Re: Bill Baka -- Selected Quotes from a Genius

still me said:

On 23 May 2007 10:54:21 -0700, "[email hidden]" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

There isn't a
man with a decent income out there that wouldn't at least try to find
a place to keep it if the air force were giving them away, as opposed
to being tight with them as Bill suggested.

You missed your chance.There was a Saab Gripen that sold on Ebay a few
months ago complete with dummy weaponry for short money. Upkeep and
fuel costs were a little steep.

F-104G's were being flown by the German Air Force as late as the '70's
but sell one to a civilian?
Fat chance.
As to that Saab, they do take real money to hangar and maintain, and
aviation gas is not cheap. We have a local guy who has an original
(minus guns) P-80 straight wing with the tip tanks and he flies over my
house about once a month. I'll bet it takes $500 worth of jet fuel just
to take off and fly for a half hour or so.
Until I win the lottery I can only want.
Ebay?????
Wow.
Bill Baka

Bill said:

As to that Saab, they do take real money to hangar and maintain, and
aviation gas is not cheap. We have a local guy who has an original
(minus guns) P-80 straight wing with the tip tanks and he flies over my
house about once a month. I'll bet it takes $500 worth of jet fuel just
to take off and fly for a half hour or so.

The calculations I saw were way beyond that for fuel. Keeping it
airworthy is also very expensive.

Quoted message said:

Until I win the lottery I can only want.
Ebay?????

Yep. It wasn't all that much, maybe a couple million. I mean,
considering the original cost. It was in private ownership
(obviously).

still me said:

Bill said:

As to that Saab, they do take real money to hangar and maintain, and
aviation gas is not cheap. We have a local guy who has an original
(minus guns) P-80 straight wing with the tip tanks and he flies over my
house about once a month. I'll bet it takes $500 worth of jet fuel just
to take off and fly for a half hour or so.

The calculations I saw were way beyond that for fuel. Keeping it
airworthy is also very expensive.

No argument from me, but I think it would be licensed as 'Experimental'.
Parts replacement must be a real pain. Since it was one of the very
first jets around 1946 the engine can't be all that fuel efficient.
I have only seen him take it to about 300 MPH at about 1,000 feet even
though they were supposed to do 500+, so he must be watching the fuel.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Until I win the lottery I can only want.
Ebay?????

Yep. It wasn't all that much, maybe a couple million. I mean,
considering the original cost. It was in private ownership
(obviously).

Look at the planes in the Reno air races. There are $10 million Mustangs
there, and lots of super hot rodded ones, like turbo-prop, twin 5 blade
props, and all that stuff I drool over.
Sometimes it makes me wish I had concentrated on making money over
having fun.
Bill Baka