Today's flight in the year 2020

[aviatoreb]

6 minutes ago, rbridges said:

Took a short flight up to South Atlanta to see @Mooneymite.  Pulled the plane into his fancy hangar so we could check out one of my bladders.  Life is so hard living right next to a runway. 

That is one shiny floor!

[rbridges]

Just now, aviatoreb said:

That is one shiny floor!

I noticed that, too.  First time I've worked under the wing without needing a mat underneath me. 

[Jeph357]

Flight the other day a little left of centerline

Watch "360° landing yuma" on YouTube https://youtu.be/UZGansd8Yk0

[carusoam]

Great 360° video Jeph!

My ipad started watching past the tail...

You knew immediately the orientation by the horseshoe cabin vent...

Had to spin the iPad around to look out the front...

Great point of view.

Interesting video technique that @PilotFun101 may be interested in...

Best regards,

-a- 

[0TreeLemur]

Here's a fun photo after a night flight, returning to the nest.

[Skates97]

We didn't get to fly yesterday, the weather was crummy. My wife wanted to see the Poppies at the California Poppy Preserve. She was looking up museums between there and home when she came across one that was the "Blackbird Airpark" near USAF Plant 42. I told her it "had to have an SR-71 there." We stopped by and wandered around it as well as the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark next door. Not enough room here to post all the pictures, but there's 156 of them over on my blog. They had over 20 different planes there along with engines, bombs, etc...

Joe Davies Heritage and Blackbird Airparks

Here's one of us with the SR-71, A-12, and U2 at the Blackbird Airpark.

A couple more

I think this pilot in the T-33 has been there too long.

[aviatoreb]

1 minute ago, Skates97 said:

 

 

Which one is yours?

[Skates97]

1 minute ago, aviatoreb said:

Which one is yours?

I'd be happy with any of them, but wouldn't be able to afford the fuel to even start one up....

[aviatoreb]

44 minutes ago, Skates97 said:

I'd be happy with any of them, but wouldn't be able to afford the fuel to even start one up....

I think if I saved up I could afford like 45 seconds of fuel - but it would be so worth it.

e

[rbridges]

19 hours ago, Skates97 said:

 

I think this pilot in the T-33 has been there too long.

Probably waiting for a flight examiner to come available for his checkride. 

[MooneyMitch]

"Green, green..............it's green they say"............well, it certainly is !  Gorgeous!!  Even our little L52 area is green !  Lucky to be doing this [flying], aren't we?

And some say it's getting so crowded around here !  I think NOT! 

[aviatoreb]

Well - I took my own advice today and I decided to do some social distancing in my little Mooney.  I looked at the map and I saw fuel at KRME (Rome Labs - old air force base) was $3.74 vs $4.97 at my home field KPTD - with 32.4 gal remaining in the tanks (with LR tanks) I figured I could work this into a "free flying day" mission.  And I worked in an approach into KART (Watertown on Lake Ontario) that is not usually part of my "local tour".  I flew slow and played around with new LOP settings etc still getting the hang of my new surefly electronic ignition system.

Well what do you know - it was just one of those - good - days.  I arrived at KRME and then to the fuel pump just as the fuel truck was pulling away from the fuel station.  And what do you know they had not only filled up the fuel tanker but they had lowered the price to $3.38.  I can't remember when I last saw $3.38.  And my good luck today to arrive then rather than 30 minutes earlier.  I managed to squeeze in 83gal of the cheap stuff with a little bit of tank jiggling.  With an 11821' runway, solo, a Mooney rocket and a 38F day, I wasn't too worried about getting off the ground before the end of the runway even with full tanks.

So this is my "I got cheap fuel" face picture flying home.

Edited March 18, 2020 by aviatoreb

[carusoam]

I feel the emotion, Erik!

-a-

[MooneyMitch]

Gray skies are gonna clear up, put on a happy face 

[Yooper Rocketman]

Flew to Florida today for a couple weeks of weather break from winter.  It was 5 degrees when I departed the U.P. this morning, and 80 when I landed at Spruce Creek.  I did a slight detour, picking up a friend at KOSU (Columbus, OH) and dropping him off at KAAF (Apalachicola, FL), so he could drive his mom home.

Had an interesting departure from KOSU. Held at 12k and lower for the first 30 minutes due to no INDY Center available until into Kentucky (suspect “the Virus”).  It was really weird seeing an Airbus go by me at 10k, cruising along patiently waiting for higher as we got farther south.  Thought I was going to need a fuel stop if I  was stuck there much longer.  
 

Tom

[aviatoreb]

Can one have a flat tire during a pandemic?  Apparently so.  Went on a gorgeous day to the hangar today to fly - and remembering that this state closes all doors tonight at 8pm.  With my oldest son who is home from Duke yesterday since they just closed their doors.

Well the old bird failed the pre-flight. Flat tire in the hangar!  Oh hum.  I wish airplanes had more modern tire systems than old tires and inner tubes.  Well at least as it turns out the mechanics are considered essential personal and still working tomorrow.  Not intended simply for me but more so in case critical infrastructure -' eg the medical lift etc need them, but meanwhile still available to change tires on my little ol' airplane.  See my gear door got a little squished.

[Yooper Rocketman]

I’ve NEVER PAID someone to change a tire for me.  Guess this dumb Yooper has a few skills of value.  

Tom

[aviatoreb]

9 minutes ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

I’ve NEVER PAID someone to change a tire for me.  Guess this dumb Yooper has a few skills of value.  

Tom

Tom you built an airplane from scratch.  I am beyond impressed.  I have no doubt you could fix my flat tire with panache, skill and very very simply.

Let me tell you something about me - and I am wise enough to know how very limited I am in the many areas where I am limited - I am a disaster when it comes to fixing stuff myself.  I cannot tell you why exactly without writing a long essay but in summary - don't ever ever go near an airplane that I said I fixed myself!  It is very strange since I have a good head on my shoulders and I know how stuff works perhaps better than most, and then in theory I am much better than most and I can explain details of how your PT6 works inside and out the mathematical details some of the chemistry and materials science details, practical details and on and on.  But don't ever  expect me to turn a wrench and not expect it to turn out more broken than when I started.  My saving grace - I am wise enough I know when to call in an expert!

Edited March 22, 2020 by aviatoreb

[Yooper Rocketman]

By no means am I picking on you.  Just lamenting I don’t have to be as smart as you or some others on this forum to actually be of some value.  
 

Tom

[aviatoreb]

Just now, Yooper Rocketman said:

By no means am I picking on you.  Just lamenting I don’t have to be as smart as you or some others on this forum to actually be of some value.  
 

Tom

Let me just say I respect your value.  I am in many ways classically smart, a math prof and all,  but also classically the absent minded professor when it comes to fixing stuff.  I respect and value you my fellow aviator and I wish you were here to show me how its done!

[Skates97]

Observed a little "Social Distancing" Saturday afternoon. Carb replaced, a trip around the pattern to ensure all was well, then went for a little flight just to relax and enjoy the beautiful green hills before they turn brown for the rest of the year.

[EricJ]

4 hours ago, aviatoreb said:

Can one have a flat tire during a pandemic?  Apparently so.  Went on a gorgeous day to the hangar today to fly - and remembering that this state closes all doors tonight at 8pm.  With my oldest son who is home from Duke yesterday since they just closed their doors.

Well the old bird failed the pre-flight. Flat tire in the hangar!  Oh hum.  I wish airplanes had more modern tire systems than old tires and inner tubes.  Well at least as it turns out the mechanics are considered essential personal and still working tomorrow.  Not intended simply for me but more so in case critical infrastructure -' eg the medical lift etc need them, but meanwhile still available to change tires on my little ol' airplane.  See my gear door got a little squished.

Ahg!   I thought the door was supposed to survive a flat tire?

 

[aviatoreb]

58 minutes ago, EricJ said:

Ahg!   I thought the door was supposed to survive a flat tire?

 

I guess not eh?  Well a not moving injury I bet it straightened out with a heat gun.

[Davidv]

I was able to get up yesterday for a quick flight around Miami Beach.  Very odd to see miles and miles of neatly raked beach with no one around.  As expected, there are also several clusters of anchored cruise ships... 

 

Edited March 25, 2020 by Davidv

[aviatoreb]

On 3/22/2020 at 10:26 PM, EricJ said:

Ahg!   I thought the door was supposed to survive a flat tire?

 

How's that squeeky clean new tire look?  I think I will get out Friday or Saturday and scuff it up a bit with a landing or three.

And check out the gear doors - they snapped right back.  No damage since it was not a moving flat but a standing flat.