Hey, there!

[patrolpilot]

Hey guys! Been without a personal airplane for 15 years and decided I needed another as the kids and grandkids have gotten further from home. I was looking at Comanches and almost pulled the trigger on a 400, but moma had a talk with me. She didn't want to do the travel we were talking about in a single. I get that, so I started to look at Twin Comanches and Skymasters, and the 337 won out. Within a few days, one will be ours.

I started my flying life as a pipeline patrol pilot, moving on to corporate jets and then the airlines. I had always targeted 60 as retirement and did so. We live on a ranch in the top part of South Texas. For near five years, I didn't fly a thing until a fellow asked me if I would fly a patrol plane a couple of days a week. Durn, if I didn't miss a personal airplane so here I am!

My relationship with the 337 started with my first flying job at a Cessna dealer in deep South Texas; we operated a P337 for a customer. I always thought it an odd airplane as it was factory new with Cessna avionics but without a glideslope receiver. That's right, the best you could fly was a LOC. Know one was sure how it ended up with just that.

I left that job to fly a pipeline patrol. I thought that would be the best best for gaining total time quickly and be out on my own. It worked plus an interstate pipeline company hired me to patrol their pipelines in a Company 337. I wonder if any of you went through the Cessna school as well?

http://ranchdogoutdoors.com/pilot/33...c/CCoT_337.jpg

Before going to the interstate pipeline, I flew a Twin Comanche for a family every weekend, which complemented the total time I was building. As soon as I went to work with the 337 for the pipeline, they asked me to get the ATP as I met the qualification. Check it out!

http://ranchdogoutdoors.com/pilot/33...sc/TAC_CLT.jpg

The airplane I flew on the pipeline was a '77 G, and as it turns out, that is what I'm buying.

I'm looking forward to reading, learning, and participating!