Today's flight for 2017

[Yooper Rocketman]

11 hours ago, aviatoreb said:

Hahah - bucket list. Balloon bucket.

While we were helping the pilot move the basket he asked where I was flying to.  I told him Houghton (my first flight at 9 years old was there in a DC-3, which took 45 minutes).  I told him in contrast to his 15 mile flight in 75 minutes, mine was going to take 22 minutes.  He responded back I doubt you will do it with 10 gallons of fuel to which I laughed pretty hard and replied "you're right" (could do it in under 10 gallons with a Mooney though).

Tom

[ragedracer1977]

Took a friend up for his first Mooney flight!  Just a quick little hop around central AZ, over Lake Pleasant, wide berth around a wild fire TFR and then back to base.  He's flown with me in a 172 several times and tried his hand at flying them.  I turned the controls over to him in the Mooney and his first comment was "Wow, it's like this thing is on rails.  I just barely move the yoke and it does what I want.  The cessna felt like it had a lot more slop!  Gotta love the pushrod controls!  

When we left the field, it was pretty quiet.  On the way back, I actually was momentarily told to stay clear of the Class D.  It was a zoo!  Finally got on the ground (I was number 5 for landing! and this with 2 runways) and taxied over to fuel.  As we were fueling her back up, I saw a coyote wandering around parallel to the runway about midfield.  Called up ground on the handheld just to let them know.  Coyote was getting pretty close to crossing the runway, but a departing Extra 300 changed his mind pretty quick!

Also, you'll see some pics of a 1948 Luscombe 8E.  You might notice there's something 'funny' looking about the cowling.  Let me know if you can figure out what's 'wrong' with this particular plane.  As far as I know, it's a one of a kind.

 

[aggiepilot04]

Ventured out into the Carribean with my traveling circus over the 4th through last weekend.  Half of our time was spent in the Treasure Cay/Abaco area, and the other half was spent in Nassau.  Regretted wasting time in Nassau...but otherwise, it was a fantastic trip.  We'll definitely be back...next time to explore Elbow Cay.

 

 

 

[Hank]

I was AOG for so long, today I just went out to fly and see if I could still do timed turns,start and rates, etc. At first no, but I got better. Now I need to practice approaches and get myself an IPC.

It was beastly hot, the AC in the car could barely keep up. So I climbed through the little popcorn cumulus a d was very comfortable above the lake at 7500 msl and 68°. Sadly, I had to land back in the heat. At least it wasn't bumpy . . . Now I'm off to the pool to complete my recovery.

[cnoe]

Also, you'll see some pics of a 1948 Luscombe 8E. As far as I know, it's a one of a kind.

WOW!


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[bonal]

Thursday was post annual test pilot time and flew snoopy for half an hour 6500 feet above the field checking systems. Nothing found oil temp was lower but needed a more normal flight to verify. Today we flew down to o69 for the breakfast burrito ground temps were well into the 90's and oil rose to 220 but that's an eleven degree improvement from our last flight so hopefully on track for correcting the issue. Temp stabilized to 209 in level cruise at 2500/20 still a little hot but way below redline. New vernatherm made a difference next will be to send out the o cooler for overhaul. Was great to be flying again landings showed a little rust on the nut at the end of the yoke.

on a side note we heard an emergency call from a departing airplane at Sonoma sky park a couple of scratchy transmissions and then several unanswered calls from another airplane. Hope whatever happened all are OK perhaps he jumped to 121.5 

[ragedracer1977]

1 hour ago, bonal said:

 

on a side note we heard an emergency call from a departing airplane at Sonoma sky park a couple of scratchy transmissions and then several unanswered calls from another airplane. Hope whatever happened all are OK perhaps he jumped to 121.5 

It turned out not so good.  Cirrus lost power. Pilot pulled chute below minimum altitude.  Pilot killed, 3 injured. From reports he had a great field to just set her down in, but pulled the chute under 300' AGL. Lesson to be learned: know your equipment. 

Edited July 15, 2017 by ragedracer1977

[bonal]

54 minutes ago, ragedracer1977 said:

It turned out not so good.  Cirrus lost power. Pilot pulled chute below minimum altitude.  Pilot killed, 3 injured. From reports he had a great field to just set her down in, but pulled the chute under 300' AGL. Lesson to be learned: know your equipment. 

Different event the radio call was heard today the cirrus was a couple days ago 

[Hank]

My flight was uneventful, had no trouble dodging the bright yellow Ag plane spraying the nearby cotton and bean fields.

Re:  oil temps in summer--I'm not sure of the ground temp, my OAT was flipping weird numbers up to 183, but it was really warm. Took off at 327 msl, climbed to 7500, set power and leaned. Time was less than 15 minutes from engine crank, climb was Vy all the way, WOT, 2700, Full Rich.

The top of the Oil Temp needle never reached the edge of the green stripe, much less crossed the gap towards the red line; CHT was more than a full needle's width below the edge of the green stripe. At 7500, it was a wonderful 68°F. When I was pushing her back into the hangar, I noticed that I had forgotten to tuck the front baffle back under the upper lip of the cowl, so my next flight should be cooler. The cowl was too hot to push on, kept burning my hands! (It was a hot, hot afternoon down on the ground . . . I so hope the car's AC is fixed now!)

[ragedracer1977]

45 minutes ago, bonal said:

Different event the radio call was heard today the cirrus was a couple days ago 

He said the flight was Thursday. 

[bonal]

13 minutes ago, ragedracer1977 said:

He said the flight was Thursday. 

Actually the test flight was Thursday the emergency call was heard on a flight today. Regardless, the news of the cirrus was quite sad

[sgrooves]

I was able to break in my week-old IFR ticket today. Flight from NC to southeastern WI. Stayed IFR and got vectored way over the middle of Lake Michigan to avoid Chicago. Spent about 45 min over water. Eery feeling. Going to try to avoid that again (especially without life preservers or a raft). Next time I'll cancel IFR and go VFR up the coast. Stopped at Columbus IN (KBAK) for breakfast along the way. Great spot! Had about 30min of IMC too.

 

 

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[Hank]

Way to get out and use the IFR! That's quite a trip, too.

Columbus is a good stop. Ate lunch there once going home from Yellowstone to WV.

[ragedracer1977]

36 minutes ago, bonal said:

Actually the test flight was Thursday the emergency call was heard on a flight today. Regardless, the news of the cirrus was quite sad

Wow, duh.  I didn't realize you were the one that posted about the call.  I guess if anyone would know, it would be you.  =)

[211º]

A short hop from Cincinnati Lunken to Marion Ind yesterday.  Clouds closed in under me, so no joy in dropping stuff off in Indiana. Good still. New QuietTechnologies headset were very good. Saw this taxi by before we departed. 

[bonal]

So today's flight ended before it began opened the hangar and right main tire was flat. Went home and came back with the floor jack and took some weight off the wheel added some air and 45 minutes later it was half way down again. No visible causes could be found and could not hear any sound of leaking. Will have to borrow a proper jack and pin from LASAR pull the wheel and get fixed. Oh well better in our hangar than a hundred miles from home.

[carusoam]

The gambling window is now open....

1) Folded inner tube has finally let go...

-or-

2) Valve stem has decided to depart the tube...

Any other possibilities?

Pictures and name of the manufacturer are requested...

Sorry Bonal, I may have lost sight of what is important...

You're home and everything is OK right? 

Best regards,

-a-

[Yooper Rocketman]

It was a beautiful evening yesterday so decided to go out and get some more hours on the Lancair (shooting for that magical 150 hours so I can send it off to paint).  Took a couple that have been friends of my wife and I for 40 years (and missed an opportunity to go a week ago because they were golfing).  We first flew around a hot air balloon that floated past us at the airport while fueling.  He was 4 miles west and heading south west.  It was the same one I filmed a week ago.  Seems we've had some nice hot air balloon weather lately.

We headed north towards the Keweenaw Peninsula but as we approached Lake Superior decided to fly east along the lake shore, checking out the Huron Mountains.  This area is mostly owned by "big, but old, money" families, called the "Huron Mountain Club".  It's been said Henry Ford wanted to join this group in his early days, they declined his membership request because he wasn't "rich enough", and he later land locked them in by purchasing all the land around them as he made it big himself.  He eventually gave them easement for access, once he proved his point.  There is a beautiful old lodge on Lake Independence in Big Bay that he built as his get away, which is still standing today.  It has been used as a bar/restaurant recently but I can't tell you if it's still open.

Anyway, enjoy the pictures!

Tom

[peevee]

There should be an unlike button 

[rbridges]

On 7/9/2017 at 0:21 PM, Oldguy said:

Since we have been fairly well grounded by weather over the past few weeks, today was a great day to make a breakfast run up to KRMG. Filed with FF and briefed.

Looked good. Clear and clear. Launched at 7:00.

Smooth and fairly clear.

But then....

 

 

Welcome to the South. Don't like the weather? Wait an hour or so. Really.

It ended up being OVC 100 and 1/4 visibility. Turned around and went home.

But got to fly, so not all was lost. Plane ran well and it was still CAVU at the home drome. And there is always next week.

 

This has been a weird summer.  Lots of afternoon rain compared to previous years.  I had to scrub a flight to peachtree city a few weeks ago.  Blue skies overhead, but thunderstorms 70 miles away.

[Yetti]

Lots of bad juju this weekend so I had to go fly to turn it around.

Someone had a little trouble parking their plane at our airport.

 

The the P51 going down.

So here is a landing just for fun.

Edited July 17, 2017 by Yetti

[Jerry 5TJ]

Nice flight this morning from Baltimore to Michigan.   Got a full (expected) route clearance  -- EMI V265 HAR V33 PSB V184 ERI V116 SVM V26 ORIEN -- but 10 minutes into flight ATC asked if I wanted direct destination. Sure, I said. 

Nice views of Lake Erie. 

Somehow the engine just doesn't sound quite right 30 miles from shore....

Edited July 18, 2017 by Jerry 5TJ

[Hank]

4 hours ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

It was a beautiful evening yesterday so decided to go out and get some more hours on the Lancair (shooting for that magical 150 hours so I can send it off to paint).

Tom--what is "magical" about 150 hours in an Experimental before paint? I'm familiar only with the 40 hours before overflying congested areas . . . Unless of course it's a turbine / heat thing?

[rainman]

Flew the gyro over my neighbor's ranchito and this photo got sent to me. He wants me to land there, but I want to walk the property and get some more hours in the gyro before I land at the ranch. Way fun.

[Oldguy]

1 hour ago, Jerry 5TJ said:

Somehow the engine just doesn't sound quite right 30 miles from shire....

It knows when you are over water. Flew in an F (N7010V) in the 1980's and it would burble every time it went over the bay. Never had any problems, but I think they all know....