Page 6 - Volume 13 Number 2

A beautiful view of the Alps from Greiner’s King Air C90, where the aircraft performs very well in the conditions the mountain range can produce.
Although he still owns part of the business with 40 other family members, Greiner desired a better work/ life balance. In 2008, he left the company and now spends his time managing real estate, consulting and operating a tour company he owns in Steyr, Austria. The sightseeing excursions take visitors on Segway PT® units through the old town area highlighted with historic buildings and stunning scenery.
Living a Fuller Life
Greiner now has more time for the “life” part of the work/life balance that he was seeking, which allows him to enjoy more of his passions. Chief among those passions is becoming a pilot and traveling. “Flying combines many of my interests – weather, physics, technology and more,” Greiner explained.
He took his first flight lesson in 2008 and acquired his private pilot certificate in 2009. Since then, he hasn’t stopped his training – he holds single-engine and multi- engine land ratings through the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as well as an FAA IFR rating. Greiner says that EASA and FAA single-engine sea ratings are on the list for 2019.
Right after attaining his pilot’s license, Greiner leased a Diamond DA40 and a Piper Tomahawk for his travels. In 2011, he purchased a Piaggio P149D warbird (D-ELEV) – a 1950s Italian trainer (German built), utility and liaison aircraft. “I think the P149D is the perfect single-engine airplane and a wonderful Italian design; it’s sturdy, easy to handle and provides a lot of payload,” Greiner said.
Six years after he bought the Piaggio, Greiner was ready for his next challenge – expanding his flying envelope and traveling farther with friends for leisure. During the summer of 2017, he purchased his 1971 C90 (N290PA) which had 8,800 total hours. He admits that he didn’t necessarily narrow his search down to a King Air, but it was available for sale nearby in Hungary, and he knew the model had a good reputation.
Greiner and his FAA- and EASA-certified pilot friend, Konrad Klein (who also owns a Piaggio), both came to the United States to receive initial and recurrent training in the King Air, and he says there is another friend who will join them next time. They took their training at the King Air Academy (KAA) in Phoenix and says they
4 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY 2019