Page 1 of 1

I crossed a milestone today...

Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 4:04 am
by Ryan Smith
Zenda Liess, my DPE friend that I allow to fly my (actually her) 170 from time to time wanted to fly today. Zenda is very cold natured and doesn't do too well below about 90°. It was in the upper 30s today and she hasn't flown the 170 since September, so she asked me to pull the airplane, warm it up and taxi it up to the FBO so she could get current again since I've had the airplane all over North Carolina and most of the southeastern US in the last few months. I was all too happy to oblige her request. If it weren't for her, I probably wouldn't be flying today...at least at the level I am currently.

She only flew for about a half hour; got a half-dozen landings, then quickly scurried home. I was totaling my logbook and saw that I was .1 hour shy of the ATP minimum total time requirement of 1500 hours. Since that's been on my radar for the past few years, I could think of no better way to cross over than to do it in style in the only object of my affection since I was a baby. I didn't fly long; another half hour on the Hobbs, but it was a pretty neat experience that I was able to share with my friend and Cessna 180 owner, Chris Redhouse. Chris is an Oregon transplant that learned to fly about the time I was born and then put aviation on hold to pursue a career and family. He was in the accounting department at Daimler Benz and was promoted to CFO of Thomas Built Busses a few years ago, which is headquartered just south of town. He got a flight review in a Cherokee at another airport and then came out to Air Harbor to rent for a few months because he lives almost across the street. He earned his tailwheel endorsement in the 170 before I moved back home and promptly bought a museum-quality 1947 Taylorcraft BC-12D off of eBay. After flying it for about 100 hours in the span of 8 months, he upgraded to an (almost brand new) Citabria and then bought a "rustic" 1953 Cessna 180. He sold the Citabria to Dave Grohl's (of Foo Fighters fame) uncle after about a year and kept the 180.

After I flew the 170, my freelance student I've been working with showed back up at Air Harbor and I was able to solo him this afternoon. I've honestly lost count of how many first solos I've endorsed and proctored, and how many checkride recommendations I've given since February.

This past year has been a blast, and I'm looking forward to more flying adventures in 2018.

Re: I crossed a milestone today...

Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 6:28 am
by gfeher
That is a nice way to cross the line. Congratulations Ryan.

Re: I crossed a milestone today...

Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 11:05 am
by KG
That's great Ryan! You have been busy! Congrats!

Re: I crossed a milestone today...

Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 1:04 pm
by hilltop170
Congratulations! Definitely a milestone in a pilot's career.

So Ryan, when is the check ride? I assume you have already taken the written?

Re: I crossed a milestone today...

Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 1:44 pm
by c170b53
Good smiles in that photo, and here's to whole bunch more. Great one Ryan!

Re: I crossed a milestone today...

Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 5:43 pm
by n3833v
Congratulations on that milestone. I know what it feels like when a special milestone is met.

John