 |
I started the flying
chapter of my life in January of 1969.
Although I was always interested in flying, I had additional
influence from my father and older brother.
My dad was a B-17 Flying Fortress Captain, with 35 missions over
Germany, in WWII.
(It took over 40 years to get some
very interesting stories from him.)
My older brother became a pilot a year or so before me.
I flew with him often and very quickly decided that I had to do this
flying thing on my own.
I
started my lessons at KCCR, a school called Buchanan Aviation.
The owner was an extended family friend, a TWA captain with about
35,000 hours of flying. This
man was also a Seabee owner and had a place, lake front, on
Lake Tahoe. He gave
seaplane rides at South Lake Tahoe for a few years and I helped
him load and unload passengers.
I was rewarded for my services and he gave me a lesson in high altitude
flying. I also had a lesson
demonstrating engine out procedures that took the airplane under power
lines, yes in those days instructors did some things that would loose them
their licenses today. His
school was somewhat unique, although they instructed in Cessna 150’s like
most schools back then, students were given some time in……..you called
it…..Mooney‘s. Soooooo do
you think I was a bit jaded or brainwashed and therefore predestined to fly
Mooney’s. I soled at
about 8 hours, no not in a Mooney, and was hooked for a lifetime.
 I
began my piloting in Cessna 150’s and Mooney’s but soon added Piper,
Bonanza, American Yankee, Cessna 172, Cardinal, a sailplane and a few
others. I began to rent
Mooney’s and soon realized that all those other things I flew may not have
been airplanes at all, I knew I needed an airplane of my own, a Mooney of
course. Rental aircraft just
seemed laden with a level of fear that I wasn’t enjoying.
The first Mooney was a 1970 Ranger , C model.
I purchased it in 1975.
Wow, I could afford a 5 year old airplane.
 I
kept that plane for 5 years and found a great deal on a 1976 Ranger, C
model. I purchased that Mooney
in 1980. Wow, I could afford a
4 year old airplane. As I gained confidence, I wanted to increase my ability
to fly in more than CVU so I got my instrument rating in the late 70‘s.
I had many adventures over the years and continued to expand my
destinations.
 I
kept this Mooney for 20 years and finally decided to upgrade to a J model.
The Mooney’s had gone up significantly in price.
I could now only afford a 19 years old airplane but it’s a Mooney and
you can’t top that.
I had been dreaming about my first cross country trip for many
years but always had an excuse for postponing.
I had made many trips north and south, including
Mexico
and Canada
but never very far east. I
finally did take that trip in 2003.
We took 10 days, flew across the northern states and returned across
the southern states. Highlights
of the trip included Mount Rushmore from the air, many air and space
museums, really really cheap Mexican food in Texarkana,
Carlsbad Caverns and Sedona.
We did however have a little mishap.
The last day of the trip, after departing
Sedona,
Arizona and over an area 17 miles
northwest of Bullhead/Laughlin Airport, Arizona, we experienced an engine
failure. A safe landing was
made at Bullhead/Laughlin with my passenger exiting the airplane and kissing
the ground.
A year or so later I
had the opportunity to start flying co-pilot in Cessna Citation’s.
With that as an incentive, I went on to get my Commercial
Certificate, Multi-engine and Multi-engine instrument ratings.
I also recently passed my written test for my ATP rating but still
need to complete the flying portion to be a Type rated ATP pilot.
I will then be ready for the first Turbo-jet Mooney.
I have since flown co-pilot in Citation I, II, III V and VI.
It’s not better than a Mooney but it sure is close.
I continue to fly my
Mooney for fun and to be with other great Mooney people.
I hope that I will be healthy enough to fly my Mooney well into my
80’s. There is nothing
better, almost, than being in the air and no airplane better than a Mooney.
Greg Jacobs
|
|
