"We are the protagonists of our stories called life, and there is no limit to how high we can fly."
PHD. MBA. MHS. Type rated on A350, A330, B777, B747-400, B747-200, B757, B767, B737, B727. International Airline Pilot / Author / Speaker. Dedicated to giving the gift of wings to anyone following their dreams. Supporting Aviation Safety through training, writing, and inspiration. Fighting for Aviation Safety and Airline Employee Advocacy. Safety Culture and SMS change agent.
My friends are selling their partially completed Vans RV-7A kit. Located near Seattle, WA is a complete Vans RV-7A slider kit with no laser cut parts, numerous
upgrades, and more than 1000 hours of labor put into the construction.
It’s at a point where you
could finish the cabin, mate the canopy, stand it up on gear, and then move on to avionics or
your engine. It comes with the following:
All plans: (e.g. instructions and engineering drawings) Empennage kit: build complete. Horizontal stabilizer and elevators mated to the fuselage. Vertical stabilizer and rudder need to be attached to the kit.
The electric trim kit has not been
installed, and no fiberglass work has been completed, but all of the parts are included. Wing Kit: build complete. Conduit run. The landing (Duckworks) and position lights have not
been installed. No fiberglass work has been completed. All the parts are included.
Fuselage Kit: mostly complete. The fuselage kit is at a point where the cabin group needs to be
finished, and the wings need to be mated.
Finishing Kit: no work has been done with any of the parts of the finishing kit. Once the cabin
group is complete and the wings are mated, removed, and set aside, you’ll be able to install the
roll bars and mate the canopy to the fuselage. And then put it on gear.
The engine mount is for
an O/IO 360/375.
I asked why they were selling. The owner said, "Although building is deeply satisfying, I have too many competing priorities
(e.g. family, work, volunteering, flying and maintaining other airplanes). I don’t need to sell, but I
would like this kit to find a home with a builder that can dedicate the time to completing the
project, and enjoy the finished product."
I won't part out the kit. Everything will be sold together. I’m also happy to help you load it up, but I expect you to handle shipping or
transportation of the kit to your preferred location.
This is a great opportunity for a
motivated builder to get a jump start on finishing a Vans RV kit.
A year ago at the Western Washington Aviation Conference I met a delightful couple with two amazing children. The kids each went home with one of the children's books and then this fall, I attended their school and read the Happy Plane to the students. Amazing connections came from that conference. When I heard they wanted to sell their family plane, I offered to share that here because she is a beauty and needs a good home. Due to their busy life and two growing children, they just don't find themselves flying her much as they did. She is a clean, beautiful airplane, with a fascinating history.
N349RF began life on Mactan Island off the coast of Cebu in the Philippines where she was manufactured as a fast build kit—serial number ES-102-FB. Built by a Boeing engineer, and his building partner, he wanted additional range. Therefore, he called upon coworkers at The Boeing Company to model out and flutter test wing tanks that extended past the ribs of the Lancair's existing wing design. The testing showed stable flight characteristics, so he built this ES with "50 gallon" tanks. He shared his engineering data with Lancair and they later incorporated his design into future kits.
The construction of N349RF and the required hours for phase one were complete, along with DAR sign off, in 2003. At some point the primary builder sold the airplane to his build partner. Unfortunately, the build partner passed away, and the Boeing engineer repurchased the aircraft in an estate sale. The original owner / builder cared for and maintained N349RF until 2017 when he once again decided to sell the aircraft.
The aircraft was then purchased by a retired airline pilot, turned Seattle realtor, who possessed a love of restoring wooden boats and airplanes. The new owner began a modernization project that included overhauling the engine (i.e. Poplar Grove Airmotive) and propeller (i.e. Tiffin Aire), as well as installing a new interior (i.e. Douglass Interior), and avionics (i.e. SteinAir).
Unfortunately the new owner passed away, unexpectedly, in the early stages of the modernization project. The widow worked with Galvin Flying in Seattle on Boeing Field - KBFI, to reinstall the overhauled engine and propeller, as well as the new interior. She worked with Duncan Avionics to remove the old panel and install the new panel.
The current owner was based at Boeing Field and had seen N349RF. He immediately fell in love with her sleek lines, but never thought anything of it. In 2021 he saw her on the ramp again and decided to do a little digging. To his delight he discovered she was for sale, so he bought her.
N349RF was very much a “90% complete, 90% of the way to go” project when he purchased her. She possessed a long list of squawks spanning engine, electrical and avionics. He knew this going in, and didn’t mind, since he had experience with avionics and maintenance from the US Air Force, and had been caring for a Vans RV-6A.
Over the course of the next couple of years the current he worked through the punch list of squawks. Some of the projects included:
Troubleshooting and resolving inoperative turbochargers, so he could make full power at FL180 - 220KTAS WOT and mixture rich. Lots of fun, but burned way too much fuel
Replacing the Garmin GMA 340 audio panel with a Garmin GMA 245 with bluetooth, USB charging, 3D audio and playback functionality.
Troubleshooting and repairing the Garmin autopilot system anomalies (e.g. chaffed wiring), so that he'd be able to shoot GPS coupled approaches down to minimums in IMC.
Simplifying the transponder configuration, by replacing the Garmin GTX 330ES.
(ADSB-out only) with a Garmin GTX 45R (ADSB-in/out) and using the Garmin GDL 52 solely for Sirius XM radio and weather.
Adding a second Garmin GDU 460 to the panel.
Simplifying the electrical system that included 2 separate battery buses, with 2 heavy lead acid batteries, but only 1 main electrical and 1 avionics bus. The current system has 1 battery bus with 1 Earthx battery and a primary and secondary alternator.
Replacing the primary alternator with a new one that is more consistent.
Overhauling the fuel divider that began to leak.
Making baffling modifications to help with engine cooling.
Balancing the prop.
Configuring the unmetered and metered fuel pressure and flow per TCM manuals.
"N349RF is our family airplane. When she’s not resting in our hangar, we use her to access the Pacific Northwest. What’s possible? We can drive to Bend or Sunriver OR in 5-6 hours, or we can fly there in slightly more than 1 hour. We can fly from Seattle to Bozeman, MT in less than 3 hours, or drive there in 10.5. Wine country? No problem. We can fly to Walla Walla in an hour, or down to Sonoma in 2 and a half hours. This airplane puts family adventures on steroids. We have 2 girls and our whole family flew from Seattle to Raleigh and back last summer, along with weeks worth of baggage."
"We love N349RF, but we realize we are not the flying family we originally envisioned. We don’t fly as often as this beautiful bird deserves. We put in a ton of work to make this plane turnkey for the next owner. Everything is ready for you to load up, hop in and fly away. We hope you enjoy her as much as we have!"
Enjoy the Journey! And check out this plane. She needs a new home that will love her as she has been throughout her life.
When the legal system doesn't hold anyone accountable, someone must take justice into their own hands. The 8th Novel in the Flight For Series is released. Flight For Revenge. And those deserving characters are being disposed of, one by one.
I'm now revealing the truth and what's gone before to help you win $1000. For those who don't know, I wrote novels throughout my ordeal with Delta. They were fiction based on truth, but exposing realities. In those novels I had to include murder, sex and a sinister plot because nobody would believe the truth could actually happen with an airline like Delta. Now, that truth is being exposed. However, I thought Revenge would be the only fully fictionalized novel, but I was wrong. There is too much truth in the pages. Therefore, I am running a contest for one of my lucky readers to win $1000. You don't have to have all the answers, just the have the most correctanswers.
November Clue:
Dr. Marsh, in the novel, is inspired by Dr. Faulkner, Delta’s in house doctor. If you want to know what is true about Dr. Marsh’s character in the novel, read Dr. Faulkner’s deposition testimony here. Each fictional character was dealt with in a manner befitting to them and their behavior. Read both Flight For Revenge and the deposition, and those truths will be revealed.
You can also read the novels Flight For Discovery and Flight For Justice, to confirm more truths. All Trial and Deposition Testimony is verbatim. More truth than you can imagine and it could help you win the contest.
Previous Clues:
September: All Revenge in this book is fiction.
October: If you want to know my favorite Bourbon, Kathryn and Josh drink it.
Check out the Bookstore to get your autographed copy!
HIMS was a 1974 study to research military pilots with respect to alcohol abuse who would become airline pilots. This HIMS research transitioned into an assistance program. Today, however, this program has shifted from helping pilots to a money-making pilot abuse program that has enabled a medical industry to extort money from airman. Doctors assert airman have a substance abuse disorder, whether they do or not, and then threaten their airline careers if they don’t participate in the program, forcing them to pay exorbitant amounts of money and time to retain their career.
The Pilots for HIMS Reform (P4HR) group is working to end this abuse, but they need your assistance.
If you have fallen victim to HIMS, you are not alone. Pilots for HIMS reform is trying to fix the problems, which are many. But they need to show the current reports of system abuse are not isolated cases.
Current Reports Indicate
Dr. David B Altman
There is no FAA oversight. Instead, the FAA has abdicated their accountability to HIMS AMEs.
To put this into perspective, the once leading HIMS AME doctor, Dr. David B. Altman, who testified in a court of law that he conducted more pilot evaluations than any other doctor, forfeited his medical license to avoid prosecution. Altman had accepted $74,000 from Delta Air Lines in exchange for providing a false diagnosis against me. Three years of my effort but one dirty doctor was gone.
HIMS AME Dr. Chien, stated, “Doctors can be bought” and “This is a dirty business.” Chien also told me he was an anesthesiologist and quit to become a HIMS AME because he could make more money. Dr. Alan Kozarsky is a trained ophthalmologist who is acting as a HIMS AME for Delta. Faulkner, is managing his own emotions with long-term anti-depressant use.
Unfortunately, airlines and unions use the HIMS program to control pilots while bastardizing the HIMS process. Any doctor can become an HIMS AME without any additional training. Dr. Faulkner testified in court that all they must do is attend a four-day conference. Well, at least that’s what he did. Yes, alcohol is involved at these seminars. Not for research but for consumption by the doctors at the end of the day.
Airline management sets arbitrary standards such as random thresholds for PEth or ETG testing. Airlines also require far greater monitoring than required by regulatory standards, and they force pilots to sign contracts, that are not required by the FAA. Where is the union? They are participating in this fraud.
When a pilot enters an airline’s HIMS program, the airline controls the pilot with the threat of medical certificate revocation, something they should have no control over. The HIMS contracts restrict the pilot’s ability to use sick leave, and the company threatens pilots when they call in fatigue, write up maintenance, etc. Airline management uses this program for control.
Airline management also uses the “HIMS contract” to terminate pilots who are not “compliant” with that contract, of which is outside the Pilot Working Agreement (PWA). Compliant can be subjective. One pilot faced consequences that he was not "working a good program" despite evidence that he never drank. Pilots have no job protection under the HIMS program despite what the union touts, and instead they expose themselves to arbitrary termination.
An entire industry is profiting from HIMS. Psychiatrist, rehabilitation centers, group therapy providers, and individual medical providers are all profiting by forcing pilots to jump through ambiguous hoops. Some of those pilots don’t even have a “substance use disorder” but are coerced into the program for other reasons than drinking. Many are forced by their union. Why? The union profits from this program too. While airlines reimburse some pilots for their medical expenses, there is no recouping the extensive time lost in their lives. I know of two pilots who quit the job because the program itself. One said it would have cost him his marriage. The HIMS program is a non-paid full-time job.
The linchpin in all this is the AME who is forcing pilots into psychiatric referrals. While the FAA does not use medical standards for the HIMS program, the AME and psychiatrists at the rehabilitation centers write insurance codes requiring proper medical standards. There exists a huge medical disconnect.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
If you, or anyone you know, was pressured into attending MARR (Maine Association Recovery Residences) or any other addiction recovery center, or if your AME has taken liberties with undue and arbitrary requirements, high expenses, or in any other manner harmed you, you can help by sharing your details.
Examples of the information requested:
Your position and where you work. Example, Pilot at Delta, or pilot at major airline.
Who told you to go into the HIMS program? (AME, Union, Management, FAA)
What happened that forced you into the program?
Who forced you to see a psychiatrist? (AME, Union, Airline management, FAA)
Was any pressure applied to join the HIMS program?
Were you coerced into seeing a psychiatrist?
Were you coerced into admittance into MARR or another treatment center?
What is your current medical status?
Was any employment action taken?
What were your out-of-pocket expenses?
All Documents you can share, such as letters, emails, notes, even invoices will be much appreciated. You will remain anonymous, unless you're mad enough to share your story. We understand those still employed, need anonymity. Do not believe that your story is unique and they will figure out who you are, too many, too much of the same, will protect you. This is simply data collection to prove the numbers.
This week Dylan Phillips reached out asking for help. His school, South Kitsap High School, is in the finals of the T-Mobile competition! They won the first two prizes and now we can help them win the big prize of a $1,000,000 dollar stadium makeover and an all expense paid trip for selected school representatives to the 2025 SEC Championship game!
All you need to do is Scan the Link below or go to the website HERE and enter your email and click vote. I voted on the scan. My husband at the website. Both worked great. And, you can vote each day.
Dylan said, "Our school has put their blood sweat and tears into this competition getting us to were we are now. We all have put so much effort in because this money would make a huge impact. We have youth soccer teams, youth football teams, youth cheer teams, and all of our high school teams using this stadium. This infusion of funds would help the community in so many ways."
The current stadium has no cover. The impact of that in the middle of winter in Washington State with parents, families, friends, and fans of band, cheer, dance and football as well as all other sports, suffer in the rain. Let's help make dreams come through.
I'm giving my car away as a gift to say THANK YOU to my readers. Tonight I drew the name. While there could only be one winner of the car, you are all winners in my heart. Therefore, I will be running another contest soon and giving away $1000, for all those who read the books and want to play Fact or Fiction and What has gone before. I will provide a clue each month. Details coming soon.
THIS is a Classic. And I will draw one lucky winner!!!
I am giving my car away on August 31st!
Five days remaining in to get your entry in. Learn more about the car here. It's a collectors item (or will be soon). So, if you're in need of some summer reading, checkout the bookstore. Every purchase gets an entry because I am thanking my readers! If you read on Kindle, just send me your info that you bought it, and I'll add you into the contest!
From now until the drawing, anyone who purchases all the novels will get an extra 10 entires (17 total... unless you buy revenge then 18. If you want to purchase all of them and gift them to someone this Christmas, while you win the car), go to Flight To Success blog. (shipping is smarter on the blog than the website. But if you buy more than one on the website, I will refund your shipping that goes over the actual.) You can also pre-buy the newest book Flight For Revenge. I think it's my favorite. And I'm going to be running a contest for those who read all and will be giving $1000 as the grand prize.
There Are Seven Novels
Number Eight Is Complete
Available for pre-orders:
Flight For Revenge, When there is no Justice.I'm also going to be giving a $1000 away for those who read the books with a contest to guess what is "fact or fiction" in the newest novel:
If are reading and hoping to win the car, you want to get one more entry in before the drawing and pre-order flight... Flight For Revenge, When there is no Justice You'll get an entry now for a thank you... the book will be available November 2025. But Sunday you could have a chance to win the car!
If Novels are not for you... I thank all those who are purchasing the Non-fiction too!! And You'll get an entry. Even audible or Ebook... send me the proof of order and you're in.
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