I have already started obsessing about the weather

[Ned Gravel]

Ute and I are prepared further ahead of the Caravan this year than in previous years.  Part of the reason is that I have warned everyone related to my business that I may respond to e-mails in a slower manner than they are used to.  I also have a staff member who can act as First Responder if something catches fire in the business.  

So, with everything ready, but the packing and filing the eAPIS, I have started obsessing about the weather. 

Tropical Storm Barry???  Really??  With a cold front predicted next Wednesday (our planned date of departure) to stretch from South Dakota to overtop of Madison (KMSN) to overtop of Ottawa (where we are) to overtop of Sept Iles (see Mike's video of travelling to Northern Canada).  Sheesh!!!!

OK.  I am going to stop obsessing about the weather now - and just know I can make good weather decisions.  Strategic - not tactical for me.    But sheeesh!!

[carusoam]

Getting Barry to come through before we start would be nice...

Obsess away!

We have a weather guy around here...

Best regards,

-a-

[GloryWing1]

Are there any provision for stragglers after the mooney flight elements have departed? Those flying in but not comfortable with joining the formation flying yet... wanting to kick the tires, so to speak. The ground session online is intimidating, 3-10'  

[Ned Gravel]

Glorywing1

We fly on an FAA Letter of Authorization (LoA), a copy of which we are all required to have in our cockpits. Getting that letter is almost as hard as flying the FISK arrival and if we break the rules, we lose the authorization. 

Important rule - we are required to train and get qualified.  

Many of us are more than willing to sit in your right seat till you get comfortable with the basics of formation flying. Even those who are not flight instructors. See us in Madison on Friday.  Fly a sortie with one of our pilots in their Mooney during a practice flight. Probably too late for this year, but it will whet your appetite for the next available formation clinic in your region.  

[Ned Gravel]

So Yves always gives me a hard time because I do not normally spruce up "Baby" (Ute's name for our Mooney) prior to our annual Oshkosh - Mooney Caravan sojourn.

This year is different.  Ute convinced me to "get-her-done" so we did.  Simple Green, water, VIM, a brush, a pail, some more water and start scrubbin'.

Looks cleaner than normal.  Not as nice as Yves' with his much newer paint job - but shows the effort nonetheless.  

The cute one in the picture is part of the reason I fly.

[yvesg]

Good Job Ned and Ute.

[steingar]

I usually don't wash the airplane until after Oshkosh.  It gets so many bugs and so much dirt there, I just don't see the point.  I've been obsessing about the wx since last week. Look forward to seeing you all (hopefully).

[ArtVandelay]

So Yves always gives me a hard time because I do not normally spruce up "Baby" (Ute's name for our Mooney) prior to our annual Oshkosh - Mooney Caravan sojourn.

Is the number 43987 on the side a Canadian thing?


Tom

[kpaul]

2 hours ago, ArtVandelay said:

Is the number 43987 on the side a Canadian thing?


Tom

CBP (Customs and Border Protection) DTOP stickers.  The number is the last digit of the year.  So actually, it is a US thing.

[gsxrpilot]

On 7/12/2019 at 2:59 PM, GloryWing1 said:

Are there any provision for stragglers after the mooney flight elements have departed? Those flying in but not comfortable with joining the formation flying yet... wanting to kick the tires, so to speak. The ground session online is intimidating, 3-10'  

The way to fly to Oshkosh without flying in formation, is to fly the Fisk arrival as detailed in the NOTAM.

But either meet us in Madison, or at Oshkosh, and let's talk about the process and procedures for joining the Caravan next year. It starts with attending a formation flying clinic put on by the Caravan at numerous locations around the country each spring. The training is intense, but any competent Mooney pilot can be successful and learn to fly formation. It's also very safe and will ultimately help you become a much better pilot.

Look me up in Madison or at Oshkosh and we'll talk about it.

[Ned Gravel]

4 hours ago, kpaul said:

CBP (Customs and Border Protection) DTOP stickers.  The number is the last digit of the year.  So actually, it is a US thing.

Yeah. I just like to line them up so they look pretty. There are actually 12 or 15 stickers (decals) in that row.  Two or three deep.  

[TGreen]

4 hours ago, gsxrpilot said:

The way to fly to Oshkosh without flying in formation, is to fly the Fisk arrival as detailed in the NOTAM.

But either meet us in Madison, or at Oshkosh, and let's talk about the process and procedures for joining the Caravan next year. It starts with attending a formation flying clinic put on by the Caravan at numerous locations around the country each spring. The training is intense, but any competent Mooney pilot can be successful and learn to fly formation. It's also very safe and will ultimately help you become a much better pilot.

Look me up in Madison or at Oshkosh and we'll talk about it.

My son and I are flying in on the 25th. Would love to hear about the Caravan for next year if any of you are still in Oshkosh on Thursday.

[kpaul]

1 hour ago, TGreen said:

My son and I are flying in on the 25th. Would love to hear about the Caravan for next year if any of you are still in Oshkosh on Thursday.

The Caravan parking area will be thinned out by Thursday, however there will still be some of us around.  My plan is to be there through Sunday.  I figure if I am going, I am going all the way Saturday through the final Sunday.

[jetdriven]

On 7/14/2019 at 5:15 PM, Ned Gravel said:

So Yves always gives me a hard time because I do not normally spruce up "Baby" (Ute's name for our Mooney) prior to our annual Oshkosh - Mooney Caravan sojourn.

This year is different.  Ute convinced me to "get-her-done" so we did.  Simple Green, water, VIM, a brush, a pail, some more water and start scrubbin'.

Looks cleaner than normal.  Not as nice as Yves' with his much newer paint job - but shows the effort nonetheless.  

The cute one in the picture is part of the reason I fly.

Simple green corrodes aluminum. The aviation purple kind is less corrosive but kills the paint, it pulls the plasticizers out of the paint and causes it to dry up, fade, alligator, and chip off. 

[Ned Gravel]

1 hour ago, jetdriven said:

Simple green corrodes aluminum. The aviation purple kind is less corrosive but kills the paint, it pulls the plasticizers out of the paint and causes it to dry up, fade, alligator, and chip off. 

Hmm.  Did not know that.  Got the recommendation from some folks on Mooneyspace.  

[jetdriven]

Anything that burns your skin like that can’t be good for paint. 
We thought it was good too. After the 8-10th washing the paint started coming off in large areas. And it was dull. 

[amillet]

Pacific Northwest 4 ship on the way to Madison yesterday