Final Chapter

The 2020 Annual Condition Inspection was completed for N998SC in June 2020.  All went well. Compression was actually better than the previous year, probably due to better attention to leaning the mixture and a runing after the long taxi back to the hangar.

I had put the plane up for sale.

Quite a few reasons. Not one by itself, but in totality it seemed to make sense.

First, private recreational flying used to be much more fun, especially in the wide open spaces of Texas. Flying in the Mid-Atlantic area is complicated. Not only are there several Class B airports, but there is the SFRA, a 60 mile diameter area around DC and the Restricted Airspace around Camp David.  Added to that are VIP TFR's that are 60 mile diameter prohibited areas surrounding the President, wherever he goes. Add this to other restricted and military operating areas and one gets to feel a bit nervous that one might inadvertedly "invade" one of these restricted spaces.

One way around this is to use VFR Flight Following---essentially you are flying IFR in VFR conditions and using the FAA as well as your own navigation systems to fly where you are "allowed" to be. 

So flying, especially cross country flying became much less fun.

Add to that all the "rules" for the plane and the pilot.  Literally, you get to feel like an attorney keeping track of them all.

So, flying became too "complicated".

Maintaining proficiency for an older pilot takes a lot of practice. For those in the 70 year old plus group, you begin to feel like some of your reflexes are not what they used to be and it becomes more difficult to understand the speech on the radio. I can hear perfectly--it is understanding the fast talkers with accents or poor diction. 

So, for me, it appeared that flying was becoming more dangerous. And, a larger and larger amount of my time was being spent "practicing" to maintain proficiency--especially in gusty cross winds. 

Then, there is the expense.  $3600 per year for hangar.  $1900 for insurance.  $1000 minimum for annual maintenance. Then figure $50 per hour for fuel and wear and tear.  That's about $7000 per year minimum. Flying about 25 hours per year translates to $250 per hour plus. (Probably cheaper to rent unless you are flying more than 35 hours per year.)

Lots of fun things to do that cost a lot less than $250 per hour! And, there is always the risk of major engine repair---$30,000 overhaul cost for a 0-200!

All in all, my flying days are over. (Other than perhaps glider soaring.)

On Thursday, June 28, N998SC departed my home airport (Baublitz) with Jake Bell as the "Ferry" pilot. (above)   Jake took less than three hours to get to Charleston, WV (298 miles) averaging more than 100 mph in my fast little Cub.

After adding fuel, he continued on to privated airfield in Springfield, KY where the potential buyer inspected the plane. The deal was that if he did not buy it, he would pay to have it flown back.

I thought the deal was the buyer would pay my asking price, but it turned out that he intended to negotiate, despite finding no issues with the plane's condition.  After some back and forth, the deal closed and payment was made.  So N998SC's life consisted of homes in Texas, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and now Kentucky, traveling as far as Alaska and the Bahama Islands. 

I enjoyed my last two years of flying from "Rusty Pilot" to just "Old Man Pilot".   But as I retire from my profession as a Financial Manager and Economist, I am also retiring from flying.

My flying "career":

262.6 Total Hours as Pilot  (212.3 as Pilot in Command)

173.7 Hours flying Cross Country 

49.0 Hours flyhing Tail Wheel Plane

589 Landings (165 in Tail Wheel Plane)

2000 + landings in PC Simulator

36.4 Hours flying CC11-100 Cubcrafters Sport Cub

Planes flown:

Cessna 152
Schweizer Two-Place Glider
Piper Warrior
Piper Archer
Piper Turbo Arrow III
Cessna 172
American Champion Decathlon
Piper J3 Cub
Cubcrafters Sport Cub

I have just updated my Basic Med and am good until July 2022. My Flight Review is due now---as mentioned, my future flying, if any will be soaring in a glider. Even that seems impractical as the nearest site is 1.5 hours drive, and I see that many of the club members there wear parachutes---and if flying requires a parachute, I think I will pass.