Sean Sullivan’s Renovated Cherokee 235 Embodies Comfort, Class, and Style
By Stephanie Finnegan
There is a widely accepted mindset about the folks who reside in Texas. Compliments like “independent,” “adventurous,” “self-confident,” and “mavericks” are tossed around when discussing the Lone Star State’s citizens. In some cases, the terms are overstated, but there are certain instances when the adjectives fit a person like a pilot’s well-loved, broken-in flight jacket.
Sean Sullivan, of Fort Worth, Texas, is an example of these positive impressions actually matching the man. An entrepreneur in the construction and real estate fields, Sean has parlayed his take-charge attitude into his piloting experiences and plane ownership. “I definitely think being an entrepreneur and a pilot go hand-in-hand. I have a lot of time flexibility within my work life. This allows me the time to fly and work on airplane projects as I see fit.”
Sean had been exposed to private airplanes throughout his life, but always as a passenger. “Finally in 2008, I was financially able to take the plunge and earn my ticket.” He received his private pilot certificate, and then his instrument rating in 2014. Additionally, he has his high-performance and tailwheel endorsements, and has taken a mountain-flying course. He has approached his aviation endeavors with a passion for challenge and a devotion to always going a step beyond what he might have initially desired. Each of the planes that he has built and owned reflect his drive to find the right craft for his lifestyle and ambitions. Currently the owner of a Piper Cherokee 235, which he has renovated extensively and chronicled in meticulous detail, Sean is selfless in encouraging like-minded pilots to follow his example of seeing what they want and then seizing the opportunity to transform that into a dream aircraft.
First Things First
In 2009, Sean began his journey into plane ownership and experimentation: “I purchased my first airplane, a Slipstream Revelation. This is an open cockpit, two-place experimental light sport aircraft. I had to disassemble the aircraft and truck it home from Colorado. Rebuilding the aircraft was my first project in aircraft building.”
It also marked his first time making a flying video, which was a harbinger for his future YouTube channel. As always, one of his hands-on endeavors led to another learning experience and another outlet for his can-do spirit.
“I eventually sold that aircraft and purchased a Vans RV-10 kit. I never finished the RV-10 due to finances and decided to sell my assembled kit to someone else, so they could complete it. It is flying today. After the RV-10, I decided I could save money by building a scratch-built airplane instead of a kit. I decided to start building a composite Cozy MKIV. About halfway through that build, I purchased my Cherokee 235, N8949W, and building productivity almost stopped, since I was flying something. I lost interest and sold the project. It is flying today.”
Never hesitant to purchase the parts to tackle another building project, Sean acknowledges that this aviation construction is part of his essence. His experimental plane journeys mirror his personality and his gumption. “I have always been the type of person to create what I want, rather than just paying retail and buying it. This is evident in all areas of my life. This is one of the reasons I was drawn to experimental aviation. With kit planes, you get to build it exactly the way you want it while saving money versus a new certified aircraft of similar caliber.”
Sean definitely embodies the motto “if you want something done, do it yourself.”
A Match Made in Heaven
In 2013, Sean came across the aircraft that would morph into one of his most exciting and satisfying endeavors. He found N8949W as a new listing with a San Diego broker. After chatting on the phone, Sean placed a down payment on the plane, based on its photos alone. “The airplane was in fantastic condition and very well-equipped for 2013.” He hired a mechanic to do a pre-buy inspection, and the Piper Cherokee 235 passed with flying colors.
At the time of the purchase in October 2013, he had never flown a PA-28. Before he left for San Diego to claim his plane, he booked a few hours with a local flight instructor in a Cherokee 180. Once in San Diego, he hired another instructor to check him out in N8949W to provide the one-hour dual required by his insurance company.
Flying home in his new plane, Sean was thrilled with its capabilities. He familiarized himself with the plane’s systems and knew that he had made a great buy. “The only things that I wanted to add were main gear fairings, inertia reel shoulder straps, and a digital fuel flow computer.” Never one to sit around and let time pass idly, Sean made these adjustments quickly. “I never would have thought at the time that I would ever remodel this airplane to the level of what I have.”
Time Flies
Sean was content with the Cherokee 235 for many years. He spent years flying it before the need to build something new sparked inside him once more. He turned his attention to “a new sporty single-seat aerobatic plane called the SPA Panther.” He built the plane to show-quality standards and flew it to Oshkosh multiple times. “This project is where I really honed my aircraft-building skills. After some time, I decided to sell N485PA and move on to another project. This is when I decided to do the makeover on N8949W. I decided to roll those proceeds into the modernization of N8949W that you see today.”
Coming from a background of real-estate construction, Sean seemingly has the innate talent needed for building and overseeing a project. To an outside observer, it appears that his profession would have easily opened the door to renovating a plane without any undue drama or discomfort. Surprisingly, it’s his immersion in airplanes that’s honed his construction prowess. “I can 100% say that building airplanes enhanced my construction practices. When you build something you intend to fly, you become extremely meticulous. This attention to detail definitely rubbed off on the construction business.”
Sean’s home away from home — his hangar — is located at Fort Worth Spinks (KFWS), a 15-minute drive from his home. “I share my hangar with two friends who own and fly a C182 and an experimental SPA Panther. My hangar mates and I are always helping each other with maintenance, upgrades, and flying. In addition, I have a good friend next door who is an A&P/IA, DME, along with a handful of other A&P/IAs who can be very helpful. All in all, I have a great community of pilots and mechanics at Spinks who always keep me sharp.”
Making a Renovation Documentary
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