There were some truly great GA aircraft built in the 1970's...

So both of your first planes were French-built 337's?:confused:

Cessna Skylane
Piper Warrior II
Piper Arrow IV
Piper Lance II
Titan Tornado
Cessna Stationair
Cessna 340 (never named by Cessna)

I also own an a Yak 52 (similar bird) along with the P337. Oddly, i mostly fly a Cessna 182 at the moment.

It pained me to sell the CJ but couldn't afford to keep two airplanes. The Skymaster has the needed space for car seats and baby strollers.

Yeah I hear you.
The Yak is a great aircraft. I've come to the conclusion that there are two types of aircraft owners. Those who literally just scrape along trying their best to do the bare minimum and those who actually have a passion and pride in flying well presented and we'll maintained aircraft.

I've learnt so much about the process of maintaining an aircraft through running the Yak. However, jebus. Its shown me some absolute horrors of what people will pencil whip given an incentive.

Before 337....? Helicopter
 

I started with an Enstrom F28 in the late 70's.
About 500 hours in it.
To impress girls.

Married the first one who was impressed by my ability to FLY it, vs own it.

In Washington DC, airlines driving me nuts (to visit aforementioned woman then in Boston).

Transitioned to fixed wing. What, maybe 10 hrs C152, 3 in a C172.
Then bought my RSTOL 337.

Closest thing I could get to a helicopter:
Great view.
Almost as short a landing roll.

But it was QUITE a transition.

"Do NOT terminate at zero airspeed in a 2 ft hover"
"Remember to lineup with the runway before touching down"
"Do NOT land with your nose still 45 degrees into a crosswind"
"What do you mean pull BACK to climb?"
"Get too slow and this thing can STALL!!!"

The 337 is hard to shoot down
(would become useful later over DC, when someone tired and hit my rear prop).

Inline redundancy makes helicopter altitudes even better (and legal).

I was flying with Tom, a friend, GA pilot and NTSB judge.
Up the Potomac River at "less than 500"

Not being an idiot. Staying away from homes, boats etc.
Similar to how I would fly down coast to Hatteras.

I asked Tom, "What would NTSB think of this flight?"

He replied, (paraphrase 91.119)
"Over populated it is 1000ft and 2,000 from nearest etc."
"Unpopulated 500..., or over water, .."
"with enough altitude to land in the event of power failure"

"In this airplane you can lose an engine at gross and still climb to 16,000ft"
"So it is safe"

I you check out flightaware n86121 tracks
you will see I often do what I call a "river return" back into Potomac.

Once a helicopter pilot....

The joy of D.C. Flying
 

I'd love to join you on one of those flights someday. My buddy just bought a yacht over in Oxford, MD across the Chesapeake. He's living on it until he sails it to St. Thomas for the winter. If I visit him I may try to darken your door...:D

My D.C. flying story: While flying for US Airways, we would occasionally depart runway 1 at Reagan (DCA). Departing 1, you are on a direct path for the White House. To avoid overflying the White House at low altitude, pilots are instructed to make a HARD left turn AS SOON AS PRACTICAL. We took FULL advantage of this, is all I would say. Maximum Bank angles may have been exceeded. But it was for National Security, right? :p

My Potomac Airfield motto, "Who says national security can't be fun?"
 

Having sold our Hatteras beach house, and with hgih govofficials NOT traveling toDC to see our tech (forthe time being), I am searching for my new mission.

I have bought a few GoPros and am planning to do some more 'training' videos.

A few years back I could see the turmoil all the agencies were in, chasing each other's tails (and everyone else's), not knowing what they were supposed to do. And not being able to talk or coordinate in any rational way about 'compartmented' activities. And lots of people involved with zero operational experience or frame of reference.

So I put this video together https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P7CIAAjvfc

It is title "National Security Airspace Explained."

Not to spoil it, ...I use children's toys.

The exec director of US customs air & marine (includes special air ops with USSS) laughed out loud. He said, "It clear, it's accurate, it's memorable. All things government cannot do."

USAF Chief of Staff told me "They consider the video the most lucid briefing available on the airspace"

NCRCC, "Although not 'sanctioned,' the video routinely used for in-briefing into special air operations in the capital region'

I might tell you about some of my other shananigans....

If anyone here gets to Washington DC (or nearby), look me up
We can go flying, and PROBABLY won't get shot down.

Piper Archer II

I don't have a Skymaster yet, but when I do It'll be the one I had before.

I like your way of thinking! :cool:

Great video David!

Some would say you stepped down from the 340 into the Skymaster. By three points at least.

How would you answer them?

I "split" the 340 into two planes for two different missions. I got a King Air and the 337. The King Air is more comparable to the 340 - it goes farther, faster, higher and carries more. That was really the 340's replacement.

The 337 is slower, harder to work on, not as harmonized on the controls...but it is FUN. Visibility is EXCELLENT. It takes off and lands in a parking lot. Like David, I have an early Turbo model with R/STOL.

I also spend a lot of time at low altitudes. The 337 beats the 340 for that mission. I just got back from a trip to Alaska in the 337 with 50 hours hand flying at 1000' or lower, much of it 500' or lower. I landed on gravel strips under 2000' without thinking twice. You just can't do that in a 340. My wife is a great photographer, and the 337 beats the 340 for the photo mission by a mile (my O-2 door is getting put on in October.) I've also flown a 206 in Alaska, and the turbo 337 let me fly routes I wouldn't touch in the NA single. It just may be the best "tourist" airplane for flightseeing I can imagine.

Airplanes I've Owned Before
 

C-172
Bellanca Viking
Bellanca Viking
Geronimo Apache
C-210
C-210D
P210
C337A
B-55 Baron
C45H Twin Beech
DC3
C337C
C421B
C414
C310R
C337D

Just Love Airplanes