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Author Topic: Piston Commander Spotters Thread  (Read 16433 times)

donv

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Piston Commander Spotters Thread
« on: March 03, 2016, 12:32:51 am »
Spotted this 680 (converted to 680E at the factory, according to a tag attached on the tail) sitting at Ashland, OR this afternoon. Looks a bit unloved, but still all there...

Adam Frisch

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Re: Piston Commander Spotters Thread
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2016, 01:01:51 am »
Speaking of unloved.

Couple of years ago, I was flying back to LA from Vancouver. It was midnight, I had been working all day and I was getting real tired. So I abandoned my plan to go to NorCal and looked for nearest airport. Which happened to be Hillsboro. Landed, and taxied around aimlessly (tower closed) trying to find transient so I could catch some sleep in the back (of course I have a sleeping bag and pillow in my Commander - doesn't everyone?). On a whim I called up the FBO I could see ahead of me with the big red neon letters, which happened to be AeroAir. Anyway, little did I know that AeroAir is huge Commander service center and when night attendant saw old ragged 1953 N20VE roll in with flaking paint and leaking oil on both nacelles, and a hobo stepping out in full hippie outfit with unruly beard, he must have taken pity on me because he waived any ramp or parking fee! Probably thought I was broke. He was super friendly, allowed me to sleep in pilot's lounge and warmed some cookies for me.

Many months later I wrote the AeroAir CEO a letter thanking him for having employees that treated me so nice, and not judging either me or plane on our looks. So I'll always have a good word for AeroAir.


« Last Edit: March 03, 2016, 02:02:56 am by Adam Frisch »
Slumming it in the turboprop world - so you don't have to.

donv

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Re: Piston Commander Spotters Thread
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2016, 02:46:14 pm »
Speaking as a former Aero Air line guy (back when we were called "line boys"), I'm glad to hear that they took good care of you!

I've been associated with Aero Air as an employee or customer for over 30 years now.

ghancock

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Re: Piston Commander Spotters Thread
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2016, 09:12:10 pm »
I'm still trying to figure out how you slept in there :-)

--glenn
You can't win an argument with an ignorant person,  they'll just drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Adam Frisch

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Re: Piston Commander Spotters Thread
« Reply #4 on: March 07, 2016, 10:44:10 pm »
I'm still trying to figure out how you slept in there :-)

In the plane or at AeroAir?  ;D
Slumming it in the turboprop world - so you don't have to.

BrendaF

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Re: Piston Commander Spotters Thread
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2016, 10:44:32 pm »
Not a commander spotted but I landed our family Cherokee 235B in kdet a few years ago and used Signature.  We were treated the same as a huge jet. They could not give me hanger space but since it was winter they offered to preheat for free. I filled out a customer report naming the line guys and received a letter a month addressed to Captain French thanking me for my business and submitting a customer report
Took me a few minutes to understand Captain French. To them aircraft pilot, but for me at the time I was still in the Canadian military and a Captain. Wondered how they knew.  Da! Lol
We do what we do best, we fly!

donv

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Re: Piston Commander Spotters Thread
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2016, 10:56:57 pm »
Back when I started doing air ambulance in the early 2000s, we used to sleep in that pilot lounge on night shifts. After about a year, we got actual sleeping rooms with cots. So I've spent a few nights in there myself.

ghancock

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Re: Piston Commander Spotters Thread
« Reply #7 on: March 08, 2016, 09:02:45 am »
I'm still trying to figure out how you slept in there :-)

In the plane or at AeroAir?  ;D

Good point, but in the airplane.  I watched your video of you flying across country and seems like you got stuck at some point due to storms and spent the night in the plane.  Always wondered if "slept" was actually accomplished :-)

Glenn
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You can't win an argument with an ignorant person,  they'll just drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Adam Frisch

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Re: Piston Commander Spotters Thread
« Reply #8 on: March 09, 2016, 03:03:14 am »
I just fit perfectly in the 520. Head by the door, middle row was taken out, and slid the co-pilot seat fully forward. Super comfy, and I could stretch out fully. I remember going to the Backcountry Fly-In in Idaho a few years ago (I was only twin), and when everyone had to get into damp tents, or sleep under a dripping high wing, I just went into the plane and closed the door. My own little flying cabin!
Slumming it in the turboprop world - so you don't have to.

SKYFLYER

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Re: Piston Commander Spotters Thread
« Reply #9 on: March 09, 2016, 11:03:41 am »
I suspect that the new wife will have something to say about that in the future... good you have upgraded to the turbine BIG cabin.. and maybe AIR BEDS....

ghancock

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Re: Piston Commander Spotters Thread
« Reply #10 on: March 09, 2016, 11:19:04 am »
Yes, and he probably won't be flying that thing into the idaho fly in. :-)  So she's safe either way.

Glenn
--glenn
You can't win an argument with an ignorant person,  they'll just drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Ricky

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Re: Piston Commander Spotters Thread
« Reply #11 on: June 13, 2016, 08:02:43 pm »
I'm still trying to figure out how you slept in there :-)

In the plane or at AeroAir?  ;D

Good point, but in the airplane.  I watched your video of you flying across country and seems like you got stuck at some point due to storms and spent the night in the plane.  Always wondered if "slept" was actually accomplished :-)

Glenn


I have he'd to sleep in my 680 several nights  in freezing temp's, when I was in Quincy Fl, trying to get the old girl ready to come home for the first time..
C-YA

ghancock

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Re: Piston Commander Spotters Thread
« Reply #12 on: June 13, 2016, 10:29:08 pm »
Yeah, Adam just looks like a pretty big guy.  Was just giving him shit, because, well, that is what I do. :-)

Glenn
--glenn
You can't win an argument with an ignorant person,  they'll just drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

JimC

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Re: Piston Commander Spotters Thread
« Reply #13 on: May 15, 2018, 10:25:19 am »
I passed N42ZZ going down the Oregon coast the other day. They do wildlife surveys. Anybody know who they work for?

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N42ZZ
500B, B200

donv

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Re: Piston Commander Spotters Thread
« Reply #14 on: November 10, 2018, 03:48:22 pm »
My son is in Germany this weekend (he is living in England for a few months), and look what he found!

680F, maybe? Or 500B?