Biloxi-Day 5- first day off

[beaky]

Went to see about doing some flying, camera in tow.
Decided to check out Ocean Springs Airport (5R2), which is about the same distance from the site as GPT.
Glad I did- it's a nice little uncontrolled strip out under the high tier of the Gulfport TRSA.
Note the Union Jack under Old Glory on the flagpole: the Chief CFI, Mal, is from the UK. Not sure where exactly, but he says "jolly good!" a lot.  ;D
No escaping these people; they're everywhere, it seems...  ::)

     

A couple of the school's planes: 214 is a brandy-new 172GS, and yes the "G" stands for "Garmin 1000". Nice stuff, but I just want to do some fun flying, and it's a lot more expensive per hour than the perfectly good 1974 M model next to it. Took my little renter's quiz, had a nice chat with Mal and another CFI named Bill, who is originally from New Jersey (no escaping them, either...), and had a look at the planes.

But they couldn't fit me in today, so I will come back after work Tuesday for the checkout ride. May do another short hop during the week with one of the crew, then make a longer trip Sunday, with a stop for lunch somewhere. Hope the wx is as perfect then as it is today...

     





A house/hangar  right next to the airport: I just love that- a two- airplane garage, complete with personalized doors: one for their Aeronca, one for the Bellanca.

     




There's a good-sized pasture just off one end of the runway, but an emergency landing there would put you face-to-face with some Longhorns...  :o

[bok269]

Amazing how timeless the C172 is.

[beaky]

Amazing how timeless the C172 is.

Yep. 50 years and it's hardly changed at all... which makes me wonder why anyone would pay almost $250K for one.  ::)

[bok269]

Amazing how timeless the C172 is.

Yep. 50 years and it's hardly changed at all... which makes me wonder why anyone would pay almost $250K for one.

[beaky]

Amazing how timeless the C172 is.

Yep. 50 years and it's hardly changed at all... which makes me wonder why anyone would pay almost $250K for one.  ::)

good point...theres a lot of legacy built in...people buy it because they know its dependable, and kind of like a 747, theres an element of history that people appreciate and are therefore willing to pay more for.  With the NGP coming, you have to wonder how much longer it has.

My point was really that for that kind of money, you could buy two superb vintage 172s with low-time engines that do just as well and have money left over for a G1000 suite in at least one of them.  ;D


Even without the bells and whistles it's a lot of money for the same old (very nice) design, plus leather and a fuel injection head; look at this breakdown, from an online article about the new Skyhawks:

"...the base price for the standard 2005 Skyhawk 172S is $171,250. The all-conquering G1000 option costs an additional $58,500, and the AmSafe system in the rear seats is $1,500 more, for a total suggested retail price of $231,250."

And thirteen (!) fuel drains... damn those lawyers...

Don't get me wrong; I am a Skyhawk devotee. But for that kind of money, it should do things the old ones can't- like fly safely with full tanks, four adults and over 50 lbs of baggage, and not burn 8gph average doing so. For $230K, I'd buy or rebuild the sweetest vintage Skyhawk on the planet, maybe with a Thielert turbo-deisel on the nose, and be happier about it.  

[bok269]

Amazing how timeless the C172 is.

Yep. 50 years and it's hardly changed at all... which makes me wonder why anyone would pay almost $250K for one.