Why can't we "let go?"

[Dana]

When I sold my T-Craft after flying it for 300 hours or so and then watching it gather 10 years of dust as a "next year for sure!" restoration project, I climbed into the cockpit one last time and sat there for a few minutes just before loading it onto the truck. The buyer stood respectfully aside, and just said, "It's never easy," when I got out.

I still wonder what happened to it. He promised me a ride when it was restored, but 15 years later I'm still the last registered owner.

[1600vw]

How I would have handled this.

Sir if you really want to get this airplane up and flying again I am here to help you. I will work with you and get this bird flying. Become friends, go flying. You never know that airplane could still be yours when he decides to sell it. But after he/she see's you love flying and this airplane as much as he/she, you just might end up with it at a reduced cost. People are good that way sometimes. Nothing to loose but some time, and everything to gain. If nothing else you made a new friend.

How I would have handled this.

Tony

[Frank Giger]

The thing is that most pilots are nostalgic suckers, that's for sure. I was admiring a fellow's Ercoupe the other day while he was puttering around his hangar and couldn't resist putting my hand on the cowl and say "the things you've seen and the places you've been" to her.

Naturally of all the things to pay attention to, he heard that.

We just gave a long look to each other and went on to moving stuff around, pretending we weren't both a little misty eyed. I think one of the problems with these hangar queens is that the owners don't realize that the potential buyers are just as romantic about aircraft as they are, and will become just as attached.

While they're just machines, I've yet to find a GA pilot that doesn't hold a reverence towards aircraft, particularly older ones.