Plane you are happiest to have gotten to fly..

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There may have been a similar thread on this before, but I'm a newbie so here goes - which plane are you happiest to have gotten to fly? For me it was a ride in the right seat with the owner in his ME-108....I have never felt controls like that before or since...nor do I think it would be too easy to find another Messerschmitt to fly in...
 
Front seat in a Stearman. I paid for a sight seeing flight in Florida on a Business trip and the guy gave me some stick time.
 
T-6 Texan and the Duke....very different but fun for different reasons!
 
For me it is a toss up between the DC-3 and B-25. I think overall, I like the DC-3 best.
 
That's easy. 6/28/1972, N1213M, KLGB-KMFR, 4.0 hr first officer time:

dc-3_n1213m4.jpg
 
BuNo 159595 . . . MODEX AG110
 
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MY Cherokee (as in, happy to fly as an aircraft owner).

Followed by a Stearman.
 
Toss up. One was a newly restored F-86. Not so much for the airplane itself, but because it was an honor to be asked by the owner to ferry it after the many years of sweat and blood he had poured into rebuilding it. The other was my 65hp ercoupe, totally inadequate in every way but the first plane I owned outright and the fulfillment of childhood dreams to own a plane.
 
I have had stick time with about a dozen planes single and multi engine airplanes and three helos and I think the one that has brought me the most excitement and joy to fly is my Turbo Comanche.

It was thrilling flying a twin Comanche, Baron, 310 and 421, it was also nice flying a Cessna 152; 172;182; T210, Beech Sport and muskier, Bonanza's: F33, A36, V35S, Piper Warriors, Cherokees and PA32's but there is nothing like owning your own toy and being able to fly it any day of the year, wake up in the morning and be on either coast by shortly after lunch. Or flying from one coast to the other or flying on a vacation in it to Key West; Grand Caymen Islands or Bahama's.
 
B25 or T28. Leaning towards the B25. 1800HP a side is just pretty durn cool.
 
DavidWhite said:
B25 or T28. Leaning towards the B25. 1800HP a side is just pretty durn cool.
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and when avgas was 42 cents a gallon like when I started flying it was a different animal to take the thing up for a spin although it sure eats gas and cost some bucks even at 42 cents!
 
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T-6 Texan...Air Force sim. Learned some really neat maneuvers.

If anyone has a C208, I'd love to get a ride in one
 
DC-3 numerous times and 2 hours of dual in two different P-51s.
 
Kolb Firestar II

Really low and really slow....very rewarding.

104makk.jpg
 
B-17 Aluminum Overcast "The Flying Fortress"

20 mins in the right seat at the controls.

Ferry flight from Lincoln, NE to Lee's Summit. :yes:
 
B200 King Air. I got paid to fly. What could be better?

Lear 25. Couldn't log any of it, but who cares? Damn that thing is fast.
 
L-39 and Extra 300. L-39 was a pay to play experience after an airshow and the Extra is a friends aircraft.
 
All things considered nothing like a Beech Bonanza for me.
 
Right seat, Shrike Commander 500S. It was a charter flight from Lizard Island to Cairns, Australia, with about 8 passengers on board. Shortly after takeoff I told the pilot that I was an instrument-rated private pilot and much to my surprise he gave me the plane and told me to fly us back to Cairns! It was about a 45-minute flight through benign cumulus buildups; probably 50/50 VFR/IMC, hand flown with an unfamiliar panel. He did a great job guiding me along, though, and he even let me land the aircraft! Somehow managed to slick it in real nice and got a fantastic ovation from the passengers. I'll never forget it. Here's a pic of the captain and I afterwards:

Australia%202006-02-22-1109-L.jpg


Close second would be riding jumpseat in a Varig 737 from Sao Paolo, Brazil to Rio de Janeiro.
 
For me, it is the Luscombe. That is because I really needed something to hone my stick and rudder skills with and there are very few tailwheel aircraft for rent in South Florida. When I started with the Luscombe, I knew of only one Decathlon, flew with the owner/CFI, and found out why no-one does. Have since discovered a Cessna 140 available for tw instruction and another school just recently added a Decathlon. I do not think any of those are available for solo rental (maybe the 140?). So having access to the Luscombe made me happy!

640px-Luscombe_Silvaire_8A.JPG
 
Our RV10, N215TG (aka "Tigressa")

Sometimes in cruise with Tiger at the controls, I still get this overwhelming feeling of accomplishment and amazement from the fact that we built it.

Over 40 years of flying, I've had my hands on precious few aircraft. Flirting and making out with various birds is fun but if I can't get to home plate, I'm not apt to chase it.
 
colojo said:
Right seat, Shrike Commander 500S. It was a charter flight from Lizard Island to Cairns, Australia, with about 8 passengers on board. Shortly after takeoff I told the pilot that I was an instrument-rated private pilot and much to my surprise he gave me the plane and told me to fly us back to Cairns! It was about a 45-minute flight through benign cumulus buildups; probably 50/50 VFR/IMC, hand flown with an unfamiliar panel. He did a great job guiding me along, though, and he even let me land the aircraft! Somehow managed to slick it in real nice and got a fantastic ovation from the passengers. I'll never forget it. Here's a pic of the captain and I afterwards:

Australia%202006-02-22-1109-L.jpg


Close second would be riding jumpseat in a Varig 737 from Sao Paolo, Brazil to Rio de Janeiro.
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Great story. Everyone here would **** themselves and call their lawyer if a passenger landed the plane, we have a lot to learn from the Aussies.
 
Warrior said:
and when avgas was 42 cents a gallon like when I started flying it was a different animal to take the thing up for a spin although it sure eats gas and cost some bucks even at 42 cents!
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150 gallons an hour combined, and 2 gallons an hour of oil.
 
For me it was my 12 or so hours in T-38's, most of which was part of USAF WSO training. I also snagged a couple of T-38 rides latter in my Air Force time.

If I was to win the mega jackpot lottery I'd buy a T-38. I'd probably have to hire a real military pilot to land it for me, but I don't think there is a more fun airplane to just fly around in the world.

ETA: After the T-38, the J-3 Cub makes me really happy. It's impossible to see or think of a J-3 and not smile.
 
My very own Cherokee 140.
 
Another vote for the T-38. I'd love to come back to it as an instructor before I hang up the flight suit.
 
Came very close to going up in a t-38 before they left moody. Woulda got some stick time as well. Seemed like all the rides were going to the ATC guys. Shoulda went to the maintainers
 
Actually I think that my first rebuild was the happiest I was to fly something.

I was just so happy that it FLEW
 
Corpsmaide said:
Came very close to going up in a t-38 before they left moody. Woulda got some stick time as well. Seemed like all the rides were going to the ATC guys. Shoulda went to the maintainers
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You're tellin' me. I used to be so mad when I worked on the Hornet when I was see people that had no business getting a ride , getting a ride.
 
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