Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: deHavilland. Model: DH104. Nickname: Dove
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane ME Piston
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane multi-engine land
> Engine Description: twin piston

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 6/25/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 1.1
> Number of Times Flown: 2
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: Sea Devon Mk20?

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 117
> Date First Flown: 3/12/2002
> Location First Flown: Mojave, CA Airport (KMHV)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: National Test Pilot School, Greg Lewis

Recollections:
The de Havilland Dove was a “school aircraft” at the National Test Pilot School (a civilian flight test school located at the Mojave, CA airport) when I attended the school for a 6 week “FAA certification testing initial” course.  I felt lucky to have gotten to fly here, with the school’s incredible instructor, Greg Lewis and 5 of my classmates who were sitting in the back collecting data (I probably traded seats with a pilot classmate at one point in the flight, per the usual process at NTPS).  To be honest, I don’t remember much about the airplane on those two flights at the school (other than the cockpit is NOT big) but I do remember coming back 3-4 years later and looking forward to flying this classic piece of British engineering, only to find out that she wasn’t being flown much or at all, due to maintenance issues.  With each recurrent training period (every 3-4 years during my 21 years with FAA Flight Test), the plane was less and less airworthy, and was totally retired, then sitting sadly in the “boneyard” at Mojave.  Thoughts of buying her and restoring her were dashed when I talked to some of the maintenance crews. Still, what a beauty she is.  If only I were a billionaire…this would be in my collection.  

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Douglas. Model: DC-3. Nickname: Skytrain
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane ME Piston
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane Multi-engine land
> Engine Description: twin piston

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 6/25/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 1.4
> Number of Times Flown: 1
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: C-47

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 80
> Date First Flown: 9/30/1995
> Location First Flown: Santa Monica, CA Airport (KSMO)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: USNTPS Qual Eval, with Jan Aarvik

Recollections: I flew DC-3 as part of a USNTPS “Qual Eval” session.  Like many of these Qual Evals, I was simply amazed that I was getting to fly an airplane I could only dream of flying.  This was no exception.  That said–and while I’m sure I did some “test pilot stuff” and likely wrote a “daily report” of my findings…the thing I remember most about the flight was the pilot I was flying with.  My log book didn’t record his name and all I remember was (1) he didn’t speak much english and (2) I distinctly remember him leaning over from the right seat on each takeoff, raising his right hand in front of my face with two fingers extended in a side-ways peace symbol and loudy saying over the intercom “wee-too”.  This was my signal that I could rotate, at “V2” (the takeoff safety speed).  Writing this recounting for my recollections, I came across the following AOPA article from the year before I flew: LINK TO ARTICLE

This article mentions the following: “The DC-3 based at Cloverfield Aviation at Santa Monica (California) Municipal Airport is owned by the husband-and-wife team of Jan (pronounced Yon, as in Don) and Britt Aarvik. Jan was a pilot in the Norwegian Air Force and has amassed more than 17,000 hours (4,000 in DC-3s).”  So, yes, I think I flew with Jan!  

Years later, after retiring from the FAA, I decided I’d once-again become a DC-3 pilot, this time paying for an SIC rating at the Historic Flight Foundation at Felts Field, WA.  This gorgeous museum, unfortunately went under before I could complete my rating, so it remains a “bucket list” item.  If I do ever fly the “skytrain” again, I’m convinced I’ll hear “WEE-TOO” as I rotate.

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Piper. Model: PA-34. Nickname: Seneca
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane ME Piston
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane Multi-engine Land
> Engine Description: Twin piston

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 11/4/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 2
> Number of Times Flown: 2
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: Seneca I, Seneca II

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 140
> Date First Flown: 9/9/2003
> Location First Flown: Roswell, NM (KROW)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Great Southwest Aviation, James.

Recollections:
While on an FAA flight test detachment to Roswell, NM (which–owing to it’s LONG and Part 25-required SMOOTH/UNGROOVED runway–is used by many manufacturers to test their airplanes’ “field performance”–braking, landing distance, etc) I decided I wanted to do some personal flying when testing was either cancelled or we were on a day off.  So, I went to GSA at Roswell and got checked out.  I’d flown quite a bit in the Beech Baron and I distinctly remember thinking “the Senecea does not handle nearly as nice as a Baron”.  I believe this may just be that the Seneca is a bit lighter but, even then, it felt loose and slightly unstable in the pitch axis (a combination of what felt like lower static longitudinal stability, coupled with light pitch forces).  I guess I didn’t have the spare time I thought I’d have, because I never rented from GSA after that checkout.  My second flight in a Seneca was at the National Test Pilot School some 13 years later, and I remember thinking “yep, I remember this feeling in pitch”.