I was learning to fly at Alpha Air at Ryan Field near Tucson. Mostly I fly Cessna 150s (N11518 and N10680), but occasionally I take a Piper Cherokee PA-140 (N5807U) up. Right now, that particular field of study is on hold as I attempt to build up the needed cash flow to support it! If you look at the photo here, you'll see the left wing, strut, and pitot tube of C150 N11518 looking down at Ryan Field. I'm on a left-Downwind leg for landing practice on runway 6L. As you can tell, the view from the air is incredible. I've had several really excellent instructors - Vince Ferrari (who was my first instructor but is on sabbatical for a bit), Bill Kindred (a former Alaskan Bush Pilot - BOY, you want to learn how to FLY? This is the man to learn from!) and Mary Mercker. Mary is one of the co-founders of Alpha Air (along with Jack Nethery, a former Corsair pilot who flew with the Black Sheep during WWII, now deceased unfortunately) and a really excellent pilot. She's been the one helping me get over a problem I have on landing so that I can finally solo. For those of you who haven't yet tried to fly, I say GO DO IT! It's like nothing else in the world. It's a feeling of total freedom, and absolute oneness with the world. Once when I was flying in the landing pattern at Ryan, we had a large Hawk flying right along with us. WOW! It isn't THAT expensive (about $60 an hour including plane, instructor, and gas) - especially when you consider how much fun it is. Alpha is a very relaxed flight school. They're not formal about anything but the flying - THAT is precise and done correctly, or not at all. We spend a lot of free time (and it is Free, Mary doesn't often charge for this extra instruction) 'hangar flying' - reviewing lessons, talking about airplanes or lessons, whatever, and a lot of time just associating. A discovery flight - where you actually get to fly the plane! - is only about $25, and very worth it. Go! Run! Learn to fly! Alpha Air Ryan Airfield, Tucson (520)883-4430
Me taxing Tim's Cherokee back to the hangar.
Actually, I just got DONE taxing it and have parked here, but you get the
idea. The Cherokee (PA-140) is a GREAT airplane. Lots of power, very gentle and
forgiving (at least to my inexperienced hands). You really have to haul it
around though - as Mary put it "Pull it up! This is a MAN'S airplane!"- while
I was gently applying back pressure for takeoff. A C-150 leaps off the
runway in a light breeze. The Cherokee you have to put both feet on the
console and haul the yoke back...Well, not quite THAT bad...Love it.
