As I update this, I have flown 40 airplanes and 23 gliders. That’s perhaps more than some, fewer than others. The number would be lower if I count significant variants within the same family as just one airplane. Hmmm. (List updated effective October 28, 2024 but the original story below has not changed.)

TODAY I Flew a new-to-me airplane – a Robin R2160. That’s a complicated name, but it was a very responsive, fun airplane to fly.

European rules for maintaining the privilege to fly are much more complicated than in the US. Instead of a flight review with an instructor every other year, you have to fly 12 hours in the last 12 moths of each 24-month period, including at least six as pilot in command (i.e., no more than six hours dual), plus a flight with an instructor.

If you go over the 24-month period without accomplishing the above, it gets worse. In FAA-world, if you have gone beyond 24 months since your last flight review or equivalent, you just fly with an instructor and if OK, you are good to go. Easy. In Europe, if you go beyond the 24 months, you have to be evaluated by an instructor, receive any required training, then fly with an examiner. If you go more than 12 months beyond the 24, then it gets really complicated. That’s where I am…

So, here’s what I’m doing. I am trying to get double duty out of this expensive training. I have an aerobatic rating for gliders. European rules allow this to be expanded to airplanes with just three proficiency flights. The three flights for the aerobatic rating will prep me for the flight with the examiner. Once that’s all done, I can send off a bunch of documents and get an expensive green piece of paper back in the mail.

The airplane I flew today is the first aerobatic airplane I have ever flown. I was surprised at how responsive it was. Really quick. Rolls with power are so much easier than in a glider. I think I still like gliders better, but I want to have fun and get double duty out of my money. 🙂

Here’s what I have flown (The PBY, the B-17, and the T-28 I only flew enroute – no take off or landing):

1. Cessna 150
2. Cessna 172
3. Piper J-3 (Cub)
4. Piper PA-28-140
5. Cessna 152
6. PA-28-161
7. Grumman AA-5B
8. Robin ATL
9. Beech T-34B
10. Cessna T-41B
11. Piper PA-28-200/201R
12. Boeing B-17G
13. Diamond DA20
14. Beech BE-58
15. Piper PA-31-310
16. PA-28-236
17. Consolidated PBY
18. Beech BE-76
19. Cessna 172RG
20. Aquila A210
21. Robin R2160
22. Robin DR400
23. Cessna 310
24. Piper PA-32 Twin Comanche
25. Piper PA-44 Seminole
26. Cessna 182
27. Cessna Citation Ultra
28. Beech King Air F90
29. Cessna 162
30. Beech King Air 200
31. Bellanca Citabria
32. Vans RV-12
33. Cessna 210
34. Cirrus SR22T
35. SIAI Marchetti S-211
36. Van’s RV-7
37. North American B-25
38. Cessna 180 (On floats)
39. North American T-28C
40. Cessna 320B

I'm in the back seat of a T-28, a former Navy trainer.

T-28 in the hangar.

Dramatic shot of the engine.

In the hangar before preflight