 Dave Monskey Makes a Contest Landing at Clinton 2006 
Dave Monskey's
1971 Cessna 150 "Mahogany." I started flying in 1995 after I had purchased a flight at a silent auction. I remember sitting in the copilot’s seat thinking “there’s no way I could ever do this.” I’m so glad I was wrong. Flying has enriched my life in so
many ways and taught me discipline that I lacked prior. I earned my private
ticket in September of 1995 flying a variety of Cessna 152’s and 172’s. I always
loved the feel of the 152’s compared to the 172’s. They felt light and easier to
fly and they were less expensive to operate as I flew mostly solo. I earned my
instrument rating in November of 1996 and found myself at a crossroads, so to
speak, “Should I go for my commercial, or my multi…?” What next? In the
back of my mind there was always the desire to own an aircraft, to have the
freedom to go wherever, whenever and to stay as long as I liked. The pride of
ownership would be cool too…you know…hanging out at the airport, washin’ and
waxin’ your bird…spending the whole day flyin’ and just bein’ cool! After months of searching thru Trade a Plane and other publications I found Mahogany, a 1971 150L - almost in my own back yard! That was June of 1997. She had about 2,600 total time and 800 since factory reman. She was perfect! I can’t take any credit for her condition other than maintaining her good looks. Over the years we’ve had our adventures, good and not so good. She’s had two complete electrical failures… at night, communication failure just as we were flying into an airshow, and we’ve hit a bird in flight, at night, on the windshield…on my wife’s side! 
Mahogany On the Grass at Clinton 2006.It’s been almost ten years since I purchased her and every hour has been a blast. Now we have about 3,500 hours total time and I’ll be lookin’ for advice regarding an overhaul. The most fun I’ve ever had with Mahogany started in July of 2005 when I flew down to a little town in Iowa. Who had ever heard of Clinton and why would anyone go there? Well that’s a whole ‘nother story…! In my wife’s words, flying feeds my soul. How right she is…what a magnificent woman I married. Dave Monskey |
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