[mcsteatlh]

Met a Mr. Miller and his 'significant other' this past Monday. They were in an unpainted RV-7 tail dragger with a 320 in it. At least I think it was a Mr Miller. His Significant other, didn't catch her name had a noticable accent that I would guess to be Austrailian, British, or South African(covered my bases there, didn't I ) They were in Kerrville, Tx (KERV) visiting for the weekend. I believe Hobbs, NM was their home base. Anyway, I hope they had a good flight back and that all is well.

I was just crawling out of the 172 that I'm training in and they were fueling up for the trip home. Oh how I wanted to be in their plane. Being on my 15th hour of training, and getting scolded by my instructer for not keeping the nose up, then being scolded for compensating too much, then being behind the airplane and not flying it (yep, scolded again) I began to wonder if I would ever be ready to fly a RV-7 like that. Mr Miller just smiled and encouraged me to keep it up. Nice guy.

I want his plane but first I need to learn how to fly.

Learning (Trim to 70kts)
McStealth

ps,
I don't have much experience flying, but can tell you a 172 handles worse than a junk Harley. It feels like a sick brick in my hands.

 

[n5lp]

...His Significant other, didn't catch her name had a noticable accent that I would guess to be Austrailian, British, or South African(covered my bases there, didn't I ) ...

Kind of close, I guess. It's German.

 

[airguy]

I don't have much experience flying, but can tell you a 172 handles worse than a junk Harley. It feels like a sick brick in my hands.

Don't feel bad - I've got a lot of hours in a 172, and every one I get into still flies like a sick brick. It's one of the driving factors for building my 9A.

 

[CraigC]

It still amazes me how people get snobbish after accomplishing so much. Forgetting where we come from is like losing your identity. I will always cherish flight for the freedom you get, and the accomplishment of a flight done well. I have met many people while flying and many I respect fly the most dimunitive aircraft around. Retired airline captains in 150's, ex-military pilots in Ercoupes, it matters not to them. To them just to fly is enough. I own a '61 172B Fast back. It has taken me from Missouri to the east and west coast and Oshkosh for several years. On the anniversary of the 172 in 2006 I was flight lead for 50 Cessnas flying into Oshkosh in formation for the first time. I am building an RV-8, but I still love my 172 and always will. She is a beautiful aircraft and has taken me far, literally and figuratively. You might not want to call her a sick brick where I can hear it! Enjoy your flying gents. It does not last forever.

 

[n5lp]

...You might not want to call her a sick brick where I can hear it! Enjoy your flying gents. It does not last forever.

I didn't take the remark quite the same way. He said he is inexperienced.

I also find there is a remarkable difference in the handling of an RV and a 172 but I have tremendous respect for 172s all the same.

I had an old friend who had a saying about women and airplanes that involved there not being a bad instance of either. I kind of go along with that. Does anyone think a DC-3 is a good handling airplane? I haven't flown one, but I know quite a few people that have. They love it and think it flies kind of like a pig. By objective standards, I think it is hard to say a J3 is a good handling airplane, but I think they are great.

With experience comes perspective. Handling and high performance are wonderful things to have but they aren't everything. No matter how great your airplane is in some aspect, someone else's is better and it is still a tremendous privilege to fly a Cub or Beech 18 or a Schweizer 2-22.

 

[Jaypratt]

Lucky

We who get to fly are blessed. I started in a C150 in Tortola, BVI. Finished up PPL in a 59 C172 in Weatherford, TX. I Still miss that airplane for what it is..... I would own it again if I could. ...The kit Super Cub I fly is something special to me. and my RV8 gets me there. I wish I could have kept that 1970 Cherokee SIX 300 and not had to sell it to buy that engine / prop for N46RV my first RV6... it is a great airplane.
dang,,, Kermit Weeks must have a hard time deciding which airplane to fly/...
Yep I am happy to get to fly anything.
I have a CGS hawk to rebuild here an ultralight,,, I am going to have fun with it and be glad to get to share it with friends too.
Rvs are great, but not the end all, do all airplane. But, get one if you can, but fly every day even if it is a xxxxx.

 

[John Clark]

Fly anything!

Rvs are great, but not the end all, do all airplane. But, get one if you can, but fly every day even if it is a xxxxx.

Well said Jay. I have a lot of time in a bunch of xxxxxs And have enjoyed every minute of it. I can also say that I learned something from each one of them. McStealth needs to understand that a 172 may not be "sexy" but it is the most popular light aircraft around. The EAA honored it in 2006:

www.airventure.org/2006/news/060214_cessna.html

John Clark
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA

 

[Stephen Lindberg]

Pig or Cow?

Ernest K. Gann likened the DC-3 to an "amiable cow" and I think that's about right. But pig, no, not ever. The best flying 172's were the early straight tail models. They were lighter and the controls better harmonized. Add a 180 Lyc and you've got a truly great airplane.

I'm a lumper, not a splitter, so I will go out on a limb and state that every model of airplane that I have ever flown is more like all the others than different, but I appreciate the differences just the same. I have loved them all. As far as comparing airplanes to women...I'll stop right here.

Except to say be grateful for whatever you are privileged to fly and share the joy. Personal flight is one of the high points of Western Civilization.

 

[Danny King]

Love of Airplanes

My first plane was a Cessna 140. I was instructing in the Northrop T-38 Talon at the time, and my jet jock buddies ask me why I wanted to fly a 85hp old Cessna on the weekends when I get to fly a supersonic "hot rod" during the week? I said, the T-38 is the most exciting airplane I've ever flown, but when I'm in the Cessna, I feel very relaxed. I sometimes climb just a few hundred feet. I might wonder along the shore of Lake Amistad and watch the cranes fly low over the lake, or follow the Devils river for miles until the rock walls climb high on waters edge. I always return in a good mood no matter how I felt when I took off.

Later, I owned a J-3 cub, a Christen Eagle II biplane, and a Grumman AA1-A "Yankee".. The Cub always put a goofy grin on my face when I flew her. The Grumman was very much like a low powered RV-6A, and was a pretty good cross county airplane. I owned her for twenty three years. The Christen Eagle fed my hunger for aerobatics. I just loved doing torque rolls, always trying to do them as good as Charlie Hillard.

The three airplanes were all very different, and I love then all for different reasons. When the Doll was flying, I sold the other three airplanes. It was easier to take care of one high performance airplane, and gain space in the hanger. Still I miss those torque rolls in the Eagle, and the low and slow flying with the door off in the Cub on a summer morning. I traded that goofy grin for an RV grin.

 

[Norman CYYJ]

The very best airplane to fly is the one that you are flying at the moment. As long as you're flying.

 

[mcsteatlh]

Yes

Yes I am very inexperienced in aviation. That is a given. To my credit though, I have been involved in motorsports for 25 years as a racer and an owner. I know what an ill handling motorcycle feels like. I know when the dampening is slow or the rebound is too much for the conditions. I know when the car is pushing or in a neutral state. There is almost nothing sweeter than a bike responding exactly to your inputs like it is reading your mind. That 172 ain't reading my mind. You have to TELL it go there, now there, and BACK....I SAID BACK... ...

I am grateful that I am even in the air. That full flap descent to landing today was eye opening (is he ever going to pull the nose up?????)

Sincerely
McStealth

ps
I guess Mr Miller made it home okay. He had a heck of a tail wind.