Page 34 - Sept23T

The Process
I am a wreck.
On Final
by David Miller
Sitting on my couch after one glass of wine, I fathom that I don’t really need to own an airplane. This is a great time to hang it up. Fifty years of flying has been a wonderful experience.
After the second glass of wine, I re-think my ideas.
At my age, I may only have a few years left to fly. My high school buddies are dying left and right. Patty is only buying ripe bananas for us. I may not have another chance to own the next best airplane.
And night after night, the same thought process. Sometimes with white wine, sometimes red.
I peruse “Controller” daily, envisioning myself in
the cockpit of all sorts of airplanes. A Turbine Duke, providing the safety of two turbine engines in a package small enough to afford. My insurance guy suggests
I switch to drinking iced tea. Perhaps a pressurized Baron. But Patty needs a full-size display on her
side of the cockpit in case she has to take over after banana poisoning.
Another call to my agent. How much would insurance cost on this airplane? What about this one? He starts to refuse my calls.
How about a nice B58 Baron? Have you noticed how much Barons cost these days? Well, over a million dollars for a well-used edition. You could buy a King Air for that kind of money. I have owned several, but that’s a big airplane. Do I really want a big airplane?
We take a Sunday car trip to Austin to look at a beautiful 1993 C90B. Along the road, we see two
auto crashes complete with airbag deployments. Driving is way too dangerous. Flying is much safer, or so I rationalize.
We return home feeling unfulfilled. I have a decision to make.
White wine or red? Fly safe.
It’s been several months since I sold my Mustang. Now, I have no legitimate reason to go to the airport. No reason to perseverate over tomorrow’s weather forecast. I took a commercial airline flight recently and actually enjoyed the little nuts in first class. The ones you eat, that is.
My irrational behavior must stop. I need to start looking for an airplane. Here’s an update on my reasons for selling in the first place:
1. Continuing economic slowdown. Now, the
Federal Reserve is slowing the interest rate hikes, and Congress avoided the national debt debacle. Two reasons to start looking.
2. Topsy-turvyworldevents.Thenearcollapseofthe Soviet Union. Oops, not good news.
3. Re-sale market peaking. This is a positive for potential buyers like me. Prices are likely to be softening.
4. Nice profit in the Mustang. I invested that profit, but if I use those dollars to buy an airplane, I lose that interest income.
5. Desire to leave something for my kids and grandkids.
What kids and grandkids?
David Miller has owned and flown a variety of air- craft from light twins to midsize jets for more than 50 years. With 6,000 plus hours in his logbook, David is the Director of Programs and Safety Education for the Citation Jet Pilot’s Safety Foundation. You can contact David at davidmiller1@sbcglobal.net.
32 • TWIN & TURBINE / September 2023
White or Red?