[Guest]

Well, we do now. This past weekend my buddy and I hopped in the truck and headed down to San Jose California. We left at 6:30am Saturday morning, and were finally through customs by 7:15am. We arrived in San Jose at 10:30pm Saturday evening, checked into a Motel 6 and passed out. It was still 96 degrees when we checked in.
7am saturday morning we met with Gordon McConnell (Gordonmc on RCU) and I picked up a new addition to the jet fleet.
Gordon has had a CAI Raptor for many years doing nothing. So he made me a deal I couldn't refuse, Airframe, complete radio including transmitter (Anyone need a Futaba 9WCII?), AMT Pegasus, AMT ASU, pony tank, fire extinguisher, etc etc etc, for a great price!!! Going old school, I miss the sound of air start, the Raptor's have always been one of my favorite jets, it looks great sitting next to my CAI Razor!!! I'll eventually strip it and repaint it, 10 year old jet, still painted in colors that were popular back then (white purple and pink) so I'll need to change that eventually, but some fresh batteries, a new receiver, and a run of the engine and it's ready to fly! It will be at princeton this year, not the spring warm up unfortunately, but it will come to princeton!

Fuel is significantly less in the US than up here still, down around Redding California it was only $2.029 per gallon for diesel!!! It cost less in fuel and hotels to drive down and pick it up than it would have to have a crate built and ship it up, in fact, it cost less to drive the 3400km's round trip than it does to do the 2200km trip from Abbotsford to Red Deer, and the weather down in Cali is always great.

We just missed the earthquake they had yesterday!!!

Another bonus was, I got to see Gordon's Sepecat Jaguar, what a cool airplane, and his Mick Reeves Hunter! Tried to take the hunter back instead of the Raptor but he wasn't playing that game!

Anyway, if I ever get some time to make it to Princeton it will be an exciting time!

[ifsta4]

Glad to hear you made it in one piece, I understand MGD is pretty darn cheap sout of the 49th Can't wait to stop by and see the new jet. Hopefully sometime this week..

[Pauld]

Yew funny guy....

Have time to drive all da way to Califonia to pick up a jet but no time to fly at Princeton???

I know, timing sucks - huh!

I think you need to sedn your new Booster 160 with me to Princeton to test it. Of course, it would help if it was still bolted to the King Cat.

[Guest]

Hey Paul,
If ya wanna take the kingcat go ahead, I know you're good for it did you happen to get those leads made up?

[Pauld]

Got 'em but busy tomorrow (wed) with visitors.

Thursday should be o.k.

Be cool to have a looksee at the new old school kero burner.

Originally Posted by Pauld

Yew funny guy....

Have time to drive all da way to Califonia to pick up a jet but no time to fly at Princeton???

lol yeah, and not to mention so poor, poor economy, blah blah.. haha!

Dont take it apart, just fly it!

[Steve N.]

Hey John!!! You comming to Princeton???
Steve

[Guest]

Originally Posted by JohnVH

lol yeah, and not to mention so poor, poor economy, blah blah.. haha!

Dont take it apart, just fly it!

Says the man with the BMW, new motorcycle, more guns than the Canadian military blah blah blah

This jet cost me nothing actually. I sold a turbine I wasn't going to be using anytime soon and with the deal I got on the Raptor, the turbine I sold paid for the Raptor as well as the trip to Cali and back, didn't cost me a penny out of pocket. I intend to just fly it this year, I'll paint it over the winter. Just need a new set of batteries and a new receiver, even though it came with the transmitter, I just don't want to fly futaba anymore.

Originally Posted by Steve N.

Hey John!!! You comming to Princeton???
Steve

Hey, yeah, in fall, too much going on to make spring unfortunately