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The Greksas in front of their PC-12
“We were operating the George- town Loop Railroad at the time, and I drove there and back three times a week. So, I’d fly several times a week to knock out my initial training in a few months. After that, I got my instrument rating and bought my first plane – a 1978 Piper PA-28-236 Dakota. That was like a dream.”
Greksa logged more than 500 hours in the aircraft while he owned it.
“It was reasonably priced, and we flew the heck out of it, taking it all the way down to Baja, Mexico, all the way over to The Bahamas, and a lot of other adventures. What’s cool about the Dakota is that it’s kind of an overlooked aircraft, at least it was back in the day. It was cheaper than a Cessna 182, and I liked the low wing. I then purchased a 1980 Seneca in 2005 to build multi-engine time,” Greksa explained, noting his goal was to earn his commercial rating.
This Piper twin was a perfect air- craft for his family because its large baggage door easily accommodates bicycles and other gear. In 2008,
Inside the PC-12
Wing view from the PC-12, over Long Island in the Bahamas
October 2024 / TWIN & TURBINE • 25