One Year Anniversary

[LRF]

Well I am happy to report that I have been flying my '48 ragwing N4046V for one year as of September 16th. My story is as follows:

In the spring of 2005 I was 47 years old, very happily married with two active daughters (11 & 13), enjoying a very busy and demanding career as a Petroleum Engineer - and bored out of my mind. I was too old to play the sports of my youth and working out is only so much fun. I do not play golf, but I love to saltwater fish, which is equally time consuming due to the logistics. I was looking for a hobby that I would find mentally and physically stimulating and logistically convenient. Flying has fulfilled that goal in spades!

I started considering flying as I had briefly taken lessons upon graduation from college, 25 years earlier, while in South Louisiana. Although I only had completed about 25 hours (I had long since lost my old log book), I had earned my solo ticket and really enjoyed the experience before dropping the training for the usual excuses - time, money, access to a plane. I did not want a repeat of this. I was willng to make a personal commitment to the time, which is not only selfish but also easy when you are genuinely interested in something. I didn't want to move forward, however, if I couldn't afford to purchase a plane. Ready access to a plane was critical to me. After some research, I was pleased to find that some of the single engine aircraft were relatively affordable. I knew I wanted to go tail wheel and quite rapidly settled on the 170 for all the reasons you guys already know.

I started my flight lessons on May 11, 2005 in a Citabria. I had a great instructor with something over 10,000 hours in tail wheel. She trained me right, including spin training. I sure picked the skills up faster at age 22, but I am confident my maturity makes me a better (safer) pilot than I would have been in my youth. I actually purchased 4046V during the summer of 2005 - sight unseen. I had pictures of the plane, which was located in Illinois, and had a mechanic thoroughly check her out for me. I agreed to accept a few minor but necessary repairs that were identified by the mechanic in return for the previous owner delivering the plane to me here in Houston. He was more than happy to do so and I received delivery of 4046V a couple of days before I earned my Private License on September 13, 2005.

My first flight in 4046V was on September 16, 2005. I have a terminal problem with becoming quite attached to inanimate objects, especially ones that are as functional a piece of art as a 170. I found my 170 to be considerably more rudder sensitive than the Citabria I trained in, but I soon had the thrill of flying solo in my own plane! I am having an affair, it is plan for all to see.

As fate would have it, my job duties unexpectedly changed several months after receiving my license. The duties now require a fair amount of travel to areas not readily serviced by commercial flights. My flying has made this more logistically convenient and I am allowed a much better ability to maintain my proficiency, (however skilled that may be).

As of this writing, I have logged 412 hours (358 hours in N4046V) and landed at 78 different airports in five states, as virtually all my flying is cross-country.

I am a very fortunate man. I want to thank the contributors to this site. I review it quite regularly in an efort to expand my knowledge. I am no mechanic, but enjoy honing my knowledge even if it is just a basic understanding.

Larry Forney

[170C]

Larry, fly that ragwing up to Hilltop Lakes next Sat (23rd) for the C-170 Flyin and let us have a look at you plane and you'll have a good meal and tire kicking that is hard to beat!

[GAHorn]

Yes, Larry! See you at Hilltop Lakes http://www.airnav.com/airport/0TE4 by 11AM. Contact Louise Bicford in Houston (our state rep). She and Cleo live at Dry Creek airport just NW of Weiser Airpark. In the directory. (Or email/PM/call me and I'll give you details and their ph.#.)