Corey, I am so sorry to have derailed the thread a little. I've been following it closely, for like you, I am eager to learn how to buy one's first aeroplane, even though in my case, I am awfully premature. Thanks to your questions, and the responses of the members and the links and threads they have provided, I too have been learning alot vicariously and doing all sorts of "dry runs", trying to apply the pointers I read here to ads I read in the classifieds here and in Barnstormers.
Hijack away! No really, your post is immediately more interesting that anything I've come up with. And as far as you being " awfully premature ", I'm looking for a plane and don't have my Pilots license yet. You cant get more premature that that!!
Did I mention I got a crap getting into the plane yesterday? Hahaha....pathedic. Oh and I did the classic turn the yoke and look at the tail. Hahahah
I could of swore the two older guys watching me, placed a bet if I'd fall out of the plane on exit.
Premature...that's funny!
-corey