Up, Up and away

[Hambone]

As some know both of my boys are pilots, my oldest just took a corporate pilot job close to home, he's now flying a Baron and a TBM850, The 850 is the fastest civilian single engine aircraft at 400mph with a service ceiling of 32,000 ft. They are about to buy a Citation CJ4 , he is flying daily and I've been flying with him a couple days a week, don't be surprised if I show up in your hometown. Watch out Rick, they have an office in New York.

IMG_1350.JPG

IMG_1351.JPG

IMG_1352.JPG

[rickf]

You know where I live, stop in anytime. I seriously doubt he is flying wearing that attire though!

[Hambone]

You know where I live, stop in anytime. I seriously doubt he is flying wearing that attire though!

That's the day we flew it down close to TJ to get a bath??? They detailed it in 4 hours , must be nice to have FU money.

[rickf]

If you can afford those kinds of toys you can afford to take them wherever you please to get them washed! I am sure Horst probably has some stories similar to that with his chopper flying jobs.

[raymond]

Kind of tough to land in Clarksville unless you have pontoons for landing on the Mississippi or big balloon tires for landing in a muddy farm field.

[Hambone]

Kind of tough to land in Clarksville unless you have pontoons for landing on the Mississippi or big balloon tires for landing in a muddy farm field.

I think he has his seaplane rating but I'm going to pass on the water landing, but I bet the nearest airport has a courtesy car. Rick would be jealous if I was wasting ammo and swimming in that pool.

[rickf]

Damn right I would!!!! But somehow I doubt either you nor Raymond would really care.

[Hambone]

Well, they passed on Citation CJ4, probably because the turbine props are more efficient, but we did end up with a new toy, it's a Pilatus PC-12. 315mph cruise, 32,000ft service ceiling, 1800 mile range and 9 passengers, the TBM is a little faster but this one will haul a load. We flew to Destin yesterday and got passed by a couple F16's(I think).

pc12-1.JPG

pc12-2.JPG

pc12-3.JPG

[rickf]

Nice, But I will take a Cessna 152 any day. Loud, bumpy and old. Not to mention slow but if it dies it has a really nice glide ratio and slow stall speed and can land about anywhere. Next choice is an even older Super cub that can land, and stop, on the numbers at the end of the runway! And can glide almost as far as a glider.

[Hambone]

Nice, But I will take a Cessna 152 any day. Loud, bumpy and old. Not to mention slow but if it dies it has a really nice glide ratio and slow stall speed and can land about anywhere. Next choice is an even older Super cub that can land, and stop, on the numbers at the end of the runway! And can glide almost as far as a glider.

Your Mustang is faster.

[Horst]

Pilatus PC12 is an awesome airplane. It pretty much can land everywhere, concrete or grass, short strips. I have been to Buochs in Switzerland a couple of times, the Pilatus is actually a mountain right next to the airfield/factory. One of my former flight students has one, the NG with the full glass cockpit.

[rickf]

Air America (Americas covert air service) in Vietnam use the Pilatus a lot. I saw those things land on mountain slopes that went uphill steep enough that they were tough to walk on. Testament to the pilots and the planes toughness because they hit hard on those landings. Gave new meaning to "Sticking the landing"!

Granted this video is from a movie and I seriously doubt Mel Gibson did the landing but it shows the types of landings I saw where I was operating in VN.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJgeYpw1Ukg

[Horst]

Video is unfortunately not available in Germany but I assume it is a PC-6. Austrian Army still flies them and they are popular for skydiving operations.

[Hambone]

Pilatus PC12 is an awesome airplane. It pretty much can land everywhere, concrete or grass, short strips. I have been to Buochs in Switzerland a couple of times, the Pilatus is actually a mountain right next to the airfield/factory. One of my former flight students has one, the NG with the full glass cockpit.

I will ask my son how Pilatus got it name, you know how your kids are, always smarter than you, I might one up him there. He's a little bummed right now, it's going to be a month before he can get type rated at SimCom in Florida. They just spent $12,000 getting him type rated in the TBM, now back for another $12,000 to get rated again , glad my aviation expenses are over but it was money well spent, most people hate their jobs, he absolutely loves his. Horst, are you a fixed wing pilot?

[Mark]

A long time ago I was going to get a pilot's license, but it would have cost $20K, which was the cost of renting the plane mostly, had to have so many hours of flying time, which I think included flying in bad weather?This was in 1976, which I shouldn't mention as there goes you all thinking I am in my 20's.LOL, Aw, I talk too much, the ref can delete what he thinks is not essential.