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

Never content to rest on his laurels, Sean is always finding new ways to keep active and engaged. Last year, along with his hangar mate Cody Abner, he launched PIREP Aviation on You­Tube (youtube.com/@pirepaviation). The site’s “About” page in­troduces visitors to the channel with the message, “Welcome to the PIREP Aviation Channel! Our goal is to bring general avia­tion enthusiasts weekly VLOGs, product/STC reports, FBO Fri­days, and flying adventures. We look forward to bringing new content to the general aviation community.”

Sean and his Piper Cherokee 235 have ended up becoming two of the breakout stars of this channel. When he decided to upgrade his plane, he recorded and broadcast the customization so subscribers could follow along. “My goal was to create a very capable IFR platform (single or dual pilot) with a luxury/sporty feel. In addition, I wanted to add modern conveniences that the older Pipers typically don’t have.”

During the years he flew the plane, he was never disappoint­ed in its handling or maneuverability. Its original features and abilities continued to impress him. Simply put, he just hankered for more. “Mechanically, the plane was in pristine condition and well taken care of. In addition, the conservative paint job (paint­ed in 2006) is remarkably nice. Quite honestly, the interior was pretty nice, too. That said, I wanted to transform the aircraft into a highly functional and luxurious PA-28.”

When he decided to undertake this remodeling/moderniza­tion of N8949W, he knew it would take a large amount of pa­tience, labor, cash, and optimism. Never backing down, he was willing to dream big and foot the bill: “I know this will be my ‘forever’ airplane, so I decided to give it every creature comfort and make exactly into what I would want.”

Building a Dream, Piece by Piece

Renovating the Piper Cherokee 235 took about half a year. Phase 1 constituted the airframe upgrades; Phase 2 focused on the instrument panel. Phase 3 included the interior and the in­terior and exterior ceramic coating. The ceramic coating was installed without Sean’s help.

“I provided much of the labor for the airframe upgrades un­der the supervision of my A&P/IA. I designed the new panel and layout, which was executed by the avionics shop. I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted for the interior. The interior shop and I collaborated on the design, and they fabricated and installed everything with the exception of the carpet, which I installed.”

When he looks back on this undertaking, he regrets his carpet installation. “If I were to do it again, I think I would have let the interior guys install the carpet. I bought a carpet kit from Air­tex and installed that myself.” After his video was completed, he installed the prop, so that upgrade isn’t recorded for posterity. The rest of the plane’s retooling is there for YouTube viewers to watch and possibly aspire to re-create on their airplanes.

Going forward, Sean has a couple of add-ons that will com­plete the plane’s overhaul. “I plan to add a SureFly electronic ignition in the near future. This will replace my impulse mag. I am also going to add a portable battery-operated air conditioner for summer use. The unit weighs about 48 pounds and would be perfect for hot Texas flying days.”

Why The 235 Flies High in Sean’s Estimation

Having customized his plane to evolve into a brand-new, nearly unrecognizable aircraft, Sean still swears by its basic bones. Unless a plane has a remarkable, reliable provenance, all the alterations won’t make a world of difference. He is a cheer­leader for the Piper Cherokee 235’s pedigree.

“The 1964 PA-28-235 is one of the very few GA singles that had a higher useful load compared to its empty weight when it came off the assembly line. After all my upgrades, my useful load is 1,247 pounds. The 235 has a respectable cruise speed, and I routinely flight-plan for 140 kts. The 84-gallon fuel capac­ity allows for long nonstop flights. Finally, the operating costs, maintenance, and insurance are very affordable.”

Reviewing other staples of the Piper Cherokee 235, he points out that it makes for “a very stable IFR platform. It has the docile char­acteristics of the Cherokee family, but the added weight on the tip tanks make for a smooth ride in turbulent air. The 235s are actually fantastic for mountain flying and short-field operations. If I had to choose an affordable ‘must have’ upgrade, that would have to be the Door Stewards. I wish I had installed those years ago.”

Support For Sean’s Takeoffs

This year marks Sean and his wife Melanie’s 30th anniversary. He admits that he couldn’t have done all of this without her. “She has been very supportive of my aviation addiction since the beginning. Our daughter, Shea, turns 23 in April and she is currently working on her master’s degree in accounting. My wife and Shea are just passengers. Shea took a few lessons when she was 15, but decided she preferred being a passenger.”

Sean is delighted to have his wife and daughter aboard his transformed baby. It is a physical representation of his high hopes and always high ambitions for his aviation pursuits. “I am almost 100% recreational in my flying, meaning traveling and local flights. Every now and then, I use the airplane for business travel. I have built a couple of airpark homes over the years, and I would occasionally fly to the job site just for fun (even though it was only a 30-minute drive). I have made a few business trips over the years, but nothing routinely.”

Besides using the plane for fun jaunts and for short business hops, he has participated in philanthropic pursuits. “I have flown people for Angel Flight in the past, and I have used my airplane to deliver medical supplies to a mission team that was delivering them to Ecuador.”

He has also assisted other builders who have needed advice and encouragement. “I have helped a number of builders with their projects over the years, but simply to help them out. I had people help me when I started out, and I am just paying it forward,” he said.

All in all, Sean is content with what he has accomplished, and he still has those abstract and concrete aviation pinnacles to reach. “I want to focus more on flying and building up our YouTube channel over the next year. We have not done much since Thanksgiving 2022, due to a busy schedule, but will be ramping up again here very soon. If I do embark on another building project, it will likely be the SPA Cougar that will be a tandem-seat, larger version of the Panther. Hopefully, it will be released by SPA later this year.”

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