Today's flight for 2018

[211º]

Glad to know your Mooney is functioning well. You sure couldn’t have gotten all that accomplished in your old 150 given twice the time! 

Yes! Might have been three fuel stops in the 150. And climbing to 9500’ in the 150? Maybe in a thunderstorm.

Headed there again tomorrow via Mooney so that I don’t have to fly KCI to CVG via BWI thru midnight.

[bonal]

Today was a much over due flight to see mom and family. As we were climbing things got a bit bumpy so wasn't the most pleasant start but once we leveled off things smoothed out a bit.  As we approached LVK things got interesting when CT anounced not receiving our transponder and had me cycle after a couple of attempts and idents we were given clear to land as things were pretty quiet. Gear down on down wind but not getting a green light. Tried to cycle on short final with same result. Advised CT of our status and that we were going around. Tower had us stay low to check gear which appeared down. As we climbed the up wind we put the gear up and advised we would fly the pattern and make another attempt. This time on the DW we got a green light and CT confirmed gear looked good as we added of the down and locked status. Adding to that we were dealing with 25 mph gusts at about ninety degrees to the runway.  Landing was pretty smooth with no issues. The trip home was less dramatic but we did have to head to the east side of Mt. Diablo as that wind pushed a solid marine layer against the western slope our usual path. I did forget to check with the tower on departure to see if they were receiving our transponder but since they did not mention it I would assume it was transmitting.  Time to pull it out and check for corrosion on the terminals.  As we approached home no issues with the gear and made a real nice approach to a very smooth landing. Will need to check the gear issue might just need some tri flow on the J bar.

[carusoam]

Nice challenges, Bonal!

Not getting the green light is typical of the oval shaped hole in the gear down lock...

Use caution, the gear isn’t locked properly when that happens...

The usual things apply... be familiar with the thumbnail check to know if it is locked...

To Check on the shape of the down lock hole... take a pic next time you are flying...

The block is a relatively low cost replacement piece from Lasar.com...

Bonal, You probably know this all already... but I get to write about it... 

What transponder do you have? Have you gone 2020 capable already?

Thanks,

-a-

[bonal]

Yes the block was replaced by LASAR on our first annual 5 years ago so should be ok but will be checking for sure. As for the transponder we have not done the ADSB upgrade yet and I'm one of those that will be letting time go by to hope for a lower cost option than is currently available today.  But I know that clock is ticking and 2020 mandate is just over the horizon. 

[Wildhorsesracing]

7 hours ago, bonal said:

As for the transponder we have not done the ADSB upgrade yet and I'm one of those that will be letting time go by to hope for a lower cost option than is currently available today.  But I know that clock is ticking and 2020 mandate is just over the horizon. 

I am doing the same thing, looking at the map of places that will require ADS-B in 2020 I realized that it probably won't affect my flying very much to not have one until they become cheaper.

[Hank]

1 minute ago, Wildhorsesracing said:

I am doing the same thing, looking at the map of places that will require ADS-B in 2020 I realized that it probably won't affect my flying very much to not have one until they become cheaper.

Me, too. Another of the joys of living and traveling in the boonies!

[BradB]

I had nothing going on this evening and it was too nice not to fly.   So, it is up to Toronto for the night.  

[Marauder]

I had nothing going on this evening and it was too nice not to fly.   So, it is up to Toronto for the night.  

Already looks like it is climbing!


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[BradB]

1 hour ago, Marauder said:

 

Already looks like it is climbing!

@Marauder I took the picture at an angle on purpose.   I fully expected that mooneyspace would have posted it sideways.   That way it looks somewhat correct no matter what.  

 

Brad. 

 

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[Danb]

Went on a nice trip from Wilmington De. to Tunica Ms, Memphis, planned on New Orleans, the first tropical storm sent me north.

Onto Albuquerque NM, which is a gorgeous area, nasty turbulence was unwelcome, really nice area looks like nice place to retire.

Then Las Vegas, maybe my 50+ trip there since 1970, most likely my last, seems like Vegas has completed transformation to a rat race, once the Raiders fields are complete another 100,000 people there on the football weekends.

Quick trip to Dallas for the night, hot as bejesus, awesome new hotel in Denton, liked it there.

Finally on to New Orleans, Biloxi landed in Gulf Port, I love the gulf coast also hot, lost of pop up storms to cool it off a little.

Finally home to Wilmington De.

25 hours of flying and enjoying a few of our great areas.

[Marauder]

Went on a nice trip from Wilmington De. to Tunica Ms, Memphis, planned on New Orleans, the first tropical storm sent me north.
Onto Albuquerque NM, which is a gorgeous area, nasty turbulence was unwelcome, really nice area looks like nice place to retire.
Then Las Vegas, maybe my 50+ trip there since 1970, most likely my last, seems like Vegas has completed transformation to a rat race, once the Raiders fields are complete another 100,000 people there on the football weekends.
Quick trip to Dallas for the night, hot as bejesus, awesome new hotel in Denton, liked it there.
Finally on to New Orleans, Biloxi landed in Gulf Port, I love the gulf coast also hot, lost of pop up storms to cool it off a little.
Finally home to Wilmington De.
25 hours of flying and enjoying a few of our great areas.

How many of those 25 hours were spent inverted?












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[Danb]

A couple in New Mexico..I can’t get those dumb pix correct..must be the autopilot 

[Skates97]

No place special today, just some special time with my youngest son. It's been two weeks since I flew which is too long. Not having anyplace to go but time to do it we headed out to the airport before it got too hot. He doesn't quite have the bug, but I am trying to get him infected and there are signs that it is taking hold. After pre-flight, starting the engine, realizing my headset was still on the shelf in the hangar because I had taken it out of the plane because the shop was supposed to take the plane to do some work, shutting down, sending him to fetch the headset, starting the engine again, we were ready to roll. 

With the seat all the way forward he can finally reach the rudder pedals and wanted to steer so once we were out from between the hangars and on the taxiway I let him take over, he did better than I did my first time. Everything was good on run-up so we took off and headed for the nearby practice area over Lake Matthews. Departing to the southeast I turned the controls over to my son. Coming in over the lake at 4,200' there was another plane at 4,500', one below us at 3,000' and two more checked in on the radio inbound. I had already brought the power/rpm down to just cruise around but knowing we could out climb the other's there and that usually only the twins go up higher (everyone on the radio was a single) I pushed the prop forward and throttle in and had him take us up to 6,000'. We spent some time with him flying us around the lake and then off to the southeast for a bit before heading back. He did well flying the whole time until giving me the controls back a couple miles south of the airport as we were getting ready to enter the pattern. Once we exited the runway he steered us down the taxi-way until we got to where we were going between the hangars. Always fun to fly, even more fun when I get to spend it with my son.

[Yooper Rocketman]

Our local EAA chapter did our Annual Young Eagles June event this morning.  When I get smaller kids, and we are buried with them standing at the registration table, I have no problem getting 3 across the back seat.  I think these kids had fun today.  I got phone numbers when we landed and sent the pictures to the kids parents and grand parents.  They really enjoyed it.  I imagine those may have ended up on Facebook today.

 

Tom

[Wildhorsesracing]

1 hour ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

Our local EAA chapter did our Annual Young Eagles June event this morning.  When I get smaller kids, and we are buried with them standing at the registration table, I have no problem getting 3 across the back seat.  I think these kids had fun today.  I got phone numbers when we landed and sent the pictures to the kids parents and grand parents.  They really enjoyed it.  I imagine those may have ended up on Facebook today.

 

Tom

It's always fun to fly young eagles, the smiles afterwards is always worth the effort!

[KLRDMD]

Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point) Mexico behind the left wing earlier today, coming home to Tucson. Then after clearing Customs for the last short leg home, gotta play with the big(ger) boys.

[carusoam]

Ken,

Was there enough cross wind to keep your CO monitor from blaring? 

thinking out loud again,

-a-

[KLRDMD]

The wind was not insignificant.

[Yooper Rocketman]

Wisconsin started a flying activity a couple years ago called "Wisconsin Flying Hamburger Social", where the state is divided up into 5 regions that have airports within each region sign up and host a hamburger dinner gathering, with each region having a different evening of the week for their events.  Some regions have repeat locations, and some are so tightly scheduled airports within that area can only host one per summer (this is a summer only type of activity).  I attended several last year while trying to build hours on the Lancair so I could send it off to paint.  Now that the plane is back with new paint and interior, I attended one last evening as well as today.  Yesterday's was at Merril WI (KRRL) and I met a fellow Lancair owner.  He has a 320 with 500 hours on it since completion.  Very nice paint job too.  I took a picture of it in his hangar last night.

So, I headed over to Prentice WI, (5N2) this afternoon and my new found friend flew in as well.  Here's a picture of our two Lancairs on the ramp.

My local airport hosts 3 socials per summer but, unfortunately, because he's the only one in "Michigan" none of the Wisconsin pilots look past the Wisconsin schedule.  Despite his hard work, his turnouts have been rather disappointing compared to what I'm seeing in Wisconsin.  Ironically, we are 1/4 mile from the Wisconsin border at the thresholds of 3 of our runways.  Anyway, these look like a great way to fly out and meet up with neighboring community pilots.

The last photo is what happens when you're fat, dumb and happy, passing some friends in a Cherokee (N237CS, seen on the map) that left 20 minutes before me from Merril for the short hop to KIMT.  A few minutes after I passed them, talking with them on the radio, still in glee about my ground speed, I happen to look at my VSR (vertical speed rate) required to land at my home drome and realize I'm not going to get down at my usual 1300' to 1500' per minute (a few minutes after the picture, once I discovered it, I needed 2200' per minute to land).  So much for the joke being on the Cherokee drivers.

Tom

http://www.moonlightflight.com/flysocial/index.html

 

[EricJ]

1 hour ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

 

 

 

Nice pics!

My big take-away is that I think I want one of those wedge things that's on the creeper.

 

[Wildhorsesracing]

The South Carolina Breakfast Club has been flying around the Carolinas bi-weekly for years, it is a great way to meet other pilots. (http://www.flyscbc.com/)

Can you spot the shiny Mooney?

[jasona900]

2 minutes ago, Wildhorsesracing said:

The South Carolina Breakfast Club has been flying around the Carolinas bi-weekly for years, it is a great way to meet other pilots. (http://www.flyscbc.com/)

Can you spot the shiny Mooney?

Wow, now that is a great turnout!    And cool polished Mooney!

[DanM20C]

Wednesday night I met up with @ThorFlight and @lotsofgadgets in Redwing, MN for some formation practice.  ThorFlight and I attended the Flying Monkeys Clinic in Newton last month and it was time to clean some light rust off and hone our skills a bit. Lotsofgadgets and his son (both are pilots) flew in to ride along and observe (and possibly get hooked into this formation thing).  I see the start of a MN wing  

Lotsofgadgets snapped some great photos of ThorFlight with my camera.

Cheers,

Dan

[lotsofgadgets]

This is a great shot, Mav. I should be a photographer.

[bonal]

We took a short flight down to VCB today for lunch and to pick up a few things. Man the wind was really working it today as we were getting 30 knots but luck was on our side as they were running right down 20.  Sprayed a little Triflow on the J bar as we were having a bit of trouble getting the gear safe light on a previous flight. Man now that thing just jumps into the lock block and gives a nice green safe light without even trying to force it up. As windy as things were was pleasantly surprised that the air turned out to be pretty smooth.  My wife noticed a familiar Mooney on the ramp at our home field.