
Jun 2012 Carol Levine (Texas)
Carol Levine is based at KTKI, Collin County Regional Airport at Mc Kinney, Dallas, Texas.
I have been involved with general aviation since 1998 and obtained my PPL August 31, 1999. I started thinking about flying taildraggers a few years ago while volunteering with the warbird community. In 2010 I received my endorsement in a Citabria. However, I did not have the privelage to fly it solo. Unfortunately, my instructor and the plane that I was training in went down a week after I got signed off. It took me almost another year when I found another Citabria and instructor up in McKinney.
I had such a blast flying with him but again was not allowed to fly solo due to insurance. I then went to Florida to do some flying in the Orlando area. Got a chance to fly a Champ. Decided I was not going to be relocating any time soon to Florida. Instead I had heard that a flying club in McKinney had just put online a 1946 Cessna 120. Just after the new year I drove up to McKinney and had my first flight in the plane with the owner.
Some of the landings were good and others my feet had touched the brakes and I was all over the runway. The owner put me in touch with my instructor and it has been several months of pure joy, and of course some fustration and setbacks. Yet, with faith and determination I achieved the coveted sign off last weekend.
My instructor was kind enough to meet me this past Monday to do the honors of supervised solo take off and landings. What was even better I gave him my cell phone and had him videotape my 3 take off landings. This was not a part of the required sign off but it was part of the journey of becoming a Cessna 120 driver.
Jennifer Pena
Posted at 09:37h, 08 JuneBeautiful!!! I learned in a beautiful silver Luscombe. Paint just can’t compare to that mirror finish. Do you have a hangar in McKinney? I’ll be in Farmersville visiting mom around the 22nd and might run by the airport in McKinney to catch a glimpse of this beauty.
Carol Levine
Posted at 10:07h, 24 JuneHello Jennifer, I was up flying yesterday in McKinney. I had an unexpected guest who was visiting DFW. She recently soloed a Champ. Sorry I missed your visit to McKinney. Maybe, I will meet you at a flyin someday.
Fair Skies,
Carol
Lisa Martin
Posted at 08:29h, 08 JuneExciting! That’s a pretty airplane. Aluminum is beautiful…but oh the hours of elbow grease! It was well worth it to me when I’d fly into an airport and hear repeatedly, “That’s the prettiest airplane I’ve ever seen.” And you wont need to pack a mirror with you either 🙂
Carol Levine
Posted at 10:05h, 24 JuneLisa thanks for leaving me these kind comments. I don’t often go to this website. I have been busy with work and of course some flying. I have been happy with this part of my journey to flying a taildragger. Fair Skies to You,
Carol