September 24, 20187 yr Vic closed the real world pilot thread after seven days so I did not get a chance to add to it. I was traveling and never got around to making the post before it was closed. Hopefully this will stay up. I made my solo flight May 5, 1990 at PAJN, where I lived for almost 33 years. My brother was an AP there for quite some time. Our first AC was a Stinson 108 Voyager. It was in pretty rough shape and not airworthy at the time of purchase. The owner was leaving town and wanted $6500 for it. We ended up giving him $1500 literally two hours before he got on the ferry to leave town and not knowing what to do with it at the airport. We spent almost a year getting it airworthy. We had to send a jug out of the Franklin engine to Franklin Indiana, the only place in the world that would take the repair. We were quoted $900 for the rebuild, ended up having to give them $2300 to get it back to Juneau. Had less than 250 hours when I traded my AC for a family. Good trade. In those pre GPS days it was VERY dangerous airspace. Literally NO navigation aids anywhere and an always closing ceiling. I have some experiences I would never put in a public forum, or a private one for that matter. Lost four good friends over the years to SE Alaska airspace. Two Mother Earth swallowed and never gave up. But I have had the blessed experience to fly over and see some of the most beautiful places on earth. Cheers, Radial9
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