Think you get dirty working on Alpines

[skywords]

Just thought I'd share some pics of me working on my Pembroke back in 2001. The fella in the pic with me is Sean Keating a very fine man who also owned and may still own a Pembroke. He lives in British Columbia and if anyone knows him kindly buy him a steak and a beer for me. My Pem had a collision with his Land Rover and the Pem won with zero damage. I paid for the repairs naturally. This man is the Jan and Ian of the old English airplane world.

Note: Page 8 there is a camper van made from a gooneybird fuselage.

Thanks for the exposure Ruud.

http://www.ruudleeuw.com/tmp-photos-9.htm

 

[Nickodell]

Some fabulously interesting and unique pictures, Rick. I especially loved that elegant DH Beaver (Otter?) turbojet conversion. Reminds me of the DC-3s that were similarly converted with, I believe, a 70% increase in thrust and 50kts in cruise.

The Bristol Freighter brought back memories. I'm certain this was the aircraft in which wife and I made our first motoring trip to France in 1964. The car, together with one other, was driven (not by me!) up ramps into the lower part of the fuselage and we sat in the passenger compartment in the upper part. Flew from Dover to Calais (all of 20 minutes) and then motored from there.

Incidentally, I just sold my 1/3 share in the Bonanza, so I am "planeless" for the first time in 15 years. From now on I'll be renting them and paying for wet time, although I'm sure all the rental ones will be high-wingers with Hershey-bar wings. I've always been a low-winger. Rick, any hints on what to look out for when renting?

 

[skywords]

Nick
Those are some neat birds.

I can only advise you of one thing when you rent and that is to never fly unless you take the non owners rental insurance. Even if the FBO has the aircraft insured they will use subrogation against anybody they can to recover their losses. Believe me this is the Gospel truth. I might even look into some sort of umbrella policy that might work. There is no such thing as an accident anymore, everything must be blamed on someone.

I think you will find flying a little cheaper by renting especially if you can find a club that offers their aircraft for a reasonable price per hour. But watch out some of the clubs maintenance habits can be a little laxed. Clubs are getting hard to find these days because the airport Nazi's drive them off the fields. We have a real bunch of Hitlers running our airport. Here is a link to the town code for the airport. Note that all aircraft in the tie downs must be in annual What the fluck I have never heard of such a thing. And to make things even more flucked up they will not allow anymore helicopters to be based at our airport. Yea an airport that has received hundreds of millions in federal grants won't allow a federally licensed helicopter with a federally licensed pilot to operate out of it. I think the feds would want their money back what do you think? They are also trying to get rid of the good airplanes like the PT2-V, DC-4s and Connies. Our wonderful Director thinks they are an eye sore. I think he is an eye sore. Read this bull slit.

http://www.marana.com/DocumentView.asp?DID=486

 

[Nickodell]

Some men (and women [look out if Hillary get in]) go power mad, become little Hitlers and Napoleons. One of the best lines I remember was Sean Connery in The Hill, to a sadistic guard in the stockade: "You'd be a toilet attendant if it gave you a uniform and someone to yell at."

Shakespeare summed it up in Measure for Measure:

But man, proud man,
Dress’d in a little brief authority,
Most ignorant of what he’s most
assur’d . . .
Plays such fantastic tricks before high
heaven
As makes the angels weep.