Sometimes it's the little things that make it all worthwhile...

More than one person has questioned the logic behind owning an
aircraft. Financially, it's a hard sell, and there are more than a few
times when owning a plane can be a real hassle.

But then there are days like Wednesday. The sun was shining brightly
(and warmly, for December -- almost 60 degrees) as I emptied out a few
boxes at the hangar.

First, and most importantly, was my new (to me) Narco CP-136 audio
panel -- with its pristine, unblemished faceplate. Jerry, a regular
"lurker" here, had mailed the unit to me out of the clear blue sky, and
refused to accept any money for it, "in thanks for reading my posts" on
these 'groups over the years.

I was thunderstruck. Ladies and gentlemen, it is stunning displays of
warmth and generosity like Jerry's that truly separate aviators from
the rest of mankind's mere mortals. I'd be lying if I said this sort
of thing happened to me every day, but Mary and I have been the
beneficiaries of this sort of behavior before, on many occasions,
exclusively at the hands of aviators.

Jerry easily could have pocketed $200+ on Ebay with this unit, and he
knew it -- but he chose, instead, to make our Christmas season brighter
with his fantastic gift. I still get all warm and fuzzy whenever I
think about it.

And what a change it has made! Having a disfigured faceplate on an
audio panel is like having a giant zit in the middle of your forehead.
No matter where you look, your eye is always drawn toward it, and you
simply can't help but be disappointed by it. Now, finally, after two
YEARS of looking, our panel is pristine once more, the ultimate in
cosmetic perfection.

To compliment this newfound beauty, I spent an hour detailing the
panel, since a gorgeous panel (with a new AirGizmo-docked 496 snuggled
into it) deserves better than encrusted dust and paint chips. It's
amazing what time spent cleaning and detailing with a black "Sharpie"
will do for your panel -- it really looks brand new!

Second, our new pair of LightSpeed Twenty 3Gs took its place alongside
its three counterparts in the plane, after receiving a new pair for a
(relatively) paltry $100. This was a deal I drove with the good folks
at Lightspeed, after giving them the choice between fixing (again!) my
two older pairs of 15s and 20XLs -- or trading them in on a new (much
more sturdy) model.

They saw the logic in permanently retiring the old pairs, both of which
had spent at least a month of their lives in transit, back and forth to
the factory -- so we are now blessed with four pair of truly
outstanding (and, most importantly, robust) sets of Lightspeed
headsets.

And then, finally, I stuck a new digital thermometer ($7 bucks at
Walmart) next to my avionics master, replacing the old, icky analog one
that I had installed years ago, giving the panel it's final coup de
grace. Panel nirvana has been achieved!

Now, if only fixing my fuel leak in the starboard wing was so easy...
It's always something!

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

("Jay Honeck" wrote)
First, and most importantly, was my new (to me) Narco CP-136 audio
panel -- with its pristine, unblemished faceplate. Jerry, a regular
"lurker" here, had mailed the unit to me out of the clear blue sky, and
refused to accept any money for it, "in thanks for reading my posts" on
these 'groups over the years.


Hey, I sent you (2) Lake Superior fish last year, wrapped in plain white
butcher paper.

That was ALSO for reading your posts over the years - but I think it was
viewed more as penance ...at least according to 'some' in the Honeck house.
g

(BTW, aren't "lurkers" great? Every year we get to meet a couple more of
them at OSH)


Mont - I send fish in the mail :-)

In article m,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

Panel nirvana has been achieved!

Since you stated that *I* had provoked the avionics gods, I feel
compelled to point out that you've just stepped in it as well.

:-)

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate

Mont - I send fish in the mail :-)

Hmm... Ok now I feel bad. I'll put a potato in the mail to Jay today.

Jim
(only thing that smells worse than rotten fish is a frozen/thawed potato)

Panel nirvana has been achieved!

Since you stated that *I* had provoked the avionics gods, I feel
compelled to point out that you've just stepped in it as well.

No, no, no, you misunderstood. Didn't you see the part about my fuel
leak?

Speaking woefully and in hushed tones about other aircraft problems
sates the avionics gods. They giveth; they taketh away. Having to
pull my gas tank is proper penance for having achieved panel nirvana.

Balance is restored.

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Hey, I sent you (2) Lake Superior fish last year, wrapped in plain white
butcher paper.

That was ALSO for reading your posts over the years - but I think it was
viewed more as penance ...at least according to 'some' in the Honeck house.
g

Hey -- *I* liked them. I think Joe thought you were trying to find a
way to keep him out of Minnesota, though... ;-)

(BTW, aren't "lurkers" great? Every year we get to meet a couple more of
them at OSH)

Lurkers rock! I'm always amazed at the number of great people I meet
who start off by saying "You don't know me, but..." And I always
wonder why they lurk, but don't post. I guess some folks are just shy?

--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Mont - I send fish in the mail :-)

Hmm... Ok now I feel bad. I'll put a potato in the mail to Jay today.

Hey -- your mail smells better!

And -- *burp* --your potatoes are the BEST.

I always feel like Forrest Gump with shrimp, every time I come home
from work. We've got baked potatoes with chili on 'em, potatoes with
chicken dumpling soup, potatoes with sour cream and cheese, potatoes
with bacon bits, potatoes fricassee, potatotes au gratin, fried
potatoes...the list goes on, and on!

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Montblack wrote:
Hey, I sent you (2) Lake Superior fish last year, wrapped in plain white
butcher paper.

That was ALSO for reading your posts over the years - but I think it was
viewed more as penance ...at least according to 'some' in the Honeck house.
g

And I brought a case of local brew to OSH two years ago. Sure,
MontBlack probably drank most of it...but it's the thought that counts.
And...it wasn't for reading your posts either. It
was...just...because I could (and had a few pounds to spare before
hitting max gross with full fuel


--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL-Instrument Airplane

"To become a Jedi knight, you must master a single force. To become
a private pilot you must strive to master four of them"
- Rod Machado

(Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail)

In article . com,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

Panel nirvana has been achieved!

Since you stated that *I* had provoked the avionics gods, I feel
compelled to point out that you've just stepped in it as well.

No, no, no, you misunderstood. Didn't you see the part about my fuel
leak?

You can't wiggle out that easy. It's not aircraft gods that have been
angered, it's the avionics gods.

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate

Hey Jay,
How 'bout a picture of the "new" panel??