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Aircraft I have flown


billn53

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I'd like to share a few photos of aircraft I have flown during and after earning my private pilot's license.

 

My primary training was performed at Ft. Meade airport (KFME) in the Socata TB-8 "Tampico". It is a pleasant aircraft to fly, very roomy inside, though a bit under-powered.

 

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I also did a session of spin awareness and spin recovery training in the Super Decathlon:

 

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Here I am just after completing my flight exam for my PPL. It was a long day, and I was beat!

 

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Soon after receiving my PPL, I moved to Huntsville, Alabama and began flying out of Madison County Executive Airport (KMDQ). My first flights were in this Piper Warrior:

 

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But I soon started training for an instrument rating in this Garmin 1000 equipped Cessna C172:

 

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For something completely different, I also tried out gliders in this well-worn LET L13 Blanik:

 

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Finally, in celebration of both my instrument rating and 60th birthday, I treated myself to three sorties with Air Combat USA in Fullerton, CA in the Marchetti SF260:

 

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Laser-tag with airplanes:

 

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Formation flying is really hard!

 

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And, to round out the experience, I finished up with an introductory aerobatics flight in this Extra 300L:

 

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Doing loops over Long Beach:

 

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Other aircraft I've flown but don't have photos of are the Socata TB-9 and Piper Arrow IV.

Thanks for viewing!

 

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Edited by billn53
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Here are gun camera pics of my "kills" taken during my three Air Combat USA flights:

 

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What a blast! Max G-load I experienced was 5.5g. I'm not going to show any pics of me making love with my barf bag, though!

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In 2004 and again in 2007, while in Southern California on family vacation, I visited Barnstorming Adventures. The first time I was in a SNJ Texan. The flight lasted a hour and I had the control for  over half of it. The next time there, I flew in a 1931 Travelaire 4000. This was a 40 minute flight with about 20 minutes of stick time.

 

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Chris

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8 hours ago, billn53 said:

For something completely different, I also tried out gliders in this well-worn LET L13 Blanik:

 

41450602555_8fbaf1048d_b.jpg 

 Thanks for viewing!

 

 

That's an L23 Super Blanik.  Just sayin.   :tease:

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