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... Digging for something else, I blundered into this blast from the past. Like so many do, having never flown, I bought a plane ... a 1948 Ryan Navion L-17B (N5594A). I then had Ike, a country neighbor, teach me how to fly it. He had me land on my very first flight 😳 First time I lined-up on his 80 foot wide 2,500 ft grass strip, it looked like a pencil laying down there. I got past it, got my ticket, and flew all over hell and half of Georgia 😎 On that solo flight, the front left side window went overboard. Note how you see inside 🤓 It was hot 🔥 that day and the old rubber just gave up the ghost. Made for great ventilation !! ML


436 likes

akscott60 She is a good ol airplane.... 1 like

  -  laruetactical @akscott60 ... Soloing in a "Complex High Performance" ... with windows departing the aircraft 😎 4 likes

realwarthog71 Luckily that window didn't damage the tail... or did it?

  -  laruetactical @realwarthog71 ... It slightly dinged the wing 1 like

2ndvette Ike is good. He's done our annuals for a long time. 1 like

458lottfan Nothing like adding to the stress of your solo with a mechanical failure... 1 like

josh.macintyre Great story! Never flown a plane. But all my mountain climbs have been solo. Never attempted a mountain with a team or partner. Only partner is the Alpine dillo! We made it to the 14,410ft summit of Rainier on July 20th at 6:53 am. 3rd attempt on the mountain and made it. 🙌 1 like

mckeonekert And So Dak

glquiz64 As a fellow pilot and a customer, I know exactly how you feel!!

  -  laruetactical @glquiz64 ... Folks think I'm into airplanes ... I'm not ... they are a "hot-shot vehicle" to me. Todd Hodnett's "Accuracy1st" range facility up in Canadian, Texas is an 8 hour balls-out drive from Leander to Canadian. In the Rangemaster it's 2 hours and 15 minutes. Driving up there takes all day and you have to spend the night and drive back all day next day. In the Navion, you fly up there in the morning and eat lunch back in Leander same day. 🛫 3 likes

  -  icecoldmn @laruetactical what is the top speed of the nation?

  -  laruetactical @icecoldmn ... Tailwind related 🤷

  -  laruetactical @icecoldmn ... 160 Mph on the panel ... at 7,500 ft with a monster tailwind I've see 220 mph

  -  458lottfan @laruetactical I an the DOM for a large power & water utility company. People who don't know, just see big expensive helicopters and Citation 560 jets .... Our department is a massive force multiplier for the company. We help get more work done in less time and often in a much safer manner.

  -  icecoldmn @laruetactical 220 that is smokin fast, I was assuming 150 max with a cruise speed around 125, so it was a little windy when the window departed 😂 bet you thought of that the day you hit 220

  -  laruetactical @icecoldmn ... Sorry, I was referring to the Rangemaster with an IO-550 in it.

mrs_gerdes 🔥🔥🔥🔥

kodiak_precision 👏😂

norcaldirtbag I flew my grandpa's plane just like this one. Even white and orange.

  -  laruetactical @norcaldirtbag ... Was his name "Max Stone"? 1 like

  -  norcaldirtbag @laruetactical It was wayne Feiling. Ww2 army air corps. And cal trans inspector for sacramento cal trans and a lifelong pilot. He died at 93 not long ago. Rip grandpa.

  -  norcaldirtbag @laruetactical Im rated 100% va for environmental exposure from Iraq. I wish I could fly. They'll never allow it.