I’ve been looking for a plane for a couple of years and finally found one. We flew to Texas commercially and then flew it home to Nevada.
1979 Piper Dakota with low times, good panel, paint and glass, always hangared.
Ooooh pretty!
Nice looking bird. How does it fly?
Flies real nice. I’ve only put about 15 hours on it but on the trip west it cruised at 10,500’, about 140kts over the ground on 11.5gph. Good climb even on a hot day with 3 people and lots of baggage.
Very nice! I flew a Dakota once back in the '80s
But… I was hoping I would be posting a thread with the title of this one! 
I’d never buy a plane that had been through a bad relationship.
That’s nice, but where are the machine guns? Air-to-air missiles? A bomb or two? Wait, are you telling me that you’re completely defenseless up there?
An internal combustion engine spins a propeller, which creates thrust. The airplane’s wings are designed to take advantage of this thrust to keep the plane aloft.
In other words: magic. 
Who’s a pretty girl? That’s right! You are! Oooohhh, that’s a good girl!
Congrats!
Wouldn’t it be amazing if your plane was N39500? (But the pic doesn’t look anything like Florida, where the plane is registered. 
)
Can you explain to me how the flight home works? Did you have to call the FAA and get a flight plan? Does that cost money?
Does it cost money to land wherever you landed?
Was your flight back home automated? or all you?
You don’t need to file a flight plan for flight under Visual Meteorological Conditions. There is no charge to file a flight plan.
I have never had to pay to land. I understand there are a few places where you do, but it’s unusual. I think there’s a landing fee at Catalina Island, and maybe at some of the busier international airports.
Desert Nomad’s plane may well have autopilot, but I don’t know I’d call that kind of flying ‘automated’.
But that’s not important right now.
When you file a flight plan (which is free and optional for VFR) you don’t call the FAA but rather Lockheed which has a contract with them.
We landed in New Mexico for lunch and a break, and Arizona to visit friends for the night. There are no landing costs but we did buy fuel.
The airplane has an autopilot with will hold altitude and a heading, but I hand flew it for some of the trip too. Even without an autopilot, once the airplane is trimmed (configured/balanced to a speed) it basically stays put. I was the only one who touched any controls though I did have my flight instructor with me because my insurance required a checkout as I had never flown this exact model of plane.
Congrats! That is awesome. Owning my own plane has always been a core life dream of mine but I know deep down it wouldn’t be practical in my case. That still doesn’t keep me from looking however.
Have you ever owned your own plane before? What do you plan to use it for and how often will you fly it? Where will it sleep in between times? Will you fly it IFR or will it be a strictly fair weather bird?
Congrats!
Hope to join the AO part of AOPA one day myself.
*[del]drive[/del] fly-by post as I’m on my way out to the launch field in a few minutes.
Congratulations! I’ve had two (Cherokee and Arrow). It’s a wonderful feeling to know the keys to your airplane are in your pocket.
Wishing you smooth air and tailwinds (except on landing).
Well, FloatyGimpy just bought a scooter, so take this weak shit outta here.
Are you willing to adopt me? I’ve run out of relatives who are going to leave me anything of value.
Way cool.
Pretty plane.
Still smiling I bet.
It sure looks pretty, but I would never fly in a plane that was always hammered.