Missing My Cruisair

M

mplstim

New member
Bellancaphiles

I wouldn't call it a case of buyer's remorse - more like missing an old friend. I've been without my Cruisair for about a month now since selling it. Our last flight was a long cross-country from Minnesota to Idaho over some spectacular scenery. While my new J35 Bonanza is a great performer and does everything I had hoped it would do, I just don't feel as "connected" to it as I did in the Cruisair. Maybe it will take some time to get comfortable in the 'Bo and learn it's personality, but I vividly recall my first Bellanca flight and how the Cruisair became an instant expression of my flying desires. The plane and I communicated effortlessly and it's controls felt like they worked with me in concert... The Bonanza has a different feel to it and at times it seems to resist me with springs and interconnects that seem like an effort to prevent the pilot from over-stressing it or getting into trouble. Those that rave about Bonanza handling would change their tune after a flight in a Bellanca.....

Why am I writing this? I guess I need to share what I'm experiencing with those that can understand it. These Bellancas are truly wonderful machines and I hope those that plan to keep and fly theirs realize that they are worth the cost and effort to keep them flying. I still believe that some special genius is revealed in these airplanes..... If you start to get the itch to move on to something else like I did, make sure you can do without that special feeling you get from flying a Bellanca... I am missing it and hope I can find a little in the Bonanza...
 
Jono your a hard man!

I remember my first flight in my Cruisair and the feeling of being connected to the aircraft was very strong, it's still a vivid memory. I learnt to fly in a Piper Warrior which I really enjoyed, but I couldn't believe the difference in flying the Cruisair. They are truely wonderful aircraft to fly. I am still amazed every time I get in a different aircraft how poorly they 'feel' compared to the Bellanca. As I had not flown a tail dragger before old timers had me so worried about their difficult handling particularly on landing I couldn't sleep the night before my first flight. Obviously these guys had never flown a Cruisair, she was a joy to fly and land.
I have not been able to fly mine for 4 long years and I really look forward to one day 'getting into' a Cruisair to feel its lovely air manners once again. Just hope I can afford to put some fuel in her!!!
 
<Jonathan delivers the quick chin pop, as his wingman Bernie swoops in for the rip-the-heart-out-of-the-chest blast>

Gimme five you old descendant of British convicts! Well done, sir!
 
Yep, if the Cruisair had to go then you should have gone with the Navion. A Bonanza is to close to spam to be a replacement. Sorry. I flew a Bonanza once and that was enough. It was fast with a huge engine in it but it had no personality.

Kevin
 
If I was looking for an aircraft in the affordable range to travel at a fast fairly economical rate. I can think of none better than the “J” Bonanza. And you will certainly make some points with your doctor, when you tell him you have one too. :p :lol:

I happen to think you made a wise choice. But then my second plane is a C210. I incidentally was looking for a 260 Comanche or a J Bonanza, sideways glance once and a while at a 17-31A. But it came down to what you want to do, and I had to carry a load that could only fit in the spam can. :cry:

When the can is sold and the tripletail is flying I will undoubtedly join the ranks of the Bellancie purist. 8)

Though I know I will miss setting the autopilot , reclining the seat, and taking a nap on those long boring trips. :wink:

Never flew an aircraft I didn't like------------a couple how ever I would rather not fly again.
 
Well...it is called GENERAL aviation after all. Takes all kinds I guess, but last time I looked this was the Cruisair/Cruisemaster forum. Airports everywhere are filled with all that other rubbish. Aviation magazines glorify it. If they're so, so wonderful, why is Trade-A-Plane and Barnstormers FILLED with people trying to unload these crates? How many Triple Tails do you see for sale? Damned few, that's how many.

Dang it, Monty, here we were, beating on a turncoat who couldn't man-up, stuck US with HIS whine bill and you had to come along, burn my eyes out of their sockets with happy, happy emoticons, and say nice, sweet things about flying machines that have all the sensuality of a nun. Sheeeeeeit. Nobody shows up to a wedding and talks up the groom's ex-wife to his new in-laws, and no man goes back to his ex-wife admitting he made a mistake. <hands Monty a ball bat> Okay then! Help us beat on this guy will ya? When we get done with him, Larry's standing over there and...hey Larry - where you goin?

Jonathan
Manager, Public Decency
Department of Decorum and Community Standards
 
Thank you Monty for your words, I can see you can keep an open mind about such things.... I don't see anything wrong with moving on to something different but still retaining a respect and admiration for a previous airplane - that was what I was trying to express. If it came across as "whining" I apologize - I hate whiners too... Careful Jonathon, you're sounding a bit thin-skinned about these things...
 
I think the shoe is on the other foot...odd expression for me to use really. I thought the bogus title I assigned myself in signing my last post would have made the troll obvious. Wrong again I guess.

Despite all my rubbish about punching people in the chin (as in taking it on the chin) and whacking people with ball bats, we actually apply some measure of rationality and reason to our aircraft buying decisions - once we've leapt that first hurdle of the sheer irrationality of purchasing an aircraft to begin with - and that's all about the mission. Gary, the tough old timer who sold me his Luscombe over a decade ago wept when I was taxiing for takeoff. His mission had changed and the Luscombe was too small for it. I'm sure he missed the airplane. Those tears weren't because the sun got in his eyes. But the Cessna 170 fit his mission at the time. Still does. Then again, kind fate intervened on his behalf, presenting him with a Stearman owner who was blind and allowed Gary to fly the Stearman whenever he wished just so long as he took the blind fellow up for rides from time to time, which ended up working out to once every year or two. Nope, not making that up, and I doubt anyone reading this will ever be as lucky. Still, I keep in touch with Gary just to let him know his Luscombe is still okay.

Clearly the Bo' fits your mission better and OF COURSE you're to miss the Cruisair too, but all aircraft exchanges of this sort will always involved mixed feelings. The previous owner of my Bellanca had his mission change. He flies a Cessna 140 now. His wife can no longer handle long distance travel by light airplane, yet of course he has lingering and intense feelings about his old ride. So I phone him as well on a regular basis to let him know it's cared for. I don't let him know just how much trouble all his home-brew maintenance ended up costing me. That would be wickedly insensitive, and I'm fond of the old fellow even though I'm among very few people who are.

In short, I get it, I do. I'm not really an a**hole, though I play one - and quite convincingly it would seem - on the forum. You see, people EXPECT a post like yours to be followed by a proper sort of sympathy and empathy. Sorry, but it's simply too tempting for me to resist doing the exact opposite, though I do have enough self control to avoid laughing at funerals. The only part I really hate is that people vanish from the forum when they switch rides, and I end up missing many of them. In all candor you have to be a bit of a whack job to own these Triple Tails, and I'm crazy enough to do it!

Jonathan
Prime Minister
Troll Land
 
I can't blame you missing your bird, all the guys trying mine, hi time, low time, taildragger pilot, airline pilot, name it, their eyes are just popping outwhen trying a few turns and playing around. it make a bad pilot look good but yet, it drives like a sport car, so responsive, predictable and reliable. Yup Geussepe or whatever how you write it :oops: and team knew what they were doing...just love the bird.
8)
Alain.
 
All I can ask is- why didn't you step up to a Turbo Viking? :? Was it the roomier cockpit you were after? Tired of wood, tube and fabric? Wanted a higher fuel burn rate? Speed?
Anyway, I'll bet you'll but another Cruisair one day :mrgreen:
 
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