The Good, the Bad & The Ugly in Texas

[N4843W]

While in Texas a couple of weeks ago on business I saw many interesting sights, as par for the course, including these 3 Commander sightings.

The Good: a plane of one of our most cherished members, on the ramp at the Airport Diner/Hangar Hotel at Fredericksburg, T82, sight of a former COG Fly-In that we all enjoyed. Kind of sad to see this bird in the hands of someone else, but it was looking good and the new owner seemed like a great guy. He said he just joined COG. Good that Blaine's Roadrunner has found a home.

The Bad: A Pretty bird at 1T7, Kestral Airpark, north of San Antonio. A new arrival according to the locals. Why bad? OK, he does have a cover, but to let her bake in that Texas Hill Country Sun seems criminal. At least it is fairly dry there, compared to east and north Texas. Anyone know the owner?

The Ugly: A classic bird, but one that is wasting away. No one knew much about her, or recalled seeing her fly. Curious ... the interior was gorgeous, virtually brand-new leather. The struts were ridiculously low, but the tires appeared to be at full pressure. Go figure. Maybe someone's project plane and ran short of cash? Anyone know this owner?

The Bonus: The Green Angel with my sis and her husband (not me!) on Mother's Day ... I took her to the Airport Diner for lunch and a scenic hill country tour. Perfect day. (He husband was still smart enough to take her to a white-tablecloth place for dinner that evening.)

 

[plight]

Re: The Good, the Bad & The Ugly in Texas

I like the roadrunner on the first bird.

 

[FS]

Re: The Good, the Bad & The Ugly in Texas

... the new owner seemed like a great guy. He said he just joined COG. Good that Blaine's Roadrunner has found a home.

He's not new. If you were at Sedona then you'd know that Jon Jaeb is an award-winning Commander owner. He, uh, won the Golden Tire award.

Having sat at his table during the awards dinner, I can agree that he's a great guy. Took the award with dignity and pride, and will be equally happy to pass it on to someone else in Indiana.

 

[DKrueger]

Re: The Good, the Bad & The Ugly in Texas

I think 114P was for sale when I was looking. If I remember correctly a dealer had taken it on trade and Judi knew both the dealer and the Commander. That's not a big surprise to anyone I know, she knows all of them it seems. The poor 112 is like mine, she needs some new paint. Scott, as a new owner who doesn't fly for business I am jealous of your travels. You must log the most hours of anyone in the COG family or close to it.

 

[N4843W]

Re: The Good, the Bad & The Ugly in Texas

I think 114P was for sale when I was looking. If I remember correctly a dealer had taken it on trade and Judi knew both the dealer and the Commander. That's not a big surprise to anyone I know, she knows all of them it seems. The poor 112 is like mine, she needs some new paint. Scott, as a new owner who doesn't fly for business I am jealous of your travels. You must log the most hours of anyone in the COG family or close to it.

There was a guy who flew a Commander professionally for his boss, but I forget who that was. Very few are fortunate to fly 200 hours or more per year. Unaffordable without a business use. I am genuinely lucky in that regard. Next Monday morning off for 2 weeks to Baton Rouge, Gulfport, Prentiss, MS (Greater Steverson International) Memphis, Huntsville, Birmingham, Lagrange, GA, Columbus, GA, Jacksonville ... then open on the way back to Michigan, but trying to schedule Augusta, GA, then either Wilmington, NC or Chattanooga with a possible stop in Cincinnati, then home. Great use of GA. Cannot do that commercial. There is something about saying, "I could drop in to your local airport for a quick meeting" that seems to get their attention. Hardly anyone does that.

I get to see a wide variety of conditions. Just the past month I landed at 3 Class B's, Charlotte, Cinci and San Antonio, along with many small airports, a couple barely "improved" in search of cheap fuel. Flew 3 approaches to minimums or near it, including a hairy adventure in Richmond, IN when the glide slope evidently shut itself down around 600 or 700 feet AGL and I was concentrating so hard on finding the runway that I somehow missed the flag. I would redesign all Glideslopes if I could -- lose a signal and the needles deflects all the way to the top, you would notice that instantly even when trying to maintain a 6-pack scan and find the runway. It was really my approach-plate-on-tablet that finally told me "something ain't right here."

Bottom line for me ... I have to fly in order to pay for the plane. Before the housing crash, business use was a bonus. Now it is essential. I run about 60% of expenses reimbursed by clients. 40% internal business expense for "business development" and 10% personal. All through my company so my wife never sees the checks -- and she likes it that way. I also write a monthly article in Professional Builder Magazine and almost anywhere I go, I have a reason to meet someone to interview for info for the articles. Builders are everywhere. So my "racket" is virtually perfect for GA flying. It is either that or be an Orthopedic Surgeon (like Angelo,) astoundingly wealthy stock broker (Bailey) or vagabond-gigolo-for-hire (Sid. That aerospace engineer thing is just a ruse. He copies all of that stuff from Wikipedia.) Then there is Bunn, who gets all of his fuel free from the Coast Guard or Ken who has his own amateur-built cracking tower and refinery. (He gets the lead by soaking old paint chips in alcohol.)

This year alone I have flown the length of the Mississippi, all over Texas, the gulf coast twice, all over Florida, the Atlantic Coast from Miami up to DC, stopped at Kitty Hawk, visited several COG pals, old high school friends, college friends, a couple of relatives ... and the Sunday morning spent flying with Lonnie in his tundra-wheeled-weed-hopper ... OMG ... probably the single most fun ride I have ever had. That crazy, broke-down-bull-rider can fly that sucker to the max. Yes, I am very, very fortunate, and all done on a borrowed Canadian-girl's kidney. I try never to forget it.

 

[Tennisdogs]

Re: The Good, the Bad & The Ugly in Texas

Interesting flying Scott. I wish I did all the flying you are able to do... most of mine is "local", within 150 miles of home.... Unlike you, I have to make up excuses to fly.... It's morning.... It's evening..... I have to get some fuel so I might as well take it around the lake a few times.

Unfortuneately, I don't use mine for business that much, in fact, because of the nature of my work, I have to stay pretty close to home but I have gotten to 4 overnight fly-ins so far this spring and am heading to Gaston's (3M0) tomorrow afternoon for 3 days.

I bought 1297J in January of 2010 and we flew 211 hours in 2010 and 238 hours in 2011. So far (through today) in 2012 we have flown 170 + hours so baring any major problems, I should hit 300 hours this year.

I went completely through 1297J's Log books and charted out every entry since she rolled off the assembly line on May 1st, 1975. Her history has had it's up's and down's as is shown by the lack of hours for so long.

YearTotal TimeHours Per Year1975320.4320.41976878.3557.919771416.4538.119781706.1289.719791804.298.119801804.2019811841.737.519821855.413.719831864.79.319841879.614.919851879.6019861888.28.619871892.2419881892.2019891892.2019901901.39.119911910.3919921934.624.319932038.4103.819942198.7160.319952291.192.419962407.9116.819972535.8127.919982563.327.519992731.8168.520002967.2235.420013187.5220.320023187.5020033203.916.420043203.9020053203.9020063205.41.520073240.43520083240.4020093320.48020103532.2211.820113770.7238.5

 

[DKrueger]

Re: The Good, the Bad & The Ugly in Texas

I was making a short trip from Charleston to Rowan County North Carolina today and had to divert during the flight do to high oil temperature. I made the landing at Williamsburg County Airport for a check and much to my surprise look what was there. This nice little 112 was on the ramp.

Stay tuned for the post with the oil temp. issue question.

 

[DKrueger]

Re: The Good, the Bad & The Ugly in Texas

The new paint looks nice for sure. The folks at the FBO said its has only been flown about 5 hours since the paint, which was 3 years ago. It may be an opportunity for you if they're correct.

Stay cool, Florida must be miserable right now, we've been stuck over 100 for 3 weeks.

 

[wab003]

The new paint looks nice for sure. The folks at the FBO said its has only been flown about 5 hours since the paint, which was 3 years ago. It may be an opportunity for you if they're correct.

Stay cool, Florida must be miserable right now, we've been stuck over 100 for 3 weeks.

Looks like it needs some air in the mains and a couple of strokes w/ a strut pump. Nice that it is plugged and covered.