#CESSNA ANTIQUE AIRCRAFT

[anumberofhobbies]

N4037U 1965 Cessna 150E (c/n 15061437) by RedRipper24 Via Flickr: Potomac Antique Aero Squadron 51st Annual Antique Aircraft Fly-in Massey Aerodrome Massey, MD June 10, 2023

[peakwealth]

The Mechanical Age (Scrapped)

Final resting place for an unidentified four cylinder car engine. I came across this scene at an urban recycling yard in Chinatown, Bangkok. It seemed symbolic. (March 2023.)

* * * * * *

Do you like engines? To some people this question may sound like asking if they have a particular fondness for flushing toilets or leaf blowers. But to those who are mechanically inclined - assuming such an inclination exists - there is fascination in all things that move with the help of pistons, rods, shafts, valves, pumps, not to mention a nice set of gears.

I offer as an example a five cylinder radial aero engine in motion. The elegance of its reciprocating operating principle can be observed in animated form here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radial_engine#/media/File:Radial_engine_timing.gif

If that looks like clever engineering, now imagine the mechanical ballet of a radial engine with fourteen or even twenty-eight cylinders at full speed, the frenzy of all those pistons going to and fro, the valves opening and closing in perfect and necessary harmony. Yes? No? Such engines became the heavy lifters for large American planes and bombers towards the end of WW II.  Although they were soon replaced by turboprops and jet engines, their engineering complexity, antiquated as it may seem today, was amazing.

At a more mundane level, but still clever, were the postwar flat 'boxer' engines of the Volkswagen Beetle and of the Citroën 2CV, both air cooled. The radical, pared down simplicity of the 2CV made it one of the most brilliant car designs ever, engine included. Their noise defined an era of rising mobility in Europe. There was something reassuring about it.

Horizontally opposed piston engines are rare now, except in some motorcycles or as light aircraft engines, the kind you find in a Cessna. Only two car brands still make them, Porsche (where it is a very distant relative of the original Volkswagen engine) and, oddly, Subaru in Japan.

Soon all piston engines will be gone, at least in new cars. It may not have been headline news, but Audi recently announced it would stop selling cars with internal combustion engines by 2026. Other car makers have similar timetables for phasing out thermal engines.

More than 150 years of fine engineering are coming to an end, or more than three centuries of ingenuity if you include the granddaddy of the industrial revolution, the steam engine, which is a thermal device but lacks internal combustion. Arrivederci Ferrari, goodbye Harley-Davidson. Ferrari’s first electric car is due in late 2025.

To think of it differently, the piston engine had been a total anachronism for so long it seemed unimaginable to do away with it. It was the beating heart of the industrial age. Its demise is an revolution in itself.

We cannot disinvent the wheel or the escalator, and I hope the Eiffel tower will remain standing, but technology has shifted to ever less tangible, non-mechanical realities, to circuitry, to gene technology and to everything digital.

One could of course argue that industrialization, and the machinery that enabled progress, got us where we are today: the Anthropocene and the onset of a man-made climate disaster. But you can also simply blame capitalism doped by overpopulation, or human greed and cleverness.

While thermal engines are doomed (inasmuch as they directly emit greenhouse gases), it is going to take a long time for them to vanish completely. Cars and trucks can easily be electrified, but billions of internal combustion engines are used in applications that run from model aircraft to power generators, fishing boats, pumps, cement mixers or container ships. Many of them are dirty old diesels that, in the everyday real world, are as close to indispensable as you can get. And hard to replace with lithium batteries.

[kingscourtphotographer]

Lucky 13

August 31, 2019

Thirteen is not usually considered a lucky number, unless you are an aviation buff, and you are attending the 13th annual Battle Lake Gathering of Airplanes (BLGA) at the Battle Lake Airport, in Battle Lake, Minnesota (Identifier 00MN) also known as the Tribute to Gerry Beck. 

I’ve attended and photographed many fly-in’s and airshows, and this is both of those, but it takes place at a small grass airstrip in the lake’s country of western central Minnesota and has grown into a pretty spectacular event.  The BLGA is held every Labor Day weekend on Saturday from 10AM until 2 PM to commemorate the renowned warbird rebuilder, Gerald “Gerry” Beck, known to most of his friends and even his wife Cindy, and daughter Whitney as “Beck”. 

This was my second year attending and photographing this event and it was an amazing experience once again.  

The 2019 Fly-in was the largest of the 13 yearly events so far, according to Patricia “Pat” Kostelecky the coordinator of the event.  There were 82 aircraft and at least 500 people, attended including many who are heavily involved with war bird rebuilding and restoration, such as Casey Odegaard of Odegaard Aviation and the Fargo Air Museum, Warren Pietsch of the Dakota Territories Air Museum in Minot, ND, Ron Fagen of Fagen Fighters Museum in Granite Falls, MN, all must see locations if you like old war birds. 

The initial Battle Lake Gathering of Airplanes, 14 years ago, had 10 people and 3 airplanes.  The Fly-in was planned to gather support to try and save the Battle Lake Airport.  The local community was contemplating closing it due the operating cost, not seeing the benefit of the small strip and hangers to the area.  Gerry Beck and friends were trying to show how much revenue it generated for the town and surrounding areas and to raise funds to keep it open.  The Becks had purchased a local lake home mainly due to the closeness and convenience of the Battle Lake Airport.  Even though it was a small grass airstrip, with just a few hangers, it allowed he and many other pilots who spend their summers at lake homes and cottages in the area, to fly in for the weekend from Minneapolis and other parts of Minnesota, North and South Dakota and even farther away.

So, Gerry Beck, a renowned warbird restorer and founding member of the Fargo Air Museum, was a key supporter involved in the planning of this initial event.  It just so happens that he was sick the day of the event, and couldn’t attend, then by the time the 2nd year of the event was planned, he had been killed in an accident in the 2007 EAA Air Venture in Oshkosh Wisconsin.  From then on, the yearly event was also a memorial airshow to Gerry as well as the gathering of vintage and modern aircraft.  It remains a gathering of friends and a fund raiser for the airport as well.

Gerry was well known for his vintage plane restoration business in Wahpeton, called Tri-State Aviation, which grew out of a crop-spraying operation.  Gerry completed several of his own full restorations and participated on many others.  These restorations of Warbirds included P51 Mustangs, an F4U Corsair, a TBM Avenger, a Hawker Sea Fury, and a Mitsubishi Zero.  The rebuilding and restoring of planes led them on many “Family Vacations” looking for just the right parts for these historic planes.

Gerry Beck was born in 1949 in Guelph, North Dakota.  From the Tri-State Aviation’s Gerry Beck Memorial Page:  Beck discovered a love for aviation after becoming involved in skydiving during his college years at the University of North Dakota. He graduated from UND with an Industrial Arts Degree, and while teaching high school in Grand Forks, North Dakota, he continued his path in aviation by obtaining a private pilot’s license and rebuilding his first airplane.

In 1974, he founded Tri-State Aviation, Inc. (TSA), an aerial spraying and aircraft maintenance firm located in Wahpeton, North Dakota. During his agricultural aviation career, Beck developed, or contributed to the development of, numerous items that enhanced pilot and aircraft safety and efficiency within the agricultural aviation industry.

Before becoming interested in, and specializing in warplane building, Beck developed several crop-spraying innovations that are widely used today.  These innovations include a special spraying boom incorporating an airfoil shape instead of round tubes.

Beck’s funeral at the Fargo Air Museum had hundreds in attendance, and the large turnout for the funeral was a testament to Beck's abilities as a warplane restorer and advocate, and the closeness of the community of enthusiasts.

The first thing to strike you about the Battle Lake Gathering of Airplanes, and to make it such an amazing event, is the camaraderie of those in attendance.  The next is the wide variety of aircraft and being able to walk among them up close and personal. 

It’s rare to see one Beechcraft Stagger wing at a small-town fly in, but there were 2 of them this year’s BLGA.  One, the yellow N985SW, is owned by Warren Peitsch, mentioned earlier, who was a very good friend of Beck.  According to Whitney Beck, it was a surprise arrival since the plane was Warren’s latest project.  Several people said he had finished just a week before the event and was making its maiden long flight after restoration.  The plane was in like new condition and a highlight of the show. 

Some other notable airplanes, among the many rare and vintage aircraft and the number of war birds in attendance, were; several T-6 Texans or Harvard’s as they are known abroad, the ‘310C’ Vought F4 U Corsair owned by Cindy and Whitney Beck, rebuilt by Gerry Beck and flown by John Sinclair, the TBM Avenger T83, flown by Brad Deckert, the P51 Mustang, Boomer, flown by Tim McPherson, several Boeing PT17 Stearman Trainer aircraft and a Marine Corps T34 Mentor.  Also notable among the rare aircraft were 2 Belanca’s, a 1972 and a 1973 model 17-30 and 31, a 1950 Piper PA18, several models and years of Van’s RV aircraft including Gerry Beck’s own RV4 that Whitney and Cindy Beck both confirmed as Beck’s favorite airplane to fly.  Whitney even said, “That when asked, her father would pick the RV over all the warbirds and other aircraft he had flown as his favorite to fly due to its nimble handling and ability to get to the small airport at Battle Lake in 15 minutes from Wahpeton’s Harry Stern Airport, the home base of Tri-State Aviation.”  She said that he loved being able to pull it out of the hanger by hand even with his bad knees.

Other interesting aircraft were a 1959 Downer Belanca, a 1980 Rupp Roger Starduster biplane, a 1961 DeHavilland Beaver complete with floats, and a 1946 Fairchild 24W46 Argus. 

With 82 planes at the event there were too many to name, but there were also many Cessna and Piper Variants as well as a Carbon Cub and Aviat Husky to name a few. 

The Legacy of Gerry Beck – From the Tri-State Aviation Gerry Beck Memorial Page.

Beck openly shared his knowledge and his passion for aviation.  He encouraged and assisted others, willingly spent time with people of all ages who exhibited an interest in his endeavors, participated in airshows and aviation events, and was instrumental in the formation of the Fargo Air Museum.  Gerry’s vision was to build a second wing on the museum, to house restoration projects complete with rivet stations, audio WWII vignettes, welding and aviation basics.

Beyond aviation, his philanthropy was evident in every aspect of his life as he gave tirelessly of his time, talents and dreams.  He was a visionary, a thinker with an undaunted, steadfast, positive outlook.  Beck’s legacy will be the indelible mark he left on the many lives he touched worldwide.

Many antique aircraft perform at today’s airshows and races worldwide were directly touched by Gerry Beck or Tri-State Aviation. ‘The Restorers’, is an hour-long documentary film about warbird and vintage aircraft restorers and the planes they resurrect from the graves of history… In the snows of North Dakota, we find two of the best warbird builders in the world in Gerry Beck and Bob Odegaard, builders of Mustangs and a rare Super Corsair respectively. ‘The Restorers’, is available to view at https://www.hemlockfilms.com/the-restorers-season-1, 

If interested in finding out more about Gerry, there is also a great article with photos of the builds in Warbird News by Matthew Mc Daniel, written in 2016, about his projects including his P51’s, F4U Corsair, Zero, and Hell Diver Rebuilds.  http://warbirdsnews.com/tag/gerry-beck

Gerry was also involved in the making of the movie “Thunder over Reno” which featured Bob Odegaard’s Super Corsair. 

I knew Gerry in passing due to being a volunteer at the Fargo Air Museum for a time, and having a passion for vintage aircraft and warbirds.  I am also an avid aircraft photographer, and this event is unique in that you can see, and be among, all these wonderfully restored aircraft from a very close distance.  All the planes are marshalled on the ground, but you often have to be aware of taxiing airplanes when moving around the parked aircraft to look at them.   

To say this is a close-knit community of aviators is an understatement.  It’s more like a family gathering where the public is invited to partake these beautiful flying machines.  Many of the participants have been attending since the first annual event. 

So, if you decide to go to the 14th annual event on Labor Day weekend 2020, check Facebook for the event “Battle Lake Gathering of Airplanes” on the Midwest Airshow, Fly-in and Flight Club group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/MNFlightClub/.  Make sure to bring $5 for the Raffle fund raiser for the airport and a few dollars for lunch, fly-in or drive in, but make sure to get their early to get a spot and ensure they don’t run out of food (2019).  There might be 1000 people there next year and over 100 aircraft on a small grass strip in western central Minnesota.  Enjoy the view on landing as you will be coming into this airport over the lake and watch the wind, it can shift on you.  Hope to see you there. 

The information for this article was gathered from interviewing Cindy and Whitney Beck, Pat Kostelecky, Kreg Anderson and Todd Weber a former employee of Odegaard Aviation as well as several articles in local newspapers, one written by Robin Huebner and published in the Grand Forks Herald. Also, with information by Gary Renier, and from attending the event, as well as the Tri-State Aviation website.

Thanks to Gary Renier, a friend of Beck’s and a Battle Lake area summer resident who led an aviation photography event at my first show in 2018 for the Fargo Camera Club.  Gary, a former Optometrist in Fargo, ND, is also heavily involved with Aircraft photography being a volunteer at the Commemorative Airforce Museum in Arizona, and former Fargo Camera Club President. 

It is my very distinct pleasure to write this article and get to know these wonderful people a little better. 

Gordon Court

Owner,

Kings Court Creative Photography.   

[aviatrix-ash]

Just wanna nap under the 50+ years of wire spaghetti of a little antique (no longer flying) Cessna.😌

Kinda feels weird knowing what I'm looking at now compared to just 5 months ago since starting aircraft mechanics school. :'3

[ttyman]

This and two others were designed to fight fires until the FAA told them to stop flying. Government at it’s worst.

I met the man on top of the aircraft. He set a record of over 50,000 hours of safe flight and received honors from the FAA. He was a USMC passenger on one of these JRM Mars returning from duty in the Orient. He is also memorialized by the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He and his wife restored antique aircraft at the Poplar Grove, IL airport. I sat with him there in the cockpit of his Cessna “Bamboo Bomber” one Father’s Day. At the time he was suffering from skin cancer and eventually died from it. His wife, also a pilot also died of cancer. (At 81 years of age I have a terrible time remembering names!) I will update this hopefully soon…

[wikitopx]

Whether you are an outdoor enthusiast, a history lover, a culinary artist or an art lover, there is no shortage of things to do in Greenville.

Many famous attractions are located in the downtown area within walking distance of each other, including the cultural heritage of the Green Heritage, which houses the Children's Museum in Upstate, the Greenville County Art Museum and the satellite location of the Bob Jones Museum and the Gallery. You can also walk to Falls Park on the Reedy to enjoy trails, gardens and gorgeous Reedy River views right in the heart of the city. Some of Greenville's top restaurants are also in the area, as well as the famous Dark Corner Distillery. When you're ready for an outdoor adventure, hop on the nearly 20-mile GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail. And while you're exploring, look for nine bronze mouse statues hidden along Main Street.

[toc]

1. Falls Park on the Reedy

Waterfall Park on Reed is a favorite place for both locals and visitors. Located in the heart of the city center, the park has beautiful stelae, hiking trails, waterfalls, picnic areas, lush gardens, and public installation art, added by the graceful architecture of the Liberty Bridge.

The two-acre Pedrick's Garden, which serves as the park's main entrance, honors a former community leadership tool in the creation of the Waterfall Park. Moreover, the two eateries are located in the park: savoring salads, sandwiches, and favorites of the South at Mary's Restaurant at Falls Cottage or French food at Passerelle Bistro.

Recent visitors said Falls Park is a popular place for families and pet lovers, noting that kids love watching the ducks and dogs enjoying the many walking trails. Many also note the beautiful bridge and garden and some hints to bring a picnic to enjoy this peaceful spot.

Other reviewers enjoyed the park's two on-site restaurants, as well as its proximity to other well-known downtown restaurants.

2. GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail

Use your own bike or rent one at Reedy Rides to discover the nearly 20-mile Greenville Health System's Swamp Rabbit Swamp Trail, that runs along the Reed River from downtown Greenville to Traveler Rest (a city) in Greenville County).

Stop at marker 24 to get your heart pounding at the Bike Skill Flow Park or picnic and relax on the road at Furman University campus. Before you go out, download the mobile GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail food guide to find lunch and dinner spots, or the ArcGIS Interactive Map, which marks trail features from the restroom and fountain to ATM.

Visiting cyclists love this paved bike trail, touting the convenient stops and the full-service bike shop along the route. Recent riders reported having fun restaurants at either end of the trail, at Greenville's County Square and at the rest of the Tourists, and some were suggested going to Furman University campus to Take a rest or go on a picnic by the lake.

Others suggest relaxing on the veranda at the Brewery & Swamp Rabbit Plant in the Resort to rest or have lunch at Cafe At Williams Hardware (also located in the tourist Rest Area).

3. Greenville County Museum of Art

This small museum is home to the world's largest public watercolor collection by American artist Andrew Wyeth and also boasts a rich collection of works by South Carolina artist, Jasper Johns. In addition, the museum's Southern Collection provides a visual depiction of southern experiences, from colonial times to the present.

Critics love the modern feel of this small museum, calling it a work of art. Others say the exhibits on display are definitely worth a look, especially Wyeth's watercolor collection, and contemporary Johns work. Many visitors also praised the free entrance and the convenient downtown location.

4. Runway Park at GMU

The Greenville Downtown Airport features a unique aviation-themed park that kids of all ages are sure to love. A Cessna aircraft mounted on anchoring two playgrounds, with play structures, grass areas and "runways" on foot.

When children do not watch planes take off and land, they can learn about aviation history and science thanks to the park's educational screen. The ring road around the park serves as a walking and jogging path and picnic sheds are available for family and party rentals. Moreover, the adjacent Runway Café serves regular food.

Recent visitors call the park a "must" for children and say it is a great place for children to run and play or ride a bike, praising the park's cleanliness and accessibility. Many commented on the excellent facilities including picnic shelters, new toilets, plenty of play areas and walkways, and some mention the Runway Café as an easy place to have lunch.

5. Bob Jones University Museum & Gallery

Bob Jones University Museum & Gallery houses including works from the 14th to 19th centuries by Rubens, Tintoretto, and Van Dyck, among others. other products. In addition to art, the museum is also home to the Bowen Collection of Antiquities, exhibiting artifacts from ancient Egyptian, Roman and Hebrew cultures.

Recent visitors have been surprised at the quality and size of the museum's collection, saying this is one of the best types of Christian art in the southeast. Many people call it a "must-see" and some note that the audio guide rents are worth more than $ 5.

Meanwhile, locals say that the museum is the best deal in town, touted Admission discounts for children and seniors.

6. Dark Corner Distillery

The northeast corner of Greenville County - an area located on the Appalachian hill - has been known for more than 175 years as the Dark Corner, due to its long association with the Lunarians.

In honor of this history, the Dark Corner Distillery continues the tradition of the early Celts, thus producing small stones, including whiskey, gin, and long-lasting absinthe. The tasting center in the city center offers samples of six spirits, accompanied by the history of each product.

Travelers love the taste at the Dark Corner Winery, citing creative cocktails pleasing even those who don't like whiskey. Many welcome a reasonable $ 5 tasting fee, including a souvenir shot glass and some travelers, suggest buying a bottle to take home as a gift.

While most tasters found the downtown location convenient and the tasting process fun and quick activity, some complained of long waits during busy times.

7. The Children's Museum of the Upstate

Located within the Green Heritage cultural precinct in downtown Greenville, the Children's Museum on the upper floor offers three unique interactive exhibition floors for visitors of all ages.

Children can build dams and buoys and toy boats on the Reed River, play guitar at the Garage Rock exhibition, build skyscrapers in the Construction Area or host a news program in the broadcast studio WTCM.

Meanwhile, young children can play at Lily Lily Lake or enjoy the outdoor recreation area. Plus, the on-site cafeteria is stocked with kid favorites like Chick-fil-A sandwiches.

Recent visitors have recognized this children's museum that is both affordable and fun for children and adults and said the exhibits are entertaining and educational, especially the Interactive grocery store.

Tourists outside the city were pleasantly surprised by the selection of goods and reasonable prices in the gift shop, and many appreciated the on-site eateries and the convenient downtown location.

8. Centre Stage

Tourists have recently called this local theater a "hidden gem," praising the seats within and the product quality. Many people suggest coming early to enjoy a drink before the show or visit the nearby Playwright Irish Pub to dine after the show.

Some tourists complain that the theater refreshment has problems processing credit card purchases. Others suggested coming early to locate free parking on the street, instead of paying $ 5 at the lot next to the theater.

9. Paris Mountain State Park

[caption id="attachment_703560" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]  [/caption]

Located 5 miles north of Greenville, Mount Paris State Park is a popular retreat for families seeking outdoor recreation. The park was originally built by the Reserve Corps of Civilians and a number of park structures, including showers - now Park Centers - and Camp Buckhorn Lodge holds a place on the National History Register.

The center has a historical exhibition, while the park has a campsite, picnic shelter, a swim area with lifeguards, a playground, a camping shop and a 15-acre lake with fishing and canoes. , kayaks, and pedal boats.

Although visitors have recently said the scenery is impressive, many prefer stone bridges and informative signs along with many hiking trails, from the challenging Sulfur Springs trail to the relaxing laps around the lake.

Reviewers also like diverse activities and say the park is ideal for families, dogs, and groups of friends. However, a few feel the $ 5 admission fee is too much to pay for hiking trails.

10. The Peace Center

This performing arts center in downtown Greenville has a venue for a 2,100-seat concert, a 400-seat theater, and an outdoor theater. Besides, presenting theater, comedy, dance and a host of musical performances, the Peace Center is home to the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, Chorale Theater, and two ballet companies. and South Carolina Children's Theater.

Recent visitors called this "an exceptional venue," noting that even upper-level seats offer a great view. Many also praised the attentive service from theater staff and said they were surprised to find such a quality venue in a city of Greenville.

Most critics find the reasonable price and proximity to restaurants in the city center a plus, but note that parking is difficult.

More ideals for you: Top 10 things to do in Traverse City

From : https://wikitopx.com/travel/top-10-things-to-do-in-greenville-sc-703539.html

[weannoyingbouquetgalaxy-blog1]

Where can I get a better health insurance plan ?

"Where can I get a better health insurance plan ?

I tried with some of the agents, but it is not working out for me. Can anyone help me, If you have taken any health insurance plan.

BEST ANSWER:  Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://salecarinsurance.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr 

RELATED QUESTIONS: 

Whats the consequence for driving without car insurance?

I recently bought my son a car and hes been driving it without car insurance. What will happen if he gets pulled over by the police department?

""I live in California. and need cheaper auto insurance, and have 2 dmv points. Any ideas?""

I live in California. and need cheaper auto insurance, and have 2 dmv points. Any ideas?""

Do you need motorcycle insurance in the state of Tennessee?

As a Tennesseean, I was wondering if motorcycle insurance is necessary in order to ride in the state.""

What are premiums in insurance?

I'm looking at insurance policies.

""On average, how much does groceries cost for 2?""

My friend and I are creating our budget plans for our first apartment. So far I've factored in rent, utilities, car insurance, and gas. If you know of anything else I should be aware of please let me know. Thanks!! (Btw, I'm in Arizona)""

""In general, how much is health insurance?

Life insurance?

Help need car insurance I am 21 and dont want the black box :( help please?

anyone knows where i can get cheap car insurance from like 150 to 200 a month let me know am desperate please.......

""If i lie about my car mileage for auto insurance, will they eventually find out my real auto mileage?""

If i lie about my car mileage for auto insurance, will they eventually find out my real auto mileage?""

How much does storage unit insurance cost?

I'm sure there are a billion variables but I'm just trying to get a loose ballpark figure. I'm renting a 5x5 climate controlled unit in one state but I live in another. I'm storing ~$5000 worth of stuff--black forest clocks my parents brought back from Germany in the late 40s/early 50s; figurines, etc., most more sentimental than material value. The unit itself is a name-brand secure facility in a decent neighborhood with gated access. I figure I'll have the unit about 6 months. Like I said, I'm just trying to get a rough idea, not an etched in stone quote. Any ideas are greatly appreciated. sbf""

How much is insurance for a 2008 Nissan GTR?

I want to buy a 2008 GTR but I want to now how much car insurance would cost before I buy it. Ive hear that it costs A LOT per year.

What would my Allstate car insurance be? If i buy a sports car..?

I'm 19 years old and never had an accident record or traffic record before; I'm currently a member of Allstate insurance company under my dad's insurance. I have a 2005 Honda Accord EX and paying $2400 a year... is that alot?? IF! i sell my car and get myself a 2003-2004 G35 coupe, how much would my car insurance be??""

Car Insurance.?

Should car insurance still be payed if the car has been taken off the road eg. S.O.R.N was declared. I say it shouldn't but my neighbour said it should be (he's a man!)

What happens to my insurance costs when I go from provisional to full licence?

I am currently learning to drive on a provisional licence and insurance in my own car. I have paid a premium for the provisional, but shouldn't need it for much more than 3 months hopefully. So what happens when I pass my test? Will this insurance be upgraded to full insurance and will there be any extra cost? Admiral if that helps. Thanks in advance""

How much does Acrft Maint insurance cost for mechanics and owners on cessnas from 172's and up?

Insurance For light aircraft like private aircraft from small cessna 172's to a gulfstream 1 or 2.

Car audio mod......insurance company?

i recntly bought a subwoofer and amp for my car do i need to let the insurance company know its worth around 60

Volvo- insurance costs and maintenance?

I'm thinking of buying a used Volvo. Anyone know anything about maintenance costs or the insurance costs?

Car insurance for new driver that will not drive far..?

HI, I am turning 17 in november, and already looking at cars. The cars i am looking at are getting insurance at over 5000 (im male) a year fully comp! The car is only like 2500..... The thing is i will barely use my car as i live really close to school, so will walk all weekdays - especially as i am banned from parking in school as i live too close. I will occasionally use it on weekends - but if i go out in the evening im not going to take my car - drink driving.. So the only time i will use my car is quite alot in the holidays and very occasionally on some weekends, and therefore think 5k for a few car trips is ridiculous.. So is there any form of insurance where you pay for how far you drive? BTW the cars i was loooking at are 1L's, peugeots and vauxhalls mainly. These ok? Im looking at nothing over 60,000 miles and 7 years old max - i think i will do 3000 max a year. IM looking to sped about 2500 on a car, but need cheaper insurance than that! Hope you can help Many Thanks""

Good Insurance for 17 year old Driver?

What are some good and cheap Insurance for a 17 year old?... Currently we have 4 vehicles for around 800+ a month, so thats pretty cheap. And its also from State Farm, But I heard that Allstate or Nationwide has better coverage and prices that State farm. What is the best insurance for a 17 year old? with a 4 door sedan""

Where can I get affordable car insurance in Tennessee?

Where can I get affordable car insurance in Tennessee?

Average car insurance for 21 y/o f?

my fiance and i are planning to buy a used car soon, and we were wondering about how much car insurance would cost us. the insurance would go under my name, but it would cover him as well. we are both 21. neither of us have had an accident. we both have pretty good credit. i've had no tickets, he's had 3, each in a different state (they were only minor speeding tickets). he's had his license since 17 y/o and i've had mine since 18 y/o.""

Seven years ago i got a speeding ticket with no proof of insurance in california.?

Then they turned it in to collections and suspended my licence. When does it get cleared?

Teen insurance law in Texas?

I'm 18 year old that has a drivers license my parents are telling me because I have one the insurance company is tellin them it is a law for everyone in the household to pay for insurance of the 2 cars we have but I don't drive those 2 cars. Do I really have to pay just because I live with them?

What Is The Best Insurance Agency?

Like any insurance agency. Such as Progressive, State Farm, Geico, or anything that you think saves the most of your cash.""

Non-owner car insurance?

Where can I get non-owner liability car insurance for myself? I am 18 years old and my dad wants me to get this insurance because I don't own a car, I just drive my parents cars. I can find it on any insurance websites. Links would be nice =]""

Will deferred adjudication raise my car insurance?

Ok, so a few weeks ago i got my first spee ding ticket (57 in a 45) and im going to ask the judge on Wednesday for deferred adjudication as an option. Im on my parents insurance with USAA, and was wondering if anyone knows if insurance rates will go up? That's my primary concern.""

Where can I get a better health insurance plan ?

I tried with some of the agents, but it is not working out for me. Can anyone help me, If you have taken any health insurance plan.

I have AAA auto insurance and had minor 1st at fault accident. Will my rates go up?

I rear ended someone this weekend. Just a minor fender bender. My first ever accident!! UGH! Both cars with minor damage. There are a few scratches on their car. I have liability insurance through AAA, I've had my US license for a year and a half and am f/29yrs old. Have had a UK license for 10 yrs. What are the chances my rates will go up? I am insured on my husbands insurance and we have 2 cars so will insurance go up for both? I just want to hear people who might've been in the same kind of circumstances and if their rates went up and by how much! Thanks!""

Classic / antique auto insurance in ny cheap?

Im looking to get cheap classic auto insurance. for a car thats more than 25 years old. Its going to be a show car, and rarely be driven. Liability only. I live in NY, so company must be available in NY, and be cheap. Thanks.""

Adding child to car insurance policy?

I was looking up insurance for myself its 900+ for six month which I expected but if my mom adds me to hers will it be any cheaper?

Licence and car insurance in different names?

I have recently married and have taken my husbands name. This means for ID purposes I have changed my last name on my driving licence. However out of spite I chose not to change it on my car insurance as it meant paying an admin fee and rather change it when it comes up for renewal in 6 months. Does the different names invalidate my insurance?

What kind of car would cost around 2000 yearly to insure for a young person?

just looking around for insurance quotes, yet all i seem to find cost around 5000 a year -.- any ideas on what cars are cheaper?""

Cheapest insurance companies for 18 years old guy?

Hello, does any one know any cheap insurance for `18 years old boy. Im looking forward to buy: 1) vw polo 2001 1.0 2) skoda fabia 2001 1.0 3) Seat ibiza 2001 1.4 Thanks !!""

Car insurance question?

Can I have insurance in my moms name on my car but get it registered and plated in my name?

How much does storage unit insurance cost?

I'm sure there are a billion variables but I'm just trying to get a loose ballpark figure. I'm renting a 5x5 climate controlled unit in one state but I live in another. I'm storing ~$5000 worth of stuff--black forest clocks my parents brought back from Germany in the late 40s/early 50s; figurines, etc., most more sentimental than material value. The unit itself is a name-brand secure facility in a decent neighborhood with gated access. I figure I'll have the unit about 6 months. Like I said, I'm just trying to get a rough idea, not an etched in stone quote. Any ideas are greatly appreciated. sbf""

Is It Fine to Do Online Payment Transfer for Impounded Car Insurance to a Company ?

Hi there, I am trying to put a question here for the yahoo community in a bit detail to give a clear picture of situation and try to get some useful information regarding it. What happened is my car got stopped over by police and towed away by their recovery van. Now i am getting an impounded car insurance to get it back ( Long story short , the car i was driving was without insurance as i had not received letter of my insurance cancellation and i was under the impression that i had insurance. By the way i had paid them in full for one year in advance and it was not a monthly direct debit payment ) I have searched and able to get a quote from two well know car insurance companies ( One of them is Impoundedcarinsurance.com and other is INSURENCE CHOICE ) and both companies are asking for DIRECT TRANSFER OF MONEY IN THEIR BANK ACCOUNT as they don't accept Credit Cards and Debit cards for the payment of temporary insurance. Today i and yesterday, i spent my whole days to contact these companies and get information for method of payment. I have a few points here to ask and i am sure your valuable information will guide me to make a decision to buy the insurance for my impounded car. ->First of all, I called my previous company which cancelled my insurance to persuade them for a temporary insurance to get my IMPOUNDED CAR BACK, The customer assistant simply stated that none of their policies can be used to get an impounded car back from compound. So they don't provide temporary cover for impounded cars at all. -> The second and more important thing is as i stated before, i had called a couple of companies yesterday for impounded car insurance ( In-fact i googled Impounded car insurance in Uk on google and it gave the names of main companies on FIRST PAGE OF GOOGLE ). If you would ever google Impounded Car Insurance , you would see one of them is INSURANCE CHOICE and they provide insurance for impounded car. -> And with that i called Insurance Choice today and spoke to the person who gave me the insurance quote yesterday for my impounded car and told me the method of payment as of Online Transfer to their account (Yesterday he told me that they don't take credit or debit card payment as mostly people take the insurance and get their car out of compound with the help of the insurance certificate and later on cancel the insurance giving the reason of unauthorized payment and hence claim the insurance money back, so that's why they do online transfer only). Today i was FRANK AND STRAIGHT TO HIM and told him about my question asked on different online forums and all the answers and suggestions which were discussed with me. I told him simply that it looked too suspicious to pay them by online transfer and hence i feared of losing my money and it can be a spam !!! -> Well the person there maintained and cleared his position by stating that He was going to give their company's sort code and Account number and it can be verified in the bank that what company the money is going to if i do online transfer ! Hence i had a record of payment to a CERTAIN COMPANY (Insurance Choice) for impounded car insurance and its all safe. So please advise in light of above mentioned discussion/inquiries that is it safe to deal with this company and do a payment transfer directly into their account. I have also mentioned this company's name as its on google for the authentication and i called on 01926 454 348 number which is on their page at http://www.insurance-choice.net/ppc/convicted/impound_insurance.php?gclid=CKHu1KKN2bwCFZShtAodWioATQ Please advise as this time is one of the difficult times of life ! Many Thanks.""

Am I paying too much for car insurance? Advice?!?

I'm 19 years old. Has had my license since I was 16 1/2. No tickets or accidents. Right now I'm paying $150.00 a month with my current insurer (which is based off my Mom's) I recently searched and Liberty Mutual is giving me a quote of $79 dollars a month which is obviously a whole lot cheaper. How easy is it to switch and is there a down payment? And any other advice you may have. Thanks.

Car Insurance.?

My dad has insurance on his '92 Ford. I will be getting my license in November. I will be driving a '99 GMC Sierra. I was wondering about how much my insurance would be every 3 months. We are insured by Shelter Insurance of Louisiana. What is the cheapest way of getting insurance? Like would it be cheaper if i went under my dads are what? Please help 16 Male Louisiana insured by Shield of Shelter. Louisiana =] Thanks

Car insurance cost for a 17 year old?

I'm going to start driving next year and will probably be driving something like a p reg civic (1.4) does anyone have an average insurance price for a car around this size (1.0-1.6) and around this age (m-51 reg)

""What is third party car insurance? Can I, with no insurance, drive someone else's car, if they have insurance?""

So heres the deal. I don't have car insurance, my friend does. He seems to think that because he has third party insurance , I am able to drive his cause because the third party insurance will cover me in case of an accident. I don't think he's correct but, I'm not entirely sure how it works. So, what is third party insurance? Can I, with no insurance, drive someones else's car, if they have insurance? If they have third party insurance? Is there anything at all, in any kind of insurance that would allow me to drive his car, without me having insurance - even though he has inurance? So I've said the same question 10 times but...can someone who is uninsured drive someones car, if the owner of that car is insured?""

Car insurance quote help?

i'm getting a quote for a vw polo and when it comes to asking how long you've held your licence for does it mean how long i've had my full licence for or how long i've held a licence since my provisional

Parents of Teens Drivers insurance question?

I wanted to ask parents who have teen drivers. how much extra did it cost when you added your teen to your insurance??

Good Life Insurance Plan with guaranteed return and maximum life coverage.?

Which Life Insurance plan (from Govt. or Private company) will give me the highest return If I invest Rs. 50,000/- yearly for 20 years including the life coverage. Please name the plan with name of the company.""

Military car insurance?

Okay so I just graduated boot camp and moved from Texas ( residency) to Virginia. RIght now I have my car insurance through Texas (Geico) and I called them cause I was going to switch it to Virginia and it went up $120 a month!!! I was wondering since im in the military if I can just keep it in my residency state or if I have to switch it where im stationed? Also I am thinking about getting a new car which I would buy here in Virginia so it would have Virginia plates, would I have to switch it then to Virginia insurance? Sorry this is a loaded question but I would greatly appreciate it if you can help me out here and if you have any ideas what I should do , Thanks.""

Anyone know of cheap car insurance in California?

Anyone know of cheap car insurance in California?

General costs to buy and insure a 50cc moped?

Okay so I don't know what moped it will be so i'm simply looking for averages and general help. I'm 17 and am thinking of getting a moped for the next 6-7 months, cost pending. I was just wondering how much would insurance cost me for it, not a brilliant bike just a cheapo 400-500 think as I shant be using it every day and is there any way to insure it for only 6 months rather than a year that's cheaper? On a whole how much do you think it would cost me in total if i bought a 400 50cc moped to insure for 6 month (year if you can't do 6 months) + tax + exam you have to take P.S. I live in England - South East - Dover/Folkestone Area""

HoW much do you pay for health insurance?

Is it affordable? Do you get help from your employer? What is a fair price?

3 Insurance Questions for a young driver?

(What coverage package would be recommended for a young driver?) 1. What coverage would be recommended to best protect you in the event that your car is stolen? 2. What coverage would be recommended to best protect you in the event that you have an accident that is your fault? 3. What coverage would be recommended to best protect you in the event that your car is hit by an uninsured motorist?

Range Rover insurance for a young new driver?

A friend and I where having a debate about whether or not, a new young driver could actually get insured on a brand new Range Rover? We decided to do some research on the subject and we have seen many cases where for example Andy Murray paid 100,000 to insure his Ferrari shortly after he passed his test. Can anyone provide and examples or rough estimates on how much it would actually cost to insure a new young driver on a Range Rover or if its even possible?""

""Why is there so much hatred towards mandatory health insurance, and none towards mandatory car insurance?""

The health insurance is at least USEFUL. The car insurance is useless crap, IT should not be mandatory.""

What is General Insurance?

Need clarification and knowledge about the car insurance? What is it and is it mandatory?

Can auto insurance keep policy after being told to drop?

Switched insurance companies. the original insurance company WOULD NOT CANCEL the policy. Is this illegal?

Where can I get a better health insurance plan ?

I tried with some of the agents, but it is not working out for me. Can anyone help me, If you have taken any health insurance plan.

Car Insurance Quote so high?

I'm an experienced driver here in Ontario Canada. I'm 26 years old and own a full G level driving license. My record is clean. I'm looking to get my first insurance coverage, with a used Toyota Sienna CE 2005. I would be the sole owner of the vehicle and only driver for the most part. Wont even be driving too often. However, I got two quotes and they are outrageous. about $350 a month for only liability coverage and the other even more. How come a clean record first time insuree ca get such bloated quotes?""

Car insurance question?

my car insurance was due yesterday.. i'm 17 years old and yesterday the difference between my dads car insurance and mine was due and i forgot to pay it.. am i still allowed to drive my parents car? im going to pay it on monday thanks.. let me know

WHO HAS THE CHEAPEST CAR INSURANCE (FULL COVERAGE) AND THAT'S NOT GEICO?

I just had geico and I would like to change car insurances. Whose rates generally have lower down payments and monthly?

Will my car insurance go up?

I just got a speeding ticket for going 14mph over. I pay my car insurance on a 6 month cycles and I just paid for the next 6 months at the beginning of the month. Is there any way the insurance companycan charge me more for the current 6 months or will my insurance not go up until my next 6 months bill? Thanks!

What model Acura Integra is the best for customization and performance?

What model Acura Integra is the best for customization and performance And based on your answer what would insurance be (16 yrs old) and how much is the car itself.

How much is car Insurance in Ireland for me?

I want to buy a 1.6 1998 civic type-r (11000), but am worried it will cost too much to insure. I can get insured on it as a named driver if needs be, but would prefer my own policy. I'm 22 with a full licence for 2 years and have 5 years named driver experience with nothing on my record. Where's the best place to get a quote? And if I do how much do you think it will be? (ballpark)""

Should I have full coverage or liability only for car insurance on a 1997 Honda Accord?

The car is in very good condition with no major problems. The car is almost 13 years old but the re-sale of Honda cars are supposed to be good.

""Can some body tell much i have to for my car insurance, if i live in brooklyn and 18 with new license?""

hey, i am planning to bye a car by next month, but before i go buy it, i need know how i have pay for my insurance, i am 18 just got my license and live in brooklyn, can somebody what is the most could i have pay...""

Car and car insurance?

Okay so I want to buy a car. My credit score is 633. I am 19 and in january I opened 2 credit cards which I pay my bills on time. I also have a phone bill i pay on time. If i wanted to buy a 10,000 dollar car or maybe 8,000, I was wondering how much my APR would be and how much my monthly bill would be. Also how much I would have to put down on the car at first. And I was also wondering how much my insurance cost would be seeing that I am a 19 year old female with 2 tickets on her driving record. (One for speeding, one for phone use.) i just need a rough estimation... Thank you :)""

Who has the best car insurance thats the cheapest?

i need the best (or even the not so best) car insurance that is perferably the cheapest with a range of 100 to 160 dollars a month for a civil service worker

What is a good cheap car for a 17year old? I want cheap insurance as well.?

I have recent started driving lessons and I want to buy a car. I only earn 30 a day tho.

I have geico auto insurance .I moved to another state and got cheaper insurance.Do i need to provide geico wi?

new insurance company name and info or are they just supposed to cancel my policy .

Provisional Car Insurance?

I am currently looking for car insurance on a car I own, The car is an 04 punto. Basically I need provisional insurance for a month and I own the car so I need a policy that covers both of these, I am 18, Any suggestions? Thanks""

What do i put for date of license on Geico insurance quote?

I was filling out an online insurance quote from Geico. When they ask for date first licensed do they mean your lerner's permit or your regular license?

Why we need car insurance ?

I'm 20 and my car is 2010 Nissan Altima, my insurance company told me to pay 190 every month, I agreed but later I found the are asking for 220 then 250 for no reason and no ticktes so I cancled my insurance with them and now I'm driving for tow years without insurance and save $6000 from the car insurance,, I never pulled over by police never have one scratch on my car even I traveled to NY and LA more than 4 times ! Why I need car insurance? You do think the person should have the right to choose if he need insurance or not ?""

What is full coverage auto insurance for colorado?

I am financing a car and I have to have full coverage but I just want the minimum full coverage I can get that colorado requires. I am setting my dedutibles at 1,000.""

Do you have health insurance?

if so, how much is it per month? how old are you? what kind of deducatble do you have? feel free to answer also if you do not have insurance.""

Finding Cheap Car Insurance?

I am 17 years old and wanting to find the cheapest car insurance, i want my own insurance policy on a 1.0L Vaxhall Cora, but the problem is it is going to be around 2500 does anybody know any cheaper sites?""

Car Accident in Michigan and no insurace?

I was in a car accident in Michigan and did not have car insurance, police did come, i did not recieve any tickets and it was determined that it was not my fault but my car is messed up pretty bad and so is the other car, now i am wondering even though the other driver said it was his fault and said his insurance would pay for it I know does not neccisarily mean that it will, but I did read somewhere that I might be counter sued, or that i may just have to pay his deductable, does anyone have any insight about this and what I should expect or expect nothing at all, yes i know i should not of been driving a vehile without atleast plpd but the car is not mine and not in my name so please no rude comments just asking for advice about the situation. Please and Thank you ;)""

Can I cancel my Life Insurance policy with Northwestern Mutual?

Hi I was just wondering if I could cancel my life insurance with Northwestern Mutual just cause I can no longer afford it. Even if they try to reduce it I just can't afford it. Do you know if cancelling the life Insurance is easy?

Insurance companies for high risk driver?

hi, i am 16 and i burrowed my dad's car for a day and got into a left turn accident, the claim was for $5000. the problem was i was not insured and my dad himself had his G2(canadian) licence for less than a year, so now the insurance company we had said that they would not renew the policy. so does that mean that my dad's insurance got cancelled and could anyone reccomend a good insurance company for me to go with.. i live in Scarborough Canada. thanks in advance for help.""

I'm having trouble trying to get under my dads insurance policy?

I've just gotten my license and found a car I was going to buy so I called my Dad's insurance company to try to get under his policy. However they said I cannot go under his policy because she knows that I will be the primary driver as well as the fact that my dad is already the primary driver for two other cars. Without my dad my insurance rate is around $4500/yr. My dad does not speak english very well so I have to do the calling and talking. What should I say and do so I can get under my dads insurance policy?

Is motorcycle insurance normally cheaper than car insurance?

For example if I wanted a Kawasaki Ninja 250,compared to a Toyota Corolla?""

Whats the best way to sell life insurance without being a sleazy salesman?

Whats the best way to sell life insurance without being a sleazy salesman?

Who is the cheapest auto insurance?

who is the cheapest auto insurance for adult male driver in southern cal. last ticket was about 7 years ago. thx

Where can I get a better health insurance plan ?

I tried with some of the agents, but it is not working out for me. Can anyone help me, If you have taken any health insurance plan.

Any ideas how i could get my car insurance quotes lower? 18 year old female driver?

Okay so every time i go on price comparison sites etc, my quote will not go below 2300! no matter what car i put in with a small engine, nothing chages what else can i do? i must be going wrong somewhere because lots of people get insurance below 2000! i cannt add any additional drivers because noone in my family drives thanks! :)""

Whats the best cheapest insurance in fresno?

i just had my first speeding ticket, im 20 going to school n working n i am going to finance a 2011 cruze LT, i want a good but affordable insurance, any suggestions?""

""Is it a fact, that if you buy a red car, you will be paying more on your car insurance?""

My sister told me that when she had a red car, she had to pay more for insurance because of the color. Is this true? if so, that's just retartded.""

Can someone over 65 purchase private health insurance in California?

Can someone over 65 purchase private health insurance in California?

""What is the ideal first car with cheap insurance and economical car with budget of 1,000 in the UK please?

- Must be a hatchback - 5 door- preferred - Cheap Insurance & road tax - Around 50 mpg - MUST be PAS - Economical- Not too big for engine size- 1.4L or below is ideal. - Not too old for shape- Ideal 1998 or onwards

How much is car insurance?

im 16 and live in ny and i want to get a car.my mom said she would get me a car but car insurance would be too high.what would the cheapest company to use be for a teen driver?what would the price be?shes saying 3k a month for insurance.

Car accident and they got old insurance.?

I got in a car accident last November and they tried to hit me with 6 duis with no evidence. We got the FDLC results 6 MONTHS LATER, and it came up with nothing. I have no idea what they had to charge me with 6 DUIs, however... It was reduced to reckless driving. Anyways, when I got in the accident, I left in an ambulance. The police gave out the wrong car insurance (I had just got statefarm the day before.) They gave like esurance to everyone, which was the WRONG insurance. So, I ended up having to tell the hospitals etc that they gave out the wrong insurance. Then I got a call from one of the people I hit's insurance, and they queried about what insurance I had (They said the policy they were given expired in like 08.)... Part of the deal of reckless driving is that I pay restitution. My lawyer is unaware that the police gave out the wrong insurance, but he told me that there should be like nothing (insurance should cover all of it.) I just got a letter in the mail yesterday saying that I owe 2500 to some person. Is it possible that he was given the wrong insurance as well, thus me getting charged for this?""

Should the government ban gender discrimination for insurance rates?

Why is it legal for car insurance companies to charge males more than females when they have the same driving record, same age, same car, and same everything else?""

Insurance company !?????

How does someone own or idk a insurance company.. I mean I would like to own my own office with State Farm insurance how do you go by doing this

Car insurance cheaper with 2 drivers?

Ok guys, learning to drive hopefully pass my test within a couple of months, what I'm wondering is, I'll go onto my fathers insurance for a couple of years as 2nd driver, no I will not be the main driver before any of you come on to say that's illegal it's called fronting I know I know. He uses it 5 days a week for work anyway ill probably only be using it during the weekends, I'm only really going on his so I can get a couple of years on my license and when it comes to it my insurance won't be a fortune, I'm 25 just now, worked out if I want to have my own insurance it with a small 1L engine it would cost me 1547 a year, not gonna happen, so I'm going to go onto my fathers insurance as 2nd driver to his car. A 1.8L vauxhall vectra. Ok now to the question lol, my fathers insurance just now is 26 a month, with me going on to his insurance it will work out at 18 each a month, is this normal? Insurance to go down when you add a 2nd named driver who would only have passed his test?? This is fully comprehensive cover. But if I wanted to driver my own car a small 1L engine it would be roughly 129 a month. Seems like it doesn't add up. Go figure lol Got the quotes from go compare and confused.com. Just seems like it doesn't add up, have insurance for 26 a month with 1 driver or have it for 18 each with 2 drivers, one who has little experience and has only just passed his test driving a 1.8L engine""

Does raising your car insurance's deductible really save you money ?

* Does raising deductible on car insurance really save money ?? * Is it worth it and * How much money would you save if you raise your car's deductible from 500 to 1000 dollars Any information would greatly be appreciated....Thanks :)

WHY is car insurance so freaking expensive?

We are insuring two drivers with clean records on a 99 chevy cavalier and a just purchased 09 toyota camry and we are paying about $2,000 a YEAR. Doesn't that seem like TOO much!?""

""In New Jersey, does the name on your car insurance card have to match the name on your car...?

...registration? My husbands name is on the insurance and I own the car.

What is the cheapest/ most expensive profession to be in when claiming for car insurance?

had two quotes for car insurance, one as me as full time hairdresser with part time student and one the other way round, when being a student full time my quote was 500 less than if i was a hairdresser. i just think it's crazy. any one know why?""

HELP! Car Insurance!!?

I know theres no cheap car Insurance... but anyone know any Insurance that an 17 year old can aford.. ill be 18 in a week... but some people want up to 5,000 every SIX months! i have no one 2 help me out, or to put me on their Insurance.... and ive been going nuts for the past 2 weeks and i need a car for work... PLEASE HELP!!!""

""I am international student , i need to apply health insurance(Texas)?""

where should i go?(houston, Texas) what stuff should i prepare or anything i should biring""

""Being in the military, can I drive in WA with CA auto insurance?""

Im in the military stationed in WA and my home state is California. As of now I'm insured with gieco with a policy from california, can I use the same policy in Washington or I would have to buy auto insurance in washington?""

""Anyone know where I can get 1 day car insurance, i'm under 21?""

I am 20 years old, and taking my car in for a service to VW whom have offered me a courtesy car as I need to get to work etc throughout the day and pick the car up in the evening. Only problem is they won't let me use their insurance policy as i'm under 21 and after calling my insurance today who clearly said to me we do not deal with temporary cover even for existing customers . I therefore asked how much it would cost to add another car to the policy and they want an initial payment of 97 and I will have to pay ATLEAST the first months payment after which i can then cancel which is a rather expensive way of doing this. Any information/help is greatly appreciated! :)""

Car insurance for young drivers?

hey im trying to get car insurance im 18 and i passed my driving test a year ago im currently sharing my dads vauxhaull insignia with him but i really want a car of my own to go out and about and go back and for to work does anyone know any good car insurance company's which are within reasonable prices ? all the quotes ive got are like 5000-8000 its ridiculous and this is with cars with low insurance groups its more than the car costs! also ive tryed these company's with trackers fitted to your cars but they say you need to be home by a certain time and leave a certain time which is no good because i leave at 6:00am in morning for work please help!!

Dodge Neon SRT-4 Insurance Help?

How much would insurance cost a month for a 16 year old to have a 2003 dodge neon srt-4? Would it cost more or less than a 1999-2004 v6 mustang or 1998-2002 v6 camaro?

What can happen if you don't list all of your tickets on an online insurance quote and buy the policy?

For instance I have a spectator to racing ticket when a friend of mine attempted to outspeed a car that sped by him on the highway, he got pulled over and charged with street racing, and I received a citation for being a passenger in the car. (ridiculous I know) Now since I was not the driver, nor was my vehicle involved, should I still have to list this when filling out an online insurance quote? and if I don't what can happen if they find out later? Will they raise my rates immediately? Drop my policy? Or is there anything more serious they can do than that?""

About how much per month would insurance for a sub shop/pizza place cost an owner?

Doing research in attempt to know how much it will take to get a small sub shop off the ground. A big question is insurance. In this day in age, I would hate to be sued by someone who slips outside and falls. I will be renting the property from a local land owner. The building is 1,000 square feet, small joint. What is a general range of which I might in liability insurance for my business? Located in ohio small town.""

Working out car insurance?

Hi there, How much would insurance be for the car on the following link below? I am a seventeen year old, who has been driving for almost a year. I would be taking the insurance out as the second driver, with my father being the main driver who has never claimed. Please may you work out how much it would cost me? http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/227349.htm Thank you so much""

Cheapest van insurance?

Hi, I have a transit van [smiley or S reg] Its about 220 road tax for the year, and then a S**tload for insurance. I have one Speeding offence, and no no claims - as I havn't ever been insured on a vehicle long enough to build them. I'm 25, and usually get quotes about 1500...That is stupid...Is there any company that does a reasonable price on a van for someone like me. Or should I just give up now. Thanks""

How much is insurance for a street Motorcycle ?

How much would it cost me monthly for insurance on a street motorcycle. Original cost of motorcycle 4,500. I'm under 18 and have a GED hope that helps. Thanks""

Where can I get a better health insurance plan ?

I tried with some of the agents, but it is not working out for me. Can anyone help me, If you have taken any health insurance plan.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-much-car-insurance-16-year-old-boy-iowa-jason-emmons"

[ajbutler]

Figure Eights

The Sunderland Airfield wasn’t much to look at. It had one hangar with a slanted roof. Scars of dark brown dirt were its landing strips. Many drivers mistook it for one of the old tobacco barns that littered the fields out in Western Massachusetts. But in early May every year, a small eclectic band of aircraft enthusiasts, usually from the surrounding towns, huddled while their wives were at the farmer’s market, to meet Bunsen outside his hangar, admiring a mix of antiques and newish models. They were mostly all men and greeted each other by solemn nods of recognition, stern frowns of acceptance. When something was malfunctioning, be it a rusty alternator or loose wing flap, Bunsen was their go-to. His tattoos, perpetual blackened hands and greying stubble set him apart from the plumper, balding retirees on the field, but he held his own. He proved his salt by being on the job nearly every day since he arrived. Also: his knack of reckless flying was an event all its own.

“Storm’s on its way, Bunsen. I’d shut the hangar door if I were you.

“Oh yeah? I haven’t checked the forecast today but…”

“Don’t need to check the forecast to see them clouds o’er d’ere. Might wanna call your pilot back in.”

 Bunsen crawled out from beneath the engine block to see a mass of dark grey clouds hanging above the tree line. He squinted to see a flicker of lightning. The leafless maples swayed as if they were shivering.

Bunsen had started a flight class for amateurs of all ages and he was proud to showcase his finer students during the aircraft show. Mostly his flyers were bored students from the University down the road. The class size didn’t matter. He was simply pleased to see a handful engaged in something outside of the classroom. Kindred spirits, he thought.

“I’ll give Allison another few laps. But when you’re right, you’re right,” he said as he turned back toward his only customer. Charlie was a hobby flyer and had a knack of hogging Bunsen’s attention. When it came to inane jabber, the guy was unmatched. In his old age, he was able to leave his dentistry business and retire comfortably with his wife Susanne and had enough time and money left over to take his single-engine plane out once a month.

Bunsen looked at him with a mixture of admiration and frustration. For all Bunsen knew, Charlie never left Sunderland his entire life. Day in, day out in that tiny dentistry office. For years, Bunsen tried to avoid that life.

A gravelly voice rose out from a group of men who had gathered by a light blue Cherokee Sundowner. It sounded familiar. The voice stopped when Bunsen tried to listen closer, then a burst of laughter exploded from the group. Probably someone just doing an impression, he thought. When his stare fell upon his hands, he heard the delayed crack of thunder and stirred himself back to Charlie.

“I’m going to head back to the homestead, Bunsy. Thanks again for taking a look underneath the hood, especially during your showcase,” Charlie said as his quiet yawn turned into a groan of exhaustion.

“I have a couple of flight classes this week but I’ll be able to replace the alternator before too long.”

“New recruits, eh? Well, you stay dry tonight. But don’t forget about your pilot up there doin’ er Figure Eights.”

Bunsen looked to the sky. Allison was his prized pilot. She held her own in the hangar – helping reassemble the transmission of a Beechcraft Musketeer on her first week – as well as in the air. She liked to Crab along the Road with her plane when there were high crosswinds. This was a move that took normal students years to conquer. With Allison, just weeks. She was a local of Sunderland who had graduated a few years back. She kept on some coursework but came near every week to “spread her wings”.

            By the time Bunsen found a place at The Hangar that night, it was nearly half past nine. The bar should have felt more welcoming, he thought, since he was the only airfield mechanic who drank there. It owed its name to his business, after all. Instead, he had to outlast the college students and compete for a stool. It was near finals, too, which somehow made it worse.

“Your hands looks like they got tattoos on ‘em,” the girl to his right said as he took a seat. She wore a t-shirt of a band he didn’t recognize. “They look wet.”

           “Yeah, well, it’s engine grease. I didn’t get a chance to scrub them when I got off.”

           She eyed him drunkenly, waiting for him to continue.

           Bunsen pinched his glass of warm whiskey. He raised it, saluting her as she turned away.

           A sharp jab hit his shoulder blade.  Bunsen clenched his teeth as he turned, expecting to find the girl’s boyfriend looking for trouble, but found instead Whittaker glaring at him. The owner of the gravelly voice from this afternoon, the joker at the hangar. His yellow face looked freeze-dried like an old apple, the cheekbones high and shrunken. It had been nearly fourteen years ago.

           “Let’s forgo the formalities, Bunsen,” he said as grinned. “And anyways, I know you’re not a fan of handshakes these days. I need a pilot. Someone fast and capable. There is money to be made if you play this out right. I know it’s been awhile but you still know the drill. Let’s call it… an investment. Be smart about this, Bunsen, you know what happens if I don’t get what I want.”

           Bunsen didn’t want to look at his hands but he did so, absentmindedly

           “And I need them by Friday. They are expecting a fly-over around midnight.”

           Bunsen kept his eyes down. The memories were too vivid, the excruciating agony seemed to never fade as people told him they would.

           “Do me hear me, Bunsen?!” The entirety of The Hangar seemed to grind to a halt when Whittaker spoke up. His sunken eyes darted around the room, realizing he was making a scene. Lowering his voice, leaning into Bunsen’s ear, he whispered, “Do you like them ring fingers?”

           A darkened grimace grew beneath Whittaker’s hat as he pulled back and straightened himself.

           The Hangar had resumed its inane soundtrack and no one seemed to pay attention to the two men by the time their conversation was over. Whittaker took his time walking to the back door entrance. Bunsen watched him the entire way.

            The next morning Allison drove out to the field after her morning class. Bunsen was waiting for her in the parking lot, leaning on his car.

           “Glad the storm passed. Looking to get out there as soon as I can. We’re talking about Bronfenbrenner’s Macrosystems in Psych and I wanted to blow my brains out. Took all my patience not to pack up and leave.”

           She was restless, Bunsen thought. That was good. But there was no easy way to explain this job to her, to explain the debts he had. He kept Whittaker at bay for years, and hoped the past would not catch up to him.

It was a lifetime ago, when he was more of a pilot than mechanic. Montreal, the border, filling backpacks with grass, the blanket of the night sky.

Allison stepped into his field of vision again, skirting around him on her way to the plane.

“What are you doing Friday?” he asked.

“I have a paper due for Sociology at noon,” she replied.

“And what are you doing after that?”

“I was thinking of driving over to catch a movie,” Allison smiled as she gave a sideways look. “Why the sudden interest in my schedule?”

“I have some work for you if you’re interested.” Keep it as vague as possible, Bunsen figured, since he didn’t even know the particulars of Whittaker’s shipment.

“Some work?”

           “Look,” Bunsen closed his eyes and only at this moment realized he was going to have to lay his cards out flat. “This flight school… I know some people… It’s been a long road for me…”

           “Look. You can try to stand there and try to find the words to paint yourself as some righteous plane mechanic who just walked into this town on your good graces but that’s clearly not you. I’ve been a student for awhile now, and was hoping you’d finally open up. You are riddled with tattoos and have deep scars on your torso.” Allison didn’t know where this courage was coming from, to tell him all of this. “And they’re not scars caused by maintenance work. You have pinkies missing on both of your hands and you can fly a plane like no one else. Tell me what this job is.“

           The words flew from Allison’s mouth. She felt her face flush.

           Bunsen felt like he saw Allison for the first time. She was standing in front of him, pulling away at his costume that felt too fake for too long. She wanted to know and she was right to ask.

           “I started out just like you. I loved the flight, the air, ever since I was a kid. And like you, I’d do anything to stay up there,” Bunsen said as he felt his hand reaching into his pocket for the soft paper pack of Marlboros. “Life makes sense up there. But I had a money problem and I thought I figured a way out.”

           “One day, I loaded my backpack up with some… products and I flew my Cessna 172 over to Montreal, where I knew a few guys. It was a weekend in May and I had the time… so why not. They were interested what I grew and before I knew it I was home. The whole thing took a few hours. I decided to keep it up through the summer. There was no danger in it, really. My backpack only fit so much… and as you know, I can land anywhere. I was invincible.”

Allison saw a younger Bunsen surface as he spoke, She could sense his trying to remain serious in his conversation, but there was a deep-seeded pride she saw flash in his eyes. His story, she saw, was one that he wanted to get off his chest for a while. His words flowed between his drags of the cigarette.

“A client approached me once with a simple idea of moving a bigger shipment, with no cost to me. Whittaker assured me that it was no different than the trips I was already making. However,” Bunsen tapped his nostril as he met Allison’s eyes again. “It was a different product.

“It was a different game, to be honest. My Montreal trips became suddenly more frequent and the customers… more desperate…” Bunsen absentmindedly rubbed his stump. “More cagey. And it was more than Montreal. Sometimes Toronto, sometimes Onterio. On my last trip across, I made my drop and met some unfriendly faces and got jumped when I arrived back home. I didn’t recognize anyone but I heard that voice. It doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure out certain mysteries. That’s when he took these.”

His finger stumps were smoothed over now, as Allison took her first up-close look. The two flaps of skin met unnaturally at the midpoint on each finger, a glass-like line of scar on each. Bunsen pulled his hands back sharply as he continued.

“I came out here,” he fanned his arm to showcase the modest airplane hangar, as if to show Allison for the first time, “to forget all that. And I was doing a good job of keeping my head down when Whittaker popped back in earlier in the week. He found me at The Hangar, and…” Bunsen was at a loss of words since he started speaking.

“He needs another pilot,” Allison said, finishing his sentence.

“Another investment. Yes.”

“He’s on his way?”

Bunsen cupped his lit cigarette and turned towards Allison. He crouched to meet her height and took hold of her shoulders. “I have a plan. He’ll want to see you fly for a few notches before he agrees that you’re right for the shipment. And while you’re up there, I can…All I need is a distraction.”

 Whittaker showed up an hour later. The same mustard yellow Chrystler Cordoba with rust stains along the rear bumper.

“That your girl up there?” His voice was almost guttural as he got out of the car. “I heard she can Crab the Road like the best of them. I was talking to a few of your backwood friends about her yesterday at the show. Allison, right?”

           Bunsen cringed at the thought of how Whittaker found out her name but tried to keep his composure as he walked up to the man who disfigured him, trying to keep his wrench hidden from view. “Yeah. Allison’s the best I’ve seen. Grew up around here in these backwoods, too.” His hand tightened.

           Whittaker turned away to look up at Allison as she looped her second Figure Eight. “You know, I’m older but I’m not as blind as you think I am, Bunsy.” He braced himself for Bunsen’s wrench. He caught the tool without looking and elbowed the mechanic in the collarbone.

           “You didn’t even think to change your name when you moved to a new town?” Whittaker brandished a blade from his pocket and walked over to Bunsen, now slumped to his knees. “You’re done, you dumb fool.”

           Scrambling to his knees, Bunsen grabbed at Whittaker’s ankles and pulled as hard as he could. Whittaker wasn’t ready for the strange grapple and teetered backwards, landing hard on his ass. His grip loosened on the blade and for a second emitted a long, faint wheeze.

           Bunsen managed to crawl on top of his assailant and punched him hard in the face; there was a crack of bone under his fist.

           Unprecedented rage seemed to spill out of Whittaker’s eyes. Bunsen looked at the grown man squarely and knew that one of them would not survive this. If he were able to maintain the upper hand a bit longer…

           Whittaker was able to pull him closer after the punch, bringing Bunsen close enough to smell his sour breath. Blood was filling his mouth and Bunsen could see that he knocked out two lower teeth after landing his last hit. The old man still had life in him yet, and somehow managed a punch that caught Bunsen completely by surprise on his right lower ribs, causing the mechanic to lean leftwards.

           That’s when he saw it: Charlie’s rusted alternator leftover from the airshow. His fingers found the coiled mass and gripped it tightly with the four fingers of his left hand.

            Allison was walking back from her flight, expecting to meet Whittaker and talk over the details when she saw Bunsen walk out from the hangar, his nose gushing with blood and his hands gripping a bloody piece of plane.

           “It’s done,” Bunsen told her, “Walk away from this.”

The two walked side by side, Bunsen smoking, to the edge of landing strip. The newly installed runway lights were blinking in the late evening, lined up in a row. Bunsen thought they would have come one by one, but instead were shipped to him connected like a string of Christmas lights, having to unwind the coil and bury the wires under a few inches of dirt.

Allison stared back at him.“I’ll be back tomorrow.”

[anumberofhobbies]

N7735K 1961 Cessna 150B by RedRipper24 Via Flickr: Potomac Antique Aero Squadron 51st Annual Antique Aircraft Fly-in Massey Aerodrome Massey, MD June 10, 2023

[anumberofhobbies]

N5917B 1956 Cessna 182A Skylane by RedRipper24 Via Flickr: Potomac Antique Aero Squadron 51st Annual Antique Aircraft Fly-in Massey Aerodrome Massey, MD June 10, 2023

[jacewilliams1]

Learning to fly the wrong way—and loving every minute of it

It was a simple, declarative sentence in faded letters on a metal sign.

Learn to Fly Here.

The 14-year-old boy read that magical sign each Saturday morning as he and his father arrived at the small, rural airport near their home. He dreamt of the coming day when he, too, would be walking out to the waiting Cessna to pre-flight the airplane—touching things, nodding approval, removing tie-downs and chocks, climbing up to check fuel… Someday he would be the one yelling “Clear!” from the window and then firing up that machine to taxi away from the ramp and then into the sky, transforming itself from a cumbersome, wheeled vehicle into a statement of grace in flight. His Dad would be waiting for him to return, perhaps nervously; proud as he returned to the ramp one step closer to joining the exclusive society of Pilots. Airmen. Aviators. Inhabitants of dimly lit, mysterious rooms called the “Pilot’s Lounge.”

A simple sign, but a powerful invitation.

Learn to Fly Here.

I was not that kid.

The 48-year-old man with the mortgage and payments for cars, tuition, insurances and all the rest, driving away from another customer meeting, toward yet another customer meeting, read the sign, written in faded blue letters on a rusting white background, and found himself reaching with his left hand for the turn signal lever. Parked in front of a slightly down-on-its-luck-looking building, with a door marked “Office,” he wondered aloud, “What am I doing?” Why are there airplanes off to one corner, in various states of disassembly, some wingless and broken?

Youthful plans and dreams that once had fueled ample ambition had become muted—spent on college, marriage, kids, career, kids, career, education, promotions… the grind. He regretted none of those things and did not feel sorry for himself. But he was keenly aware that some things were left undone. Opening that “Office” door seemed to be the least practical thing he should do at that moment. He pulled on that impractical door and stepped into a new domain. Those present, engaged in what seemed to be important tasks, looked over at the newcomer for a moment, judged him to be a wide-eyed beginner, and then carried on with their work.  Some were peering at computer screens full of maps and numbers, others were intently measuring distances on maps, and still others were just drinking coffee and engaging in important pilot discussion. There was a counter with a glass display case with headsets, books, maps, and hats. A young man behind the counter was handing a clipboard with a key attached to a teenaged girl. The young man looked up at the him and asked, “can I help you?”

His wife wouldn’t understand. His friends wouldn’t understand. His waiting customer would wonder where he was. This was for him. This was going to be his own. He was doing it.

Learn to Fly Here.

I am not that guy.

I’m the other guy. At the age of 57, I started my training for the Private Pilot certificate. Again.

Writing about flying airplanes is certainly not a novel idea and I doubt it can be done any better than Richard Collins did it; his columns and the book Stick and Rudder by Wolfgang Langewiesche have been critical to my developing knowledge of airmanship. There are magazines and newsletters and blogs dedicated to aviation. The writing in many of these publications fills a much-needed void but there are a few that are first rate, informative, and entertaining and among them Air Facts Journal is exemplary because its words are of, for, and by us—the grizzled stick and rudder flyers and rank beginners alike—die-hard seat-of-the-pants flyers and techno-savvy youngsters, each and all galvanized by the art and promise of flight.

This is my story. It is being written in real-time as I go through the process of becoming a pilot.

Like most hangar and pilot’s lounge talk, the preceding sentence is only mostly true. The truth is that I thought about starting this writing project when I started taking lessons. That was 265 hours of flying ago and I’ve just begun writing from the notes I’ve made along the way.

The general aviation hook was set years ago, thanks to a Mooney 201.

My infatuation with airplanes began when I was 17. My father bought a brand-new Mooney 201. It was a 1977 model, tail number 201FJ. I remember my first ride in that airplane as though it were yesterday. Pittsburgh’s KAGC was under high, gray skies as usual but that didn’t diminish my feelings of excitement and wonder. I don’t recall where we went that day or why, but I do recall the smell of the hangar and of the cabin of that plane, and its impossible array of gauges and instruments. My dad explained some of them and others remained a mystery.

A few years later, a used Bell 206B JetRanger was purchased. A foreman and I poured a rectangular concrete pad and covered part of it with a military style Quonset hut on the grounds of the family business.  My Dad would land the helicopter on the pad and shut down. I would then secure the aircraft and use a tow bar to lift and push the machine into the hut.

I never flew either aircraft back then, but I flew in them. The general aviation hook was firmly set.

I made two faltering attempts to obey the declaration of that faded, painted metal sign. Each attempt yielded a cheesy flight bag and books, an E6B and plotter, and a few hours of instruction. Life had other plans for my immediate future. There were a variety of shenanigans and misadventures, more than a few romances, and life rolled on.

My career required countless moves around our great country. And later, having cashed out of the business I had started and gone all in on a technology startup, my travels broadened. Seven years commuting monthly to Berlin followed by another six years commuting monthly to Budapest brought me home to the Midwest. Nearly 5 million miles on commercial airliners and 1,000 nights in hotels ranging from opulent to “just try not to touch anything” left me in a state of not wanting to fly commercial again. Ever.

My business travel for the past five years has been almost entirely domestic. Our customers tend to be within 800 miles of home. I Googled airplane charters. It didn’t take long to discover that if it burned Jet-A, we couldn’t afford it. It seemed that no one ran a charter operation with a piston twin. Except one guy. That simplified the decision process.

After a first successful sales trip in a well-used and somewhat threadbare Cessna 310 with two of us as passengers, a second soon followed. I signed up for instruction and learned that we could save a few bucks by using a 182RG and taking the time as dual instruction. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the fearless colleagues who went along on those early trips when the ball was only occasionally centered, and approaches were rarely stable. The 182 made for slow going and some very long days and I was unhappy with the condition of the airplanes. I began to feel that another solution was needed.

An acquaintance introduced me to a man who had a leasing operation. The result was that after working out lease arrangements I was soon logging hours in the right seat of a Cessna 310 and a Cessna 421, flying our business trips with retired airline pilots and controllers, a young pilot who flew antique, radial engine airplanes in Alaska during the season, plus one unique pilot—also the owner of the airplanes—who nearly defies description. Imagine a man in his late sixties who, with a unique blend of southern-accented charm and rascality, tells a nearly continuous stream of hilarious and often instructive stories. He also happens to be the best stick and rudder man anyone at the airport has ever met and I’d fly with him any day.

When the pilot I’m flying with is a CFI, I log the time as instruction. Otherwise I log the time, but not as instruction. And I can report that I have logged some interesting time and encountered situations and events—most of which propel me no further toward checking off the boxes required for my private pilot certificate—but that I am convinced make me a more proficient and safer pilot.

Flying around build-ups in a 310 isn’t on the Private Pilot ACS, but it’s great experience.

Taking off into IMC with moderate turbulence in class B airspace only to have all radio function fail? Check. Cabin filling with smoke on a night flight in IMC? Check. Temporarily losing an engine while switching from mains to aux tanks? Check. Twice. Asking for VFR on top (as an alternative to center’s instruction to descend) only to be advised again to descend into known icing conditions and refusing to do so? Check (that was fun—the retired controller I was flying with taught me a lot about dealing with ATC). Requesting and being granted a block of altitude to work around buildups and then flying through holes and between layers that seemed to be tailor made for that 310? Check, an enthusiastic, hell yes, there’s nothing better than this, CHECK.

There have also been hours of uneventful, gorgeous-weather flight during which the various pilots with whom I fly graciously and unselfishly help me learn what they know. They’ve renamed me “George” as I hand fly the trips with the autopilot decidedly switched off. I am grateful for these pilots and for their many thousands of hours of logged time in everything from balloons and Super Cubs to Boeing airliners. When I can use the autopilot to drink some of the coffee I’ve brought or finally eat whatever snack I can find in the bottom of my flight bag, I’ve come to expect the man in the left seat to pull the power on an engine or switch off an alternator. Are these FAA-approved training techniques? I really don’t know. But I do know that being drilled in this way will make me a better, safer pilot and I am aware of just how fortunate I am.

Not all my experiences flying have been positive. I try to learn something from every situation, but sometimes the lesson has not been worth the risk. Having a CFI fall sound asleep on a cross-country flight when I’d had less than two hours of instruction, and making the peculiar decision to not wake him up?  Flying on to our home airport trying to thread our way between two cells with heavy hail in them? Taking off at night in heavy rain after a long day, brashly assuring the pilot in the left seat that “I have this”? (I didn’t). These mistakes and situations made indelible impressions on me and underscored the wisdom of the lessons, reading, and training I had done. Those corny jokes and mnemonics of John and Martha King have become constants in my mind, and I will be forever grateful for them.

Fear packs a significant motivational punch. Climbing out after takeoff on that cold, rainy and turbulent night and feeling spatial disorientation take over my brain, thinking LEFT! and realizing my hands and feet somehow heard RIGHT!, staring at the altimeter and being uncertain as to what it was telling me? “Your Airplane!” I said.

“My airplane,” came back the response, in a maddeningly calm voice.

“I was wondering when you were going to make that decision.” Picking up ice as we descended to cross the VOR at 4,000, punching the button for the de-ice boots only to have exactly nothing happen? Check. The tail of that 310 felt like it simply quit flying just as we made the runway.

Learn to fly here. Indeed.

Almost all my time has been IFR, though much of it has been in VMC. It’s second nature now to take off, stay under the class B, and call approach to pick up our IFR to wherever we are headed that day. I like the extra safety that comes with those outstanding men and women of ATC providing separation services, being handed off from approach, to center, and so on. But, there are good reasons why this is not how the FAA wants us to learn to fly. Until recently, I’ve been decidedly uncomfortable flying VFR. My pilotage skills required a lot of work.

Views like this make the long days worth it.

Landings were the monster that I had allowed to live in my mind’s closet. And landing the light, high wing 172 is different than landing the heavier twins. Once the runway is made, and the airplane is configured properly, chopping the power in the heavier twin airplane reliably establishes a nice, predictable sinking onto the runway (At least that is how it feels to me). It seems that the 172 wants to fly, and fly, and fly and, in my case at least, float along, teasing the runway. I had allowed the landing bogeyman into my head, and it would end up taking the patient skills of a 30-year veteran CFI to knock it out.

With my written test successfully behind me, I knew that the only thing remaining for me to do is just go fly a small airplane with a good CFI and check off the remaining boxes. The problem was simple: time. Managing the day-to-day of a manufacturing business, together with being the “sales” guy, makes for a full schedule. The usual way of learning to fly—two times a week at the local flight school—is an inefficient use of time. Thirty minutes to the field, sign in and pre-flight eats another 20 minutes, fly for an hour, secure the plane and debrief with the instructor, back to work, and there you have three hours of the day used, with a third of that time being the commute to and from the field.

So, is it any wonder that when my business travel puts me in the right seat of a very nice airplane and I’m asked, “Do you want to fly today?” my answer is an enthusiastic yes?

But I have found a way to devote the time required, and through complete good fortune I found a veteran instructor with the patience of Job who helped me evict the landing bogeyman and signed me off for solo flight. Even though I have 30+ hours of IMC logged and signed off by a CFII, I still need to log 0.6 hours more of “flight training in a single engine airplane solely by reference to instruments.”

My oral exam and check ride draw near. I’ll let you know how it went.

The post Learning to fly the wrong way—and loving every minute of it appeared first on Air Facts Journal.

from Engineering Blog https://airfactsjournal.com/2020/01/learning-to-fly-the-wrong-way-and-loving-every-minute-of-it/

[jacewilliams1]

Nine things I know about flying in Iowa

This is another entry in our “What I know about flying in…” series. If you’d like to write about your home state or country, email us: editor@airfactsjournal.com

1. Flying in Iowa is pure freedom with very little restriction. I grew up in an Iowa town of 900 people with two parks and one airstrip. When I followed an airplane shadow with my bike, the only thing between me and a parked Champ or Cessna 140 was a shallow ditch – in Iowa we are known for tall corn, not tall fences. Iowa is a state with 99 counties and 115 public use airports. Although we do have towers and controlled airspace in Iowa, they are few and far between. Of the 360 headings on the compass, I can leave my home airport on more than 300 of them and not enter ATC-controlled airspace before reaching the state border.

Nothing to block that beautiful sunset in Iowa.

2. There are no geographic features that limit flying in Iowa. Although we lack the beauty of mountains, Great Lakes, and oceans, Iowa’s relatively flat, open terrain is friendly to flying low performance airplanes at low altitudes. Also, those flight horizons are perfect for watching sunrises and sunsets from and airplane.

3. Flying in Iowa is family friendly. In the warmer months, weekend flight breakfasts are scattered around the state nearly every weekend. Flight breakfasts by nature are family friendly with nearly everyone ready to show their airplanes to kids of any age, but I’ve seen some especially kid-friendly ones with rides, bounce houses and even a petting zoo. One of Iowa’s most friendly fly-ins is the monthly Third Thursday Burger Burn in Mason City, Iowa. Hosted by respected warbird pilot, author, and pilot examiner Doug Rozendaal, the burger burn has occurred on the third Thursday evening of the month for over 100 months. The grill is lit and everyone brings something to throw on it. Everyone from experienced warbird pilots to students on cross countries with their instructors are welcome. Families and friends eat together and kids have been known to play wiffle ball in the grass between rows of parked airplanes.

The real “field of dreams.”

4. The “field of dreams” from the Kevin Costner movie is located near Dyersville, Iowa, and it’s worth a circle or two if you are flying over. However, if you are antique airplane enthusiast you know that Iowa’s real field of dreams is Antique Airfield in Blakesburg. Antique Airfield is home of the Antique Airplane Association, founded by Robert Taylor in 1953 and the AirPower Museum. Each Labor Day weekend the annual AAA/APM fly-in attracts hundreds of antique airplanes and aviators from all over the country. The 1920s-looking airfield comes alive during the fly-in as aviators share their airplanes by giving rides, all day and evening – without turning on or bringing a radio. The pattern can be full of airplanes on a nice evening and see and avoid works fine as it did when these ancient flying machines were built. At night the guitars come out and you can sing along while watching the stars in the clear Iowa sky.

5. Iowa is not a “fly over” state during Oshkosh. Iowa airports range from 145-360 nautical miles from Oshkosh, making an Iowa fuel stop likely for many aircraft traveling to Oshkosh from the southwest. Iowa’s small airports and communities love seeing the parade of airplanes heading to OSH and hearing the stories that go with them. After 20 years in the FBO business, I’ve learned the happiest people I meet are those traveling cross country in their own airplanes, not those riding in the back of jets.

6. Agriculture is king in Iowa, and for a few weeks each summer agricultural aviation is king in Iowa. Ag aviators work hard help Iowa feed America and are important to Iowa’s economy. The season is short and there are literally millions of acres to cover, so ag pilots are understandably task saturated on hot, busy summer days. At small, uncontrolled airports ag operators may have some relief from standard traffic patterns and may not be talking on the CTAF, so the best way to work safely with them is to keep your eyes out of the cockpit.

7. General aviation “works” in Iowa. Iowa is home to world class corporations, but not home to a hub airport. Iowa companies use everything from SR22ss to biz jets to make doing business around the country and beyond possible while maintaining Midwest roots. In my career I’ve flown passengers 800 miles or more for a business trip and seen them at a little league game or community event that same night.

Four seasons mean skis are an option.

8. If you don’t like the weather in Iowa, wait a day and it will change. We have everything from tornadoes to blizzards, but to be fair we almost never have them on the same day. Iowa’s long, flat horizons are great for watching weather come and go. Variety is the spice of life, they say, and Iowa’s four seasons provide plenty of variety. Iowa has colorful springs and especially colorful autumns. I think Iowa is just about the greenest place in the world in late June and early July, and although much of our winter can be a dull shade of brown, Iowa really shines from the air when its covered with a blanket of snow. Many of my Champ/Cub/Taylorcraft flying friends have a set of skis in their hangar with a great set of memories to go along with them.

9. Iowa is a great place for flight training. Iowa is not a good choice for a mountain flying checkout, but other than that it has a lot going for it to make it a contender for the best possible place to learn to fly. Iowa has plentiful public use airports, both paved and grass, and more private strips to boot. We have friendly ATC support without complicated procedures – instrument training can be quite efficient in Iowa. Iowa’s varied weather helps build critical pilot skills such as crosswind landings, weather avoidance, and actual weather flying experience in the controlled training environment.

The post Nine things I know about flying in Iowa appeared first on Air Facts Journal.

from Engineering Blog https://airfactsjournal.com/2019/11/nine-things-i-know-about-flying-in-iowa/

[jacewilliams1]

Round engines and tailwheels: a tribute to my dad, Joe Santana

Like a lot of you, I grew up in an aviation family. My dad retired last year from American Airlines after 33 years and too many mergers and “right sizings” to count. However, my dad was an airline pilot for the purpose of feeding his true passion, vintage aviation. Through the years he/we have owned a couple of Luscombes, a couple of Bellanca Cruisairs, a couple of Piper Cubs, a couple of Pietenpol Air Campers, a Piper Pacer, an F-35 Bonanza, a Cessna 120, a Travel Air 4000, a Great Lakes 2T-1A-2, and a Pitts S-1S. He now owns a Bucker Jungmann, a Bellanca Cruisair, a Piper L-4 project, and we co-own a Piper Super Cub. As you can see, he has an affinity for antique, tailwheel airplanes.

Growing up, I have many vivid memories of spending time with Dad at the airport. Whether it was changing the oil in the Pacer, helping with a compression check on the Bonanza, or just washing the bugs off the Pietenpol after a picturesque sunset flight around the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, I learned a lot about flying and life in those moments.

Fathers pass on a lot of knowledge to sons, even when they don’t mean to.

My dad is also an A&P with an Inspection Authorization, so I learned a lot of colorful language while putting a new cylinder on an A-65 or after he dropped a nut that always seemed to be swallowed up by the concrete hangar floor. Seriously, where do all of those nuts go?

My specialty on maintenance projects was to crawl under the instrument panel and await further instruction. From my dad, I not only gained information about how airplanes work, I inherited his passion for them too. My wife says I talk about aviation like there is not an option of life without it, and I have to admit that she’s probably right.

My dad also served as my first flight instructor. He started me on grass in a Piper J-3 Cub, just the way it’s supposed to be. “Hold it off, hold it off, hold it off!” still rings in my head every time I enter the flare on landing in any airplane I find myself. We ended up not being able to use the J-3 for my solo and pre-checkride work, so Dad bought a Cessna 150 for me to finish my training in and then restore. My friend and I basically spent an entire summer in college stripping the paint off of that airplane. Again, my Dad was right by my side teaching and guiding my aviation journey.

You see, my dad did not allow me to do things “just OK.” He wanted me to fly and maintain airplanes with precision. He knew that if I learned it correctly from the start, my aviation journey would be easier and a lot more fun. Mainly due to that influence, I have had the privilege to fly 25+ different types of aircraft, mainly of the antique, tailwheel variety.

My dad also introduced me to some of the best pilots in the country, who regularly are restoring and flying Golden Age airplanes. While I still lived in the US, every summer we would take a trip with 10-15 other airplanes out to Ohio, Indiana, and Wisconsin for a week or two of fly-ins, flour bombing contests, hayfield camping, and hours and hours of sitting around airplanes late at night swapping stories (sometimes true) about the adventures of the previous year.

In those circles I learned about OX-5s, Warners, the history of Waco aircraft, why Mr. Pietenpol did not like the name “Bernie,” and on and on. I wish I had taken better notes, because some of that stuff is just not written down anywhere. It resides in the memory banks of guys like my dad, some of the last barnstormers.

Now passing it on to the next generation.

Mainly due to his personal experiences during his airline career, Dad never encouraged my brother and me to pursue an aviation career. He always said to get a job that pays you well enough to go fly your own airplane anytime you want. I heeded that advice for 10+ years by working in the banking industry and flying and competing in my Pitts on nights and weekends. My brother tried as well, working in government jobs and serving in the Army Air National Guard as a Blackhawk pilot.

However, today both of us work as pilots, my brother as a flight instructor and King Air pilot and me as a missionary pilot for Mission Aviation Fellowship in Indonesia. We just couldn’t stay away; it’s in our blood.

While I’m not able to see Dad very often nowadays, it is because of his influence that I am doing what I’m doing. Through his example, he inspired me to love aviation and I have combined that with my love of service to be a part of the critical link for isolated people in one of the remotest parts of the world. The flying we do is some of the most demanding anywhere and I wouldn’t be able to do it without the discipline that my dad instilled in me even as a pre-solo pilot in the J-3.

Dad, thanks for everything. Thanks for pushing me to be the best pilot I can be, the helpful tips, the flying experiences that I will never forget, but most of all for inspiring the love of aviation within me. I hope your retirement years are filled with grass strips and radial engines. Save a seat in the Bucker for me.

The post Round engines and tailwheels: a tribute to my dad, Joe Santana appeared first on Air Facts Journal.

from Engineering Blog https://airfactsjournal.com/2019/06/round-engines-and-tailwheels-a-tribute-to-my-dad-joe-santana/