Buying my wife a birthday present

Jim K said:
If a savvy representative got on here, they'd place the blame elsewhere, and say I was too in love with the airplane. So take it for what it's worth.
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That’s a very valid intangible that a three-day prepurchase inspection can’t factor. You’re the only one who can factor that. The prepurchase just gives you what you need to factor it against.
 
Nice looking plane and a very nice looking hangar floor I might add! I also much prefer the straight tail over the T-tail. Fly her well.
 
Racerx said:
...As for your comment in the vans thread about a 6 seat EAB...I'd be all over it too! Not that you need it anymore but if enough of us request it perhaps it'll make the wheels turn and they'll have one out for when I'm ready to take on that sort of project.
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Better be a turboprop...;)
 
GRG55 said:
Better be a turboprop...;)
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Bearhawk Aircraft and CompAir have 6 seat kits. ComAir has turboprop options. However, other posters are much less than impressed with CompAir (AeroComp)
 
Crashnburn said:
Bearhawk Aircraft and CompAir have 6 seat kits. ComAir has turboprop options. However, other posters are much less than impressed with CompAir (AeroComp)
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The bearhawk seems more like a bush plane and less comfort and style than I'd like. The turboprops kits are a bit spendy, and is overkill for my primary mission
 
Racerx said:
The bearhawk seems more like a bush plane and less comfort and style than I'd like. The turboprops kits are a bit spendy, and is overkill for my primary mission
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I priced out a 4 seater CompAir and by the time I got a list of options I liked, it was quite spendy, so I agree on the turboprops.
 
Been a busy couple days. Got her home Saturday. Had a 10-15 knot CW for my first landing, but did pretty well. Harvested corn Sunday, then spent a rainy day yesterday getting her into the shop to fix a couple little things and send the mag off for an IRAN as it has 650 hrs. Also did a little work on the hanger and got my gate access taken care of.

Its a bigger jump than I expected from the dakota. That 300hp takes a LOT of rudder, and you can't see ANYTHING over the nose during climbout, even at the cruise climb speed. Other than that big long nose, she flies pretty nice, stalls were gentle, slow flight just about wore out my right leg.

I think she's going to be pretty fast. We flew back at 3000' to stay vfr, as neither of us knew the airplane. At 70% power we were at the top of the green arc, which is 150 knots. Pulled her back to 65 and did 135-140 at 14 gph. I'm anxious to see what she'll do up in thinner, smoother air.

The JPI monitor is pretty sweet. When we leveled at 3000, it showed us burning 22gph. Leaned to 100 ROP and got it down to 16. Hard to imagine dumping 6 gph overboard.

Still lots to learn. The landing felt super uncomfortable. I'll get there.
 
A stiff crosswind in a new plane for the first landing would be uncomfortable. Just needed the mag repaired in the Six and probably should have just bought new but the A/P had already sent it out. Hope the harvest was good. Most of my hunting fields up here still have the corn up. Been a rainy week and a half though
 
Jim K said:
At least that's what I'm telling her as we're scheduled to close on her birthday.

After looking at a couple 6/300s, decided the extra speed afforded by the Lance would be worth the added cost to own, influenced in no small part by @NealRomeoGolf 's recent threads. Also looking forward to being able to say piloty stuff like "positive rate, gear up":rolleyes:

Buying an airplane is harder than I expected. After a frustrating start with Saavy Pre-buy, we parted ways and I went it alone. Thank God for internet forums and type groups. I was able to find a good shop for the prebuy, and did a lot of research on the plane. POA and Piper Forum were indispensable. Agreed to a price adjustment, so now just waiting on a couple of avionics repairs.

Can't wait to get her home and start on training. View attachment 90849 View attachment 90850 View attachment 90851 View attachment 90852
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CONGRATS on the Lance. Great Looking Plane!!! Hope your wife likes her present.
 
Jim K said:
That 300hp takes a LOT of rudder, and you can't see ANYTHING over the nose during climbout, even at the cruise climb speed. Other than that big long nose, she flies pretty nice, stalls were gentle, slow flight just about wore out my right leg..
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Use the Rutter Trim adjustment knob to take the load off your leg. It makes life easier! :)
 
Jim K said:
Been a busy couple days. Got her home Saturday. Had a 10-15 knot CW for my first landing, but did pretty well. Harvested corn Sunday, then spent a rainy day yesterday getting her into the shop to fix a couple little things and send the mag off for an IRAN as it has 650 hrs. Also did a little work on the hanger and got my gate access taken care of.

Its a bigger jump than I expected from the dakota. That 300hp takes a LOT of rudder, and you can't see ANYTHING over the nose during climbout, even at the cruise climb speed. Other than that big long nose, she flies pretty nice, stalls were gentle, slow flight just about wore out my right leg.

I think she's going to be pretty fast. We flew back at 3000' to stay vfr, as neither of us knew the airplane. At 70% power we were at the top of the green arc, which is 150 knots. Pulled her back to 65 and did 135-140 at 14 gph. I'm anxious to see what she'll do up in thinner, smoother air.

The JPI monitor is pretty sweet. When we leveled at 3000, it showed us burning 22gph. Leaned to 100 ROP and got it down to 16. Hard to imagine dumping 6 gph overboard.

Still lots to learn. The landing felt super uncomfortable. I'll get there.
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Running ROP, my leaning likes about 15.5gph. When I was flying out west in 10,500 and 11,500, I was down towards 14gph. My plane has all sorts of gap seals so I get 155 knots ROP. I have done one try at LOP (I do not have GAMIs) and I went down to about 13.5gph but I lost 15 knots or so.

You will get used to the heavy rudder feel. After about 7ish hours it was no longer on my mind. After about 10 landings I was comfortable with that part. I now have 70 hours in my machine and I bet going back to a PA28 would be weird. :)
 
Got her out of the shop yesterday; wife & kids got to see her for the first time this afternoon. Just need to get that 7th seat for #5. Figure a salvage yard trip will help burn off that 15hrs solo time for insurance.

Training starts Thursday at 0600.

IMG_20201110_151821842.jpg IMG_20201110_151456576.jpg
 
Jim K said:
Got her out of the shop yesterday; wife & kids got to see her for the first time this afternoon. Just need to get that 7th seat for #5. Figure a salvage yard trip will help burn off that 15hrs solo time for insurance.

Training starts Thursday at 0600.

View attachment 91708 View attachment 91709
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And that training includes a XC to 3MY?
 
'Buy a retract' they said. 'They're faster and cooler' they said.

Took off, gear unsafe light remained on. Gear switch down, no nose gear light. Awesome. Spent 20 min. trying to get 3 green, never did.

Feeling that nosewheel touch the pavement after the softest of soft field landings was one of the high points of my aviation life so far. Bonus: another CFI friend got video of us landing with the crash truck standing by.

Frustrating part it that they swung the gear and made some repairs while it was in the shop for the magneto last week. Turned out the arm on the gear down microswitch broke for no apparent reason. Back to the shop....

'Buy an airplane' they said... :crazy:
 
Jim K said:
'Buy a retract' they said. 'They're faster and cooler' they said.

Took off, gear unsafe light remained on. Gear switch down, no nose gear light. Awesome. Spent 20 min. trying to get 3 green, never did.

Feeling that nosewheel touch the pavement after the softest of soft field landings was one of the high points of my aviation life so far. Bonus: another CFI friend got video of us landing with the crash truck standing by.

Frustrating part it that they swung the gear and made some repairs while it was in the shop for the magneto last week. Turned out the arm on the gear down microswitch broke for no apparent reason. Back to the shop....

'Buy an airplane' they said... :crazy:
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My nose gear light sometimes delays. Makes me nervous. I probably need a new switch soon.
 
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