Marc George’s 1969 Piper Cherokee 140. Photos courtesy of Jack Fleetwood (www.jackfleetwood.com).

By Michelle Adserias

When Roxanne takes to the skies, with her red light on, Marc George is sitting at the controls. He declared his relationship with his 1969 Piper Cherokee 140 was “love at first sight.” Judging from his story, I’d say it was also love at first flight. Though he didn’t name her – she was named by her previous owner – Roxanne stuck because of the red LED lights on her panel.

Marc had been searching for an airplane in his price range for quite a while when he discovered N5689U on Facebook Marketplace, of all places. It was on the Wings for Christ grass airstrip in Waco, Texas. He took her for a test flight and was immediately impressed by how smoothly she flew and how clean she was. She had clearly been well-maintained.

When a flight school expressed interest in the airplane, the owner called Marc to give him the first shot at purchasing Roxanne. Marc put down some earnest money, had a friend do a pre-buy inspection, then paid the owner the balance due. He continues to enjoy how well she handles, how reli­able she is, and how simple she is to keep in the skies. He logs about 100 hours in flight each year but his goal, like so many other pilots, is to fly more.

From Military Dreams to Personal Fulfillments

Marc has been fascinated with aircraft since he was young. It’s not surprising, then, that he was part of Aviation when he first joined the U.S. Army. His interest in flight grew as he dreamed of piloting a helicopter. Though he got to ride in a Huey, Blackhawk, Chinook and OH-58 choppers – and got paid to do it – becoming an Army pilot was not in his future.

After retiring from the military in 2013, Marc’s fervor to fly took him to Texas Central College in Killeen, Texas, where he quickly completed his PPC in 2014. He also attend­ed Texas A&M where he earned an Aviation Science degree. Three years later he bought Roxanne.

Roxanne’s Story

N5689U was built in 1969. The exact date stamped on the engine is May 16, 1969. Roxanne sustained her first injury when she was only six months old. A student was flying her in California and ran out of gas. He had to make an emer­gency landing in a vineyard. Everyone survived the ordeal but one of Roxanne’s wings was damaged. So, one wing of this Piper Cherokee is just slightly newer than the other.

Despite her age, Roxanne was in excellent condition, with only a few minor squawks, when Marc purchased her. She was beautifully painted, had a fresh interior and ran (still runs) like a charm. However, the engine was over TBO and needed some “freshening up.” During a major engine repair a few years ago, Roxanne got a nose job. Marc decided to do a split-nose modification so the propeller wouldn’t have to be removed to access the front of the engine in the future.

The avionics in the aircraft are basic and are starting to show their age, so the next item on Marc’s list is to upgrade his aircraft’s avionics. He currently flies VFR only, con­strained by the limitations of his equipment. His plan is to equip Roxanne to fly light IFR. He’s already purchased an au­dio panel but is waiting to have it installed. The shops in his area are swamped with work and he’s finding it difficult to get his plane in. He also plans to install a new radio and GPS.

There are only two other things he would change. He’d like to have a little more horsepower. And air-conditioning would be a plus. “Texas is brutal in the summer!”

Keeping Roxanne in the Skies

Marc noted that staying on top of the various maintenance schedules (ADs, SBs, etc.) can be challenging at times. “I do get nervous when new ADs come out!” But, generally speak­ing, parts have been easy to find. The big challenge came in 2020, at the heart of the COVID-19 supply chain interrup­tions. It sometimes took pilots months just to get their hands on an oil filter – which is how Marc met our talented photog­rapher, Jack Fleetwood. Jack had a case of oil filters he didn’t want, so Marc bought the whole case.

When asked what sources he uses for parts, Marc replied, “I have Aircraft Spruce on speed dial.” He also turns to B.A.S. and Texas Aircraft Salvage for the items he needs.

It costs about $80 an hour, including fuel, to fly Roxanne and she averages about 6-8 gallons per hour.

The rest of this article can be seen only by paid members who are logged in.
Have a website login already? Log in and start reading now.
Never created a website login before? Find your Customer Number (it’s on your mailing label) and register here.
JOIN HERE
Still have questions? Contact us here.