From Submarines to Sky: Retired Navy Commander Finds Freedom in Flight

Retired Navy submarine commander Neil Colston has been around aviation all his life. His father was an A&P mechanic in the Navy, and afterward, an A&P for TWA and then American Airlines. “He was also a private pilot. He had a Cherokee 180, I believe, and he had about 1,000 hours himself before he stopped flying,” said Colston. “We flew all over the place. It was a big part of the family structure, and so I was always interested in it.”

Naval and family duties precluded Neil from pursuing flight training until he retired. “All right, I’m going to put this on the list and go get it done.” He started out in Cessnas but quickly realized Cessna products were not for him.

“So I figured out what was. It’s the Grumman Tiger. I really, really like the airplane. You kind of sit high in that canopy cockpit, and when it’s cruising, the planeactually points downward, especially if you don’t have anybody riding with you. You can get the whole world in front of you. And it’s responsive!”

Colston joined the Grumman Owners and Pilots Association on Facebook, where he found a lot of good advice. “Twenty-five different guys telling me,‘ Yeah, go get the plane and learn it.’”

Still a student pilot, Neil found his ideal 1977 Grumman Tiger hangered in Minnesota, owned by a couple of radiologists. “They took care of it. Every time it had a problem, you could tell they fixed it. They flew it 20 to 40 hours a year. It was in great condition.”

According to Neil, his AOPA Finance Account Executive, Karen  shepherded him through the whole process as a first-time buyer. “What she got across to me right away is that this is not going to be this overly burdensome, bureaucratic procedure. It was totally seamless. She was incredibly informative and very helpful.”

AOPA Finance guided him through finding an insurer, a lender, and getting an evaluation, finding a pre-buy mechanic specializing in Grummans, and drafting a pre-purchase agreement. Once he purchased his plane, Neil’s training accelerated quickly.

“I went from about 10 hours to finished in six weeks. If you want to go fast, it’s going to be as the owner of your own plane. That’s the way. That is absolutely the way. it’s invaluable.”

Great advice. Great rates. Helpful and responsive reps you can trust. Three good reasons to turn to AOPA Aviation Finance when you are buying or refinancing an airplane. If you need a dependable source of financing with people who are on your side, just call 800.62.PLANE (800.627.5263), or click here to request a quote.