted to check out flying into Catalina for a $100 hamburger. Rented a clean 172 from Benbow Aviation, (I wanted to rent their Archer since I normally fly an...

I meet their criteria as a current, instrument rated, 300 hr pilot, but I don't know how much use they would get from me as a renter, not owner. Anyone here able to enlighten me? -- Jeff 'The Wizard of Draws' Bucchino Cartoons with a Touch of Magic� http://www.wizardofdraws.com

I've waited nearly 3 years for this day, and so has the Little Man. Over the course of the last few months, every time I've left the house on a Sunday to go fly, the Little Man has known where I was going and would say in a small, plaintive tone, "I need to go fly with Papa." There is no greater...

Today's flight put me over 300 hours total time without bending anything. Someone here once wrote that that was a statistical milestone with regards to accidents. Is that true? -- Jeff 'The Wizard of Draws' Bucchino Cartoons with a Touch of Magic� http://www.wizardofdraws.com More Cartoons with...

Early aircraft design: http://www.adventurelounge.com/aircraft/ -- Jeff 'The Wizard of Draws' Bucchino Cartoons with a Touch of Magic� http://www.wizardofdraws.com More Cartoons with a Touch of Magic�

OK, I broke down and sprung for the Lowrance Airmap 2000c instead of the 1000. Wow. Normally I rent a plane that has a panel-mounted IFR certified Garmin 430, but that may change due to circumstances beyond my control in a few months. Obviously I can't file /G IFR without a proper IFR GPS, but...

Dave, Dave the Gist Silversmiths guy emailed me to ask me to post this email address to the group: and also said his email was valid. -- Jeff 'The Wizard of Draws' Bucchino Cartoons with a Touch of Magic� http://www.wizardofdraws.com

The plane I usually rent is probably going to be sold relatively soon. I will miss the Garmin 430 since most of the planes left in the fleet available to me do not have a GPS at all. So I am looking at the Lowrance Airmap 1000 as a portable alternative, but for the life of me, can't find a single...

Does anyone know where I can lay my hands on an airport database with name, ID, lat/long and elevation? I've found two from separate sources that are close, but each is missing at least one element that I'd like to have and I don't relish the thought of trying to merge them into one. -- Jeff 'The...

Had a great flight today, my longest x-country so far at 276 miles. It was a $100 hamburger flight from 47A (Canton, GA. 40 miles north of Atlanta) to MYR, Myrtle Beach, SC. With a stiff tailwind, I had the outbound leg and made it from engine start to shutdown in exactly 2.0 on the Hobbs. Got a...

I stumbled across this site today: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pp/pphome.html Search for terms like aviation, aircraft or P-51 Mustang and you'll come up with a lot of interesting photos that you may have never seen before. Pretty interesting if you like history stuff. -- Jeff 'The Wizard of Draws'...

I've revised my personal weather brief form and posted it on my website for anyone that might find it useful. If you have any suggestions to make it better, please let me know. http://www.wizardofdraws.com/main/wxbrief.html -- Jeff 'The Wizard of Draws' Bucchino Cartoons with a Touch of...

June 2007. I failed my 3rd class medical exam and was grounded. I am 50 years old, 5'9", 158 lbs. No family history of hypertension. But due to a number of current stress factors in my life, mother in law and father in law both passing away recently and suddenly, the work of disposing of...

I think I've come to the conclusion that I will let my IFR rating lapse. As it stands, I seem to be flying mostly to keep the rating current, rather than flying for the enjoyment. I don't really go anywhere, the wife won't fly with me, and the skyrocketing cost is making me look hard at the...

http://tinyurl.com/ynlf2n Rather sickening emphasis on family grief :( -- Remove numbers for gmail and for God's sake it ain't "gee" either!

I have been reading the various threads about spins, forced landings, etc and talking with CFIs. The road to a PPL is preset in requirements by FAA. I see that most people are happy to do nothing more than that. Outside of the cost factors, I find this much more than curious considering...

http://tinyurl.com/2vwes4 by Harry Dacre, 1892 There is a flower Within my heart, Daisy, Daisy! Planted one day By a glancing dart,

http://tinyurl.com/24og9o Read about the bewildering details of a number of long-suffering non-resident pilots who have been caught in the FL tax trap, (otherwise known as the "Florida Landing Fee"). It starts like this... you buy a new or used aircraft and sign the bill of sale... which starts...

http://tinyurl.com/24jyqb Have had recent past with XCor folks, they are straight shooters. I would have the tendency to believe their timing not disbelieve it. YMMV

It's time to stop talking and start doing so I would appreciate any advice on how to assess a flight school, instructor, pricing and any other suggestions. No advice too basic, trust me :) Including what I should have included in this post or requested in the first place TIA Location: SW...