I feel somewhat out of place, still trying to figure out what I'm doing here. I always thought I preferred staying on the ground. I've only been in an airplane 1 time, a 4 seater, don't even know what kind it was. Just a short flight over our mountain to see the timber cutting that was going on in mass some years ago. paid for by an environmental group. My brother was taking pictures for them.
That trip made me realize why it's so attractive. But I still didn't want to do it myself.

The only other remote connection to above ground stuff was my grandfather owning a cub back in the 40's, (he died when I was 2)
And my interest in paper airplanes as a kid. had a book full of various designs and made most of them.

Anyway. I'm Reuben Titus. occupation-- farmer, mechanic, I've cut timber and run a sawmill some. The mechanic side involves a little bit of foundry, a little machining, a little steel fabrication, along with vehicle fixing and rebuilding. I also was immersed in electronics early in life, ham radio stuff, all for the technical side of it, never got into the actual communication part much. Location---- cumberland plateau, mountains in middle TN

Last year we discovered a friend's son in law had become a pilot- studying IFR and was working toward trying to find/finance an airplane so he could fly to some mission field and help out in remote village support. I came home and started looking at airplanes on the internet; on his behalf presumably. and can't stop. STOL and bush plane is what appeals. Since the further I can get from civilization the better I like it. Motels and towns just aren't my style. My favorite back country transportation is a horse. I could stick with that and be happy, so what am I doing looking at airplanes? The closest airport to us is about 25 miles away. (except a private strip about 15 miles) I cut hay in a field down in a valley that's about 900 ft long, with some work on ground smoothing and tree trimming might could use that, except the approach would be steep. Another option is a mountainside shelf on our own land I've mostly cleared already, maybe half as long, which could have an almost level approach out over a tree filled canyon. Can't stop thinking about it, both as a mission plane project, and as a personal thing. So I got questions, about flying, maximum STOL performance, technical stuff, etc. RT

Welcome. Ask away. Good group of folks here, probably some in your neighborhood. Lots of old hands that will help.

Welcome Reuben. All farmers should fly, just part of the deal! . Ask away, great crew here to answer almost anything.
David

If you haven't yet, do a search on <bush flying> and <back country flying>. There's a lot of good reading available on these subjects including books.

In general, bush flying is several steps up from simply learning to fly and getting your private pilot's license. Most PPL training is conducted in small tricycle gear aircraft on paved runways and all but ignores the stick and rudder skill, experience, and judgement needed to operate "off road" safely.

450' on the side of a mountain could be a piece of cake given the right aircraft and pilot skill.

bumper

Welcome RT. I've found myself drawn recently to trotters, walkers and racking horses. I've just got to STOP this nonsense. I don't have enough time to do what I do as it is. There is a video on Youtube about a Missouri Trotter that a fellow has trained to lay down like a camel so that he can get on him without straining his brisket. I'd need that I think. I suppose I could keep him in the guest bedroom. Throw hay through the window at night so the HOA wouldn't find out. The horse shit could go down the loo.

Here's the deal about flying. I think it was Emerson, Thoreau or Whitman who advanced that the majority of men lead lives of quiet desperation. Maybe it was Emerson, Lake and Palmer but that's not important right now. Don't screw around waiting for the right time. OK? Just get it done. I suggest a destination flight school where you get the whole thing done in a jiffy. I spent years messing around in airplanes before an instructor I knew threatened mayhem if I didn't finish. He scheduled a check ride six weeks out and said if wasn't ready he'd burn my log book.

It's not difficult at all. Any idiot can fly. I CAN!

Welcome and get crackin'

EB

WOW I am not the only Reuben out there!! There is a huge wealth of knowledge here on backcountry flying. And there is also a couple on here that are involved in mission aviation in some way or another. Right now I am trying to get into a nursing program so that I will have another skill to use as a mission pilot and a was to fund my training.

I thought Reuben was a sandwich? Sorry, it's 4:30 and I'm starting to think about food.

Well it sure sounds like you are already an addict. The only part you are missing is where your bank account gets emptied, so what are you waiting for, get started! In the future you will regret every day you delayed learning to fly.

Welcome. Plus what everyone else has already said.

[quote][Right now I am trying to get into a nursing program so that I will have another skill to use as a mission pilot and a was to fund my training./quote]

Nursing and medical skills are great. What I see as an invaluable skill that complements pilot skills in a backcountry/mission field environment is wrenching skills. Backed up by a certificate that says A&P, or better still, AI certificate, to keep the mission planes in remote places flying...
If your on a remote Pacific Island, hopping from primitive island to primitive island, and even "home base" is a relatively primitive island, and these islands are all a long ways from skilled labor (Kirabati, anyone?)..... Well. you get the picture...

My 2 cents...
lc

LC don't get too far ahead of the game here! I do twist wrenches on farm stuff not planes yet, but that is one of the next thing on the list probably after buying a plane. I am planning to pay for A&P school with nursing.

PS I think I might work in a A&P shop this summer.

Hijack over

Yah, my dad likes to get me reuben sandwiches occasionally, he thinks it's neat. I do like to eat me. Me's good. He's 87 and I think the last WWII vet in our county. I have one gaited horse, a paso fino that's actually more like a speed racker. He's my main ride. The other 4 just eat my hay. Since I make it, it doesn't cost much in dollars, just time.

I figure learning to fly is likely the easy part, since every new machine I get on doesn't take me long to have it going with some efficiency. And if an old machine stays around very long and gets fixed by me, pretty soon I'm the only one able to run it. Especially that forklift I put together out of truck and car parts, and a mast from a scrap yard. That was a tricky thing to drive. My friends and neighbors have a term for it, they call it Reubenized. A retired doctor friend I drive around sometimes, keeps joking about my backing skills. I was born with it, momma said a baby specialist was quite impressed with my advanced coordination at a year old. But I should mention; everyone has talents, that just happens to be one of mine. I can take off in reverse stairin in the mirror like I was going frontwards, some people can't drive a vehicle backwards to save their lives, but they can do stuff I can't begin to attempt. Just because I can do one thing better than another is no different than everyone else. I'm glad we have english teachers, but I almost flunked it.

I've been reading a lot of stuff on flying, does look like a heap a fun. those "learn to fly" articles on the EAA website are interesting, does look like a tailwheel plane is the best to learn on. Larry Banks is my closest instructor, lives on the other side of our county. I haven't talked to him yet. If I have to I'll schedule lessons from some out of the area instructor to get good training on off port skills. Need to work on financing before starting anything.

And speaking of money, I'm dirt poor, always have been, never really tried to make much money, other things were much more interesting. I just work a day or 2, sell a few trees when I get low on dough.
A steady job is much too boring to put up with. But since I have a whole string of things waiting for money to make them happen, I've decided I'd better look at the issue a bit more seriously.
Energy technology, I love it, ever since my school days, ------------ (or lack of them, I spent one year in official grade school, momma was my teacher the rest of the time, and the library, I kind of finished 9th grade stuff, then a couple years later took the GED and passed with a very high score, never picked up my diploma, never needed it. And that was, ummmm, almost 30 years ago, I wonder if it's still in their arcives) -------------- I have dug into inventions related to energy. I'm fixin to put some of that to work.
I think I know how to turn it into an income so big I'd have trouble figgurin out what to do with it. Money won't make me happy in and of itself, however the more I think about it the more I think I could use money to make me happy by helping others, so I have this dream of cranking my income up to some outrageous level, (more than just a dream actually, I think I've figured out exactly how to do it, pretty easy to get started) and then sinking it into airplanes for mission service, and perhaps a farm to grow super healthy high brix food for all the poor starving people around us, add a green house complex to grow food all winter. The farm stuff would be self sustaining once set up, but the airplanes would need steady input. a million a year would be a good start, with what I'm working on the sky is the limit. RT

reubenT wrote:. I have one gaited horse, a paso fino that's actually more like a speed racker. He's my main ride. The other 4 just eat my hay. Since I make it, it doesn't cost much in dollars, just time.

I figure learning to fly is likely the easy part, since every new machine I get on doesn't take me long to have it going with some efficiency. And if an old machine stays around very long and gets fixed by me, pretty soon I'm the only one able to run it. . RT

I got lots of airplanes, but just got my first Paso Finno, Your right one gait, just many speeds!! First time on one, learning as I go!!
It's all the same!!

Go for it!

60 and runninoutatime!! So much to do!!