Ned Gravel

Update 7: Albuquerque to Las Vegas. Today we expected the bumps and we got them. Lesson: Try to avoid flying through a SIGMET for Moderate Turbulence calling for 30 knot headwinds. We expected it to take 1:45 to Sedona from Albuquerque. It took 2:28. One thing for sure, I may not like the bumps, but they no longer scare me. Lunch in Sedona was marvellous. But while we were there we talked to some locals. None of them would fly the Grand Canyon corridors today. Too windy. So, we took the hint and filed for straight to Las Vegas. Out of Sedona, we waited until we were at the quiet and very smooth altitude of 12,000' before getting the clearance. Between Albuquerque Centre and LA Centre, they made a few route changes, but no problem. The only difficulty I had was when they pried me out of a smooth 12,000' down to a bumpy 10,000' some 50 miles short of Henderson. Go figure... Now we are in Vegas and we have a tour of Hoover Dam planned for tomorrow, and a helicopter ride to the Canyon planned for Saturday. C-FSWR stays on the ground for 2 days and we will only launch on Monday, 5 April for El Paso. Yes, Lacee we are coming. Some pics.

Update 6: New fuel pump was installed and signed off by noon. Then we launched into the blue and set out for Albuquerque. Did you know that getting bounced around at 10,000' is not any more comfortable than getting bounced around at 2,000'? Sheesh!! Dave Marten suggested a stop for lunch in Tucumcari. I can tell you that the bouncing we were taking on descent nearly made me call it quits and head straight for Albuquerque, an hour further away. If we were going to get bounced around like this, we might as well save the pain and finish it now. In the end, it would not have made one iota of difference. Bouncing was today's watchword. Expected much worse on a pretty good landing with wind 20 degrees off centre at 20 mph gusting to 33. Tucumcari airport is an untapped resource. Two courtesy cars (ex police interceptor/enforcer cars) and zero climb restrictions in any direction. When I talked to the airport manager about the winds, he told me that they don't consider it windy until the winds hit 40 mph in that area. I can see why they have so many windfarms in that part of New Mexico. After launching for Albuquerque (and you can see that I never got ATC to actually accept the flight plan until we were 50 miles into it) most of the comm traffic was about the "quality of the ride." I guess everyone was in the shaker. And then the final updraft crossing the last ridge into Albuquerque. I was expecting it, but still... If I had had a g-meter on board, that one would have registered at least a 3. Down and safe into Albuquerque and then dinner before planning for the Grand Canyon day (with a stopover aboard USS Sedona). Some pics.

+1 on the benefits of formation training. Old joke: If you are not sweating, you are out of formation. And it is true. It becomes easier with practice as you get used to how you and your aircraft react to things as they change. And they are always changing - up a little, back a little, in a little, out a little....... The Mooney Caravan mass arrival is a much safer way of getting to the ground in Oshkosh the Fisk arrival. I have practiced, become sufficiently proficient according to my peers to participate in the Caravan and I am far less scared ----tless than doing the Fisk arrival cluster ----k. It is a very worthwhile piloting skill set.

I am just now getting a new fuel pump installed in mine at Bevan-Rabell at Witchita International. In the waiting room was a partner in a J model and from both of our dealings with these folks, they are a "get it done right the first time" sort of shop. I don't think they are a Mooney Service Centre. YMMV.

I am with Byron on this one. I won't blame anyone for making that choice, but I will not do it myself unless....... and there are a lot of caveats. For me, it is way better in the field beside the highway. Those folks on the highway did not sign up for this. If I recall correctly, our duty to protect is, in order: people on the ground, then people in the aircraft, then property on the ground, then our aircraft. Again, no blame for someone making that decision - I was not there. But it would not be my first choice.

Update 5: AOG in Wichita. After I installed our new Mountain High Oxygen tank with goodies, and did the walk around, the auxiliary fuel pump failed during the startup checklist. Called Clarence and he told me that if I lose the engine fuel pump and this electric one is not working, I will be flying a glider. OK so no departure today. Called Lacee with apologies and then Dave Marten showed up at the FBO (Yingling). Dave knows a guy, who knows a guy, who knows a guy... well you know. Yingling did not have space for me till Thursday. Not acceptable. Dave took me over to Bevan-Rabell, just down the ramp from Yingling and they opened C-FSWR on the spot. The fuel pump needed replacing - this one was installed in 1989. We ordered a new Weldon pump for substantially less than the Dukes. Works for me - Weldon is a better fuel pump according to many. It will arrive at 10:15 tomorrow and we will be wheels up near 12:30 or 1:00 pm. If I was ever to be AOG, then this is one of my three first choices for such a circumstance: Clarence's hanger ramp, Mooney factory ramp, or here in Wichita (where there is more aircraft maintenance per square inch than anywhere else I know). We hope to make Albuquerque tomorrow evening with a stop in Tucumcari for gas and a bite (1950's era restaurant). Only about an hour to Albuquerque after that. We have delayed the Vegas reservations by one day and we will depart for Henderson (closer to downtown than Boulder City) the next morning. The plan is to land on the USS Sedona for lunch and then proceed north to make two of the corridors over the Grand Canyon under SFRA rules. After we are back over the West wall of the canyon we will be direct to the BLD VOR for the approach into Henderson. No fretting over any part of this. It happens. It is part of the adventure. It has allowed us to plan three different stops on the way to Vegas. Tucumcari, Albuquerque, and Sedona. Tomorrow there will be more pics.

Keep it up "Elton."

However, I note while flying around 8000' lately, in areas where ground temps were well below zero ©, I was not even getting 300 deg on any of my CHTs. Ned Gravel Lucky steward of C-FSWR, a '65 E model at Rockcliffe, Ontario, (CYRO) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Glenn: interested in replacing mine (display box only). What is your preferred price range? My offline contact is nedgravel@motiva-training.com Ned Gravel Lucky steward of C-FSWR, a '65 E model at Rockcliffe, Ontario, (CYRO) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hank: Actually, they should have one of Al's Culver Cadets in there.

Update 4: Day 3. Just fly to St. Louis, Missouri and have lunch. Then fly to Wichita, Kansas and visit the Cessna jetworks with Dave Marten and have dinner with him and Pepper. Nice easy day. In total, five hours of flying broken into two segments. The lunch venue (Ideal Aviation at St Louis Downtown Airport) was really nice. First spring weather we have encountered this year. Also, it was not the Missouri side of St Louis, it was the Illinois side. Little bumpy and fighting some nasty headwinds between St. Louis and Wichita, Kansas. Over the Ozark mountains and through a military operation area (but on an approved flight plan). In Wichita we met Sardot and Pepper, shared a beer, had some dinner, and visited the Engineering bays at the Cessna factory where the Latitude is finishing certification testing. Some pics. (In case anyone asks, the last one is not real!!!!) Tomorrow we are off to El Paso to visit Lacee.

Thanks Jolie. I knew you were the right person to take up this baton.

Carusoam: I think it will take more than a contact at the museum to get that done. (Might consider involving Jolie Lucas and the Mooney Ambassador organisation in this). The Hall of Fame web page at http://www.nationalaviation.org/nominations/gives some hints. I am attaching the documents for application for enshrinement. NAHF_NominationPkg.doc NAHF_NominationPkg.pdf

Update 3. US Airforce Museum at the Wright Patterson Airforce Base in Dayton, OH. Great place for a kid who read every Jane's All the World's Aircraft in the public library from the time they were 12 and dreamed of becoming a pilot (and who now owns a Mooney). Great place for a history buff and someone who served in any branch of the Armed services (in my case the Signal Corps of the Canadian Army). Some pics. And just how did the YF 22 win over the YF 23, huh? As well, neither Al or Art are in the Aviation Hall of Fame. All the others, Beech, Piper etc are, but not the Mooney brothers. Hunh?

Update 2: I would like to thank Tom (Cruiser) and his wife and Mooneyman (Patrick) for their assistance today. When we got to Rockcliffe, we discovered that hoar frost was covering the wings, so I contacted all involved (ATC, US CPB and Tom) to delay our departure (and subsequent arrival into Port Clinton) by two hours to de-ice. It turns out that, although we were wheels up two hours late, we were only 90 minutes late into Port Clinton. A tailwind provided us some 15 knots extra speed. Trouble began brewing when I could not reach the CPB folks to confirm my eAPIS arrival or the amendment to the arrival. I am not keen on poking that particular tiger when we travel. But we launched from Rockcliffe without being able to confirm with CPB that things were OK. In flight, however, Yves sent me a text message, so I got an idea and Tom and I were soon communicating and he got through to the local CPB folks. We actually landed some 35 minutes prior to our amended schedule (which they never actually got until after we arrived). Turned out great!! On the way, Ute adopted her second-favourite position in our Mooney. Her favourite one is looking with wonder on the world stretched out below. This is her second-favourite. Some pics of the beginning of the Spring trip. Tomorrow, the US Airforce Museum on the grounds of the Wright Patterson Airforce Base in Dayton, Ohio.

Thanks Patrick. We have already confirmed that the museum is open on the Sunday.

Update 1: Holy Hannah Batman!!!! My front passed last night, only to have Sardot's front from Kansas reach Ontario by 6:00 am this morning. Flint, MI is getting snow as I write this. Since no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy (how can you tell I was Army??), we have modified the plan. As our briefing officer from III'rd (Phantom) Corps explained to us during our visit to Fort Hood in 1989, it is now time to Simonize (?) our watches. New plan. Mar 28 Fly to KPCW Port Clinton OH 13:00 clear US Customs and lunch with Cruiser (Tom K) Fly to KDAY Dayton OH Use ASI FBO. Possibly meet Patrick (Mooneyman), Comfort Suites Wright Patterson Mar 29 Wright Patterson Airforce Museum Mar 30 Fly to KCPS St. Louis MO gas stop & lunch Fly to KICT Wichita KS Dave Marten, Phil, Wojo, Pepper, Hotel Wichita Inn Airport (shuttle) Mar 31 Fly to 5T6 El Paso TX Rocketman (Elton), Hawthorne Suites Wyndham Apr 1 Fly to KBLD Boulder City (Las Vegas) NV Grand Canyon/Vegas/Hoover Dam etc Apr 5 Fly to KELP El Paso TX Just for overnight. Hawthorne Suites Wyndham Apr 6 Fly to KERV Kerrville TX Mooney Factory tour, Hampton Inn Apr 7 Fly to KSAT San Antonio TX Visit the Alamo. Hampton Inn San Antonio Apr 8 Fly to KGRK Killeen TX Hotel Candlewood Suites Apr 8 1st Cavalry Museum, buy a cavalry hat. Apr 9 Fly to KMEM Memphis TN Just for overnight. Hampton Inn Apr 10 Fly to CYQG Windsor ON Clear customs & overnight, Ramada Inn Apr 11 Fly to CYRO Rockcliffe ON Home See the new flight path below. I will PM the players separately. For now, Cruiser and the folks from Wichita may read this and note the amended dates. El Paso (5T6) dates have not changed (don't want to cause difficulty for any of the folks taking the Yuma formation clinic). In response to Rags, we do plan on using one or more of the Grand Canyon published corridors as our "first look" before we put into Boulder City Airport. We will have our 16 hour O2 tank operational in the aircraft with oxymizers (and oximeter) before we leave Texas and we will probably be flying IFR until we get past Pheonix. We will be out of the MOAs by then.

Now Elton....... Ned Gravel Lucky steward of C-FSWR, a '65 E model at Rockcliffe, Ontario, (CYRO) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks Patrick. We always try and keep an out..

Little PIREP for you folks. One of the things I wanted to do was get a Mountain High Cross Country Portable system to take with us as we go closer to the granite clouds. So I called Mountain High and they were willing to overnight it anywhere I wanted. I picked Killeen (next to Fort Hood) and neither of the two local airfields and their FBOs I spoke to were willing to receive the package and turn it over to me. They wanted to either install it and get paid for that (a portable system?) or not be responsible for the box (not sign for it) when it arrived. They were both worried about liability and one did not even have oxygen to fill the tank. Oh well..... So one of our Mooneyspace members is going to receive it for me and give it to me during our stop in his fair city. Installation will involve my doing the following: unpacking the box putting the cylinder in its carry all bag putting the straps around my seat having it filled at an FBO that can do this, and connecting up the tubing, the regulators, and the oxymizer cannulas (I already have a pulse oxymeter). I think I can do all of that.

Well the weather system that straddles Hudson Bay to New York is blocking my way, but the TAFs between Ottawa and Port Clinton indicate that the bulk of that should be passed by first light tomorrow (26 March 2015). Cross border stuff has been filed and Cruiser knows we are making the attempt. Should be in Port Clinton by 12:30 to clear and then (after lunch) off to Dayton.

Thanks. We will have a look. Ned Gravel Lucky steward of C-FSWR, a '65 E model at Rockcliffe, Ontario, (CYRO) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks for the info Don and Mr. "mooneyflyfast". We will make good use of it.

Thanks Ray. The two airports are only about 20 Mooney minutes apart so our plan is to spend the night in Kerrville, following the trip from El Paso, and try to do a factory tour that afternoon. Should only take a few hours (I think). The next morning is our short hop to San Antonio, to spend the day at the Alamo. But, since you live in the neighbourhood, do you know if KSSF (Stinson) is closer to the Riverwalk (and Alamo) than KSAT (San Antonio International)?

+1 Ned Gravel Lucky steward of C-FSWR, a '65 E model at Rockcliffe, Ontario, (CYRO) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk