MrNomad

MrNomad

Well Known Member
This is a true story, how to get your better half to agree to spend money on your airplane.

We expect to finish the RV9A by Dec. In prep, I want to buy a LOWRANCE but need the better half to agree. So, I did a little "dog and pony show" for my wife over breakfast.

I said to her: "Picture this. We're flying from Tucson to Long Beach. It's overcast, dark, windy, looks like IMC closing in all around us, and we seem to be low on fuel due the headwinds."

THE OLD WAY OF FINDING A NEARBY AIRPORT: I put on my headset on, right there, at the kitchen table. Then, I attached my little red light to my headset, turned it on so I can read the sectional chart that is now spread out all over the cockpit (kitchen table). Even though it's summer, we have to turn off the airplane vents else the sectional chart blows all over (I killed the overhead fan).

Ok, we select an airport and I try to steer the airplane in the general direction, but now I need to work with my E6B to figure the wind correction angle after plotting a course in my lap and checking with ATIS (I fumble with the E6B).

As we get closer to the airport I need to look thru the airport facilities directory which is kept handy in the luggage section. Of course, my reading glasses are needed so I can read the incredibly small print. Meanwhile, I am observing the golden rule of flying, SEE and AVOID.

THE NEW WAY OF FINDING A NEARBY AIRPORT: I then placed my friend's LOWRANCE on the kithen table, pushed the two buttons at the bottom of the screen simultaneously which signaled a menu to appear. All of the NEAREST AIRPORTS are displayed on the LCD screen.

I see the symbol for airport I want. It's only 12 miles away, so I press a couple of buttons and the LOWRANCE GPS downloads the gps heading to the AUTOPILOT I also want to buy.

The airplane heads in the correct direction while I study the airport layout on the 5" screen and we sip coffee.

My wife said: "BUY IT".

No kidding.
 
excellent story--and you didn't even have to lie--truth will set you free!

Nearest buttons are too cool!
 
Or you could just show her the difference in price between the Lowrance 2000C and the alternative Garmin 296/396/496 and she will think you're the smartest and thriftiest builder in the world for wanting the Lowrance. :) And she'd be right!

Glad it all worked out!
 
Love it, here is what it did

LOL, that took some nice planning; What a CLOSER!
Here is my similar story. I live in Austin and we had a wedding in Sulphur Springs TX (ENE of dallas) (4 hr drive with child) (2 hr flight). GW was at Crawford ranch so I like to fly way around that and it was in my direct flight path. I would usually go around the East side (closest), but a lot of weather was there. Weather blocking my path from Waco to way past Shreveport. So I told her we would have to fly around P 49 to the west to make sure we dodge weather. So, Austin to Sulphur Springs via Abilene (50 min out of the way) I stayed just low enough that it was a little warm also. So anyway, our quick 2 hr flight turned into 3 but we made it in time for wedding.
Then next day on way home, low ceilings and light showers were everywhere. I made sure we had plenty visibility and we took off. Had to dodge showers and clouds for than 1/2 the trip. (She does not like the hot bumpy stuff). All the way home I was saying that with a 396, we could sure see a clearer picture of what was ahead....
we got home, ... she asked when was I going to get a 396!!!

You just have to SHOW the spouse how the new equipment/ plane will make HER life better.. I am now trying to sell my wife on a Bonanza or Comanche 250. Sold the rv6a since we have a 3 person family. She KNOWS the annuals and ins. will go up, but man I hate being plane less.
jeff
austin tx
 
More than 20 years ago we were returning home from a trip to the inlaws in New Mexico. Somewhere around San Angelo, we flew into an embedded thunderstorm. Imagine a couple pebbles in a can being kicked. About the 10th time we bounced of the headliner, all those plants my mother-in-law dug up hopped right out of those plastic bags. There was dirt in our back pockets and it fell out of our ears that night.
We were both pretty shaken by the experience but her only comment was, "You're not doing that again." We had discussed a Stormscope several times over the preceeding months. The next month, one was in the panel. :D

David Lloyd
 
The above posting brought a smile to my face. About 15 years ago the engine experienced a broken exhaust valve. I called Stockton approach to request a vector to the nearest airport. My wife just sat there with her eyes wide open. We both still had to strain our eyes to find the airport because of the haze. To make a long story short The LORAN was the hot item back then and I wanted one. Sitting at the kitchen table, I mentioned to her that we were fortunate to be near RADAR coverage, but had we not had a RADAR steer, who knows what would have happened? I just "happened to be looking" at an ad for a LORAN and mentioned, "Oh, look...you push one button and the headings and distances for the nearest 10 airports pop up." As with the story above, she said, "Buy it!" Of course, me sitting at the kitchen table reading the LORAN ad was a planned event. Hope she doesn't read this. :D
 
Lucky me. About a month ago I went to Oshkosh for the first time, in search of info on stuff I want to go into my -7. Among other things, engine information. I came back and told my wife about the Superior XP IO-360, the show discount they were offering and how it's hard to fly an airplane without an engine. She said "buy it". So I did :)
 
My wife always grumbled about the amount of $ I was spending on my -9 so when it came time to decide on an engine I knew I had to go with a low cost option. I told her I could buy a used engine and rebuild it myself or get one rebuilt by professionals that was tested and ready to be installed. I was really surprised when she told me to go with the more expensive option even though it meant a line of credit on the house.
She knows me better than I know myself. Something so important is better left up to the pros.
 
The spousal unit bought me a Sporty's hand held tranceiver for Christmas a couple of years ago. After opening and thanking her no end I said "Wow, this is great, I hope I never have to use it." The look on her face when she said, (with excessive volume I might add), "WHAT?" was scary. It was at that moment I realized she had no idea that I wanted it as a backup for the Comm in the plane. After expaining the purpose of the hand held she felt a whole lot better about it.

BTW, my wife has backed me 100% in my persuit to fly airplanes and also to build an airplane. My wife is the best!
 
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