Today's flight in the year 2020

[PMcClure]

July 4th is always a busy flying week for me. Family does a week at the beach around the 4th and now that the kids are older (And getting married and working) few can stay for the whole week. So I HAVE to ferry them back and forth to Destin and home. And this year, I threw in a business trip to Cleveland, making it a true cross country from the Gulf to the Great Lakes. All in, about 13 hours of flying and 5 different airports. First time landing in Class Bravo airport, which ended up not being much of a bid deal. One flight ended with an hour long storm after the taxi in. The wind was so strong, I thought she may take off again before we got her in the hangar. 

 

 

[Hank]

2 hours ago, PMcClure said:

July 4th is always a busy flying week for me. Family does a week at the beach around the 4th and now that the kids are older (And getting married and working) few can stay for the whole week. So I HAVE to ferry them back and forth to Destin and home. And this year, I threw in a business trip to Cleveland, making it a true cross country from the Gulf to the Great Lakes. All in, about 13 hours of flying and 5 different airports. First time landing in Class Bravo airport, which ended up not being much of a bid deal. One flight ended with an hour long storm after the taxi in. The wind was so strong, I thought she may take off again before we got her in the hangar. 

 

 

 

John, that sure looks unfriendly . . . .

[MooneyMitch]

10 minutes ago, Hank said:

John, that sure looks unfriendly . . . .

Unfriendly indeed!  But just an outstanding sight for sure..............gorgeous!  A view earthbound folks never experience. So special.

I love this thread...............so many terrific photos and adventure stories..............yippee!!!

[aviatoreb]

Today I went and got some of that cheapest in the state fuel - over at KRME - $3.22 which taking on 80 gallons makes for free flying 30 min each way, vs filling up at the pump across the tarmac from my hangar.

My buddy sent me this video when he saw my fly by.

[Hank]

3 hours ago, aviatoreb said:

Today I went and got some of that cheapest in the state fuel - over at KRME - $3.22 which taking on 80 gallons makes for free flying 30 min each way, vs filling up at the pump across the tarmac from my hangar.

My buddy sent me this video when he saw my fly by.

I'm impressed! So close to the sun, and your wings didn't melt off or nothing! 

[aviatoreb]

26 minutes ago, Hank said:

I'm impressed! So close to the sun, and your wings didn't melt off or nothing! 

I had my cowl flaps open while flying through the Solar Corona, to keep cylinder temps down.  And for good measure, I wore a mask in case there was any corona virus in there - even though 10,000F temps likely melts it - not to mention the high intensity UV light.

My friend Icarus and his wax airplane didn't do so well.

Edited July 7, 2020 by aviatoreb

[cferr59]

First time into a grass field in the Mooney.  No issues, 8N1 in PA for a Wings and Wheels event.

[amillet]

Today’s social distancing flight to KUIL (Quillayute) an almost abandoned airport (there is a NWS office there where they launch weather balloons). Route was over Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park. Beach village is La Push. A Native American community 

 

[Skates97]

Last Saturday made a flight along the coast, Andrew would be proud I had my Spinlock Deckvest on. Deserted beaches all along Orange County. My first attempt at a video with cockpit radio recordings. Playing around with a different video editor, I need to figure out how to get the camera shot forward with less shake. I also tried doing a split screen at the end with four cameras. 

Possibly the coolest part of the flight was getting held 900' above TPA for a DC-3 that was orbiting north of the airport. He ended up flying right under me but the wide angle on the camera made it next to impossible to see on the video.

 

[carusoam]

Richard, That’s funny... I didn’t recognize the deckvest... if you hadn’t mentioned it...

Looks comfortable.

Best regards,

-a-

[Skates97]

11 hours ago, carusoam said:

Richard, That’s funny... I didn’t recognize the deckvest... if you hadn’t mentioned it...

Looks comfortable.

Best regards,

-a-

They are comfortable to wear, you forget it is there most of the time. I'm glad I followed Andrew's recommendation on what to get.

[Ibra]

First international trip post lockdown (politics start-Europe is not a country and UK is no longer in EU-politics stop ), I took M20J down to Paris then the Alps, the plan was to fly to Lugano & Lake Como but I had to stop the show at Sion due to weather, still it was fun flying along Mt Blanc from all Swiss, French and Italian sides 

This was the first time I took a Mooney for valley flying, usually I rent Cubs or Jodels from nearby flying clubs and get checked but not that many local instructors are keen on dual flying these days, still the M20J did fit the Alps mission plus the quick commute to Paris & London...

Route: Stapleford-Calais-Cean-Toussus-Annemasse-Sion-Chambery-Toussus-LeTouquet-Stappleford

 

 

Edited July 14, 2020 by Ibra

[Davidv]

13 minutes ago, Ibra said:

First international trip post lockdown (politics start-Europe is not a country and UK is no longer in EU-politics stop ), I took M20J down to Paris then the Alps, the plan was to fly to Lugano & Lake Como but I had to stop the show at Sion due to weather, still it was fun flying along Mt Blanc from all Swiss, French and Italian sides 

This was the first time I took a Mooney for valley flying, usually I rent Cubs or Jodels from nearby flying clubs and get checked but not that many local instructors are keen on dual flying these days, still the M20J did fit the Alps mission plus the quick commute to Paris & London...

Route: Stapleford-Calais-Cean-Toussus-Annemasse-Sion-Chambery-Toussus-LeTouquet-Stappleford

 

 

 

Very nice, I assume you opened the window just to take in more of that Alps air?

[Ibra]

9 hours ago, Davidv said:

I assume you opened the window just to take in more of that Alps 

The window works like a ski pass to get fresh air 

Also, Mooney did not feel like Cub at 140ias, that was slightly deteriorating, but as I slow it down to 90ias and opened that small window I got some reassurance 

[bonal]

Since the sport bike seems to have infiltrated another thread and since this is my thread well yesterday we took the FZ out for a ride.  Cycle World calls it one of the best bikes ever made.  Canyon carving hard excelleration 10.5 q mile and all day comfort strikes the perfect balance.  Been riding all my life and if I had to choose between flying and riding lets just say would be a tough choice.

 

[rbridges]

1 hour ago, bonal said:

 if I had to choose between flying and riding lets just say would be a tough choice.

 

 

Flying, hands down.  I rode for years, but that was before texting and driving became a competition among drivers.

[MooneyMitch]

20 minutes ago, rbridges said:

Flying, hands down.  I rode for years, but that was before texting and driving became a competition among drivers.

50+ years for me.  Many, many trips throughout continental US, north, south, east, west and many parts in between........great wonderful adventures on backroads, along rivers and through mountains..... staying off Interstates as much as possible.

Local riding....... minimal these days due to distracted drivers/lack of respect for others.

I love flying and motorcycle riding...... both represent a great feeling of freedom and adventure! 

[rbridges]

3 minutes ago, MooneyMitch said:

50+ years for me.  Many, many trips throughout continental US, north, south, east, west and many parts in between........great wonderful adventures on backroads, along rivers and through mountains..... staying off Interstates as much as possible.

Local riding....... minimal these days due to distracted drivers/lack of respect for others.

I love flying and motorcycle riding...... both represent a great feeling of freedom and adventure! 

not sure I know what you mean.    I think this took place near your neck of the woods.  

Edited July 15, 2020 by rbridges

[MooneyMitch]

Just now, rbridges said:

not sure I know what you mean.  

......and there ya have it! 

[MooneyMitch]

13 minutes ago, rbridges said:

not sure I know what you mean.    I think this took place near your neck of the woods.  

Yes, SoCal area.  Insane!!!

My initial riding years formed there..... I was extremely lucky.  Granted, it was a different time of humanity, yet still very dangerous.

With 2 of the highest risk activities, I do feel safer with general aviation flying rather than motorcycling.

[Hank]

1 hour ago, MooneyMitch said:

Yes, SoCal area.  Insane!!!

My initial riding years formed there..... I was extremely lucky.  Granted, it was a different time of humanity, yet still very dangerous.

With 2 of the highest risk activities, I do feel safer with general aviation flying rather than motorcycling.

I know too many people who were riding safely and sanely, yet were taken out by other drivers on the road. Even before cell phones . . . . More so than the number of pilots I know who rode their plane to an ungraceful stop . . . . .

[aviatoreb]

38 minutes ago, Hank said:

I know too many people who were riding safely and sanely, yet were taken out by other drivers on the road. Even before cell phones . . . . More so than the number of pilots I know who rode their plane to an ungraceful stop . . . . .

Not a reply to you Hank - just what you said got me set onto this usual thought:

The risks of the road are very different from the risks in the air.  On the road we are so beholden to the sanity, skills, and attention of the others we share the road with.  Car-motorycycle-bicycle and even pedestrians have come to bad endings while doing everything right.  I ride my bike VERY defensively always assuming I am not seen but still...I know there is a major risk - knock on wood - likely worse than anything airplane...again knock on wood.  In the air, our risks are often self made in terms of what kind of conditions we launch into, and what kind of machine risks we assume in terms of maintenance.  A much smaller fraction, much smaller than on the road, of the risk is the freak incident such as a unforeseeable mechanical incident or perhaps the behavior of others leading to say a mid-air or perhaps a bad command by atc.  Those are much smaller likelihoods especially in fraction.

[MooneyMitch]

1 hour ago, Hank said:

I know too many people who were riding safely and sanely, yet were taken out by other drivers on the road. Even before cell phones . . . . More so than the number of pilots I know who rode their plane to an ungraceful stop . . . . .

Agree. 

[bonal]

4 hours ago, rbridges said:

Flying, hands down.  I rode for years, but that was before texting and driving became a competition among drivers.

Fortunately I can still do both knock wood 

[MooneyMitch]

My flight today....... living dangerously with two wheels...... stopping by to view one of my other favorite things and places !