spent many hours contemplating the tail feathers of a Maule from 200 feet back.
In general, I would much prefer to be following a Pawnee, but they tend to be
single-purpose machines.

I picked Pawnee for the reference be cause the soaring FBO at Hemet
uses them for their tow planes. Followed one on tow for the first
time a few weeks ago. Soaring is a lot of fun. I hope to pursue
adding the ticket. A friend of mine is asking me to go in 50% on a
single seat sailplane. He just bought a Pitts and hasn't picked it up
yet...he had so much fun soaring the same weekend I tried it, he
already wants a second plane. *sigh* He is single and I am married
with a stay at home wife and two kids in private school. It is worth
it. It is worth it. It is worth it.

Carl