2011 in flying

Ted

The pilot formerly known as Twin Engine Ted
Joined
Oct 9, 2007
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iFlyNothing
As is the PoA custom, at this time of year we start going over what we've done as far as our flying year, and what we have as goals for next year. Seeing as I believe I'm done flying for the year, I'll start.

Flying Accomplishments in 2011:

- Flew roughly 550 hours
- Flew to the easternmost city in North America (twice)
- Flew to the west coast (with 50 cats, no less!)
- Flew to northern Quebec... in January (followed by flying to Cozumel a few days later)
- Got my CFII
- Started flying cabin class aircraft (Navajos)
- Started flying turbine aircraft (Commander 690A and Cheyenne)
- Started my aviation business
- Danos and I flew 580 pets combined for Cloud Nine in the Aztec, 310, and Navajos, as well as a number of missions with veterinarians and animal welfare professionals

Flying Goals for 2012:

- Keep on flying!
- Get ATP-AMEL
- Go do some sim training

My map for the year:

2011map.gif

Covering 85,821 nm.

Of course, the most important part of my flying (and life) was marrying my best friend, Laurie, who I met right here. Easily the best decision of my life.

Merry Christmas! :)
 
Merry Christmas to you sir! What an eventful year in your life!!!!
 
My good times.

I got alot of test flying time in on my "experimental" and managed to live through it all... Been very lucky in riding right seat in some CJ-2's and CJ-4's... Absolutely magic stuff..:yesnod::yesnod::yesnod:

my bad times...

Had to meet Ted.:no::(:(:rofl:
 
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My flying year:
47.4 hours total
PP-ASEL on 5/15/11 :)
Complete electrical failure on wife's second flight with me 5/22/11 (that was fun) :eek:
Flew my 87 year old Grandpa to Trinidad, CO to visit family
Got my complex and high performance endorsements in a 182RG (11.3 hours in her so far) :D


Goals for 2012:
Start my instrument training
Get mountain training
Out of state x-country for a weekend trip
45+ hours PIC time
 
Flying accomplishments in 2011 were somewhat meager, as we've been a wee-bit busy with remodeling an old hotel on an island in the Gulf of Mexico...

However...

  • Flew about 75 hours. This is about half of a normal year.
  • Completed the conversion of the hotel to an aviation theme, and renamed her "Amelia's Landing" -- the culmination of a 22 month effort.
  • Attended our 29th consecutive Oshkosh AirVenture, against incredible odds
  • Finally got a hangar on the island :cheers:
  • Hosted two fly-ins, both of which were wiped out by IFR weather :mad2:

So, not a bad year at all...

In 2012, we hope to finish remodeling 5 more rooms, host two more fly-ins, and start planning for a second-story addition. We want to fly in support of the hotel a lot more often, delivering promotional materials to FBOs throughout Texas. And I've got to get our website emblazoned on the airplane -- I keep forgetting to do that...
 
2011 was my most productive year yet.

-Flew just over 200 hours (my best year to date).
-Got involved with Cloud Nine and saved a ton of animals
-Flew over the Gulf Of Mexico to Cancun and Cozumel in a light twin with Ted. Almost 30 hours in a 48 hour period. (Thanks for the b-day gift Laurie!!!! :))
-Covered from the east coast and as far West as Oklahoma 6927Y
-Dealt with just about every type of weather condition
-Started my aviation career. Accomplishment or self inflicted injury? Time will tell
-Got a Learjet type
-Got my ass kicked by a machine
-Flew to fl 460 at a gs of over 600
-Damn near tripled my states map. Gotta update that..
-Painted a flightaware track over a hurricane
-Flew to Bermuda
-Learned more about aviation this year than any other and reached my highest level of proficiency yet
-Perhaps the most harrowing, I survived the throes of Ted Dupuis-vil, The Evil Flight Instructor!!!:mad3::mad3: :wink2:

Next year-Learn more, fly more
 
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Essh. Not much exciting. 26.2 hours.

Didn't fly to 6Y9 or FCM/SPW like I had hoped.

Didn't get a heater installed, or make a new cowling (I need more speed :wink2:)

The two job thing really puts a crimp in the free time.

But, I will be down to one job starting in January. That should make a difference. (Except that I am going to be building a new garage - Someone explain to me why I thought I would have time for an airplane.:dunno:)
 
-Perhaps the most harrowing, I survived the throes of Ted Dupuis-vil, The Evil Flight Instructor!!!:mad3::mad3: :wink2:

:rofl:

I take pride in my title...
 
Man, how can you top, or even approach, those stories?

Lessee, how did 2011 work out for me?
1. Got cashiered out of my job... Unemployed and living on SSI
2. 4 months of rehab - physical kind...
3. Bought a farm in July...
4. Flying time about 60 hours (don't keep a real log and don't remember from here at home what the Hobbs reading was at the end of 2010 - but then I was horizontal at that time)

Tried to go to Cleveland this morning... Clear as a bell here in mid Michigan, the closer I got to Toledo, the worse it got - yeah I had a briefing, this was a looky-see... Was punching through snow curtains - about five to ten seconds at a time and was maintaining solid ground contact... Then I punched into a total whiteout at about Howell Mich... Thought about calling ATC for an air file IFR but pireps were reporting ice above me... Well the sweep hand kept going and I didn't punch out the other side - decided this was not a curtain... Made the famous 180 and got the flock out of there... We will try the run tomorrow...

That's my 2011 so far...

denny-o
 
Flew about 400 hours for work with about another 100 for me. After twenty years of flying for work now flying purely for me. Yay!

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk
 
Flew a whopping 2.4 hours, got my medical, and a BFR sign off. This is after about a 5 year break from flying.

Goals for next year, fly over 100 hours and complete my IR, commercial, and ME or tail wheel.
 
i did 100 hrs in gliders this year. pretty happy about that.

50 of that in my Cherokee II including 3rd place at the Region 10 Contest
Flew a Diamond Goal triangle in the NG-1
 
-signed many 8710's.. haven't done that in a while
406 hours flown
-ATP rating
-320 hours of ME piston
-CRJ-700 type ride in 8 days:yikes:
 
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260 hours flown
Tailwheel endorsement
HP/Complex
PP-ASEL
Instrument rating
Bought a plane

and most importantly - Made lots of great friends along the way.
 
Very disappointing year for me. Construction on the house took away most of the money for renting, as well as the time. Some other issues too, but I at least managed to get some time with a CFI here or there to at least get some time in the sky and know that I was still able to land the plane rather well.

So, after 50+ hrs a year for the past three years, I only was able to get 5.3 Hobbs :-(

2.2 XC this fall after 3.1 with CFIs

Good news is, our construction at the house is in the final steps, I painted last night and carpet is scheduled. So, I'll be certain to have a better 2012. Plans already for including OSHKOSH this summer.
 
Yup, another great year! 789 hours this year... My LRJET Type and ATP checkride is on thursday... And the year isnt over. Ive got at least one more trip this year.
My first flight to Mexico and Canada and Alaska this year.
 
- 96.5 hours so far this year. Will likely break 100 before the 31st.
- Tailwheel endorsement/J-3 Cub rental checkout
- Soloed a J-3 Cub
 
I flew every time I wanted to fly this year, went where I wanted to go, and didn't fly any time or anywhere that I didn't. Everything else is just details. Really enjoyed helping Doc and also getting a good workout from Allen.
 
I'm just short of 100 hours also! :D

Flew to the Bahamas from Ft. Lauderdale in March and spent a week running around the out islands and working on my tan... Staniel Cay, Stella Maris, North Eleuthera, and then back to Lauderdale.

Made it to two of the 4 official PoA fly-ins... Gaston's and Windwood. Won third place in the Poker Run for the 2nd year in a row! :)

Got through a Flight Review at Gaston's (whew... the CFI was fortunately in a good mood that day.)

FINALLY got the bugs and static worked out of both my radios. It was worth the time it took to track the problem down after numerous visits to Muncie, IN and Bloomington, IL. :rolleyes2:

Flew in formation into KOSH during Airventure with the first ever Cherokees to Oshkosh group doing so... and made type history! :D

Also managed to get to Longaberger-land, the Mall of America, and Asheville, NC to see the Biltmore Estate mansion and gardens, just to name a couple of fun stops along the way.

Can't hardly wait to decide where to go in 2012! :D
 
Interesting year for me as well.
536 combat hours (first ones in non-ejection seat aircraft, which makes a difference)
King Air 300 type
CFI/MEII/ATP
Bought a new airplane, flew new airplane FL to ME, saw Niagra from my airplane, saved a bunch of dogs in new airplane
Sold my Glasair
 
Started flying in febuary 2011
Private pilot status in June

138 hours TT
25 hours of instrument training
Had lots of fun. Flying home from the mountains this afternoon :)

Goals for 2012: instrument rating, commercial, CFI, Fly a pilots n paws mission.


Edit: Also took 7 first timers up for a ride in a GA airplane. No puke, and all said they really enjoyed it.
 
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2011 isn't over for my flying yet, but as of now:

Started and completed PP-ASEL, High-Performance & Complex.
127.1 hours
Bought a Cessna 182E and flew it home from Wisconsin
Rented a T-Hangar to put the bird in
Flew to California and back
Got on the airport authority board at my home airport

Goals for 2012:

Get Insrument Rating
Fly to Florida and back
Make a PoA fly-in
Keep the home airport operating in the black
 
2011:
Finished instrument rating
Flew from CA to MI
Flew from CA to La Paz
134 hours (240 TT in Lance)

2012:
Fly to Penticton, BC in August
FOI/AGI/IGI/Commerical written
Begin work on commercial
 
I'm not done yet - I'll update when 2011 is actually over.
 
I'm projected to hit 658 for 2011, add in the 150 or so "fun" hours and I'll be at ~800 for the year..
 
13.8 hours - lowest ever:mad:
Diagnosed with prostate cancer, lost medical:sigh:
Had surgery, all is well:eek:
Got medical back with the help of Bruce:goofy:
Just flew today, solo PIC, because I could.:D

Overall, life is good. :cheers:

Though I'm looking forward to leaving 2011 in my wake.
 
Wow Ted, your a lucky guy.........

I flown a total of 65hrs this year,
Got my FAA IR in Feb,
Flew to the Bahamas for 7 days great time...... April
Flew to Switzerland. June ......... form (Scotland of course.)..:goofy:

Next year want to fly much more in Flroida,
Buy a share
Meet some more really nice folk.

Colin.
 
Put 187hrs on the plane this year. That will do it for 2011 as she is in annual right now, and the jugs are pulled for a top overhaul at 1300hrs SMOH.
478hrs Total Time in the pilot logbook.
Met great friends both pilots and non-pilots this year.
Earned the Instrument Rating.
Added 5 states to the map.
Flew a few PnP and ARF missions.
Got involved with starting an active pilots association at the home drome. We hosted our first attempt at a fly-in, last August, and have another 2 planned for June 2012.
 
Flew 468hrs this year.

New type rating, 777.

Hit a new PR for ground speed coming back from NRT: 670kts.

Got to check out some new overnight nights, some great, some uh.. just interesting.

Able to spend every holiday home with the family this year, including Christmas. That's worthy of a mention because I celebrated the birth of my daughter this year.


Goals for the near future is getting a glider rating, some acro in, or perhaps a tw endorsement. I'm by no means the best pilot, but watching guys land in crabs is getting on my nerves. I need some rudder affirmation! :)
 
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2011 so far (I plan on flying some later this month) -

40.5 hours TT, 40.1 hours ASEL, 0.4 hours glider (dual in the UK).

And in that 40.1 hours ASEL I FINALLY! finished my IR. After too many years working on it.

After too many trips being cancelled over the years because of actual or forecast weather, flew to 2 WSU football games instead of driving. 1 trip VFR and the second a week later IFR (in VMC). Passed the IR ride between them. As expected, a 2+ hour flight beats the heck out of a 5 1/2 to 6 hour drive.

2012 Plans -

Retain IFR currency
Fly more
Get signed off in the club's Arrow again (haven't touched it in about a year)
Fly more (oh yeah, I already said that)
 
This was the year I learned what ownership is really all about.

Had my wing spar carrythrough replaced.
Overhauled tachometer, MP gauge, and AI.
Finally got my charging system in good working order, bought a Battery Minder too.
Replaced flaps cable.
Fixed three induction leaks and an injector blockage.

There's probably at least one major repair I'm forgetting in that list, but it's late. I did hit a bird at 3500 feet. No significant damage though.

In spite of that, I'm at 100.2 TT on the year so far and still going. I didn't get to a single fly-in I had planned, but I did manage to go to a few memorable places (memorable for me anyway):

Got involved with Pilots 'n Paws and took a rescue dog to KBVI.

Did some bicycle touring at KFKS and KACB.

Flew to my first turf-only field since primary training (5D5), where I went hiking in 35C heat (bad idea, I got lucky this time).

Still need to finish up the instrument rating though. Plan to get back to it after final grades are in, wx permitting.
 
I got married, got my instrument rating, and got my PhD, all within a month of each other (the instrument checkride was two days before my defense). And I moved from Connecticut to California (drove I40 from end to end). I'm really looking forward to a year with fewer accomplishments.
 
[snip]
[*]Hosted two fly-ins, both of which were wiped out by IFR weather

Jay, you've got a goldmine here! You can either 1) host fly-ins for folks who need IMC for currency or 2) get weather "protection" money from the other businesses on the island! :D

John
 
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