What's Up - December 2013
A Wing and A Prayer
By Larry Shapiro
Let me say this again, “A Wing and a Prayer! There are not many pilots out there that haven’t heard that expression. I wonder how many ever questioned what it meant? I suppose one could say that if you lose a wing, you don’t have a prayer… or, if you do lose a wing then you’d better pray. Either way I have found this expression used for many years in many ways. I’d be interested in your take on what “A Wing and A Prayer” means to you.
I’ve made no secret on how “prayer” has taken on a new meaning to me this past year. As I waged my personal war and battled Cancer, “prayer” became my new friend. Since I’m an equal opportunity prayer, I’ve prayed in different languages, cities, states and countries and I’m happy to report to you, I truly believe “prayer” works and the price is right.
Please, all of you that are devout orthodox agnostics and non-believers in prayer please allow those of us that are to pray in peace. The price is right and the benefits far outweigh the rewards.
I begin this holiday season with joy in my heart, gratitude for whatever miracle has taken place, and the knowledge that I can now call myself a Cancer Survivor and no longer a victim.
This month I will once again apply for my ticket and feel confident that, with the help of my doctors and all the records I have kept organized, I will prevail, as I know the FAA is there to help – and I’m sure they will.
With the help of a mentor pilot and many opportunities to stay current, I have logged close to 100 hours to be sure I’ll be ready when I once again but my bottom on that little plastic thing that makes us all walk with a slight swagger.
If you have questions, you know where I am.
RULES! The Good, The Bad, and You’d Better Obey Ones
Rules, rules, and way too many “rulers.” You know what, just live with it. We may not know why we have all of them, and exactly what they are about, but it takes less energy to “just do it!” than to argue about why. We all suffer the indignities of having to comply with some rules we see as foolishness, but they are what they are.
When flying out of your comfort zone, whether at the controls or sitting in the back of the sardine can, we get bombarded with rules. I don’t want to fill space explaining all of the issues on my mind at this moment, let’s just leave it at, “it’s just easier to just do it!” If you have some issues you’d like me to publish or address… please share them with me.
Involvement! Continued!
Just a few additional words on this subject: Santa Monica is an example of why we must stay involved.
While making plans for a SoCal speaking engagement, I was cautioned not to land at Santa Monica because of the landing fees. Not that I care about paying a little to keep the peace, but it’s a sign and warning about the possible demise of a great and needed airport. I can’t emphasize it enough to plead with you to get involved and protect your favorite airport.
Ten Years Ago
Ten years ago I shared the following thoughts with you. They were current then, they are current now:
I hope that most of you are familiar with the Heritage Flight Program. That’s the Airshow act when we match a WWII Vintage Fighter with a current inventory Fighter and we formation fly them for the audience to ooooh and aaaaah over. It’s become very popular and is requested by most Airshows now. I mention this because I knew both pilots of the Prescott Air Faire Heritage Fly-By, and it crossed my mind that not only were the airplanes many decades apart in age, but the F-18 pilot was exactly half the age of our Sea Fury Pilot. So why do I share this with you? I share this mostly for those of you that might be thinking about retiring your ticket because of your date of birth, and for those still thinking you’re too old to start working on one. So the F-18 Driver was 35… you do the math.
During the Airshow I interviewed a dude that was wearing the uniform of an Air Force Major. He wanted to be sure I knew that he wasn’t a Tuskegee Airman and went on to say that he was just there raising money for the around the world flight he was going to be making in a P-51. This was one of those rare, and appreciated by others around me, moments when I was speechless. I looked at him and stared for a moment, and then said, “Oh, I’m sorry, you’re just flying a P-51 around the world?” Let’s leave it at this; the audience and I agreed that their applause was well spent on that statement. I guess you might say that these guys really put on one of the best Airshows ever. I love the expression I heard, and I hope I get it right; when the Tuskegee Airmen launched in 1941 the Americans didn’t want them to fly and by 1945 only the Nazis felt that way.
So think about this; we take off from Prescott on Sunday a.m., Me and Mrs. Me in our 182 and Dick Rutan in his little Blue Long E-zee, yep, the one he flew around the world with Mike Melville, another name that will now go into the history books. Our flight path takes us right over the top of the Mohave Airfield and we didn’t know about the launch that would be taking place early the next morning.
I commented to my wife, Mrs. Me, that the experience of being with the P-40 guys, the other real heroes, the Tuskegee group, plus knowing what was going on down below us really had my head spinning. As if this wasn’t enough WOW Stuff, Scott Crossfield was a frequent visitor in our office three times this past month and he’s another aviation pioneer and hero without an ounce of attitude or pomposity. I doubt that there were two people around our offices that even knew who he was until I pulled out the history books and showed them pictures of the X-15. In simple terms I told most of them, he opened the door for these other space explorers, and stayed round to hold it open for them so they too could become a chapter in the flying books, the generation about space cowboys.
Thank you Scott, thank you Burt and thank you Mike and Brian for your courage and skill in getting us even closer to the stars.
Possession or Repossession that is the question!
Aaaah come on, you mean airplanes really get repossessed?
You betcha little airplane owner. To keep or not to keep is a better question. Most aircraft owners seem to be possessed to start with, and more possessive about their aluminum chariots than they are about their homes. Come on troops, tell me I’m wrong, we’re all over the top when it comes to our planes. Remember, they shoot horses… don’t they?
One would ask, why would someone put 20 percent or more down on the purchase of an airplane, spend money feeding it and keeping it healthy, then… have a little thing like losing a job, having no bucks, have a lifestyle change, maybe a divorce, move away from their current zip code, or a treasure of other excuses cause them to abandon their trusty steeds of the air and then sound and act shocked when they find that their pride and joy is missing from it’s tie down or hangar?
All the phone calls and letters from the finance folks have gone unanswered. All the calls from the repo man are ignored, and sadly, the banks and the repo dude don’t want the airplane, they want their money.
Here’s the point; if you’re sick, most of us would call in and tell the boss that you’re not coming in to work because you have a 105-degree temperature, your nose is running, your blind in one eye and you can’t see out of the other, you’ve lost your car keys, and you just found out what E.D. means.
Now I ask you, if you’re financially not feeling well, if your checkbook is suffering from empty-itis, if your alimony payments were just increased, and you just lost your corner office, why keep it a secret? Pick up the telephone and call your friendly banker and say, help!
We all bust our bottoms acquiring good credit. You probably wouldn’t have been able to buy your airplane in the first place if you didn’t at least have that.
Banks aren’t stupid, sometimes they do stupid things, but they’d rather have some of your bucks than your out-of-annual, flat-tired, really dirty, barely insured airplane. It’s the reason more and more local and neighbor banks are saying adios to aircraft loans.
They don’t understand that those of you with dollar signs in your eyes that buy airplanes with the dreams and hopes that putting them online with a flight school, or some other cockamamie money maker, is going to help them fly for less, or even make you rich. Come on folks, I want to hear from a few of you that don’t maintain your own airplanes, have one or less of them, and at the end of the day, actually make some dough.
Most of the repos are high time, way past TBO, trainers that can barely limp off the field. The owners just don’t want to deal with the shock of, “I need a new engine?! I just put in one less than a year ago! I don’t have the money for the new engine.” Now what? “I know, I’ll just ignore it and the problem will go away.” Wrong! Should have thought of this before you made the bed you are now weeping in.
Attention all flight schools, clubs, and other establishments of the rental trade! Yes, I know this doesn’t always happen, but it does happen and that’s my lesson for the day. Always have a way out, a partner, a slush fund, or something I haven’t thought of.
In my research over the past few months, all – not some – but all of the repos I examined were trainers, 5,000 to 10,000 TT hours, TBO’d engines, and owners crying poverty. It breaks my heart to see these fine people sitting with their airplanes in intensive care and no doctor in sight.
By the way, it’s not just the little guys getting it in the fuselage; the big guys are swimming in the same swamp. They made big bucks faster than they could spend them, got involved in other interests, and just forgot to pay off their aircraft. They always seem shocked to find how deep in debt they are with mucho missed payments, their almost ex-spouse has locked up the check book, and – I love this one – the airplane or the house?
For the record, there are some very high dollar birds that get scooped up also, but those are kept quiet so no one at the club knows about it. After all, we do need to keep up our appearances. The airplanes with lots of zeros after their price also bite the dust, but in a more sophisticated and civilized manner. And it usually requires a bigger tug.
Don’t you just love meeting the under thirty preppy with 200 hours as he climbs out of his $400K trainer, oops, airplane, jumps down on the ramp, and the first thing he does is call his accountant or broker to see how much more money he made while he was flying. I always try to remember their names so I’ll recognize them when I hear or read about them in the news.
I’m not trying to single out any one personality here for abuse. My intention is to encourage you to travel a number of available avenues to save your credit rating, possibly keep your airplane, and – most of all – save you and the bank the embarrassment of making a bad loan, and you making a bad deal and getting a reputation you can live without.
Talk to your banker. Discuss a refinance plan. Let them know you need out of the airplane. Ask them for advice and see what they can do for you. Here’s a thought: sell the damn thing and cut your losses.
If it’s an oldie and it’s moldy, sell it to someone that can breath new life into it and get some dollars back to the bank and maybe save your reputation. If you show some responsibility your friendly banker will stay friendly. If not, you will get more phone calls than a pizza take-out palace and even more letters than your local political hero. It isn’t worth it. Always be sure to have a plan “B” in place to bail you out if need be. Heck, you can even call me and tell me your story. My rates are comparable to most therapists and I have a sense of humor.
In the spirit of America and free enterprise, I respectfully submit these words of questionable wisdom.
See what I mean? Still as relevant today as it was 10 years ago when I originally published these words.
On Final
Okay, okay, it’ s that time again… families, food, and friends. We eat, drink and try to be merry. May I once again ask that you find a way to share these moments with those without the gifts we enjoy? This year, for the first time in many years, I will have all my children, one of my grandchildren, and all those I love with me. I wish you the same, and my hopes and prayers that the coming year will be the best ever! Now, let’s eat!
Until next time…
That’s Thirty!
“Over”
About the writer: Larry Shapiro is an aircraft broker, aviation humorist and fulltime grandfather of three. He’d love to have you share your thoughts and ideas for future articles.
