February 2006 - American Bonanza Society

what a nice experience that has been. Thetransition was smooth and my instrumentapproaches improved. Better yet, instead offlying 50 to 60 hours a year in the 182, Ibegan to fly 160 hours!After a year of getting comfortable withthe airplane. I realized its avionics needed tobe updated. About 90% of the original wiringwas replaced and the majority of the avionicswere modernized. By this point, T had flownenough !Me to know which avionics T neededto have a panel I would be most comfortableusing.Most recently, 48T got new paint andinterior at Rose Aircraft in Mena. Arkansas.The interior now has a nice soft look due tothe hand-carved woodgrain side panel trimand two-tone leather seats. All door andwindow seals have been replaced, making italmost as quiet inside as a vehicle goingdown the interstate.The big V-type antenna was removedfrom the top and replaced with an antennaon the tail. Believe it or not, that movegained me five knots.Due to the renovation of the paint andinterior, we are using the plane a lot more.Everyone loves the new-leather smell andour comfort level has definitely improved.~I Y SE(,O:-'- [) I.OY1o;The best part of this story is about how Ifound Tara, the second love of my life. Oneday in Little Rock. Arkansas, T ran across anold neighbor I had not seen in II years-andshe had grown up!Tara was a student at the University ofArkansas, so 48T and I made weekend tripsto Arkansas, and were married following hergraduation. She and I, with our two children,take vacations in 48T whenever possible.If this love story has a moral, it is tospend money where it is needed. Throughthe upgrade to 48T and the renovations, wenot only increased the annual use of theplane, but this pilot has a great time flying toand from business meetings and vacations.Also, due to my flying abilities, 1 waspromoted in the fannily business to a partner.SIN DE·908. 4572 n, Engine: IO-520-BA (1171 hrs. SMOH)Hartzell propeller: PHC-C3YF (35 hrs. SPOH)AVIONICSKMA 20 annunciator panelKlN 89B IFR-certified GPS·coupled toHSIKX165 nov/comKX 87 ADFKT 76 transponderKCS 55A slaving compass systemKI525A HSIKT 65 DMEStrikefinder 2000EXTRA EQUIPMENTShadin Minifto-l fuel managementsystemIntervox two-place intercomCentury III autopilotRapca 400P-14 standby instrumentvacuum/pressure air systemwi aUfo/manual remoteArtex 200 ElT wi remoteExternal handheld radio antennaAIRFRAME EXTRASG&D Aero tinted acrylic window linersWhelen anti-collision lighting systemRosen visorsCustom paint- Feb. 2005Custom Interior- Feb. 2005Anti-chafing kit for cowlTara and Jeff HUIC Jeff flewN3481 back and forth onweekends 10 visit Tara whenshe was a student 01 theUniversity of Arkansas.