Meet Carmen!
2022 has been pretty damn exciting so far; I started a new job in January, got married in March, and bought an airplane today. Carmen is a 1968 Beech Baron 55. She got the name after I told my family I was going to San Diego to look at a plane. My sister asked what I was going to name it. I said I didn’t know, and she suggested Carmen… from San Diego… because where in the world… and thus it was done.
The previous owners took great care of the plane, and were willing to let me lease the plane while we got all the loan paperwork squared away, so I’ve already accumulated just over 25 hours, including trips to Texas, Florida, Auburn, and Washington DC. She’s a joy to fly, burning about 45% more fuel to go about 40% faster but with the additional safety of a second engine. My plan is to make minimal upgrades or changes for the next several months while I get more familiar with the equipment that’s already installed, then decide what (if anything) I want to change. As with any 50-plus-year-old airplane, I expect that there will be minor squawks and tweaks required but, because David and Charles stayed on top of major items, I don’t expect anything too heinous.
If you need me for the next few months, I’ll probably be at the airport.
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Exciting post, Paul, but not for the reason you would expect! When I first ready the headline, I misread it as, “the one where I brought down another airplane.” Call me morbid, but I read the whole article expecting to hear about some crash! So sorry!! I thought you’d get a little chuckle out of that – I hope so, and I wish you nothing but the best with your new ride.
Thanks, David! That’s pretty funny. Thankfully, I have zero crashes on my record so far. Long may it stay that way!
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