Twin Comanche Adventures

Comanches To Haiti: Archangel Airborne

2010-08-23T08:08:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, August 11^th I boarded my Piper Twin Comanche and headed to Haiti for a humanitarian mission. This volunteer effort was coordinated through Archangel Airborne, an organization that uses general aviation as a means to help people in need. Our mission in part was to deliver medical supplies to a hospital in the coastal city of Les Cayes. Our journey began at Central Jersey Regional Airport in Hillsborough, N.J. Our flight took us to stops in Leesburg, VA – Charleston, SC – Fort Pierce, FL – Exhuma, Bahamas – Port-Au-Prince, Haiti – Les Cayes. In 4 ½ days we flew over 30-hours.

While it was an amazing experience, it is also a difficult thing to witness if you have never been exposed to poverty on this level. The devastation is so pervasive, it is difficult to put into words. Pictures do not do it justice.

Archangel Airborne is a not for profit group providing relief efforts through general aviation. Their web site is www.archangelairborne.org. The organization is headed up by Stuart Hirsch who is a pilot, musician, hospital clinician and all around good guy. Stuart is in the early stages of creating a great organization, and is very passionate about what he does. I met Stu at Cherry Ridge airport in Pennsylvania, and after a brief discussion I expressed an interest in volunteering my Twin Comanche and time in helping. Prior to leaving Matt and I were interviewed by local papers and we managed to acquire 150 pounds of medical supplies for our mission from an organization called Americares. Matt is my co-pilot on many of these long flights.

A number of people have asked why we are supporting Les Cayes when the earthquake hit Port-Au-Prince. Much of the news does not cover the collateral damage the earthquake has had on the surrounding areas. Because of the destruction that happened in Port-Au-Prince, residents have migrated to other areas like Les Cayes and creates a massive resource drain on these communities. These kinds of towns DO NOT have large airports, and accordingly are being ignored by the media and relief efforts. This is the beauty and value of Archangel Airborne. Les Cayes does have a 4,000 foot runway, which is perfect for our organization. Because we are flying general aviation aircraft, we have the ability to bring resources into an area like Les Cayes, and we are able to make a difference. I think it is also worthwhile to mention another great aspect of Archangel Airborne. Much of what we are hearing 6-months after the disaster is how little things have changed since the earthquake. Money has been promised and not delivered, people still live without electricity, plumbing and are forced to reside in tent cities. Where is the money going, what is happening on the ground? I do not have answers, but the beauty of Archangel Airborne is they acquire the goods that are needed, they transport them out of the U.S. and deliver those supplies directly to those in need. When we donate money to places like the Red Cross, we do not see where our money goes. That is not the case with Archangel Airborne. We got to see the people that were impacted by our efforts, and I have to say it was a great thing to witness.

Our trip for the first 2-days took us to Charleston, SC, then Fort Pierce, FL, then the Exhumas in the Bahamas and then to Haiti. When I stopped in the Exhumas the gentleman providing fuel asked, “where you heading”. I told him, “Port-Au-Prince, Haiti”. He suddenly stopped and asked, “why”? I explained that I was on a humanitarian flight. He listened and nodded his head in silent disbelief. At my place of employment we have a Risk Analyst who was born in Haiti. When I told him about the trip he said, “thank you for doing this”. He also pointed out to me that whatever I imaged Haiti to be like, it was 10-times worse. No words, pictures or video can describe the conditions in Haiti. After departing the Exhumas, I was about to see for myself first hand.

Flying to Haiti is a unique experience for a number of reasons. First, Haiti has very little aviation services, particularly with respect to weather. Because Haiti is very mountainous, it creates its own weather. Second, Haiti does not have radar. Therefore, you are self reporting at predetermined points on the aviation charts. Third, if you are a private pilot like me flying at 9,000 feet, you will notice that the Port-Au-Prince tower can not hear you at times. Therefore you have to relay messages through other higher flying traffic, i.e. the airlines to relay position points.

My other observations about flying to Haiti: the news is always reporting that Haiti has been de-forested. That might be, but all I saw was lush areas approaching the island. While we were 30 miles from Port-Au-Prince airport, we were dodging isolated thunderstorms. Even with this, clearly the most striking aspects is on short final. The devastation, poverty and tent cities canvass the landscape. This place was brutally hot, with marginal plumbing and electricity, and human beings were relegated to an existence to that of local wildlife. It is nothing short of hellish.

The airport is also an experience. The Port-au-Prince control tower is part of a trailer. A picture is attached. Going through customs here was overwhelming for me personally. It all seemed somewhat disorganized, which is compounded by the language disconnect, and any time someone helps you, quite often they are looking to be compensated for things like calling the fuel truck. It is easy to pass judgment on these folks for these kinds of behaviors, and turn your back. However, I suspect you too would resort to these measures to help yourself and your family. After clearing customs, we left the chaos and headed to the coastal city of Les Cayes. While this region was not hit by the earthquake, it has had to absorb over 100,000 refugees from Port-au-Prince. Looking at the conditions on the ground, it was clear that poverty and despair enveloped this place too.

Upon landing in Les Cayes we unloaded the airplane of our medical supplies. While I looked around at the grounds, it was quite tranquil. The airport looked secure, it was completely fenced in. While I looked around a 6-year old child on the other side of the fence was trying to get my attention. “Hey mister, please give me money”. While I wanted to help, I was concerned that by doing so I would be marking myself as a person that had money. The truth was I had a lot of money with me and did not want to put myself in danger. As I walked across the ramp, I saw a U.N. truck ride down the street across from the airport. I also saw a woman riding a mule. You don’t see that in New Jersey!

From the airport we headed to a run down sugar plantation, which was owned by one of our hosts. We met people from the local community including a senator from Haiti. Over 10-years ago government subsidies allowed the plantation to compete on the open market. President Clinton had a hand in removing the subsidies, a decision he now regrets. A meeting took place between government officials and Archangel Airborne. The Haitian senator thought the meeting was so important, he flew all the way back from Boston to attend.

Walking around the sugar plantation, it reminded me of a ghost town which time has abandoned. I imagined at one point this was a lush and prosperous place. Now only broken down freights and vacant homes served as a reminder of what once was. The hope is at some point to re-open the plantation and bring it back to life again.

I really had a taste of Haiti when we left the sugar plantation. Our car took us through down town Les Cayes. Words can not describe the conditions here. The roads were crowded with people and vehicles. The homes were nothing more than shacks in disrepair. They were cluttered together with other homes. Garbage, filth and disorder peppered the scene. The heat was oppressive. I sweat so much, I felt like I was in the middle of a marathon with this heat. As we travelled down a busy street I saw a woman bathing her child in front of her home by boiling a pot of water for a sponge bath. Mopeds and motorcycles darted in and out of the traffic barely missing the car we were in. Some homes were covered with a tarp to protect it from the rain. I could only imagine what it was like inside these homes with no plumbing or electricity. As we weaved between the mopeds and people in the street I saw emaciated dogs roaming through trash for a scrap of food. Trucks were packed with people inside and out transporting the citizens of Les Cayes. Witnessing all of this, I observed the faces passing by, and they all seemed like this was perfectly normal as they went about their business. It wasn’t.

I remarked to the team, that even though there was filth everywhere, poverty and run down conditions, underneath it all, I saw a silent charm to it all. It is difficult to explain. Our car headed to the coastline to catch a boat to our accommodations at Acaba Bay. As we pulled up to the dock we saw the coastline. Another sight to behold: the beachfront was littered for miles with garbage that was about 15 yards deep. A picture is attached showing two young men crossing the filth and broken glass to go fishing. Look closely, they are not wearing shoes.

Friday night we relaxed at Acaba Bay, had a nice diner with the team, and shared our experience flying to Haiti with the group. I was told by Dr. Jean-Francios Hibbert, that he was betting I would not show up. He said, “why would anyone want to come here”? I told him the thought certainly crossed my mind. One of our hosts Raymond, who lives in Port-au-Prince remarked that I was either very brave or very stupid to come to such a place. Perhaps I was a little of both.

The next day we headed back to Les Cayes to visit the hospital in order to deliver our medical supplies. The hospital was another difficult thing to see. It seemed like a small collection of 2 story buildings in disrepair. We headed to the emergency room. It was a dimly lit concrete room with gurneys scattered throughout. People were sprawled out on the gurneys with no sheets, and some were on the floor. I did not see much of a hospital staff. The hospital was out of surgical gloves, antibiotics, insulin and other essential supplies. We stayed only briefly to let Stu, Jean and Kate do the work they were there to perform.

Before the trip began, I contemplated whether we would be able to make a difference with our small airplanes and our limited ability to carry a significant load. Upon hearing that the hospital was completely out of supplies, only then did I have an answer to my own question. Yes, on Saturday, August 14^th two Comanche airplanes and a few pilots made a difference in peoples lives in the coastal city of Les Cayes, Haiti. Aviation has been such a great joy of my adult life with all its challenges and hurdles to becoming a pilot. In all my travels, never have I been so proud to participate as a pilot in something so meaningful and worthwhile after helping the people of Haiti. This is something that I will never forget.

As Americans I think we tend to forget how fortunate we are, and we often get so locked into our differences. We frequently forget what we have in common. For those of us that are pilots, Archangel Airborne provides each of us an opportunity to make a difference in other peoples lives that are less fortunate and in great need. All of this is being done through a medium which we share a great passion for – aviation! For me, it doesn’t get any better than that.

I would like to point out that I am honored that Archangel Airborne allowed me to participate in Operation Haitian Alliance. These are good people doing great work, and general aviation plays a large role in helping them achieve their goals. I hope at some point you too can help by lending your skills, time and money to their great cause. I assure you, it is a worthwhile and fulfilling cause that will make you realize how fortunate you are, and how rewarding it is to help out your fellow man. Archangel Airbornes web site is: http://www.archangelairborne.org/

MudKosh 2010

2010-08-01T16:54:00.000-07:00

This year AirVenture was going to be special. After attending AirVenture for the past 4-years, we concluded 3 1/2 days was simply not enough time. So, this year we were going to stay a week! We were going to make the most of it. I was going to volunteer on the flight line, attend a bunch of seminars, and take a lot of pictures! To top it off we were going to start out with a brief stay in Sandusky, OH. Ahhhh....the ultimate pilot vacation. But nature had a different plan. Leading up to our trip, the mid-west was pounded by an unprecedented amount of rain, which posed a significant problem to general aviation airplanes trying to park on the grass.

As we got closer to our departure date, the rains continued in Wisconsin and a cold front was headed to N.J. Conditions on the ground in Oshkosh worsened, and the news from AirVenture was airplanes were not allowed to land due to lack of parking. We were all concerned.

Our plan was to depart on Saturday, July 24th. However, given the aforementioned conditions we thought it prudent to delay our departure by one day and continue to monitor the situation. The next day, the cold front that should have passed by morning was going to be with us for another day. On top of this, Wittman Regional Airport (Oshkosh), was still not allowing airplanes to land! I started getting the feeling that this trip was not going to materialize. A couple people on the ground already were telling me that AirVenture 2010 was not the same - no airplanes on the North 40, all RV's that normally park in Camp Scholler were parked in the Walmart parking lot.

After hearing all this, I consulted with my friends and we decided to cancel the trip. We were all concerned that (1) we would not be able to land AT Oshkosh, (2) we would not be able to camp, or the conditions would be so poor it would not be enjoyable, and, (3) the experience would not be the same given all the water on the ground. I felt really bad, especially for Nick Mellina - a pilot from Oregon that flew all the way to N.J. so he could fly the PA-30 to AirVenture with me, Robin and James.

On Monday, AirVenture began and it started to set in that I was going to miss everything I looked forward to all year long. I started to think, I just cant throw in the towel. While at work in the AM I glanced at the EAA website. Weather was improving, and they were letting aircraft land again. We all collectively decided to salvage our trip by departing Tuesday afternoon. Our first stop would be Sandusky, OH, then onto Oshosh. But just as we were getting ready to leave N.J. I found out our camping gear, which we shipped via FedEx to preserve our weight, was not available for pickup after 5pm. So after a couple phone calls, we improvised by staying in Put-In-Bay, OH overnight. Our plan was to wake up early the next day, and head straight to Oshkosh. As far as Put-In-Bay, I have been there briefly a few years back, and it seemed like a cool place. It is a small island in Lake Erie. It is a real piece of Americana, with a great little downtown area with lots of bars and restaurants and carousel. Once you land at Put-In-Bay Airport, you rent a golf cart to get around the island. Our first stop was in plain view of the airport - The Skyway Lounge. Their motto - "Great Food and Cheap Booze". . they were serving $1 beers till 6pm. Never has a $1 Miller Genuine Draft tasted so good after a long flight.

Thereafter we headed to the "Boardwalk" for dinner. It had great food (Lobster Mac & Cheese anyone?) and beautiful vistas as we watched the sun set over the dock which was peppered with sailboats. All of this was accentuated by the Cleveland Indians beating the NY Yankees with CC Sabathia pitching. (Hey, my son is an Indians fan, and we were in Ohio)!! :-)

The next day we were plagued by another cold front passing between OH and WI. WTF??? We talked it over AGAIN, and concluded that Put-In-Bay is not a bad place to be stranded. So we decide to stay another day! After finding accommodations, it was time to find something to do. We stopped at this place called Perrys Cave. We took some nice pics, but in the end it is a hole 30 feet below the ground, and you know what, it wasn't AirVenture (sigh). Solution: lets hit the Skyway Lounge again for cheap booze. We could actually watch airplanes land right from the bar stools! Yea, we were missing Oshkosh, but unfortunately more bad news with weather was in the offing.

Another look at the weather later in the day showed clear conditions, but an occluded front moving east (which was west of Oshkosh) threatened our Sunday return. We debated our situation once again, and our conclusion was it was time to head back to N.J.

This was a big disappointment. After a year of planning and anticipation, we were experiencing what all pilots are familiar with - weather interfering with our plans. Even though this is the year "we didn't make it", we had fun nevertheless. We logged about 6-hours of flying time and talked airplanes almost the entire trip. We found out that Nick Melina can not tell a joke, wears a man purse, and shuns bikini-clad women in a hot tub beckoning him to "join them". Robin and I are not sure if this illustrates his loyalty to his GF or complete gayness. We also found out that Nick is into hippie-chicks and has a brother that aspires to be on the Jersey Shore. Robin found out that buying a one week pass to AirVenture to save $5 may not be a savings at all. Finally while Scott has been wrestling with the idea of selling his PA-30. The short trip demonstrated yet again the value of the Piper Twin Comanche. It is a speedy little airplane that can carry 4-people and a bunch of bags for a comfortable ride. Not bad for a 40-something year old airplane.

As for AirVenture 2011...only 51 weeks to go....

THE BAHAMAS 2010!!

2010-04-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

Our first big aviation trip of 2010 was a lot of fun. The destination was the Bahamas! This was a first for us in a number of regards - first time flying over the Atlantic Ocean, first time flying international, the first time going to the Bahamas. While Airline Owners and Pilot Association ("AOPA") and the Bahamas government like to emphasize that flying into the Bahamas is "easy", it is work and requires advanced planning - especially if this is your first foray into international flying. Fortunately, on all these trips we divide up the workload, and Matt bared most of the burden for planning. Having said this, we all thought the vacation was well worth the effort. In my 11-years of flying, I have not seen such beautiful vistas from an airplane!! The waters were a turquoise blue, and even at 5,000 feet we could see the bottom of the ocean. While we departed from N.J., our best leg commenced in Boca Raton, FL. We headed south to Miami, and then a straight shot east to Eleuthera. I have to say, even in a twin engine airplane I did get butterflies heading out over the ocean. Miles and miles of turquoise blue. I could only imagine what Lindbergh felt with a single engine airplane, an unstable one at that, with no avionics to speak of.

In what seemed a matter of minutes off the coast of Florida, Matt spotted Bimini. There is a picture below, but I have it does it no justice. About a half an hour later we were over the Berry Islands, a smattering of small islands that were just 5,000 feet below us. Shortly after we saw Nassau to our south. And lastly, after about 90 minutes into the flight we were approaching North Eleuthera Airport. We had 5,000 feet of runway. On the approach, it was surprising how unpopulated it was. A town here, a few houses there, but overall a lush island with a breathtaking coastline on all sides.

We parked, unloaded the airplane and headed to customs. I was prepared for this phase of the trip - passport, customs forms, radio station license, weight & balance, customs decal, etc, etc. This phase of the trip was quite seamless. All we did was hand over our passports and customs forms and we were free to enter the country. Our final destination was Harbor Island, which is an 'out island' off of Eleuthera. We took a $10 cab ride to the dock, a $5 high speed boat ride to Harbor Island, picked up a golf cart, and we were on our way. All of this seemed to take less than 30 minutes.

Once on Harbor Island you get around on a golf cart. Its a great way to see the island. The people here are very friendly, from the business owners to the people walking on the streets. Everyone says hello as you ride your golf cart around the island. It certainly is different here.

There is a lot to see on this small island, but the greatest sight is never far away - the beach. On the ocean side the sands are pink, and in some spots you have the beach all to yourself (see below). On the bay side, the tide recedes early afternoon and you can walk a half mile onto the bay (in some spots). There is something called the Lone Tree (see above) which makes for great pictures. A reasonable food stop is Valentines, a great view at Romero Bay Restaurant. For me the best part of the trip was flying here in my own airplane, and secondly exploring the island via gold cart. As a photographer, there are endless picture opportunities - at the beach, in town, near the bay, even the cemeteries provide unique photo opportunities.

While I did not exploit island hopping via the Twin Comanche, I did get a lot of R&R. I am told exploring the islands is very easy with your airplane. There is so much to see, we all decided to return next year again. Steve Davis, a fellow ICS / PA-30 owner told me about a Coral strip at Cat Island, and the friendly people and laid back life style of the people that inhabit it.

Whether you like to be busy, or just kick back and relax, the Bahamas has everything for everyone, especially if you are a pilot. If you want to discover another reason why it is great to be a pilot, take a trip to the Bahamas - it is well worth it!!

Life is good.

(I just don't understand why everyone here drives on the wrong side of the road). :-)

I am going to put together another post that outlines some of the things we had to do in order to fly to the Bahamas.

Twin Comanche To Oshkosh 2009

2009-08-01T20:22:00.000-07:00

THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE COMMANCHE FLYER OCTOBER 2009

As pilots we wait in anticipation for it all year long. No, not the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition...AirVenture! This marks the 57th year for EAA AirVenture. Tom Proberezny said it was "a convention that will go down in the record books as one of the best ever". With over 500,000 attendees from 65 nations, Oshkosh seemed to be having a banner year. As I took a taxi to my hotel the North 40 was filled with planes, as Oshkosh welcomed over 10,000 airplanes that week. But part of the joy of this experience is not only being in Oshkosh, but getting there.

My journey began with a few friends out of New Jersey, with the goal of meeting up with JJ Miller and the other Comanches in Watertown. As usual, we pick a new place to land overnight between N.J. and Oshkosh. This year it was Beaver Island. We were joined by Don and Shirley Nelson of the International Comanche Society. Beaver Island is in Lake Michigan and host two airports. The island is very tranquil and laid back. If you are looking for something off the beaten track, and a bit of solitude, this place is it! We stayed at the Beaver Island Lodge, which had nice accommodations at a reasonable price, and a great restaurant called "Nina's".

On Saturday afternoon we headed to Watertown and we were greeted by many Comanche's parked on the ramp. Like last year we had a nice BBQ in the big hangar and exchanged flying stories with other Comanche flyers. I had the privilege of chatting with Al Powers and John Rathburn. Bot are from Washington state, and Al has owned his Twin Comanche since 1966, which is the year in which I was born. You wouldn't know it from speaking with him, but Al is 80 years old. My group of friends enjoyed listening to him talking about his flying experiences with his Twin Comanche. If you ever have the opportunity to meet Al Powers at Oshkosh or elsewhere, introduce yourself to him, you won't regret it.

On Sunday morning everyone was briefed for the Comanche arrival. Unfortunately, 30-minutes prior to the mass arrival a Pietenpol ground-looped and the runway was closed. That means all the Comanche's had to land on the taxiway, east of runway 36. All 30 Comanche's arrived safely nevertheless. A big "thank you" to JJ Miller and all the work he did for putting this together.

I thought I would share one final story. While I walked around the campground taking pictures I met someone that flew his Twin Comanche all the way across the Atlantic from Germany to be in Oshkosh. He told me his airplane has been all over the world including places like China, India and Iran. He told me that people in the U.S. don't realize how good they have it with respects to flying. He said, "you guys just get in your airplane and go. You have no bureaucracy, and plenty of freedom to move about. That is not the case in many other regions of the world".

I have to say, every year when I make the journey to Oshkosh, I remind myself how lucky I am to be a pilot and own an airplane. I get to see places that I would NEVER see, and meet people that share the same love of aviation that I have. AirVenture 2010 can not get here soon enough!!

International Young Eagles

2009-06-15T04:35:00.000-07:00

Above is a short video post of International Young Eagles Day at Sky Manor that took place on June 13, 2009. While I put the video together, the photographer that took all the shots was Adrienne Riggs. One of the great joys of airplane ownership is taking kids up in an airplane, and letting them fly. I never get tired of seeing their expressions when they are up in the air. It was great fun flying the kids in the Twin Comanche again!! Below are additional pics of that day.

Sun N Fun / Key West Trip

2009-04-28T05:07:00.000-07:00

Well, another aviation journey is behind us. For this trip I was joined by Matt, a flight instructor that has some TwinCo time and Robin, an instrument rated pilot building a Vans RV-8 in his garage. This year our trip consisted of first stopping at Sun N Fun, and then onward to Key West. The flight down to Lakeland on Wednesday sorta sucked. For the first half of the trip it was IFR / marginal VFR, and the second half consisted of moderate turbulence and headwinds. At one point we attempted to climb over the bumps, but were getting a 40kt ground speed in a shallow climb over 10,000 feet. No that is not a typo, a 40kt ground speed in a Twin Comanche. Compounding the weather, we had difficulty managing the temps on the right engine. This has been memorialized through my posts on both the ICS Forum and the Delphi Forum. I won't re-hash them here. We landed in Kissisimee again (ISM) and were greeted with smiles and warm weather. By the time we arrived in Lakeland it was clearing out, and we got to see a lot of airplanes. Later the next day we headed to Key West to meet some folks from the ICS for drinks. This was the first time I have been to Key West and have to say it is a great place to see. Thursday evening we ended up at Sunset Deck (near the Westin), and a bunch of us watched the sun go down over cocktails and dinner. I cant begin to describe how beautiful it was to witness. Hopefully the pic above does it some justice. Judging by all the people, it seems to be a nightly ritual. Charlie Horton and his wife Melody were there. Alan Cheek was there with his wife Anna, as was Skip and others. We talked most of the evening about flying. Charlie told us some great stories about racing his Comanche 400.

Key West is a fun place. Lots of bars, lots of sights and seeing it all from a scooter without a helmet is a blast. Flying to the Keys was also an experience. Because I fly a twin, I shot straight across the gulf. Throw in a bit of haze, it becomes an IFR flight. It really is difficult to determine visually where the horizon is. It was a light blue haze straight up and down, at least until we were 30 miles out. So we were on the gauges for most of the trip out. We found ourselves talking how difficult it must have been for Lindberg to cross the Atlantic in a much lesser airplane with virtually no nav equipment. Approaching Key West International, flying over the pristine blue water and seeing all the sail boats was a thrill. Other than almost having a bird-strike on short final, it was a perfect flight. (My flight instructor friend Matt seems to attract birds whenever he flies. Recently he diced up a number of Canadian geese in a Cirrus SR-22). I elected to have him only fly at the higher altitudes.

We met other Comanche flyers such as Steve Davis, who was joined by Ed Hoger, a real life Alaskan bush pilot. Nick Constantine, a general contractor in New York. Nick was joined by Jose, who flew a 152 all the way down to Brazil. A group of us hit the Conch Republic restaurant for dinner and drinks, had several beers at Sloppy Joes, and got side-tracked at the Garden of Eden Bar. A bar where clothing is optional. I elected to keep my clothes on in order not to chase the patrons away.

We saw Hemmingway's House, the Southernmost Point, witnessed a bed race, and saw a really old cemetery in the middle of the island. One of the locals there pointed out an interesting headstone. It was a gentleman that died at the age of 50. On the headstone it said, "I Told You I Was Sick". (See pic above). How many people laugh at a cemetery - I did that day.

It was disappointing to see the trip end, as there are so many things to see, and difficult to leave the overwhelming beauty of the island. Two days clearly was not enough! We left Sunday, and as bad as our trip down was, our return was just perfect. Smooth as glass and severe clear. It was by far one of the nicest long cross countries I have been on. Flying over Ocala we saw John Travoltas home at an airpark. We saw all his airplanes from 5,000 feet. We basically shot straight up the coast, one stop in Charleston, and were back in N.J. in 7 short (and enjoyable) hours. For trips like these the Comanche shines - great ground speed, roomy, great useful load and reasonable fuel burn. It was also great meeting a good group of people from the ICS that shared the same love of the Comanche as myself. I can't speak for others, but this is something we are planning to do next year!!

If you ever get the chance, fly down to Key West. I have a feeling you wont be disappointed.

See ya next year.

Ferrying A Comanche To The Twilight Zone

2009-03-09T16:02:00.000-07:00

Submitted for your approval. I looked at a few Comanche's before buying my twin, and had an interesting experience that I thought I would share. The journey starts out with me ferrying a plane from several states away back to my home state of N.J. for a pre-buy inspection. In short, I could not come to terms with the owner and the plane had to be returned . And this is where Rod Sterling would say, 'we are about to enter the Twilight Zone'. I decided to hire an out of state ferry pilot. Why - because it was inexpensive (Mistaaaake!!!) . On the day the plane was to be ferried back, I called the airport (from work) and asked if the plane had left - it did. I got back to my responsibilities, and expected all would go well. Later that evening I got a call from the owner asking where the plane was. I told him I didn't know what time it departed, but he should arrive shortly. I went to sleep early that evening, and the next day I noticed I had several calls from the stressed out owner on my cell - THE PLANE NEVER SHOWED UP!! I panicked - was there a crash? Was the airplane stolen? Later that day we found out the ferry pilot left the plane 20-miles away due to weather - strange, as the weather was supposed to be severe clear. A few days later the owner went to pick up his Comanche, and what he found was incredible. The interior was a mess! It looked like John Belushi had a frat party in the plane. There were potato chips strewn all over the cabin. There was oil stained finger prints on the panel. The ferry pilot apparently enjoyed chewing tobacco and left a spit jar on the floor. He missed the jar a few times and there was tobacco stains on the floor and leather seats. Speaking of stains, there were unidentified yellow stains in the plane - yes, he was carrying a "little john". (Clearly he was out of practice with his precision approach). To top it off, the plane had a portable Garmin 496 that was missing.

The owner was fit to be tied. He began questioning people on the flight line, and the story got more bizarre. Several people said, "the man that flew that Comanche was drunk"! Witnesses said the pilot stumbled out of the plane. While de-planing he unshamefully put two empty six packs on the ramp. Oddly enough, he thought it was completely appropriate to empty his "little john" right on the ramp. His last act was to take the portable GPS and quickly exit the airport, while a yellow stream from his little john made its way across the ramp. Do you hear the twilight zone music playing?

In his drunken stupor the pilot failed to realize this airport had surveillance cameras'. His drunken behavior was captured, along with his theft of the GPS, and his act of giving the ramp a golden shower. Naturally when confronted, he denied everything but changed his story when hearing about the cameras. His story was that he took the GPS to safeguard it from theft - how thoughtful. He attributed the other mess to vandals. You know the kind - the tobacco chewing, potato chip eating kind that use a little john when vandalizing a parked airplane. Clearly the gene pool need a little chlorine.

I apologized profusely to the owner, even promising I would buy him a new GPS and detail his plane. I monitored the flight on a flight tracking web site. It seemed after he departed my home airport, he landed 40 miles west for a short stop. We suspect to pick up his friend Mr. Budweiser. I also noticed he did not hold an altitude for more than 10 minutes. He porpoised between 6 and 4 thousand feet all the way back. It also showed that his flight became more and more erratic as it progressed. Everyone I tell this story to, even the old-timers, are amazed. Jaws drop. This guy made that crop duster in Independence Day look like a model pilot! The difference is Independence Day is a fictional movie, this ferry pilot is REAL!!

Did I learn anything? If someone is going to fly your airplane, make sure they are not drunk. Second - never dump your 'little john' on the ramp...you never know who is watching. This really is not a laughing matter - it could have been a disaster. Fortunately no one died, no one got hurt, and while the airplane was soiled (as was the ramp), it was not damaged. Being a pilot is serious business. The cheapest price is not always the best deal. We all cut corners in our lives - don't do it with your plane or your flying...or you might end up in the Twilight Zone!!

Oshkosh 2008

2009-03-04T15:47:00.000-08:00

Last year I took my Twin Comanche on its first long trip to AirVenture 2008. It was the second year for me. It really is amazing the different places you get to see simply because you own an airplane. This year we departed from Princeton, N.J. into marginal VFR weather en-route to Ohio. We had a weather diversion, but we eventually ended up in Sandusky, OH prior to our final destination. By the time we reached Sandustky, it was an hour prior to dusk, and it was a nice picturesque end to our long trip. Once fueled up we headed to an island in Lake Erie called Put-In-Bay. We were all disappointed that we didn't come here earlier in the day, as the island seemed really cool. Most people get around the island in golf carts. I guess the bizarre aspect of all this was the place had an "island" feel - yet we were in the middle of the country. Anyway, we had dinner at a nice restaurant, ate outside, and because there are not many cars here - we didn't have to deal with the noisy automobiles whizzing by the restaurant. It real was a great find for us. The plan is to go back this year. You can rent a golf cart at the airport - just land before dark because the airport closes after dusk. After Put-In Bay we flew VFR and headed to Oshkosh. Due to a crash at Oshkosh, we had to stop 30 miles short of our destination. After a short delay, we headed to AirVenture.

As usual, everyone flying with us was directed to "look for other planes" to avoid a mid-air collision. It was fun flying into Oshkosh for the second year in a row. This year I camped - I never liked it as a kid, and I certainly don't like it as an adult. Being right next to the Johnny On The Spot's was a real treat. Especially at 2am when they are being emptied. By the way, you just have not experienced life until you do "serious business" in one of these things in 95 degree weather. I find that 100% humidity really accentuates the perfume like smell. I have decided this year I am getting a room. Our flight to Oshkosh is memorialized on YouTube at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gma39oW_x2o&feature=channel_page

Once again, Oshkosh was a blast. If you are a pilot, you need to make the trip at least once. I think the best part is hanging out and being with like-minded people that love avation. Every kind of airplane is there, every vendor associated with aviation is there, and people come here from all over the globe. Ultralights, vintage aircraft, war birds, jets, military planes, Cubs and Light Sport - Oshkosh has it all!!

Hopefully the pictures covey some of the fun we had in Oshkosh....

My First Airplane - 1979 Piper Archer II

2009-03-03T16:23:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics of my first airplane. I put a lot of money into this panel. It was a great airplane! One of the great pilot resources out there is Aviation Consumer. They review almost every general aviation airplane out there, and I think they take a balanced approach in their reviews. The point, they really have nothing bad to say about this airplane. It is a comfortable ride, easy to fly, a bulletproof engine and carries a decent load. What is not to like? I prefer the Archer over the Cessna 172. The only drawback is the 172 was a little easier to land.

Purchasing a Comanche

2009-03-03T15:04:00.000-08:00

So you are considering a Comanche? I have some pointers based on my own personal experience regarding the pre-purchase process. They are: (1) Be patient - keep in mind some of these airplanes are more than 40-years of age. Finding the right airplane requires patience, and is similar to looking for a spouse. Hasty decisions may result in you waking up next to someone that is difficult, annoying and a hazard to your health. When you eventually get rid of them, it costs you way more than you ever imagined. So be patient. (2) Join the International Comanche Society ("ICS") BEFORE you purchase the airplane. The folks on the forum are knowledgeable, friendly and eager to help. Investment in a membership is small, but it pays big dividends. (3) Educate yourself about the Comanche brand. Look at prices on Controller, ASO, Trade-A-Plane and similar web sites. (4) VRef - while I don't consider this service (provided by AOPA) gospel, but it does provide you with a reference point on whether an owners asking price is reasonable. (5) Most importantly, find yourself a proficient Comanche mechanic. No, not someone that did an annual on a Comanche two years ago, rather someone that is well versed in these airplanes. If you don't know one, ICS can help you find one.

Be prepared to spend money on your due diligence. If you are like me, I looked at three planes BEFORE purchasing N931JS. It is better to spend $1,500 on a good pre-purchase inspection and walk away, then to pay $80K for an airplane only worth $50K. In the long run you are saving yourself money. Take this process seriously. Ask questions - did the previous owner(s) take care of the airplane? How is the compression, when was the last time the gear was inspected, are the logs complete, is there damage history? Bill Creech, the ICS Technical Advisor, sells a book on ICS' web site that identifies many of the things that are important to look for in the pre-purchase inspection. Buy it.

Please don't consider what I present here as exhaustive and formal advice. It is merely some thoughts concerning my own experience. Do your homework, become proficient with the Comanche brand, your knowledge will serve this process.

If you are lucky enough to find a mint Comanche, and there are plenty out there, PLEASE take care of it. Don't let it sit for long periods. If you cant take it out for a few hours, go down to the airport and fly it around the pattern. The engine(s) need exercise. If the plane needs mechanical attention - address it. This machine is responsible for keeping you safely suspended above the earth, it has your life in its hands - treat it with the care and respect it deserves.

One final point. There is a reason they call this a "complex airplane", and it is not simply due to the FAA's definition thereof. This airplane requires more of your flying attention than a Cessna 172. I am not talking high math here, but the truth is the Comanche (and other complex airplanes) do not fly like your trainer. Use your checklist - before, during and after your flight. Getting the plane configured for landing is not accomplished by simply chopping the power 5-miles out. The laminar flow wing requires advance planning. Go through the GUMPS checks a few times in the pattern. Know your airplane and know your own limitations! The Comanche is not dangerous, but as Ryan Furguson says, it demands respect. All too often I read on the ICS or Delphi forum about a newly minted Comanche owner killing themselves (and others) because their flying skills are not up to speed. Are you ready to fly IFR in a Comanche? Do you know your power settings? Could you still fly the plane in IFR conditions with an emergency? Honestly evaluate your flying abilities at that moment, and make your fly/no fly decision based on that, and not your ability to get to your destination.

I hope this helps.

Why A Twin Comanche?

2009-03-02T17:32:00.000-08:00

THIS WAS PUBLISHED IN JANUARY 2009 COMANCHE FLYER

I earned my pilots license in 2001, and like many others received my training in a C-172. During training I was spending a lot of money on airplane rentals, so I thought it made sense to buy. I bough a one-fourth share in a 1978 C-172.

After I passed my checkride, I found sharing a plane too restrictive, so I also joined a flying club that had four airplanes, one of which was a Piper Archer. I loved how the Piper flew, the panel layout, the view it provided from being a low wing airplane, and decided that Piper was for me. I sold my share in the 172, left the flying club, and purchased a Piper Archer II. It treated me well. I took it to Oshkosh, Sun N Fun, and used it for business and pleasure.

Over time, I outgrew the airplane and decided it was time to step up. I had two requirements - I wanted to carry more and go faster - all of this on a budget. It surprised me that there really weren't many choices. It seemed that the real choice was BETWEEN going faster OR carrying more...not both. I looked at a Mooney - a fast airplane, but it carried very little and seemed cramped for my hulking, well defined physique : - ). I looked at the Piper Lance and the Six. Both were nice airplanes, but they didn't go much faster than my Archer. There were other contenders, but each came up short. Then I stumbled onto a Comanche. "It's a Piper" I thought. I asked around, did the research and my quest began. I looked at a number of singles and twins. Being that the airplane was approximately 40 years old, I took a simple approach - I found a mechanic that knew Comanches - this was Steve Richard of Central Jersey Airport. A former Comanche owner, and plenty of experience with the brand. I had him look at airplanes stem to stern. It is not cheap to fly a mechanic all over the country, but I thought it was money well spent.

I eventually bought a 1969 Twin. It had a lot of goodies - a slaved HSI, Garmin 530W, autopilot and Robertson STOL kit. For me, it is the utlimate flying machine. It is much faster than the Archer, has more room, doesn't burn a lot of fuel, and is a pleasure to fly. It also seems solid - a real flying tank.

My first adventure in the Twinkie was the 50-year celebration of the Comanche at AirVenture last summer. We parked amongst the many beautiful planes. What a thrill!

Is there anything I don't like about the Comanche? Well, uh...that thing we do at the end of each flight...the landing. I was told that this airplane was not for the easily embarrassed. Truer words were never spoken. I have managed to improve my landings with tips from members on the Comanche website. But clearly my twin landing abilities are a work in progress.

In a perfect world, pilots should have an airplane for every mission. A five-mile radius plane, a $100 hamburger plane, a fast airplane for business, and lets not forget a jet - for flying to Paris for dinner, also known as the $20,000 hamburger. Most of us don't have those kinds of resources. But in truth, whether doing pattern work or going across the country, the Comanche serves most missions, and serves them well. Pound for pound the Comanche separates itself from the rest of the pack in terms of speed, utility and economy.

You can find an airplanes that go faster and carry more. But until I have "John Travolta" money, I am going to stick with the Twinkie.

The Northeast Tribe Get Together In Lancaster, PA

2009-03-02T16:45:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, I took the Twinkie over to Lancaster, PA to meet fellow members of the International Comanche Society. I belong to the Northeast Tribe. About 20 people showed up with some nice airplanes. I have to say I am getting tired of this cold weather - even pulling the plane out of a heated hangar is getting to be a real pain. Weather in the northeast sucks this time of year. Maybe I am just getting old? Next month is Sun N Fun and Key West!