alaskaflyer
Final Approach
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2006
- Messages
- 7,544
- Location
- Smith Valley, Nevada
- Display Name
Display name:
Alaskaflyer
Sitting in my hotel room in Seattle on the laptop, waiting for my flight a little later this morning. It was 60 degrees here yesterday, now I have to go back to another month of winter at home. Oh well, anyway...
Came down here this weekend to look at planes. I was honored to meet Tom Downey in person, after I took him up on his offer to help me inspect my primary prospect. Met him for breakfast on Saturday off of I-5 and then north to Bellingham where the plane was hangared. A couple hours kicking the tires, looking under the hood, and holding my hand
and then Tom gave me the thumbs up.
Weather was lousy so I couldn't test fly it, so I spent the rest of the day with Tom, who treated me to a sandwich at his beautiful home in Oak Harbor before giving me the 50 cent tour of Whitby Island. What a nice area. Even got to tour - ahem, well, it's classified
- his work location. Fascinating.
I also got to see his Fairchild project. Wow. Talk about handicraft. I will have to make a special trip down when it is finished. Enjoyed meeting his wife B.
Yesterday the weather was much nicer and I got to go up in the plane. With three adults and full fuel the thing climbed like an elevator. Flew a quick tour over the San Juan Islands, did some maneuvers, and then I was satisfied. Some more handholding by Tom over the telephone and then...earnest money handed over.
Hopefully in another week I'll be able to change my signature line below! It'll be a process for a month or two, the plane will need to go over to Tom's for an annual and to get a few squawks taken care of, and then a few days of dual before I can fly it back - all with me flying back and forth hopefully without handing over a small fortune to the airlines - but it'll be up here and ready for summer!
Like I said, a pleasant weekend indeed.
Oh yeah...it's a 55 model.
Came down here this weekend to look at planes. I was honored to meet Tom Downey in person, after I took him up on his offer to help me inspect my primary prospect. Met him for breakfast on Saturday off of I-5 and then north to Bellingham where the plane was hangared. A couple hours kicking the tires, looking under the hood, and holding my hand
Weather was lousy so I couldn't test fly it, so I spent the rest of the day with Tom, who treated me to a sandwich at his beautiful home in Oak Harbor before giving me the 50 cent tour of Whitby Island. What a nice area. Even got to tour - ahem, well, it's classified
I also got to see his Fairchild project. Wow. Talk about handicraft. I will have to make a special trip down when it is finished. Enjoyed meeting his wife B.
Yesterday the weather was much nicer and I got to go up in the plane. With three adults and full fuel the thing climbed like an elevator. Flew a quick tour over the San Juan Islands, did some maneuvers, and then I was satisfied. Some more handholding by Tom over the telephone and then...earnest money handed over.
![Yes :yes: :yes:](/community/styles/poa/poa_smilies/yes.gif)
Hopefully in another week I'll be able to change my signature line below! It'll be a process for a month or two, the plane will need to go over to Tom's for an annual and to get a few squawks taken care of, and then a few days of dual before I can fly it back - all with me flying back and forth hopefully without handing over a small fortune to the airlines - but it'll be up here and ready for summer!
Like I said, a pleasant weekend indeed.
![Cheers :cheers: :cheers:](/community/styles/poa/poa_smilies/cheers.gif)
Oh yeah...it's a 55 model.
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