Flight training...steps for moving up???

[TonyI]

Just wondering if any of you could offer any suggestions on some steps that would be good to take for transisioning up the ladder. I'm about to finish what I started a few years ago and things just kept interupting. I'll be taking my written..AGAIN..Yes its been over two years gotta go pass it again. and finish my cross countries. (3instructors/airports all 3 picked up corporate rides so on to instuctor #4) So, soon I'll have a C172 drivers lic. and while its fun... its just not as fun as the 1hr dual I had in a T6 a few years ago. I talked to a wonderful lady at Cannon Ins. a couple weeks ago and she mentioned the 500hrsTT for a T6 but could be lower deppending what kind of hrs they really are. She mentioned C172RG for the checkmark in the retract box but still in need of some good checkmarks in the Tdragger box.

I will be buying whatever so kinda courious.
Cessna RG...1 check
Beech RG....1 check
Piper RG....1 check
Swift....gets two checkmarks
Citabria ...1 check but big on fun factor
Cub... 1 check but would be put on floats at a later date
L5....get to park at the north end at Osh and a check for tdragger

What would you guys that fly the big iron do if you had to do it over??

Getting the checkmark to make the insurance happy is one thing but I still wish to have a reasonably safe steps so I get use to the curve instead of getting cought behind it.

Side note I'm 6'2 240lbs so it would be nice if I could fit...like I really fit in any of my toys anyway...

Thanks for any advise/input
Tony

[bdk]

MY OPINION:

Can't beat a Stearman to REALLY teach you how to fly. The Stearman doesn't do anything fast so you have time to learn how to finesse the airplane- this includes acro. T-6 would be the next logical step after that!

In fact, I think I want my Stearman back!

[John Lane]

I agree, a Stearman is one of the best ways to learn the proper techniques to advance up to the T-6. The one question you need to ask yourself is for what reason are you wanting to do this! If your goal is wanting to fly a T-6 you need to go buy one, if your wanting to fly fighters, you still need to buy the T-6 and then buy your fighter. It's not very often anymore that someone comes up to you and says, you can fly my "Mustang", sadly, Those days are gone! The CAF has a good program for folks that want to sponsor a paticular warbird that you would like to fly, providing you have the proper training that meets their criteria for flying. This is not an easy issue without owning your own airplane. Good luck!

[John Lane]

I agree, a Stearman is one of the best ways to learn the proper techniques to advance up to the T-6. The one question you need to ask yourself is for what reason are you wanting to do this! If your goal is wanting to fly a T-6 you need to go buy one, if your wanting to fly fighters, you still need to buy the T-6 and then buy your fighter. It's not very often anymore that someone comes up to you and says, you can fly my "Mustang", sadly, Those days are gone! The CAF has a good program for folks that want to sponsor a paticular warbird that you would like to fly, providing you have the proper training that meets their criteria for flying. This is not an easy issue without owning your own airplane. Good luck!

[yakdriver]

What kind of budget do you have? One way to start is to go to a GOOD aerobatic school and get a tailwheel endorsement and a good basic aerobatic check out. A stearman would be a good first airplane also a PT19-26 might be a better choice as you live in Michigan. I flew a Stearman and had time in a Great Lakes and Decathalon. I had about 400hrs when I bought my T-6 and had no trouble at all checking out in it. I had a lot of fun with the airplane and flew it around 250hrs. If you take logical steps up to your goal you will not have a problem realizing it. If you try and hurry things and cut corners you ask for trouble. Don

[TonyI]

Thanks for your replies, i've always liked the Stearmans but like Don pointed out part of my problem....Michigan. I would like to be able to have fun during both of our seasons. If I layer up for the cool weather I seem to fill up a space rather quickly. As for budget i'm looking at approx 100k and I still have to find or build a hanger. With some of our airports closing/remodling, you can't get a hanger without an aircraft and I don't want to have an aircraft without a hanger... Catch22.

So a Stearman with a lid, PT19-26 with a lid, loose 50lbs and pay for some hi G positive aerobatics then i'll fit in a Chippy with a Canadian lid

I can put up a 50x50 hanger at PHN so maybe a PT19-26 and a CessnaRG and go the high wing low wing fit in the hanger without to much playing around route. The lady from Cannon Ins was really stressing RG time so I have to nod to that.

John the reason..just to have fun I have toys to have fun with but flying has always put a bigger grin on my face, small British cars, Dago motorcycles and boats are fun but that 3rd dimmension just can't be beat. When I had my hour of dual in a T6 from the Topgun guys the grin factor was off the scale. I did 45minutes in a Pitts because I kinda scarred myself in the Cessna (unusual attitude training is a good thing) but the fun was higher in the T6.

My wife likes the T-28 cause..looks that lady is pulling her stuff out of the belly what kinda space is in that plane you like??
Then she laughs and say it doesn't matter Because both planes are.. big,loud and kinda smelly so I match(still can't figure out if thats an insult or not ) with bonus points aworded if I can find one in yellow.

Sorry I'm a bit longwinded and thanks for your imput

Cheers
Tony

[yakdriver]

Tony, One other suggestion to get both retract and round motor time is a Nanchang CJ6. It is a great flying airplane, fairly fast at 180mph cruise, relativaly cheap to buy and operate and insurance is not bad for a low time pilot with no retract experience. I know this because I have owned one for four years and my partner was a 150hr pilot with no retract experience. Burns 13 ghp in cruise and about 15 when playing around. Cockpit is big enough for a big guy and has lots of baggage area for the wife. You could buy one for $65,000- over $100,000 or buy a brand new one for $140,000. Also the YAK 52TD is another option, retractable taildragger with a round engine. $100,000- $160,000. The CJ is the better deal for a low timer like yourself. One other thing is that these are both legitamate warbirds so you get the O Wow factor when you taxi up for that $100 hamburger. Don