Our "flying life" pretty much took off on the spur of the moment. I was working as the General manager of Auburn Harley Davidson, which is located about 3/4 of a mile from the end of runway 25 in Auburn Ca. Day after day, all day there were light planes and the occasional twin flying over the store. The owner and I would go up to the airport and have lunch and watch the students do "bounce and goes" all the time thinking how expensive it must be to fly. Well, the saying goes "never do for a living what you enjoy as a hobby" so I woke up one Tuesday morning decided to sell my RoadKing and buy a plane. That Thursday I was the proud owner of a Cherokee 140, didn't have a clue what to do with it, I just owned it. Just goes to show you, either Harleys are very expensive or Piper Cherokee 140's are pretty cheap. Actually it's a little of both. We sold my wife's bike and bought lessons and all the wonderful stuff you need to be a pilot. I soloed after 11.5 hours and passed my check ride with 50.2 hours.

At the time our daughter was about nine or ten so the Cherokee was everything we thought we needed. We put about 500 hours on the Cherokee, flying all over the western half of the United States with Robbin and Sami dutifully impressed on how quick we could get to Montana or Utah, Idaho and beyond. Our quest for something faster happened on a trip to Laughlin with another couple who also owned a Cherokee 140. Somewhere around Fresno my buddy called up and said to look out my window at 9 o'clock and 1/4 mile. There in the distance was a Mooney passing us like we were tied to a stump. Robbin being the thoughtful wife she is asked "What's that, how fast is it, and when can we have one?" bless her heart! The search was on!

After a few months searching we found N78865. It needed a little love but the price was right and it was certainly faster than the Cherokee. Since buying the Mooney we have put just over 500 hrs on it with little trouble. The first couple of annuals were a little tough but some things couldn't be put off. We have also had the rigging done, all of the avionics serviced and a general sprucing up of the whole aircraft. (Read elbow grease)

I completed my instrument training with N78865 in the summer of 2002. I think the instrument training was the tool needed to fly the airplane with authority. It certainly forces you to think ahead of the aircraft and to maintain situational awareness. Long gone are the days of flying into the pattern at a cruise speed of 110 kts in the Cherokee, chopping power and making the first turn off! If you don't think with the Mooney and fly the numbers forget it!

With 1000 lb. useful the Mooney IS everything we need. We routinely fly with all four seats full, sometimes with lots of baggage (Columbia) and sometimes not. You know you just started a long flight when your daughter's girlfriend asks, "Where's the Pizza?" and you actually know!

Dan, Robbin & Samantha Burns
N78865
October 2004