XK Owner, What Is Your Age?
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Czech Republic
43 and looking forward to many more years with the Jag - judging from the previous posts. You guys over, 60, 70 , not mention 80 have my utmost respect - obviously nice cars are making us younger.
Btw, those beatiful shapes of XK8 & XKR somehow seem to resemble the curves of the planes - that´s why quite a lot of people of this forum have something common with the aviation. I´m B737 Captain.
Owning this car is (besides I really like it) my personal revolt to all my friends family wagoons, oil crisis and good sense. And what is the best - my wife understands me
!
Btw, those beatiful shapes of XK8 & XKR somehow seem to resemble the curves of the planes - that´s why quite a lot of people of this forum have something common with the aviation. I´m B737 Captain.
Owning this car is (besides I really like it) my personal revolt to all my friends family wagoons, oil crisis and good sense. And what is the best - my wife understands me
!
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 533
Likes: 45
From: Bellevue, WA
By the way, I have totally loved my trips to Czech Republic!
Cheers,
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 533
Likes: 45
From: Bellevue, WA
My first trip to Praha was around 1991. My last was in 2004. It was amazing to see the difference. They have done a good job of modernization without destroying the historic feel of the city.Thanks,
Veteran Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,125
Likes: 279
From: Holly Lake Ranch, Texas
EZDriver! I had no idea that you were a fellow homebuilt aircraft enthusiast! I have built a few planes myself, although never a Long EZ. I built a Quickie Q2, which is another Rutan design, but I didn't finish it. I got 90% done and realized that I still had 50% of the work ahead of me. Hundreds of hours of sanding and filling is not my idea of a good time. I just didn't have the patience. I completed the airframe but when it took me 50 hours to fill and sand just the rudder, I realized that composite airplanes weren't my thing. I sold it to someone with more free time. Here's a pic before I sold it. The top pic is the actual plane, the bottom pic is what it was supposed to look like when it was finished. (and no... it didn't sit out in my back yard. I couldn't put it together in my garage, so about once a month I would pull it out, screw the tail onto the forward fuselage, sit in it, and make airplane noises.)
About six years ago I was flying my Quicksilver ultralight low over some trees and the engine failed. I went into the trees and ended up in the hospital with a broken back. I haven't done much flying since then, but lately I've been getting the bug. I've never got up to mach 3.2, but one time I did hit mach 0.26 in a Cherokee 140 (I was in a steep dive )
About six years ago I was flying my Quicksilver ultralight low over some trees and the engine failed. I went into the trees and ended up in the hospital with a broken back. I haven't done much flying since then, but lately I've been getting the bug. I've never got up to mach 3.2, but one time I did hit mach 0.26 in a Cherokee 140 (I was in a steep dive
)Your airplane looks like it was real close to being finished. Yes, that last part was pretty rough. Took me six months to do the smoothing and painting. But I have won two awards at the EAA fly-in at Arlington, Washington. That is where I was when I built the bird. I'm going to do a picture of both Jags and the Long EZ in the near future. I'll post it and send you a shot or two by your email.
Flying an ultra light was not one of my desires. One thing good about them you always knew where you were going to land if the engine quit, right below where you were flying. The Long has been flying now since 1994. Don't fly it as much after moving to Texas as I did when I lived in the Seattle area. I actually felt the flying weather was better there than it is in Texas. But Texas is home.
Take care and thanks for all the help you have been to me and all the other guys
EZDriver
Veteran Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,125
Likes: 279
From: Holly Lake Ranch, Texas
Ok, since you guys are getting fussy about the exact age I guess I'd better do a little correction. I won't be 76 until the 20th of this month, June. But darn it I'm proud of my age. It has been a pretty darn good life and I've been very lucky. Not too many dumb things. Only one dumb thing I've done recently was take up tennis last summer. And I'm getting pretty good too.
EZDriver 75 until June 20th then 76
EZDriver 75 until June 20th then 76
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 533
Likes: 45
From: Bellevue, WA
Hey EZDriver, am I correct in understanding you flew your Long-EZ out of Arlington, WA? In an earlier post I said I had a friend who built a Varieze. I think he flys it out of Harvey Field, so you probably know or have run into him. Name is Joe and he's a great Person. 
Cheers,
Cheers,
Veteran Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,125
Likes: 279
From: Holly Lake Ranch, Texas
Hey EZDriver, am I correct in understanding you flew your Long-EZ out of Arlington, WA? In an earlier post I said I had a friend who built a Varieze. I think he flys it out of Harvey Field, so you probably know or have run into him. Name is Joe and he's a great Person.
Cheers,
Cheers,
EZDriver
Veteran Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,125
Likes: 279
From: Holly Lake Ranch, Texas
I am 64, but nobody believes it. I contend that owning really fun cars has contributed greatly to keeping me both looking and feeling young.
For you Fly-Guys, I have spent many hours gawking at the Blackbirds in museums and have sat in a flight deck mock-up. Cozy. I also got to sit in the right seat on a Concorde during an engine run for maintenance, but never left the ground, so I'm still just a sub-sonic mortal. I have a friend who built a Varieze - really sweet airplane, and I expect the Long-EZ is even nicer. I rode a Cessna 150 down through 100 foot tall fir trees one week before my youngest daughter was born (walked away) and decided, with help from my wife, that flying was something I needed to postpone for a while. Loved it, but never really got back into it. I work for Boeing, and one of the neatest things I've ever done was participate in their "Executive Training Program". I got to spend a month in the flight-training classrooms and simulators learning to fly a 767. Former Space Shuttle Commander John Creighton was one of my instructors. What a blast! I still can't believe they actually PAID me to do that. Before 9/11/2001, I occasionally got to ride jump seat on commercial flights too, but alas, those days are over.
Totally love the Forum, and can see that the age distribution is one of the reasons it works so well.
Cheers,
For you Fly-Guys, I have spent many hours gawking at the Blackbirds in museums and have sat in a flight deck mock-up. Cozy. I also got to sit in the right seat on a Concorde during an engine run for maintenance, but never left the ground, so I'm still just a sub-sonic mortal. I have a friend who built a Varieze - really sweet airplane, and I expect the Long-EZ is even nicer. I rode a Cessna 150 down through 100 foot tall fir trees one week before my youngest daughter was born (walked away) and decided, with help from my wife, that flying was something I needed to postpone for a while. Loved it, but never really got back into it. I work for Boeing, and one of the neatest things I've ever done was participate in their "Executive Training Program". I got to spend a month in the flight-training classrooms and simulators learning to fly a 767. Former Space Shuttle Commander John Creighton was one of my instructors. What a blast! I still can't believe they actually PAID me to do that. Before 9/11/2001, I occasionally got to ride jump seat on commercial flights too, but alas, those days are over.
Totally love the Forum, and can see that the age distribution is one of the reasons it works so well.
Cheers,
Since you are a fan of the beautiful Lady in Black let me stir your interest some. Are you aware that the SR-71 was not the first airplane. The first airplane was not even a military airplane. And don't come up with the U2.
EZDriver
Veteran Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,125
Likes: 279
From: Holly Lake Ranch, Texas
Now we are getting way off subject.
EZDriver
Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
From: South West, England
47, but 39 when got first XK8.
Over here Jag has reputation of being old mans car, but that is beginning to change with the XF. Youuff (Youth) are into Renault Cleos Saxos if that means anything to you guys, but would not be able to insure an XK. Havent a clue what insurance is over the pond but here I would guess £2000-3000 for a 25 year old for a year.
However, I do hold the record for the youngest new Morgan buyer in 1997, or more accurately up untill the month I bought mine, 33. In those days there was a 6 year waiting list however.
Over here Jag has reputation of being old mans car, but that is beginning to change with the XF. Youuff (Youth) are into Renault Cleos Saxos if that means anything to you guys, but would not be able to insure an XK. Havent a clue what insurance is over the pond but here I would guess £2000-3000 for a 25 year old for a year.
However, I do hold the record for the youngest new Morgan buyer in 1997, or more accurately up untill the month I bought mine, 33. In those days there was a 6 year waiting list however.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 533
Likes: 45
From: Bellevue, WA
By the way, BIG THANKS to loveatfirstsight for starting this thread.
We've gone down a few rabbit trails, but we've learned a lot about each other here.
Veteran Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,865
Likes: 918
From: MI
47, but 39 when got first XK8.
Over here Jag has reputation of being old mans car, but that is beginning to change with the XF. Youuff (Youth) are into Renault Cleos Saxos if that means anything to you guys, but would not be able to insure an XK. Havent a clue what insurance is over the pond but here I would guess £2000-3000 for a 25 year old for a year.
However, I do hold the record for the youngest new Morgan buyer in 1997, or more accurately up untill the month I bought mine, 33. In those days there was a 6 year waiting list however.
Over here Jag has reputation of being old mans car, but that is beginning to change with the XF. Youuff (Youth) are into Renault Cleos Saxos if that means anything to you guys, but would not be able to insure an XK. Havent a clue what insurance is over the pond but here I would guess £2000-3000 for a 25 year old for a year.
However, I do hold the record for the youngest new Morgan buyer in 1997, or more accurately up untill the month I bought mine, 33. In those days there was a 6 year waiting list however.
XK/XKR owner age
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 199
Likes: 8
From: Cape Cod, MA
Bought it when I was 47...now 50. In my case I liken the Coupe to a good looking sailboat. After you leave it you have to look back and smile. (I trust need not state the other obvious analogy...women?).
Life is good.
Life is good.