Today's flight for 2017

[Yooper Rocketman]

51 minutes ago, Hank said:

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?

During the first 150 hours you get some serious "pulling in" on all the bolts recessed below the skin holding the pressure bulkheads at the firewall and behind the back seat (a bolt every 2" up the sides and over the top) and bolts holding the door latches (7 latches with 4 bolts each).  There is extreme pressure trying to "blow up" the fuselage when pressurizing it to 4-5 PSI during high altitude flight.  Although "hard points" were installed at all these location, those bolt depressions can now be seen.  Somewhere between 125 and 150 hours, this distortion stops and final bodywork can cover them without reappearance.  Those that have chosen to paint immediately have the signature depressions visible after paint (....argh).

Also, I've been letting it sit in the sun a lot too, which heats up the skin and shrinks the epoxy a bit, leaving slight appearance in some areas of the carbon weave, which I would rather have happen now in primer (so we can bodywork it out) than see it appear through the final paint.  

Tom

[peevee]

47 minutes ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

During the first 150 hours you get some serious "pulling in" on all the bolts recessed below the skin holding the pressure bulkheads at the firewall and behind the back seat (a bolt every 2" up the sides and over the top) and bolts holding the door latches (7 latches with 4 bolts each).  There is extreme pressure trying to "blow up" the fuselage when pressurizing it to 4-5 PSI during high altitude flight.  Although "hard points" were installed at all these location, those bolt depressions can now be seen.  Somewhere between 125 and 150 hours, this distortion stops and final bodywork can cover them without reappearance.  Those that have chosen to paint immediately have the signature depressions visible after paint (....argh).

Also, I've been letting it sit in the sun a lot too, which heats up the skin and shrinks the epoxy a bit, leaving slight appearance in some areas of the carbon weave, which I would rather have happen now in primer (so we can bodywork it out) than see it appear through the final paint.  

Tom

Just When you thought you had enough of sanding.

[rainman]

I think the photo showed this time

[Hank]

2 hours ago, rainman said:

I think the photo showed this time

Beautiful!! Can you send d some of that weather over here??? This has been the last month or two; more than 6" rainfall since Sunday morning, and i need some time with a safety pilot. (But NOT in this . . . )

Edited July 18, 2017 by Hank

[Yooper Rocketman]

6 hours ago, peevee said:

Just When you thought you had enough of sanding.

Where is that unlike button???  :>)

Tom

[astravierso]

Here are some pics from my Sunday trip from SLC, UT to Folsom CA. It was a fun trip with some interesting challenges, storms in NV, more than a few TFR's in NV due to fires and the usual thermals in the mountains during the afternoons all while trying to do some work under the hood (gotta leave earlier next time). Things got to the point where we (my CFII and I) gave up and just enjoyed the view.

Lake Tahoe and the Sierra's above and a MIG looking a little rough at KLOL

[peevee]

27 minutes ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

Where is that unlike button???  :>)

Tom

It'll be exciting to see it all painted up and finished.

[Raptor05121]

49 minutes ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

Where is that unlike button???  :>)

Tom

Tom when are you coming back down to the land of meth addicts and afternoon monsoons?

[XXX]

Just now, Raptor05121 said:

Tom when are you coming back down to the land of meth addicts and afternoon monsoons?

Afternoon monsoons? I wish...more like perpetual monsoons between mesoscale convective systems.

[Raptor05121]

All three of my hobbies- motorcycles, flying, and kayaking- all ruined with these damn summer storms.

I'm damn glad my plane is broken now instead of the fall/winter weather

[gsxrpilot]

Today's flight... four segments. We took off from Brunswick, Maine into low fog, 030 OVC, but beautiful from about 050 and up. The first stop at Sullivan County was for the dog. That changed our routing a little, and added a stop. The second stop at Mt Sterling for cheap fuel. The third stop was in Memphis for some BBQ with @neilpilot. It was great to be able to meet another MooneySpace'er in person, especially over some real Memphis BBQ. Then finally the last leg home to San Marcos dodging just a few cells in the last 30 minutes of the flight. All in all a good day to cross at least half of the country in a Mooney. Almost 1600 miles.

 

[xcrmckenna]

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

If you need hours you could always come out to KGCD.... would love to see your new plane, lol I'll even buy dinner...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tigers2007]

My panel upgrade finally completed and @Yooper Rocketman came to the rescue with his world famous Turboprop to pick me up and ferry me back to my aircraft at KIMT. As of 2AM EDT, I am still shocked to experience such a flight. I have rode in cars that have "nitrous oxide" and that is what I could compare the takeoff too -- except that the feeling of being pressed into the back of the seat lasts much much longer. My jaw hit the floor when he said the cruise climb speed was like 165kts? This aircraft is a work of art and is the most interesting aircraft I have ever flown in. It handles very smoothly even at jet speeds.

Tom - I think you so much again for picking me up!

The GTN650 and L3 Lynx NGT9000 worked great! I just ran the "PAPR" report and it failed apparently because the "N" number had no "N" in the programming on the NGT9000. Apparently the system will show an error if you don't begin your registration properly. I'll change that tomorrow and climb high to try again for the $500 federal bounty money. Otherwise both screens were very easy to read in the sun (photo doesn't do it justice) and they worked great. Now I must study the quick guides and such. Yup - I couldn't figure out how to get the GTN to tune in a NAV frequency. I think I need to read up a little more.

[Yooper Rocketman]

5 hours ago, tigers2007 said:

 Yup - I couldn't figure out how to get the GTN to tune in a NAV frequency. I think I need to read up a little more.

Just push the com adjusting knob in and it toggles to nav in the frequency windows.  You're going the love the GTN once you figure out how to use all the features.

Tom

[Yooper Rocketman]

7 hours ago, xcrmckenna said:

If you need hours you could always come out to KGCD.... would love to see your new plane, lol I'll even buy dinner...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You might just get that chance.  My sister has just moved to Washington state and I plan on doing some trips to visit her.  I would likely stop in Ontario OR to visit one of my best friends on the way.  John Day looks close to the flight path between Ontario and Port Angeles.

Tom

[Yooper Rocketman]

7 hours ago, gsxrpilot said:

Today's flight... four segments. We took off from Brunswick, Maine into low fog, 030 OVC, but beautiful from about 050 and up. The first stop at Sullivan County was for the dog. That changed our routing a little, and added a stop. The second stop at Mt Sterling for cheap fuel. The third stop was in Memphis for some BBQ with @neilpilot. It was great to be able to meet another MooneySpace'er in person, especially over some real Memphis BBQ. Then finally the last leg home to San Marcos dodging just a few cells in the last 30 minutes of the flight. All in all a good day to cross at least half of the country in a Mooney. Almost 1600 miles.

Now that's what I'm talking about!  My motto has always been "it's not truly a cross country flight until you are still outbound after your first fuel stop".  You did 3 of them!

Tom

[Yooper Rocketman]

9 hours ago, Raptor05121 said:

Tom when are you coming back down to the land of meth addicts and afternoon monsoons?

It may be fairly soon.  I need to fly down to Deland so my engine guy can look at the engine.  He wants to perform an inspection somewhere between 100 and 150 hours (I just passed 130 hours yesterday flying with @tigers2007 ). Your weather hasn't been conducive to me wanting to come down lately though.  In a couple weeks, Spruce Creek will have the airport shut down for repaving for 3 weeks too, so I'll have to drive over to my house if I want to stay overnight.

Tom

[peevee]

2 hours ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

You might just get that chance.  My sister has just moved to Washington state and I plan on doing some trips to visit her.  I would likely stop in Ontario OR to visit one of my best friends on the way.  John Day looks close to the flight path between Ontario and Port Angeles.

Tom

john day usually has good fuel prices too, I stop there between CO and the pac NW

[gsxrpilot]

3 hours ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

Now that's what I'm talking about!  My motto has always been "it's not truly a cross country flight until you are still outbound after your first fuel stop".  You did 3 of them!

Tom

@Yooper Rocketman on Friday I was somewhere between Maine and NY and chatted for a few seconds with a turbine lancair pilot who used to own a Mooney. He commented to ATC about it being better than his Mooney. ATC raised me on the radio to ask if I'd heard that. We chatted for a few seconds, but ATC is pretty busy in that part of the country. I didn't get the tail number but thought you might know who it would have been. There can't be that many of you.

[rbridges]

10 hours ago, tigers2007 said:

My panel upgrade finally completed and @Yooper Rocketman came to the rescue with his world famous Turboprop to pick me up and ferry me back to my aircraft at KIMT. As of 2AM EDT, I am still shocked to experience such a flight. I have rode in cars that have "nitrous oxide" and that is what I could compare the takeoff too -- except that the feeling of being pressed into the back of the seat lasts much much longer. My jaw hit the floor when he said the cruise climb speed was like 165kts? This aircraft is a work of art and is the most interesting aircraft I have ever flown in. It handles very smoothly even at jet speeds.

Tom - I think you so much again for picking me up!

The GTN650 and L3 Lynx NGT9000 worked great! I just ran the "PAPR" report and it failed apparently because the "N" number had no "N" in the programming on the NGT9000. Apparently the system will show an error if you don't begin your registration properly. I'll change that tomorrow and climb high to try again for the $500 federal bounty money. Otherwise both screens were very easy to read in the sun (photo doesn't do it justice) and they worked great. Now I must study the quick guides and such. Yup - I couldn't figure out how to get the GTN to tune in a NAV frequency. I think I need to read up a little more.

 

wow, very nice panel.  Now you need to step up to a 450a audio panel!

[Yooper Rocketman]

29 minutes ago, gsxrpilot said:

@Yooper Rocketman on Friday I was somewhere between Maine and NY and chatted for a few seconds with a turbine lancair pilot who used to own a Mooney. He commented to ATC about it being better than his Mooney. ATC raised me on the radio to ask if I'd heard that. We chatted for a few seconds, but ATC is pretty busy in that part of the country. I didn't get the tail number but thought you might know who it would have been. There can't be that many of you.

Funny you say that.  There's one based out of Heavens Landing GA and his tag line when he posts on the Lancair Forum is "Enlightened Mooniac".

That said, in 130 hours in the Lancair, with pretty impressive ground speeds, I've never had ATC say a word to me.  In contrast, the last flight to Florida in my Mooney Rocket at FL230, a real nice tail wind and ground speed of 297 knots, ATC asked me if I was a prop-jet Mooney.  The next flight down there in the Lancair I saw 395 knots and not a word?  Go figure. 

Tom

[peevee]

33 minutes ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

Funny you say that.  There's one based out of Heavens Landing GA and his tag line when he posts on the Lancair Forum is "Enlightened Mooniac".

That said, in 130 hours in the Lancair, with pretty impressive ground speeds, I've never had ATC say a word to me.  In contrast, the last flight to Florida in my Mooney Rocket at FL230, a real nice tail wind and ground speed of 297 knots, ATC asked me if I was a prop-jet Mooney.  The next flight down there in the Lancair I saw 395 knots and not a word?  Go figure. 

Tom

They don't know what the lancair is

[bonal]

On ‎7‎/‎16‎/‎2017 at 3:15 PM, carusoam said:

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-

Nope, was an older tube and had a hairline crack in side wall area but no signs of a fold took a while to find even with the soapy water all fixed and back on the plane.

[rbridges]

2 hours ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

Funny you say that.  There's one based out of Heavens Landing GA and his tag line when he posts on the Lancair Forum is "Enlightened Mooniac".

That said, in 130 hours in the Lancair, with pretty impressive ground speeds, I've never had ATC say a word to me.  In contrast, the last flight to Florida in my Mooney Rocket at FL230, a real nice tail wind and ground speed of 297 knots, ATC asked me if I was a prop-jet Mooney.  The next flight down there in the Lancair I saw 395 knots and not a word?  Go figure. 

Tom

They probably figured you were a snobby jet pilot.  

[Jerry 5TJ]

Flew the Sting Sport today, a demo flight.  80 hp Rotax, 100 knots, great visibility, 4 gph. Fine tru-track autopilot as precise as Ovation's KFC225.  

Fun.