Search results

No cartwheeling has been observed over the last 50 years of MBB Monsun gear up landings. For example on grass (in 2019)… https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/237222

I might be the only owner responding with an individual certified plane that has been operated in both fixed nose gear and retractable nose gear (only) configurations. It’s an MBB Monsun, introduced about 1970 with retractible nose gear as a factory option, like the Lancair but much earlier...

Plus I would guess property tax (on a new plane maybe $400/month in California?) and cost of money (maybe $1500/month opportunity cost). I would then in my way calculate the total at about $4700 monthly. Those factors are largely why I fly a plane that my California county thinks is worth $21K...

The ‘palatial’ (not) Days Inn in Fond du Lac was $350 a night all taxes etc included, for two nights mid-week, and had hot water and clean sheets. Adequate for the job, booked maybe 4 or 5 months ahead. The Mexican Restaurant in Fond du Lac is BTW really excellent and relatively inexpensive...

I agree that it appears to be a Lang, which is the same thing as a Decker. As noted on the TCDS if it’s used on a Luscombe the rudder needs to be in the right configuration: either a round rudder with the bottom cut off (I believe there was a SB covering this mod and the result is a bit ugly)...

Yes, I think all of that is more usual than unusual. I wouldn’t personally put my plane sight unseen into a shop for maintenance, or rather it would have to be a very unusual shop/people. But regardless of how you do it, a lot of things always need addressing with a new plane acquisition...

The plane will find a better owner. Having seen my share of planes destroyed by incompetent, neglectful or naive owners, I feel more interest in having aircraft in good hands than in a short term owner’s interest. Any time an aircraft moves away from a foolish owner, and it’s often at a...

I’ve just finished an Annual plus several involved projects on my plane, based in Southern California. The very professional and hard working A&P I work with did about 10% of the work (13 hrs labor) including the inspection, supervision and logbook entires. That is the way many or most of the...

Depending on the engine, airframe and prop pitch that is exactly what you may be doing at takeoff with a fixed pitch prop, or 2300 rpm anyway. And it is not an issue either as long as you stay in the generous limits on continuous over square operation which apply to typical GA engines used with...

The UK is probably the worst, they’ll have a single controller working planes on three different altimeter settings depending on altitude and preference (QFE, QNH and standard/1013 hPa above some very low transition altitude). CTAF is unknown and they also have something called a regional...

To leave the area on the Mexican border I'd fly from El Monte more-or-less direct to Calexico, initially overhead Corona, French Valley etc. No need to go near the coast or the San Diego Class B airspace.

Yes, it’s completely nuts and also BTW, installing used parts on a certified type is nearly illegal under the same non-FAA regs because they have to be approved for service by a Repair Station with specific inspection approval for the parts in question.

It’s interesting that you use this as an example because in many (non-US) countries if a certified type doesn’t have a commercial, non-governmental ‘support’ organization doing business with owners in the country, that is exactly what happens: the CAA of that country pulls the type certificate...

The prison contains some of the most notorious killers in history, Sirhan Sirhan and the Menendez brothers included as well as one of Manson’s accomplices, so it’s probably a good place to avoid unless Brown Tower says “report the prison” when inbound :D It’s fun to watch the Twin Otters...

I plan to stay with a friend who rents the same lakeshore house from the same owner every year... but he hasn't made the arrangement yet. No hurry for him because the owner doesn't market the house, and is only interested in the same reliable renter or nobody. So... as a backup I reserved a...

It is 23 minutes (19 miles) from Brown Field to downtown San Diego. (9 minutes from Signature at Lindbergh) (17 minutes from Montgomery) (21 minutes from Circle Air at Gillespie) (36 minutes from Palomar)

Brown Field (KSDM) has a 7,972 feet foot long runway (about 2600 ft longer than Gillespie) and downtown San Diego access from Brown is pretty good. The problem is that unlike Gillespie, Palomar and Lindbergh it’s run by the City of San Diego, which is inept at airport management. As at MYF the...

Larger biz jets aren’t operated from MYF, although the Lear 35 accident flight would have been OK with MYF as an alternate. The MYF noise sensors might’ve been an issue on the subsequent departure, at least so I’m told by a Lear 35 pilot who has operated there. Given the longer runway SEE gets...

Gillespie training operations for overseas students were a significant part of the annual traffic volume prior to 2020 and are now starting to recover again. It will come back. Obviously no reasonable amount of increase in daily Biz Jet operations will make up for the numbers lost when the...

What SEE has going for it, it’s “biggest benefit”, is being a civilized place in the aircraft ownership and community sense. Lots of maintenance and infrastructure, lots of people who know things and can do things especially if your plane is something other than the generic consumer aircraft...