Aircraft N733FU Data

Airframe Info

Manufacturer:	Cessna
Model:	172N    Search all Cessna 172N
Year built:	1976
Construction Number (C/N):	17268268
Aircraft Type:	Fixed wing single engine
Number of Seats:	4
Number of Engines:	1
Engine Type:	Reciprocating
Engine Manufacturer and Model:	Lycoming 0-320 SERIES

Aircraft

Registration Number:	N733FU
Mode S (ICAO24) Code:	A9D6C0
Certification Class:	Standard
Certification Issued:	2006-03-08
Air Worthiness Test:	1976-12-03
Last Action Taken:	2007-10-15
Current Status:	Valid

Owner

Registration Type:	Individual
Address:	San Martin, CA 95046 United States
Region:	Western-Pacific

User Comments

Robert M. "Red" Ryder, 2008-05-07 04:00:00

I purchased 3FU in 1980, from the Channel Islands Aviation FBO at Camarillo Airport, Ventura County, CA. I was still in the Navy, an Aviation Intelligence Officer at Point Mugu NAS. In preparation for changing careers, I took most of my SEL ratings in this airplane. I also flew it to Las Vegas with three Navy passengers, to watch that year's Formula One race in the Caesar's Palace parking lot, if memory serves. Other trips included to Hermosillo, Guaymas, Los Mochis, and Mazatlan, with a Basque woman and exciting adventures. I also flew several trips up the coast to Half Moon Bay Airport, near San Francisco. In 1981, I departed the Navy and flew 3FU to the Salton Sea and gained my SES rating in a Piper Cub. For a few months, I based 3FU at San Carlos Airport, near South San Francisco, while I took helicopter pilot instruction there. Once I gained my helicopter Instructor rating, I flew 3FU to a miserable flight school near Clear Lake, CA for my first piloting employment. Finding that outfit inept, I next flew 3FU to Concord Airport, near the mouth of the Sacramento River. There, I found employment first as a helicopter instructor for a year, and I flew 3FU only a little, as I was too busy enjoying the fun and challenge of flying many different mission types in helicopters, besides instruction. However, there was a little break when a friend asked me to take him to Juno, Alaska. I took my girlfriend, too, in 3FU. We all got as far as Victoria Airport, on Vancouver Island, and only my friend got to Juno, after a day and a half of storms, when we finally flew back to SEATAC, under a very low and massive cloud cover and an approach and landing between B747s. We put him on an Alaska Air Lines flight to Juno, just what he did not want. In 1983, I gained a slot as flight instructor at an FBO at McKinleyville, CA, near the Oregon border, on the coast. I flew the Skyhawk there and got so busy that I put few hours on her. I flew Fixed and Rotary wing instruction, Part 91 missions, 135 Charters in a growing number of aircraft types, weekend managing of the front desk and even the writing of required manuals for this FBO’s newly registered Far Part 135 scheduled passenger airline. It had service to Redding, Oakland and Portland. I became a “Co-Captain” to compensate for the lack of spare parts for the fleet of three Piper Chieftains. I did not seek my ATP, MEL there. To fly those unrepaired airplanes was too much responsibility for me. At the end of my first year there, I took my first “paid” vacation as a pilot. I flew N733FU to Hollister Municipal Airport and sold her to a man there. The proceeds financed more flight training and gained me ATP/CFII ratings in MEL and R-H. Then I got a decent job and became a Lead Flight Instructor at JAL’s Flight Crew Training Center in Napa.