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“I had sort of given up on aviation, but right after I graduated from high school, I talked to a family friend who was a private pilot. Until then, I had never really thought of anything but military flying. All I know is that con- versation saved my f lying life,” Patas- nik said. “I immediately ordered the Sporty’s VHS Private Pilot course and subscribed to every aviation magazine – all that, and I had never even been up in a small airplane.”
After a few months of diligent saving, that first flight took place at Tamiami Airport in southwest Miami.
“My instructor’s name was Veronica, and during my very first flight, she let me handle the takeoff. It’s probably standard practice, but it meant the world to me,” he said. “From the mo- ment I pulled back on the yoke, flying was no longer something I wanted to do; it became something I had to do.”
“There are a few things in life you just never forget. For me, one of those is a Cessna 152 – November 5356 Bravo – the airplane that changed my life
forever,” Patasnik said. “Although I reconciled with myself that a career as a pilot was out of my reach, I knew I could still fly. So became committed to building a career that would allow me to afford my life’s passion.”
After earning a degree in television production, he got married and started a family. As time and budget allowed, he built time and added to his ratings. But, as we all know, the responsibilities of a career and family take precedence over recreational f lying – no matter how therapeutic.
“My inability to stay proficient is what brought me to the conclusion that I either needed to buy an airplane or give up flying once and for all,” Patasnik said. “I quickly realized that flying was not just what I did, but it was essential to who I was. So, I sold my boat, quit playing golf and started searching for my first airplane.”
The First is Not the Last
After doing a lot of research and asking his pilot friends even more
questions, Patasnik settled on a Mooney M20J as his best first airplane. It had room for his family, plenty of speed for weekend trips, and it was rel- atively economical to buy and operate.
“I eventually found a 1993 Mooney M20J MSE in Alabama. I bought a ticket and went up to see her. I had never flown a Mooney before, but after an hour in the left seat, I was hooked,” he said. “I went home and asked my wife for permission. She said yes. I’m pretty sure she really thought that I wasn’t going to go through with it. And I’m very sure she wasn’t pleasantly surprised when I f lew it home.”
Unfortunately, after an all too brief time, he and his wife divorced, and Patasnik sold the Mooney. But, after things settled back into a comfortable routine, he decided to make another go at aircraft ownership. His need to f ly was stronger than ever.
Since most of his planned flights would be alone or with his two young children, Patasnik was predisposed to buy another Mooney. But, as fate
14 • TWIN & TURBINE / September 2020
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