Today's flight for 2018

[gsxrpilot]

I got to see a famous Mooney today. We didn't actually fly, but I guess there was flying involved to get here. Andrew's @Hyett6420 beautiful M20J G-OBAL! With a largely original 1987 panel it is one of the nicest J's I've ever seen. The paint is absolutely perfect. Unfortunately there is some paperwork that is keeping it grounded at the moment. Thanks to Andrew and Andrew for a great day at the airport!  I can imagine this is an amazing way to get the South of France for holidays or just across to Normandy for lunch.

The interior designed by Andrew and created and shipped to England by Hector at AeroComfort in San Antonio is incredible.

Here's how you keep the birds from roosting on the antennas.

 

This is about $8.86 per gallon for 100LL and it's probably gone up since then.

We spent some time in the Control tower as well learning the English way of controlling traffic.

Cheers

[neilpilot]

35 minutes ago, Hyett6420 said:

@gsxrpilot Paul, it was a delight looking after you, im so glad you got to see Baby, and our little airport.  You also got to try an English Cream tea, just dont tell @Deb, he might complain about your arteries.   

Probably better for the arteries than the fried chick, chips and apple pie with cream Andrewx2 treated us to I’m March.  We had too little time to see Baby.

[neilpilot]

7 minutes ago, Hyett6420 said:

Umm scuse me but it was flame grilled chicken. Very healthy 

You are absolutely correct. I think I’ve spent too much time in the southern USA. I did feel much healthier after returning to Memphis after 2 weeks of fabulous food in SW France and a flame grilled chicken in London.

[carusoam]

Great pics!  of A³ (Andrew, Andrew, and Al...) 

I like the classic panel.

I also like clean arteries!   Highly recommended.

Best regards,

-a-

 

[skydvrboy]

Ok, so it wasn't "today's" flight, but I just got the pictures from a flight we took on Memorial Day around St. Louis.  Big thanks to @Junkman for leading our tour and to my brother, Matt, for being our photographer.  My dad, Everett, rode copilot with me and my son, Matthew, rode copilot with Junkman.

Photos in order: Preflight briefing, taxi, Daniel Boone bridge, river bluffs, the Stan Span, Gateway Arch, Busch Stadium, Budweiser brewery, close formation, post flight smiles.

 

Edited June 19, 2018 by skydvrboy

[Rick Junkin]

Now EVERYONE will want to come in for the St Louis formation tour!  And everyone is welcome! 

Had a great time with "Patches" and his family, to include a celebratory lunch following our flight. The friendships afforded by our passion for flying are priceless.

Cheers,
Rick

[carusoam]

The tail on 1WS has become part of its personality... 

Great pics, Brother Matt!

Thanks To skydvrboy for posting it all.

Excellent words on top of it all, Junkman!

Best regards,

-a-

[Hank]

Just dodging summer buildups down South . . .

[Rick Junkin]

Made it to KDAN from KSUS today for this weekend's Caravan Clinic. I let Goat down earlier this year at KECP when I was a last minute no-show for weather, there was no way I was going to do THAT again! So I left a day early to get ahead of the thunderstorms forecast for Friday. Today's weather wasn't TOO bad for a 3+30 flight at 15K...

And yes, that's me smiling.

Cheers,
Junkman

[Yooper Rocketman]

I flew over to Lakeland County (Woodruff, WI) this afternoon for their Hamburger Social.  I took a friend of mine and his grandson.  He really enjoyed it.  I'm struggling with my A/C yet, although almost perfected and should be up soon (waiting on parts).  We roasted going over and my fresh air vent didn't seem to be working (seemed like just recirculating the cabin air).  With pressurization, I have both a cable operated "door" on the NACA scoop vent tube AND a gravity "paddle" door inside the cabin to seal the inside for pressurization.  I was having problems with it sealing last year but found some duct tape put on it during testing was hanging it up.  During this past winter, I installed a tab to hold it closed just to be sure I didn't have further problems.  My painter/upholstery shop was supposed to take a little aluminum tab off the locked the door (during the the upholstery work and I suspected he didn't.  I pulled it apart and sure enough, the lock tab was still there.  So............I had to go up again just before dark to see if the vent was letting in cooler outside air (it works great and still pressurizes as well).

Anyway, it was just at sunset so I headed north and got a couple nice shots of the very tip of Michigan, the Keweenaw Peninsula, with the sun setting and some pretty clouds.  Thought I would share.

Tom

)

[L. Trotter]

Left Rapid City, SD (KRAP) yesterday for Wausau, WI (KAUW). The trip itself was uneventful. However, In Rapid I saw 1 of 2 airworthy (so I'm told) 1929 Ford Tri-motors sitting on the ramp behind me. What a beauty! I could not help but wait and watch her lift off in to the air. If that doesn't lift your spirits, check yourself for a pulse. You can't help but love these old birds.

Control wires outside. Corrugated metal wings-I guess for added strength

.

Engine gauges are outside. Only the front engine has inside gauges.

The Yoke is a steering wheel. "It's a Ford"

[Skates97]

4 hours ago, David Herman said:

I forced myself to drink no water and only a half cup of coffee ... because the airplane has more endurance than the pilot. 

Cheez-Its and/or trail mix seem to help with "pilot endurance." It's a balancing act between staying hydrated enough but not over-hydrated.

[xcrmckenna]

Cheez-Its and/or trail mix seem to help with "pilot endurance." It's a balancing act between staying hydrated enough but not over-hydrated.

And a power aid bottle in the seat back pocket for when the ratio is pro liquid.....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Rick Junkin]

Returned home from the Caravan Clinic at KDAN this weekend. Got to meet some MSers and do some fun flying. Here's the picture of going home - looks a lot like the picture of going there on Thursday!

Cheers,
Junkman

[sgrooves]

Low clouds at takeoff dissipated up near KHKY. But had a great view flying nice and low for the short hop up to AGL at KMRN for annual #2.

[gsxrpilot]

With a weekend to myself, an airplane ready to go, and a freshly filled O2 bottle, I thought I'd make use of it and go to Denver to visit family. The weekend slipped a day and became Sunday/Monday but all good just the same. The flight was Smithville, TX (84R) to Centennial airport in Denver, CO (KAPA).

For those interested, here is how I wear the Halo headset when on the mask or even just on long flights when I'm not talking to ATC all that often. It just sits around my neck with the ear buds still in place. Very comfortable.  You can also see the SensorCon in the GoPro mount on the ceiling. The alarm sounds right by my ear if it ever goes off.

Some interesting black tips on the clouds just above the haze layer. I'm at FL200.

Trying to get a good panel picture. Some have been asking for a picture of my iPad mounting position. This is the 9.7 iPad Pro.

Coming into Centennial it was going to be a bit ugly.

But an end run around the storm and an easy VFR landing.

I was talking to Colorado Springs Approach when they told me Denver Approach had lost Radar and I'd have to hold. At the end of a 4.5 hour flight I wasn't really happy about that so asked for another 1000 ft lower to get VFR. I made a short jog to the North around the edge of the worst stuff and then a left turn onto the right base for 34R.  Upon landing, I pulled up and parked right next to @KSMooniac beautiful M20J. They were watching the storm getting ready to head home. Glad you made it back safe even if you had to go through Nebraska to do it.

As they say, if the weather's bad go IFR, but if it's really bad, go VFR.

[gsxrpilot]

Here is the return on Monday. After fighting a head wind all the way TO Colorado, I was hoping the wind was still there for the return. It didn't disappoint.  As we pulled onto the ramp, 252AD was sitting right next to a NetJet's Citation. The Captain, @Jsavage3 was there looking over the Mooney. It was great to meet another MooneySpace'r. 

Climbing out over Colorado Springs. The DA at KAPA was 8100 ft. Nice to have a turbo.

Just loafing along at a very civilized 63% power, 9.7 gph and about 30 degrees LOP. Letting the tailwind do all the work and producing the best numbers I've seen in this airplane.

Beautiful clouds on the descent into 84R. I was IFR because of the altitude, but didn't get a single minute of actual IMC the entire trip.

Safe at home and ready to push back into the hangar. We'll change the oil and top up the O2 bottle to be ready for a Friday departure to the Great White North, Churchill, Manitoba.

 

[DanM20C]

@gsxrpilot Paul,

I'm really looking forward to your Churchill trip report.  My wife and I planed to make that trip last year but due to my little incident I found my self plane-less.  This year our schedule hasn't worked out.  Hope to make the trip next year.

Cheers,

Dan

[Skates97]

2 hours ago, gsxrpilot said:

 

For those interested, here is how I wear the Halo headset when on the mask or even just on long flights when I'm not talking to ATC all that often. It just sits around my neck with the ear buds still in place. Very comfortable.  You can also see the SensorCon in the GoPro mount on the ceiling. The alarm sounds right by my ear if it ever goes off.

 

Have you found a way to have it around your neck and still have the mic close enough to talk? I have tried to find a way to position the mic with the headset around my neck but have not been able to get it to reliably sit close enough for use.

[gsxrpilot]

1 hour ago, Skates97 said:

Have you found a way to have it around your neck and still have the mic close enough to talk? I have tried to find a way to position the mic with the headset around my neck but have not been able to get it to reliably sit close enough for use.

No, but it's easy enough to put it up to the mouth with one hand when needing to speak. 

I only wear it like this once leveled off in cruise and knowing I'm going to be there for some time. Then at top of descent I usually put the headset back on to keep my hands free. But while in cruise it's nice to have it all out of the way. It makes it easier to eat a sandwich or take a swig off the water bottle as well. 

Also, when up in the flight levels, I often only talk to ATC when switching Center radios. So I might go an hour or more without talking to anyone. Other GA pilots are 10K feet below and the pro's are at least another 10K feet above. 

[bonal]

Yesterday was a trip to the coast to celebrate our anniversary. The morning marine layer was well inland but began to break off way earlier than forecast so out to the airport to get Snoopy ready. Was a beautiful day with my wife and our puppy Magneto.  Little River is easy to find as it is surrounded by dark green forest. The Little river Inn will come pick you up at the airport which is nice. I want to take a moment to say that Little River Inn is a fantastic place to stay the rooms are excellent there is golf and tennis a spa and salon. The restaurant does a great job and they are extremely dog friendly.  The weather was perfect and the marine layer stayed off shore for the duration of our trip. Heading for home was nice to be at just above sea level giving us over a thousand feet per minute at one hundred thirty miles per. I can't say how great it is to be just 20 Mooney minutes from home to what I consider one of the Most beautiful places there is. 

As we approached home and I made the call on CTAF there was another Mooney that was flying a straight in to 28. I asked there position and ETA and it made sense to fly out over the lake and make my turn for the 45 as number two especially since I still needed to drop another 3k feet. The other pilot thanked me for the courtesy. Turns out it was our own Don Kaye bringing in Joe's Acclaim with its new owner they also had my CFI on board to ferry the plane down to pick up the other two. Once we were all put away I found Don in the restaurant and introduced myself to him and the lucky new owner of Joe's Acclaim.  So nice to take a two and a half hour drive and do it in 20 minutes. To bad there is another major fire burning here in Lake County and as usual tons of smoke all around.

[bonal]

Magneto coming in for landing with a big flair to get the mains down first.

[Yooper Rocketman]

On 6/26/2018 at 9:09 AM, gsxrpilot said:

Safe at home and ready to push back into the hangar. We'll change the oil and top up the O2 bottle to be ready for a Friday departure to the Great White North, Churchill, Manitoba.

 

Hey Paul,  You still stopping in the U.P. on your way through?  

Just spoke with the wife and we would be glad to host you and your wife overnight if that works too.  We have a guest bedroom with it's own bathroom and are out in the country (normally really quiet at night).  Could even get your plane in a hangar too if you want.

Tom

nine zero six - four five eight - 6989  (cell)

 

[gsxrpilot]

2 hours ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

Hey Paul,  You still stopping in the U.P. on your way through?  

Just spoke with the wife and we would be glad to host you and your wife overnight if that works too.  We have a guest bedroom with it's own bathroom and are out in the country (normally really quiet at night).  Could even get your plane in a hangar too if you want.

Tom

nine zero six - four five eight - 6989  (cell)

 

Hi Tom,  We're planning on stopping by on the way back. We plan to be there on the 6th of July. I think accommodations are all sorted out, but thanks for the offer. Hopefully the 6th is good for you.

Number is noted

Thanks, 
Paul
five one two - two three seven - 0670

[MARZ]

Practice Flight to OSH!!   Flew from Hooks - stopped at West Plains Missouri mid way KUNO If you get a chance stop in there - Nice

Landed Waukesha to visit my folks for a couple days.   Got a true airspeed reading on the way..