Adios, Delta

[Dan Luke]

After seven years and 900+ hours of faithful service, my sweet-flying Cutlass
RG 9387D has left for her new home in Texas.

"Delta" carried family home for the holidays in Houston, took Angel Flight
patients to medical care from Jacksonville to Tulsa and everywhere in
between, enabled me to show up for business meetings out of town and be home
the same day, and spread her sheltering wings over our tents at Oshkosh. In
Delta I ran from hurricanes, dodged thunderstorms, flew approaches to minimums
and sometimes just goofed around looking at the scenery. Never once was a
trip scrubbed because of mechanical trouble.

Thanks to Delta I went places, saw sights and made friends I couldn't have
without her. Thanks to her I've had a vastly richer life. How many of our
possesions give us that much?

So, adios, Delta. Here's hoping you keep helping people enjoy life for many
more years.

http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/DanLuke/2006-6-3_P1010262.JPG

--
Dan

[Luke Skywalker]

On Jun 2, 5:55 pm, "Dan Luke" > wrote:
> After seven years and 900+ hours of faithful service, my sweet-flying Cutlass
> RG 9387D has left for her new home in Texas.
>
> "Delta" carried family home for the holidays in Houston, took Angel Flight
> patients to medical care from Jacksonville to Tulsa and everywhere in
> between, enabled me to show up for business meetings out of town and be home
> the same day, and spread her sheltering wings over our tents at Oshkosh. In
> Delta I ran from hurricanes, dodged thunderstorms, flew approaches to minimums
> and sometimes just goofed around looking at the scenery. Never once was a
> trip scrubbed because of mechanical trouble.
>
> Thanks to Delta I went places, saw sights and made friends I couldn't have
> without her. Thanks to her I've had a vastly richer life. How many of our
> possesions give us that much?
>
> So, adios, Delta. Here's hoping you keep helping people enjoy life for many
> more years.
>
> http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/DanLuke/2006-6-3_P1010262.JPG
>
> --
> Dan

Well said...good luck in the future!

Robert

[BT]

So what are you replacing Delta with..

BT

"Dan Luke" > wrote in message
...
> After seven years and 900+ hours of faithful service, my sweet-flying
> Cutlass RG 9387D has left for her new home in Texas.
>
> "Delta" carried family home for the holidays in Houston, took Angel Flight
> patients to medical care from Jacksonville to Tulsa and everywhere in
> between, enabled me to show up for business meetings out of town and be
> home the same day, and spread her sheltering wings over our tents at
> Oshkosh. In Delta I ran from hurricanes, dodged thunderstorms, flew
> approaches to minimums and sometimes just goofed around looking at the
> scenery. Never once was a trip scrubbed because of mechanical trouble.
>
> Thanks to Delta I went places, saw sights and made friends I couldn't have
> without her. Thanks to her I've had a vastly richer life. How many of
> our possesions give us that much?
>
> So, adios, Delta. Here's hoping you keep helping people enjoy life for
> many more years.
>
> http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/DanLuke/2006-6-3_P1010262.JPG
>
> --
> Dan
>

[Jay Honeck]

> So, adios, Delta. Here's hoping you keep helping people enjoy life for many
> more years.

Geez, that's depressing, Dan. I don't even know ya, and I've not
flown your plane -- but it sure feels like a funeral nonetheless.

Good luck.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination

[Dan Luke]

"Jay Honeck" wrote:

>> So, adios, Delta. Here's hoping you keep helping people enjoy life for
>> many
>> more years.
>
> Geez, that's depressing, Dan. I don't even know ya, and I've not
> flown your plane -- but it sure feels like a funeral nonetheless.

<heh>

It's not that bad!

Airplanes come and go. That one was a good'un and I felt like saying 'bye.


> Good luck.

Same to you.

--
Dan

"You spend money to buy aggravation."
-Chinese proverb

[Dan Luke]

"BT" wrote:

> So what are you replacing Delta with..
>

Dunno, yet. I'm going to see how I like life as a non-owner for a little
while.

--
Dan

“You spend money to buy aggravation.”
-Chinese proverb

[Luke Skywalker]

On Jun 2, 5:55 pm, "Dan Luke" > wrote:
> After seven years and 900+ hours of faithful service, my sweet-flying Cutlass
> RG 9387D has left for her new home in Texas.
>
> "Delta" carried family home for the holidays in Houston, took Angel Flight
> patients to medical care from Jacksonville to Tulsa and everywhere in
> between, enabled me to show up for business meetings out of town and be home
> the same day, and spread her sheltering wings over our tents at Oshkosh. In
> Delta I ran from hurricanes, dodged thunderstorms, flew approaches to minimums
> and sometimes just goofed around looking at the scenery. Never once was a
> trip scrubbed because of mechanical trouble.
>
> Thanks to Delta I went places, saw sights and made friends I couldn't have
> without her. Thanks to her I've had a vastly richer life. How many of our
> possesions give us that much?
>
> So, adios, Delta. Here's hoping you keep helping people enjoy life for many
> more years.
>
> http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/DanLuke/2006-6-3_P1010262.JPG
>
> --
> Dan

could you please (if you have the time) let us in on any problems you
had? I have little experience in retractrable gear Cessna
singles...although a bit of time with O-2's and the folks who
maintained those worked on the gear all the time...

Robert

[Dan Luke]

"Luke Skywalker" wrote:

> could you please (if you have the time) let us in on any problems you
> had? I have little experience in retractrable gear Cessna
> singles...although a bit of time with O-2's and the folks who
> maintained those worked on the gear all the time...

I bought the plane in 2000 with a runout engine and an AD coming to inspect
the gear pivots for cracks.

The engine was o'hauled by a local shop shortly after I bought the airplane.
I had bad exhaust valve guide leaks twice within 300 hours of overhaul. That
turned out to be the fault of the shop that resurfaced the rocker arms -- they
ground the wrong angle on them. After we figured that out, I had no more
engine problems.

I had the gear AD done and the break line o-ring seals replaced for a total
cost of about $2,000. After that, I never had any gear trouble in the next
900 hours, and never spent any more money on the gear unless you count what it
cost to inspect it every year at annual. Never even burned out an annunciator
bulb.

Most of my repair costs were avionics and instruments. The Cessna radios
needed work regularly; the HI and AI failed; the S-Tec autopilot always worked
perfectly except for two times when the cheap test-off-on toggle switch
failed. I replaced the vacuum pump at 500 hours just to be on the safe side.
The voltage regulator failed once in IMC.

The airplane was remarkably trouble-free. I followed Lycoming's
recommendations about leaning, max temperatures and shutdown procedures
carefully. I made sure I flew the airplane at least once a week, and it was
in top notch shape when I sold it.

--
Dan

[Big John]

Luke

My personal airplane in VN was a 0-2. In the year I had it (got new
and we put about 500 hours on it) never had any gear problems with it.
Used it pretty hard at times and flew off hard runways and laderite
strips.

Big John
************************************************** ******


On Sun, 03 Jun 2007 09:48:10 -0700, Luke Skywalker
> wrote:

>On Jun 2, 5:55 pm, "Dan Luke" > wrote:
>> After seven years and 900+ hours of faithful service, my sweet-flying Cutlass
>> RG 9387D has left for her new home in Texas.
>>
>> "Delta" carried family home for the holidays in Houston, took Angel Flight
>> patients to medical care from Jacksonville to Tulsa and everywhere in
>> between, enabled me to show up for business meetings out of town and be home
>> the same day, and spread her sheltering wings over our tents at Oshkosh. In
>> Delta I ran from hurricanes, dodged thunderstorms, flew approaches to minimums
>> and sometimes just goofed around looking at the scenery. Never once was a
>> trip scrubbed because of mechanical trouble.
>>
>> Thanks to Delta I went places, saw sights and made friends I couldn't have
>> without her. Thanks to her I've had a vastly richer life. How many of our
>> possesions give us that much?
>>
>> So, adios, Delta. Here's hoping you keep helping people enjoy life for many
>> more years.
>>
>> http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/DanLuke/2006-6-3_P1010262.JPG
>>
>> --
>> Dan
>
>could you please (if you have the time) let us in on any problems you
>had? I have little experience in retractrable gear Cessna
>singles...although a bit of time with O-2's and the folks who
>maintained those worked on the gear all the time...
>
>Robert

[Luke Skywalker]

On Jun 3, 1:44 pm, "Dan Luke" > wrote:
> "Luke Skywalker" wrote:
> > could you please (if you have the time) let us in on any problems you
> > had? I have little experience in retractrable gear Cessna
> > singles...although a bit of time with O-2's and the folks who
> > maintained those worked on the gear all the time...
>
> I bought the plane in 2000 with a runout engine and an AD coming to inspect
> the gear pivots for cracks.
>
> The engine was o'hauled by a local shop shortly after I bought the airplane.
> I had bad exhaust valve guide leaks twice within 300 hours of overhaul. That
> turned out to be the fault of the shop that resurfaced the rocker arms -- they
> ground the wrong angle on them. After we figured that out, I had no more
> engine problems.
>
> I had the gear AD done and the break line o-ring seals replaced for a total
> cost of about $2,000. After that, I never had any gear trouble in the next
> 900 hours, and never spent any more money on the gear unless you count what it
> cost to inspect it every year at annual. Never even burned out an annunciator
> bulb.
>
> Most of my repair costs were avionics and instruments. The Cessna radios
> needed work regularly; the HI and AI failed; the S-Tec autopilot always worked
> perfectly except for two times when the cheap test-off-on toggle switch
> failed. I replaced the vacuum pump at 500 hours just to be on the safe side.
> The voltage regulator failed once in IMC.
>
> The airplane was remarkably trouble-free. I followed Lycoming's
> recommendations about leaning, max temperatures and shutdown procedures
> carefully. I made sure I flew the airplane at least once a week, and it was
> in top notch shape when I sold it.
>
> --
> Dan

Dan.

It was very gracious of you to do this. I've saved your reply in my
file. The electronic issues seems to track with both my experience
and some others. Cessna radios are just not so hot...the STEC is
super. it is just hard to toss to many "rahs" at that device.

flying the airplane as frequently as you did was probably a big help
in the gear issues. Everyone who I know who has actually had gear
trouble in like the 210...didnt fly it all that much.

Thanks again.

Robert

[Luke Skywalker]

On Jun 3, 8:13 pm, Big John > wrote:
> Luke
>
> My personal airplane in VN was a 0-2. In the year I had it (got new
> and we put about 500 hours on it) never had any gear problems with it.
> Used it pretty hard at times and flew off hard runways and laderite
> strips.
>
> Big John
> ************************************************** ******
>
> On Sun, 03 Jun 2007 09:48:10 -0700, Luke Skywalker
>
>
>
> > wrote:
> >On Jun 2, 5:55 pm, "Dan Luke" > wrote:
> >> After seven years and 900+ hours of faithful service, my sweet-flying Cutlass
> >> RG 9387D has left for her new home in Texas.
>
> >> "Delta" carried family home for the holidays in Houston, took Angel Flight
> >> patients to medical care from Jacksonville to Tulsa and everywhere in
> >> between, enabled me to show up for business meetings out of town and be home
> >> the same day, and spread her sheltering wings over our tents at Oshkosh. In
> >> Delta I ran from hurricanes, dodged thunderstorms, flew approaches to minimums
> >> and sometimes just goofed around looking at the scenery. Never once was a
> >> trip scrubbed because of mechanical trouble.
>
> >> Thanks to Delta I went places, saw sights and made friends I couldn't have
> >> without her. Thanks to her I've had a vastly richer life. How many of our
> >> possesions give us that much?
>
> >> So, adios, Delta. Here's hoping you keep helping people enjoy life for many
> >> more years.
>
> >>http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/DanLuke/2006-6-3_P1010262.JPG
>
> >> --
> >> Dan
>
> >could you please (if you have the time) let us in on any problems you
> >had? I have little experience in retractrable gear Cessna
> >singles...although a bit of time with O-2's and the folks who
> >maintained those worked on the gear all the time...
>
> >Robert- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Alex...

thanks. I had heard from VN vets that the gear was pretty good...but
the ones we had at the school I went to grad school at...well they had
sat in storage for sometime (like 10 years) and I dont think that did
them much good.

They were great to fly...and I love the Skymaster just on its flying
characteristics. My Uncle uses two of them (the 336 fixed gear
version) on his ranch.

Robert

[Bob Moore]

Big John wrote
> My personal airplane in VN was a 0-2. In the year I had it (got new
> and we put about 500 hours on it) never had any gear problems with it.
> Used it pretty hard at times and flew off hard runways and laderite
> strips.

John..did you happen to know another O-2 pilot named Richard J. Smith?
After doing the VN O-2 thing, he would later become a KC-135 Wing
Commander at Fairchild Air Force Base. I met Dick after his retirement,
in the B-707 airline world. He spent a couple of years as DO of Belize
Airways Limited (BAL) operating from Miami.

Bob Moore