October 2005 - American Bonanza Society

Scot CookCheyenne. Wyoming1953 C MODELne could say that my Bonanza~obsession started as a child. 1 was13 when my father introduced meto the world of flying. I began privatepilot lessons early and had wellover 20 hours by the time 1 was 14.Unable to solo because of my age, 1slowly ventured away from flying, onlyto return 20 years later with that bugthat never seems to leave an aviationenthusiast's blood. 1 knew 1 had to completemy private pilot license before ourson was born or the chance would onceagain escape me.While completing my training, Ihad been in the market for my first airplane.Looking back to my childhood, Iremembered how my father alwaysadmired the V-tail Bonanza, pointingthem out wherever we went. I wanted amodern pl ane-fast yet economical,stylish and sophisticated, but most ofall, practical and affordable.I purchased N 1904, a 1953 CModel, two months before receiving mylicense. J had the plane ferried backfrom Tennessee and left it with BobGates Aviation in Ft. Collins, Colorado,while J completed my training.1 knew 1 was into it right-back ofbook value-and thus could afford tocomplete a few additions tailored to mypersonal liking. As all aircraft ownershave discovered, it's amazing how fastone can spend money on an airplanewithout even trying.As my equity in the plane was fastapproaching the breakeven point, I hadto make an ultimate decision: Do J quithere, fl y NI904 and enjoy it? Or do Icustomize it to my liking, forego theequity and complete it for personal sat-Andrea and Scot Cook with their highly customized C ModeJ Bonanzo.isfaction and enjoyment? I guess thephotos in this article answer that.When N 1904 first entered the shopat Bob Gates, it was just to fix a fewsquawks, leather-wrap the yokes, and doa few miscellaneous upgrades. By thetime it came home to my hangar, 13months had passed, during which time Ispe nt countless hours on research-readingmagazines, talking to Bonanza ownersand many days looking at other ai r­craft while do llars magically disappeared.Now that it is complete and I havemy masterpiece, my aviation dream hascome true, and I am sure my father iswatching and smiling as I visit him onmy escapades through the clouds.Today, 1904 is more along thelines of my personal piston-poweredLear. 1 couldn't paint this majestic aircraftjust an ordinary white. It had to besomething different and eye-catching,something that could expound on itsunusual appearance.I contacted Rob Laher of ColorburstGraphics in Cheyenne, Wyoming,and we developed the scheme to adornher skin. Rob's outstanding artistic abilitywas able to create custom handpaintedrivets on the fiberglass tip tanks,airbrushed tears in the metal, and mysignature as pilot on the side of thefuselage.Then it was time to concentrate onthe interior, and I knew it had to be justas eye-catching. I contacted TimHallock of Aviation Design inGroveland, California, to custom-adornthis beauty. We had found the interiorthat was to become part of N 1904 froma 2004 Maserati Spyder. From detailedphotographs, Tim was able to perfectlyduplicate it, right down to the doublecontraststitching.After that, it was time for somecreature features, gizmos and gadgets.If it could fit-or we thought we couldmake it fit-it was installed. And at thispoint, it became an obsession. After all,you can't take it with you anyway.