Can't wait to try this out.

http://www.sportys.com/PilotShop/product/16638

In flight camera for reviewing trips and other high-speed outdoor activities.. Very cool.

Model...

Wow - My wife got a model of the Baron for Christmas present for me... This thing is incredible.

http://www.factorydirectmodels.com/

Looks like upgrades

Looks like we're getting Garmin GTN-750 upgrades for the avionics, includes an XM weather receiver for the GTN-750 and the GNS 530 as well as a remote audio panel. Good stuff...

AOA Oil Analysis

If you use oil analysis from AOA, their bottles perfectly screw into the bottom of a Caterpillar oil analysis vaccuum pump. Makes life very simple when drawing samples for the lab..

First Time For Everything

Today, my oldest son was able to ride up front in the co-pilot seat with me. Usually someone is with me like my wife or another pilot so he gets deferred to the rear seat. It's rare that he and I get to have time where it works out that he can ride up there with the big boys. Well, he loved it but I think that I did more.

The other first was that on the return flight coming into Lexington today we were cruising at 4000 feet. Approach control asked us to slow down to "two zero knots". We were screaming at 200+ knots on the way back home. I love this plane.

Decal Removal

A few months ago, I purchased new decals from Screaming Aero Graphics for the exterior placards. Current project is involving the removal of those old decals that were worn out.

Looking for help on www.beechtalk.com on the plan of action for this project.

Oil Filter Adapters

We've upgraded our bird because of all of the time our businesses are putting on it. The original design had metal "Screens" for the oil filter rather than the typical paper filters we are all used to seeing. Well, I ordered up adapters that go down into the engine where the screens were and out of the engines to allow a connection for a paper spin on filter.

This will extend the length of our oil change interval by 25 hours doubling it. At about $200 per change we will break even in the next 4 changes (18 months). And we get modern filtering with paper filters.

The Long Drive -

The trip to Myrtle Beach ended up with a one-way drive back to Kentucky. Two large convective areas appears to be growing from 6AM to 8AM when I was looking at the Nexrad coverage. So we made a decision to drive back because at 45 MPH they looked like they would basically cover all of KY by the time we needed to be arriving at KLEX.

Well, on the way back the first system dissipated completely. The second slowed down and barely went south of Lexington. Short version, it would have been OK to fly there.

Weather flying is an art and a science. My thoughts on Sunday were that no Thunderstorms would be an issue since the TAF didn't include Cumulonimbus until 4PM local. The Nexrad picture made me second guess that thought. The TAF did "barely" turn out to be correct, but none the less was correct.

I spoke with a good friend of mine who has tons of time in Seneca's and with his dad with 15,000 flight hours... His thoughts.. Experience only comes with doing it. Some things are knowledge that can be gained and taught from a book, but these are items that just come from the practical part of flying and sticking your "wing" in it per se.

So, I sojourn on learning the new tool that I have to make more sense of and learn "safely" and slowly.

Time to spare go by air, more time yet go by Jet

Friday on the family's maiden voyage as a group we learned the meaning of that popular pilot phrase. The plan was to leave Lexington at 2 pm, but as the weather would hve it we would leave at 8pm. I also locked my keys in my car (with my briefcase containing our computers and iPad - charts). So Drew the co-pilot went home to pack a bag and we departed at 8. We after deviations for weather on the way down we diligently watched another system move in and park itself on Myrtle Beach. So over Charlotte, we diverted to Charleston. I was able to change the rental car from myrtle beach to charleston, but we will most likey leave from there again Monday. It's a two hour drive, but there is a $500 one way drop off charge they are wanting to incur. Kind of nuts.. So our two hour trip.. 12 hours.. Time to spare... Go by air...

Honey, we need a jet.

Well my first long cross country in the Baron resulted in two shots of trying to get out and around thunderstorms and convective flying. My co-pilot and his guest (an instructor at EKU flight program) both decided that on Friday we should wait for Saturday morning to allow stuff south of Atlanta to blow out. Only to have another front sitting on us Saturday morning in Lexington. When the time didn't allow for us to get back for Sat night commitments we scrubbed the flight.

First Solo Flight

Thursday brought the first solo flight in the Baron. While I was the only rated pilot in the plane, I wasn't alone. Good friend David McCowan was with me. We took a gingerly stroll at 140 to 180 knots over above Stanton, Ky then returned to Lexington overflying my house. Vicki and the boys enjoyed my turns around the house on the way back. I think David enjoyed the flight too. Good times...

Insurance gods are satisfied

Anyone who's either thought about buying a plane or owns one knows that as a Pilot we must satisfy the FAA, but as an owner operator we must satisfy and offer up tithes to the insurance companies.

Mine came in the form of an initial orientation program to the Beechcraft Baron by approved instructor and program. Fortunately, I have been luck enough to have a local Flight School with two instructors that meet both requirements that are on duty when I need them for my schedule to complete this.

Last night, I flew the last scenarios of the FAA/Industry Training Standards (FITS) curriculum for the Beechcraft Baron. Yea! Now, the insurance company is satisfied that I should have known better and that if I break the plane they will consider paying the damages, rather than no consideration at all. My omage to that rite is paid in full.

An annual instrument proficiency check is all that is required, but I believe that simulator training from FlightSafety, SimCom or a similar company is the order of business next year.

Bose A20 Headsets

A friend of mine recommended that these be my birthday present to my wife. Another friend had upgraded from the old Bose to the new Bose A20's and had made a comment about the difference. So, I have a new pair for my birtday and now I have had a pair of flights in these things and all that I can say is WOW.

The insurance - Flight part 1

Monday, we spent 4 hours in the air. First, the weather was bumpy. We were at 4,500 and still getting some light turbulence. I am always apprehensive of maneuvers in any new plane. I have flown Cessna 150, 172, 182, Maule MX-7, Cirrus SR-22, Columbia 400, Piper Arrow, Archer II, Aztec, and a Beech F33 Bonanza. Now I am adding the Baron B55 to the list. Same process, the stomach gets a little queezy in anticipation.

Well, after working my brain back through the fact that Vmc (and airspeed) only applies when both engines are not running things were fine. Steep turns were a snap, power off stalls were good and slow flight was a piece of cake. Lots of landings at Frankfort, Ky airport.

In the mean time, we had the #1 voltage regulator go out. That was interesting to work out, but a learning experience none the less in the plane. A Baron has two. The backup systems in these planes are just phenomenal. Right down to two engines.

The insurance - Ground school

It strikes me as funny when people who are not familiar ask about "What does the FAA require to fly this and that". Although, those of us active in aviation realize that once you're through with the FAA, the insurance companies are the next in line dictating who can fly "this and that".

I'm currently in process with my Trusty CFII, MEI Charlie Monette working my way through the "approved" insurance program for the Baron. Over time - Charlie's managed 3 or more Baron's of the 55 and 58 flavor.

Saturday, we spent 5 hours of intense review of the Airplane Pilot's Operating Handbook with excruciating detail covering page by page of the systems in the plane. I on the other hand had ALREADY read the POH several times. When Charlie started to inquire about parts of the plane, I told him what I knew and then pulled up the Beechcraft Part's Manual and Shop Manual. I explained to him that I bought the parts manual from Hawker Beechcraft and acquired the shop manual. He laughed and said "That's a first", no one had brought the complete parts manual to any of his ground schools in 40+ years. I think that combined with my extensive high-resolution photo collection of the plane impressed upon him that I was "studying".

First Flight

Lots of progress to report. My Inaugural flight in the new plane was ALL OUT. My trusty CFII, MEI Charlie Monette stopped counting hours accumulated for the FAA before I was born. He's generally not disturbed by anything it seems. So, the choice to test drive the plane in full-blown IMC seemed like low to moderate risk for me. After all, I had been staring at the panel for weeks now and was really curious as to how this baby was going to behave.

Charlie's first thoughts were that on the way to Auburn we would be IFR for about an hour. My tension levels went up. Fortunately, the Baron B55 with Colemill climbs like a rocket. We were in full blown IMC 1000 feet off the ground (30 seconds). We climbed straight through to 6000 feet above the ground and broke out in beautiful weather. An hour of cruise and we went back down into the clouds to make the approach for Auburn. On the way back the weather was about the same, but the approach was much wetter in Lexington than in Auburn. One good thing about flying IMC, the plane gets washed.

The start

I am currently in the middle of creating several new partnerships in the ownership of a 1965 Baron B55 Airplane. This is going to be very fun and I wanted to document my own personal experiences as time allowed. The purpose of my ownership is primarily for the growth of the IT service businesses that I own and operate in Ky that have clients all over the US.

The Baron is a Colemill Coversion President model. To the non-aviators, that means it's really fast (200+ MPH).

Stay tuned...