By Michelle Adserias
Chris O’Bryant and his family love to go on adventures together. They fly to competitive soccer matches throughout Texas, rather than making the long drives. They fly to see friends and relatives for visits that would be much more difficult, and infrequent, if they had to load up the car and go. And they fly for the pleasure of it, visiting new airports or taking scenic flights low over the coastline.
In fact, one of Chris’ favorite memories in his 1967 Piper PA-28-235 (Cherokee 235) is the first time he took his family up. “They were so excited and loved the ride. Lots of smiles.” Another unforgettable moment was the surprise visit to his mom. She was thrilled when he and his friend, Ben, made the two-hour flight to pop by with a bouquet of flowers. It brought tears to her eyes. “It’s a blessing to be able to make trips like that.” All this began with one memorable childhood experience.
First Flight and Beyond
Chris flew for the first time when he was just eight years old. His uncle, who lived in California, owned a Cessna 414. While Chris and his brother were visiting, their uncle took them on a sightseeing flight. The highlight of the trip was circling over Disneyland and watching the fireworks show from above. At one point, his uncle let Chris steer the plane for a moment. He was hooked.
Years later, Chris realized his long-time dream. He started his training in a Cherokee 140 and had the opportunity to fly other makes and models on his journey to becoming a pilot. He discovered how much he appreciated the low-wing platform, something he kept in mind when shopping for his own airplane. He completed his private pilot certificate at On the Fly Aviation in Seguin, Texas.
After shopping around, Chris settled on N9286W, known to the family as “Whiskey,” a nod to the last letter in the tail number. His Cherokee 235 has the low-wing profile Chris was looking for, but a much greater useful load than the Cherokee 140 he trained in. Since Whiskey’s mission is primarily recreational, it was the ideal choice. Not only is it easy to fly, it’s very practical. “I load the family up, plus folding chairs, bags and full fuel without an issue. In fact, I still have about 200 pounds to go.”
The only tricky part is getting everything and everyone loaded with only one door — but they make it work. Then they’re off on a family excursion. Chris is pleased his family enjoys a lifestyle that few are able to experience.
A Great Value
Chris bought N9286W in “ready to fly” condition. The interior had just been refurbished and all the mechanicals were in good working order. So far, this aircraft has not required any major work. Other than a need to have the magnetos inspected, that came up at the plane’s recent annual, everything seems to be running smoothly. The few parts he needed were readily available through Aircraft Spruce.
Flying an airplane that doesn’t require much maintenance is just one thing that makes flying Whiskey a more affordable option than other, similar aircraft. “If I have it leaned out in cruise correctly, and depending on the conditions, I say it takes about 11-13 gallons per hour.” With a small maintenance budget factored in for fuel costs, Chris estimates it costs about $100 per hour to keep his Cherokee in the skies. And he keeps his Cherokee in the skies upwards of 150 hours each year.
A Short Wish List
Even the best-suited airplane leaves the pilot with a few items on the wish list. Chris’s Cherokee is no exception. As he mentioned earlier, having only one door poses some challenges but Chris and his family have adjusted to it.
There are only two other things Chris would like to address. He would like to make some changes to the navigation panel, which includes an upgrade of the current 430W to something larger with a touchscreen and a Garmin AP, with at least one pair of G5s installed.
Chris also noted the Piper Cherokee 235 stock autopilot doesn’t hold altitude as precisely as other airplanes he has flown. The altitude hold that comes as standard equipment helps, but does not seem as effective as it could be, which is why he wants to upgrade the autopilot.
For now, Chris and his family will continue exploring new places together, enjoying the convenience of their family station wagon, with wings.
The rest of this article and the specifications and performance stats for this plane 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.
