Warbird Information Exchange

I feel incredibly lucky to do the things that I do...please don't misconstrue my statements to seem as if I am not aware how fortunate I am.

It should tell you guys something, though, that even though my "day job" involves roaring around doing some really neat things in a kick-butt pointy-nosed jet, I still heavily desire to own and fly a warbird.

The "success stories" from many of you guys are encouraging. I guess it's all just a matter of priorities and perspective.

randy
it's been a lifetime fo learning and planning for me but it can be done a nickel at atime.. all my stuff. (9 in all) started out as the bottom of the junk pile that nobody wanted.

then the key to making it all happen..

i learned how to do it all myself (A&P IA) and bought my house on an airport. no hanger rent and only what i can spend. i worked on them as money and time permitted and about every 5-7 years another one popped out the front as a flyer. no waisting money on hanger rent to store an acft and no waisting time to, and from the airport, to work on the projects. when i spend an hour it is just that and not an hour of work plus two more to and from the airport...

my brother took his stearman to George AFB back in the 70's to work on the fus. that's all he had to do.. my father and i built up the wings and center section from scratch in about 3 years.. he on the other hand got the fus on its gear (i rebuilt the gear for him and sent it to him) with a few of the interior parts installed (mostly what he could buy from Duster's and Sprayer and install) in the same time frame. then his transfer to Nellis came and i went down and picked up the fus and brought it home and stored it. i finished my Spartan and got tired of kicking his project around the shop and told him to give me 5k to finish it. he did and i did in the next year.

buy a place on an airport and rent it out while doing the AF thing then when your ready, move in and go to work..

if you move back to the northwest let me know and we might be able to work out a partnership thing as i can't fly 9 at the same time anyway..

Well, I will echo what my buddy Mike (T-6G Pilot) said about PARTNERSHIP being a great avenue for a few folks to get to fly a plane that they couldn't afford or justify on their own. I can attest from personal observation that the "Syndicate" works extremely well for these guys.

I've also been keenly interested in what EDowning and Mike George had to say as well. Wonder how many of us warbird types are self-employed?

Here's my thoughts: I joined the local CAF unit in 98 I think. I had a LOT of mechanical knowledge on "vehicles other than airplanes". Was able to transfer that to airplanes with the help and guidance of the A&P/IA in our Squadron. Gotten a LOT of experience wrenching on warbirds, and all of it went toward getting my own A&P license. I have been a student pilot for an embarrassingly long time, but I own a Piper J-5A. That came from the CAF connection, a good friend knew I was looking for a taildragger and made me a great deal on it. Needed a very small bit of TLC, and there you go. With the prices of Cub series climbing I could probably double my money on the plane today. What I really need to do is fly the silly thing more tho...

Here's the REAL deal, though, folks. Like others have said, it is all about the priorities YOU have. If you want to own a warbird, whether it's an L-bird, a -6, or a bigger one, YOU need to align your life to make that happen. And I know about the random expenses of life, too....I have a better half and teenage sons. Luckily she is as into aviation as I am. That helps but is not a necessity. Ditch the car payments, don't get the 50 inch flat screen TV, and put the savings into the plane. I do not own a personal vehicle with less than 150,000 miles on it....but I would not hesitate to drive any of em cross country tomorrow. The key point there is that they are paid for, and they were the day I bought em. Buy a couple year old car...insurance is cheaper, taxes cheaper, and they hold the value better. Then drive em till the wheels come off.

Bottom line, if you REALLY want to do something, you CAN find ways of making it happen while still keeping a *reasonable* standard of living.

_________________
Regards,

Jase
www.b26marauder.com
"I'm having a BLAST!!" 2007 CAF Wing Staff Conference

RIP Gary Austin..always in our hearts

Having an A&P greatly helps, it seems.

JCW, how were you able to get an A&P while on active duty??

I'm barely able to find time to get a Masters taking online classes!

JCW, the nickel at a time comment compelled me to reply to this thread.

I can identify with Jase's comments too.

I've never owned a new car. I have a couple of "toy" cars (older
Corvettes) that I bought as a young(er) man (paid cash for them,
rebuilt/restored/re-painted them myself), but my daily driver is a 1/4
of a million mile, embarrasing as hell to drive, old clunker that I keep
fixing just to keep it on the road.

I own everything I have free & clear but do carry a mortgage on my
house.

The comments about keeping a project at home have great merit
as well. Even before I bought my airpark home, I had my SNJ
at my house (my old shop was 40' x 24') so that when I came home from
work, all I had to do was stuff a sandwich down my throat and I could
go to work on the J-bird from about 4:00pm until midnight every
weeknight (got a lot of work done that way....).

In retrospect, it would have probably been a better idea to invest money
in the stock market 11+ years ago and buy a flying T-6 now than do
what I've done, but FWIW, I wouldn't trade my life experiences + the
things/skills I have learned and the friendships I have made over the last
decade+ for all the tea in China....

Bottom line, I concur with the "if you want it bad enough, you can do it"
mantra. It might take longer than one would like to think it would, but
old man time slides by anyway... and if you aren't pursuing/living your
dreams in life.... well.... what it is it exactly that you're doing with your
life??? (BTW, that's an actual question that was posed to me 11+ years
ago, and the rest, as the saying goes, is history!).

Bela P. Havasreti