So I Ended Up Inside A Pilatus Tonight . . .

Inverted said:
You pay enough for 2 extra flights a month it sounds like!
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AOPA (yearly) $45 (I think)

EAA (yearly) $40

EAA Chapter (yearly) $30


So - 45 + 40 + 30 = 115

115 divided by 12 months = $9.58 per month.

Not sure how you could even start an airplane, let alone fly one twice per month, with 9 bucks.

For those nine dollars I sure have been entertained (online courses, renters insurance, life insurance, monthly EAA meetings, occasional things like Young Eagles etc)
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Off the top of my head I think I've flown 6 POA pilots around since last September. We have landed in: Half Moon Bay, Little River, Sacramento, Napa, Novato (Gnoss), Boonville, and Petaluma (Bay Tour).
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Wow Kimberly! You need to open a tour service:lol:
 
danhagan said:
Wow Kimberly! You need to open a tour service:lol:
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Nah. I'm sure if I ever left California they would fly me in their neck of the woods.

Six pilots:

1. Local (Northern CA)

2. Forget where he lives, not in CA though, was passing through

3. Colorado

4. Another Colorado Pilot

5. Southern California, formerly Arizona

6. Local (Northern CA), owns a 150, we have both flown each other around as "trades" (free).

And that's just since September.

The "almost flew with but wx canceled us" list:

1. East Coast pilot

2. Utah pilot

3. Florida pilot

4. (not a pilot) my uncle from Southern California

5. My Dad (though we flew one low pattern), Northern California

6. Texas pilot

7. I think I'm forgetting a few more cancellations, but they are easy to forget, since I didn't fly anywhere.
 
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danhagan said:
Wow Kimberly! You need to open a tour service:lol:
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This just shows you how often people are here. For example, at the POA fly-in last year in Michigan, several of the pilots said they occasionally find themselves in / near the SFO area. I hope if they do stop by we can at least grab a beer. Hopefully fly.
 
Hey Kimberly,

That was a great story... It is amazing where things can go when you meet people at the airport. The single best thing I did so far in my training was to join the EAA. I have met some amazing people and also our chapter has a club project so I get to be part of a build project without having to pay for a plane or hanger space.. Also some of the best experiences I have had thus far have happened through people I have met through the EAA.

Right now I am sort of stalled in my lessons due to weather issues and today Obamas Visit putting a TFR in the KVNY area. I cna only fly after work and by that time its too windy for my SOLO restrictions. I hope soon I will have my license and can attend some of the great fly ins I see on POA and further expand my meeting of amazing people in aviation..

Take care and keep the storys coming...

Marc
 
Kimberly, that looks just like the Pilatus that hangs around our airport (along with a bunch of geese). Did the registration happen to end in 'NX'?

IMG_2410.JPG
 
Pilawt said:
Kimberly, that looks just like the Pilatus that hangs around our airport (along with a bunch of geese). Did the registration happen to end in 'NX'?

IMG_2410.JPG
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I didn't want to post the N number pictures, didn't know if the pilot was allowed to let me in the plane like that (it is owned by another company / person).

Just checked my cell phone pics and YES IT IS.

Do you know the pilot? He said his FO is an older woman.
 
This just goes to show, again, what a small world aviation is.

1. The woman in the car, I recognized her, we'd been to some 99s events together.

2. A man I sat next to at the dinner turned to me, and said "hey didn't you walk into the sea plane base the other day in Sausalito?" Turns out he was the owner I talked to while I took a lunch break at work to walk / jog and thought "what the heck I'll stop in this airplane place".

I currently know of the following "regular" meetings (but am not a member of most groups):

Quarterly 99s meetings (one of my chapters / former chapters)

Monthly 99s meetings (again, former chapter of mine)

Monthly EAA meetings

Monthly airport meetings (my airport)

Monthly (or less?) Gnoss airport breakfasts

Monthly fly-in pancake breakfast, CAF, Modesto

Weekly (Saturdays) lunch, EAA chapter, Skypark in Sonoma

"Movie nights" at skypark (free popcorn and aviation movie)

"Movie nights" at my airport

Monthly "display days" at my airport, free admission, vintage aircraft on display

Seasonal monthly poker runs and flour bombings at my airport

Yearly air shows (many)

Just found out - every other month - lunches "Bay Area Pilots Group"

And that's just off the top of my head. I find that if I go to these events - sometimes - cool things happen. But just hangar flying is good enough for me.

The sad thing? There isn't one CENTRAL PLACE all of this information is kept. Not AOPA or EAA or anywhere, you just have to "find out about it."

A shame, really.
 
That is great Kimberly. It is always amazing what can happen at aviation events. It sounds like the a great time.

Everyone out there at your airport seemed great and loved you.
 
CMTowner said:
That is great Kimberly. It is always amazing what can happen at aviation events. It sounds like the a great time.

Everyone out there at your airport seemed great and loved you.
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You do recognize your number on the list above?

Sorry the winds were gusting to 34 that day, yikes, but it was fun to watch those planes land in it.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
What airport is this?
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Pearson Field, Vancouver WA (KVUO), just across the river from Portland, Oregon. That airplane is parked here a lot. I've seen the pilot from time to time as he's arriving or departing, but never met him.

This is a small (3200' runway), quiet airport, so this airplane really stands out when it's here.
 
Pilawt said:
Pearson Field, Vancouver WA (KVUO), just across the river from Portland, Oregon. That airplane is parked here a lot. I've seen the pilot from time to time as he's arriving or departing, but never met him.

This is a small (3200' runway), quiet airport, so this airplane really stands out when it's here.
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Wow, but, no joke, he told me with a straight face he practices at Skypark. That is the place I hired an instructor to go to (shortest / most narrow runway I'm allowed to land on per my rental agreement, 40 feet wide by 2350 long).

My instructor and I got there, saw a crosswind, and didn't even land. To imagine this guy landing there is just a hoot.
 
Oh and he told stories of this Pilatus test pilot.

He said the guy showed him the most amazing thing - 1000 feet up, above the numbers (right on them) at my airport - less than 4000 feet long - the test pilot can land it. He said it had something to do with pointing straight down, then three other steps, and then it lands. Amazing plane.
 
3200' isn't small for a Pilatus, I wouldn't even use 40 degrees of flaps for that. :wink2:
 
The trouble with a Pilatus is all that money you spend, you still are only a single engine airplane.
 
Wow Kim! What a great experience. I've always wondered about Pilatuses? Pilati? (I'm copying Tim's pluralizing ideas here). I've heard a lot about them, but have never been in one.

:idea:Maybe at Wings?!
 
Tracey said:
Wow Kim! What a great experience. I've always wondered about Pilatuses? Pilati? (I'm copying Tim's pluralizing ideas here). I've heard a lot about them, but have never been in one.

:idea:Maybe at Wings?!
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Who on earth is bringing one to wings? I heard a King Air will be at Gastons, but not sure what will be at wings.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
You do recognize your number on the list above?

Sorry the winds were gusting to 34 that day, yikes, but it was fun to watch those planes land in it.
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I did notice the number.

Yeah, those winds were something else. Higher than I've landed x-wind in before. I think I've done 25kts max so far. Next time in out we'll attempt to go again.
 
TMetzinger said:
I wouldn't be surprised to find a PC-12 at the field, just being based there.
Pilati are Plentiful.
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As soon as he told me he only hand flies to 400 feet, I gave him crap (all night) - in fun - about being a "systems manager" LOL.

I do not understand autopilot. Oh well, he says it is all about his passengers being comfortable.
 
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