Ownership

“The two happiest days in a boat owner’s life: the day you buy the boat, and the day you sell the boat.”

I know enough to know this goes for airplanes too. But I don’t know enough to make that stop me.

This week, I became a 50% owner of N9000Q, a 1969 Beechcraft Bonanza V35A. I’ve been flying the airplane for just over a year, renting it from two partners before buying one of them out of his share.

I had Honeycutt Aviation in Olivehurst, CA do a pre-buy. As expected with a 51 year old airplane, there is some work that will need to be done but it’s been cared for, updated, and flown regularly. It has a IO-520-BA, GAMI fuel injectors, and a 3-blade McCauley prop. Avionics were recently updated to include Garmin GTN 650, GNC 255, GTX 345, a PS Engineering 8000BT audio panel, and a JPI EDM900 engine monitor. And all four seats have been recently reupholstered.

I just completed an IPC in the airplane with a BPPP instructor. I’m ready to go, but sadly, with the summer of lockdowns and quarantines, it’s unlikely we’re taking the kids on a weekend getaway any time soon. My short terms plans include getting more comfortable with instrument flying using a safety pilot, short day trips with the wife and kids, and volunteering as a mission pilot for Angel Flight West.

I hope to post here as I get myself proficient, learn more about the airplane, make improvements and repairs, and start expanding my flying.