Flying a vintage airplane across the country, with David Tulis - Pilot's Discretion podcast (ep. 73)

All episodes: www.sportys.com/podcast
A spur-of-the-moment airplane purchase presented David Tulis with the adventure of a lifetime: flying a 1953 Tri-Pacer across the country. He tells the story of this fun and challenging trip in this episode, including what it was like to cross the Rockies with a 135-horsepower engine, the value of mentors, and the appeal of vintage airplanes. David is also a highly accomplished photographer, so he explains why photos still matter in a world of videos and offers some practical tips for taking better in-flight photos. In the Ready to Copy segment, David tells us his favorite photo of all time, his best best tip for podcasters, and his opinion about famous Atlanta drinks.
QUOTES:
- Buying the airplane: “Chris Rose leaned over and said, ‘Hey I’m not even a pilot, but if you don’t buy it I will.’”
- Getting checked out in 30-knot winds: “That was my first indoctrination to the Wild West.”
- Flying in the mountain west: “All of a sudden it’s mountains, and snow, and evergreens, and no people… and more mountains, and more snow, and higher terrain, and no people.”
- How to prepare for a long cross country: “You really need good mentorship. You really need good planning. You need a Plan A and a Plan B - maybe a Plan C.”
- Paying for small luxuries: “One of the lessons learned when you’re flying across the country… Roll it into a hangar that’s heated. Keep the battery happy.”
- How to buy a vintage airplane: “Do some homework, get a good pre-buy - as we always stress - and then join the type clubs for the gotchas.”
- Why photos matter in a world of endless video: “It freezes a moment in time.”
SHOW LINKS:
- Tri-Pacer story: • How I bought a museum ...
- Flying with reluctant passengers: www.aopa.org/news-and-media/a...
- Pilot Training+ membership: www.sportys.com/sportys-pilot...