Great Day!

[Ryan Smith]

As most of you know, the 170 that my family owned for nearly 25 years is back "home". Zenda Liess, who is a longtime fixture out at W88, as well as one of the local FAA designated pilot examiners, purchased the airplane in January of 2013 from the man my father sold the airplane to in 2008. Zenda is using our airplane for tailwheel checkouts and has three instructors locally that are available to fly the airplane. She does not (thankfully) allow solo rentals in the airplane, and I've not seen anyone fly the airplane that doesn't have a buttload of time, so she's being treated well for the most part.

My wife and I moved back home to North Carolina in mid-May, and because the airport has been a regular haunt of mine (minus our four years in Illinois) for nearly 20 years...I have been hanging out there since I was 8. I drive by the airplane every day and have been about to blow a gasket to get out and fly the old girl. I asked Zenda if I could wash the airplane as it had a year's worth of grime and disgusting filth on it. Of course she obliged, and said that I was more than welcome to fly the airplane any time I wished. Being discontent with simply taxiing the airplane to the wash pit last week, I finally broke down and called up one of the instructors that is checked out in the airplane to go fly with me for a bit this evening.

I am relatively eloquent...but my words fail me today. Sublime is about the closest word I can think of to describe my mood this evening. So much happiness, emotion, and satisfaction were felt this evening. We stayed at Air Harbor and shot takeoffs and landings (7) for the hour that we were in the air. I believe that when I posted last November about the day I spent with johneeb that ended up with some time in his 170, I spilled the ugly truth about how long it had been since I had flown. I have not flown or ridden in an airplane since flying John's airplane last November, and the last time I have logged in this airplane was September 2, 2005. We sold her in October 2008, and I know that I flew the airplane several times between my last logged time and the time we sold her. My dad even quit logging time towards the end of our ownership of the airplane, so I don't have any idea of when the last we would have flown it would have been.

Though Harold is an instructor in the airplane, he's only got a two hours in the airplane, and very little 170 time outside of that. I started flying with Harold in 2010, right before I moved to Illinois because I wanted to finish my ticket at that time, and wanted to stay in a taildragger, so I flew his Maule with him for a few hours. Harold basically told me that if we got sideways in the airplane, he couldn't promise any miracles...so he asked me several times of my comfort level with the airplane. After our runup, he couldn't delay it any longer so I lined up with the runway and unleashed all of the 145 ponies that were present and accounted for and we were off. The first landing was a greaser, and Harold let out a big sigh of relief and said "Buddy, you fly this airplane better than I do".

Two more takeoffs and landings passed and he said "Damn, you fly this airplane better than Chesney (primary instructor for this airplane) does!" Of course every compliment was accompanied with "Now don't get a big head and screw up".

This airplane is like an old pair of blue jeans. It just fits, everything just flows...it's the best flying airplane I've ever flown. I'll get a couple more hours in the airplane and then go get my my medical renewed and then Harold and I will fly the Hawk XP that's on the field so that I can finish my private up. Harold's about 6'5" and weighs 250, I'm not quite 6'4" and am a dense 305, so with full fuel, we were pretty heavy.

I don't want this to come across as me coming on here and bragging, but I'm excited that I meshed with the airplane as quickly as I did, and how similar it was to how I remember. Even though so many years have passed since I've last flown the airplane, it honestly was like I flew it yesterday. I couldn't believe it.

Also, I ordered a pair of Bose headsets from J.A. Air Center since I've got a good friend that works up there and got a good deal on them. They were scheduled for delivery today, and never came. I was scheduled to fly around 7, which means that I needed to leave a little after 6:30 to get the airplane pulled out and preflighted. I was pissed when I left home because the whole purpose of me scheduling the flight today was to try out these new headsets, and half of my plan was ruined. No sooner than I finished adding a couple of quarts of oil to the airplane before strapping in, than I see my wife pop around the row of hangars with my toy. I was overjoyed!

I wish I could have gotten a few pictures, but I was not able to since we were just doing pattern work. Harold wants to hit a couple of different airports around, so I hope to be able to get some pictures then.

Thank you all for reading this and being so supportive of my incessant questions over the past few years. I'm about to burst at the seams and needed to get a few words out with people that could relate.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Yes, it sounds like a great day. So happy for you.

[DaveF]

The bad news is, that feeling will never go away!

[C170U2]

I think you need to find a way to bring that plane back into your family! Maybe an agreement with the current owner that if she does intend to sell it she will at least give you first crack at it. Glad you had a great flight!

[Ryan Smith]

I think you need to find a way to bring that plane back into your family! Maybe an agreement with the current owner that if she does intend to sell it she will at least give you first crack at it. Glad you had a great flight!

Hey Mike,

Done! A few weeks ago, I asked a (loud mouth) friend of mine if he thought that she'd ever sell the airplane. He said "no" and that was the end of it for about 30 seconds. I didn't realize Zenda was at the airport, so of course my friend proceeds to recount our discussion to her. To my surprise, she said she had been thinking about it.

She and I talked a little while later and asked why I was curious...she thought perhaps my father wanted to buy the airplane back, but then guessed that I probably also had an interest. I told her that I wouldn't be ready tomorrow, but that six months or a year down the road, my wife and I would be ready. She's giving me first crack at the airplane, and it sounds like our timelines are aligned properly. My wife and I should be fully funded at the time, so I think we'll be able to pay cash for the airplane.

I may be an owner yet!

[Kyle Wolfe]

Ryan, that's a GREAT day! Glad you're getting reacquainted with the ol' gal!

[Ryan Smith]

Ryan, that's a GREAT day! Glad you're getting reacquainted with the ol' gal!

Thanks, Kyle! I hope you and Becky are doing well!

[W.J.Langholz]

Ryan

I always relate airplanes to "falling in love" . There are many airplanes of many different types. I think some look ugly while others love them......... but when the bug bites........ good luck and hope all works out for your dream, I can see the smile from here

Oh by the way, I talked to a guy yesterday (age 83) bought his dream plane at the age of 73........ he's still flying.


W.

[Ryan Smith]

Well, I decided to strike while the iron was hot and take the old lady out dancing again today. I set up a DUATS account for my father since my student pilot certificate ran out the better part of a decade ago. The weather looked like it was going to be very nice, so I called up my instructor and asked him if he could meet me out at the airport to fly, and happily he obliged.

We took off out of Air Harbor, and headed north to Ridgeway, Virginia; just over the state line. There is a little 3,000' grass strip called Pace (VA02) that we stopped into. Pace is a quaint little airport settled in the foothills, and they've got (used to have) some pretty interesting airplanes there. In addition to the usual bevy of rag wing Pipers, there are a few Aeronca Chiefs, and possibly the most interesting airplane is something called an All American Ensign. The Ensign is a little two-seat tricycle, side-by-side aluminum airplane that looks like a bit like a shrunken fixed-gear Meyers 200C with a taller fin. We didn't stop inside the shop today, and the last time I saw the airplane, it was a disassembled project. Apparently only four of them were ever made.

After a hairy departure (warm outside, we were heavy, and taking off into rising terrain), we headed southeast to overfly some friends flying models at Caswell Airpark in Yanceyville, North Carolina. That runway was a little too short for us today, so we made a low pass down the runway and headed west to Shiloh Airport (KSIF), for a couple of landings on pavement. I never liked landing the 170 on pavement when we owned the airplane because I never felt like I landed well and always chased the airplane. I'm sure I was touching down with some crab, but I figured that the landing at Shiloh would be a good test for me. I was proud of the first landing, and as we were rolling out, Harold asked if we could shut down for a minute to use the restroom. I wanted to stretch my legs myself and check my phone since I received a call when we were turning final.

The airport was more or less closed, so we weren't long on the ground before jumping back in the airplane. No sooner than Harold buckles in, than one of the guys that worked there came out gawking at my pride and joy. We talked for a minute, and he remarked that there was a blue and white 170 sitting in the hangar that was "painted identical to" N2256D. He was kind enough to open the hangar for us to get a peek at it. Apparently, the owner just bought the airplane, but it was a beautiful 1952 B model, N8145A. I was oogling over it for a few minutes, and also checked out some of the other airplanes in the hangar, including the E55 Baron owned by the same lady that owns 56D now. The most interesting airplane in the hangar was a Questair Spirit, the fixed-gear variant of the Venture. These were kit buit airplanes that were basically an egg with wings and an IO-550 bolted to the nose. They were developed in the early 90s in Greensboro, they were fast airplanes.

We strapped in a second time, did one circuit around the pattern at Shiloh to see if the first landing was a fluke, and headed south for Air Harbor, where we were greeted with a flat tailwheel tire. Flat tire notwithstanding, I got another 1.5 logged and a vote of confidence from Harold. Because Zenda is cutting me a very good deal on flying the airplane, I don't want to overstay my welcome, and this will probably be the last I fly the airplane for a while. I wanted to get some time in so that I could get the feel back, and reminisce until my name is on the Registration Certificate. I'm going to get my medical here in a few weeks and finish what I started 18 years ago...and should have finished 11 years ago. I'm ashamed that so much time has passed, but I am driven (and have the ability to, somewhat) to finish. I will finish my flying in a 172 Hawk XP, as that will be the best platform that's available to me, I think.

I didn't want to freak Harold out, so I didn't get too many shots from the air, and he hid every time I turned around to take a picture with my phone.

Thanks again for listening to me babble. I'm not sure the excitement of flying again will ever wear off. Take care all, and have a great week!

[GAHorn]

NIce posting! (I'm sure we're all enjoying your "babbling".)
I don't think you're likely to get your name on the Airworthiness Certificate.....(unless you're an FAA Inspector.)
I imagine you meant the Registration Certificate.

[Ryan Smith]

NIce posting! (I'm sure we're all enjoying your "babbling".)
I don't think you're likely to get your name on the Airworthiness Certificate.....(unless you're an FAA Inspector.)
I imagine you meant the Registration Certificate.

I guess I'll have to settle for that, then. Sorry for the terminology faux pas.

[W.J.Langholz]

Ryan

I very much enjoyed your "babble"..... I think every pilot has some of the same thoughts, most of us don't have the courage to share them......so you keep writing and I'll keep reading and enjoy every minute of them.

Dreams (goals) are so important to have, keeps us going every day.

I gave up flying for 16 years after our son was born, life had other priorities at the time. He had and interest so we got back into it and he is a pilot now too. He graduated last December with a ME and EE he hopes to get more time now to get back in the plane. We love to fly together.

I wish you well in your quest and don't give up ....it will all come together for you I'm sure

In the meantime keep writing.... love to read everyone.

Willie

[Ryan Smith]

Thank you for the words of encouragement, Willie. I'm beside myself to finally be flying the old girl again. I'm the only person that's flown her since her seven hour bath a couple weeks ago. There were 2 1/2 hours worth of bugs to wipe off the wings, and more oil than I would have liked on the belly.

I hope to be able to get my medical soon.

[N2255D]

Ryan, We'll have to get the sisters together for a visit one day.

[Ryan Smith]

Well...

Today was the day. I scheduled my medical for this morning at 11, and met my instructor about 2:45 at the airport. We flew the 172XP on Sunday, logging 1.6 on the tach. We did some basic air work, pilotage, and several takeoffs and landings at various airports. Today, my instructor wanted to put me through the wringer again.

We did a couple of engine outs (after the second one, he said "You just lost your engine again. What are you going to do?" My response was, "Fire my mechanic!"), some no flap landings, and a couple of go arounds. After about 45 minutes, he asked me for my medical and logbook, hopped out, put his headsets back in his airplane and went inside. Three takeoffs and landings later, I was taxiing the airplane back in just before a big rain shower hit.

It was satisfyingly low-key, therefore no pictures. The airplane is missing most of the paint anyway. My first solo was over 12 years ago...which is still hard for me to get my head wrapped around. I soloed before my friend Matt who was going to be my CFI if I finished my private while in Illinois. Now that this is over with, I'm finishing up my paperwork tonight to apply for the AOPA flight training scholarship. I hope to get my private and a good chunk of my instrument done if I can grab one of the $5K scholarships. I can get through my multi commercial with instrument privileges (with some left over for a CFI, I'm sure) if I somehow can get the $12K scholarship. Positive thoughts and vibes are appreciated! After having such a torrid time with employment over the past year, I'm ready to position myself to be able to do more things for a living if/when the you-know-what hits the fan again. Ultimately, I'd like to go to law school and be an advocate for GA; but baby steps first.

Thanks for sharing my journey with me. It's been fun so far. I'm ready for it to end with a private certificate and a maroon and white 1952 Cessna 170B in my hangar, however.