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Introduction- Nate

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Posted

 Hello! My name is Nate. I don't post a whole lot on this forum, but I enjoy seeing what everybody else is up to. I was born and raised in Anchorage. We moved out of state a few times growing up but my family always returned to Alaska. I work on the north slope. 

 

 I earned my license in '99. For years I owned a nice little Cessna 140. Great little airplane, but it didn't have enough seats once the kiddos (two) started showing up. After I sold the 140 I won a Searey in a raffle. Although a nice little amphib, it was still just two seats and setting it up for skis was out of the question. So I was able to transform the Searey into my current aircraft, an Aeronca Sedan. I can't say enough about what an awesome plane it is. I can load up the family and get out of town. It's not real fast but it's very comfortable. I thought the previous owner was exaggerating when he said that it'd be easier to fly than the 140, but it's true. And I thought the 140 was easy!

 

 I bought the remains of a wrecked Avid (A model, SN# 55) years ago while working on my license. I was going to rebuild it but never made much progress on it. It came with the Cuyuna engine, which I sold. I acquired a 532 on the advice of John Knapp. I think if I was going to get it flying I'd look for a 503. I like the idea of a bare bones aircraft with a low, low empty weight. I'm not sure if it will fly again, honestly speaking. 

 

 Most of my flying is out to the family cabin in the Susitna Valley. I don't have floats yet but it is on the horizon. I've taken a few trips to different parts of the state, and just to buzz around a bit. I don't fly as much as I would like, but I think this summer is looking pretty good to get some more flying in.

 

-Nate

 

 

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Posted

Howdy Nate!  I am still miffed at ya for winning my sea rey.. I knew for sure I had bought the winning ticket on that one!  :lmao:  Looking forwards to some flying fishing camping trips one of these days.

 

I guess most people see the name of the site and thing its just about Avid's or kitfox's, but I am all about having it alot like BCP where guys hang out just to talk flying and trips they have been on etc.

 

A buddy up here has a balled up Sedan that he loved and still swears he will rebuild one day.. The old Alaskan story of "I think I can get out of here with that extra moose quarter in it" kinda thing..  What engine do you have in yours?

 

:BC:

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Posted (edited)

Thanks for posting Nate. I had a friend in Anchorage who flew the Sedan - sorry that I never got to fly it before coming back South. Like the photos of your Planes - Would like to see your Avid too.

I hope others will see that it don't take much effort to post something of interest about themselves or their birds.

Best wishes,

ED in MO

Edited by Ed In Missouri

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Posted

Leni- My Sedan has the 180 HP engine in it with a seaplane prop. It also has seaplane doors on both sides (they came from the factory with only one door on the co-pilot side). The engine was installed some time in the 60's on an airframe specific STC, not Burl Roger's STC. There's quite a bit of room in the cabin, but I might look into installing a baggage door sometime down the road. It flies great, kind of like an old truck (in a good way!)

  Part of me wanted to keep the Searey, but it was like owning a motorcycle when a station wagon is needed. That, and they aren't really built for Alaska. One of the more active members on the Searey forum recommends rebuilding a Searey after 5 years or 500 hours (?!). The current owner lives overseas in the winter, so an amphib works very well for him.

 

Ed- I'm glad you made the post, it is quite easy to do this. Hopefully more people will put a post up. I don't have a picture of my Avid. It's a bare airframe and wings. It had a blue paint job. It suffered a wreck when the pilot stalled it during landing.

 

-Nate

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