Went Flying Today........2019

aftCG

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Apr 3, 2018
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526
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Tacoma, WA
Flew to an air show in Lewiston, Idaho. My route took me over an area known as The Palouse. I went to college there and rode my bicycle thousands of miles on various roads.

It was even more beautiful from the air. Can't believe I don't spend more time in the area
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aftCG

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Apr 3, 2018
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526
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Tacoma, WA
Recently put my coworker in the front seat and flew to the Arlington air show. Other than the takeoff and landing he did all the flying both ways.
Good times.
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Bartman

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New Jersey, USA
You know, I'm having trouble believing only two of our members went flying this entire year!!!

Show me the photos! lol
 

Bob Turner

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Apr 4, 2018
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Does 19 landings count? Too busy having fun to take photos.

Oh, and in addition to 19 landings, got five field approvals done. Yippee! And some progress on the new skylights in the train shed.
 

JimParker256

1965 Champion 7ECA (O-200)
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Apr 3, 2018
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McKinney, TX
The past eighteen month have been pretty tough as far as flying goes... Lost six months due to plantar fasciitis so bad I couldn't work the rudder pedals, then another six months due to a torn rotator cuff that wouldn't allow full left aileron input. In between, my 91-year-old mother kept me tied up with an emergency surgery, followed by a month of rehab and another month of extended home care (with me as the caregiver). Then she passed out and fell at her apartment because of dehydration, and that resulted in yet another hospitalization and round of rehab. We finally decided she needed more care than my sister and I could give her going back and forth to her apartment (she lives 45 minutes from my house), and got her moved into an assisted living place. What a relief for us, and she's actually loving it. There is a lot of social interaction among the residents, and their "activities director" is a 20-something Puerto Rican woman who is cute as a button and a total ball of energy. She keeps the place hopping!

So with all that out of the way, I'm catching up on all the chores and backlogged "honey-dos"... But I WILL get to fly this coming week, come hell or high water! But like Bob, I may well forget to take pictures...
 

aftCG

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Apr 3, 2018
Messages
526
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Tacoma, WA
Started my first tail wheel student yesterday. A little hard on my 8.50 tires but nothing that left me needing to change shorts. He's catching on pretty quickly.
 

Bob Turner

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Apr 4, 2018
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You will triple your skill in very short order. Nothing like trying to teach stuff to point out what you have left to learn.

Most of my students have to be re-trained to hold aileron into the wind while on the runway. You have to explain it, and then remind them continuously.
 

aftCG

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Joined
Apr 3, 2018
Messages
526
Location
Tacoma, WA
You will triple your skill in very short order. Nothing like trying to teach stuff to point out what you have left to learn.

Most of my students have to be re-trained to hold aileron into the wind while on the runway. You have to explain it, and then remind them continuously.
I agree that teaching ends up teaching us even more. Right now I'll be happy if he can get the plane lined up with the direction we're traveling when it touches down. He's more fixated with the bounce than the swerve.
 

aftCG

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Apr 3, 2018
Messages
526
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Tacoma, WA
Third lesson today for my tail wheel student. He has demonstrated mastery of getting us to and from the runway (even in a stiff breeze), takeoff and three point landings. Today we did some grass and then introduced wheel landings. That's going to take some more work but the pieces are there
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aftCG

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Apr 3, 2018
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Tacoma, WA
I went out after work today to see what a good short field landing looked like with a no flap aircraft. I still don't know what a good one looks like, but it's fun practicing.
Edit: I just replaced the video with a cut down version so that all you see is the short approach and takeoff. As I also mention in the description of the uploaded video, the camera angle and lens distortion makes it appear that I'm dragging it in and also climbing out at Vx. I'm approaching at 60 in all of these, and while you can hear me adjusting power it is minimal and just enough to control the touchdown point.
I also make all my climbs with the cowl bump on the horizon which gives me 80mph and about 1000 fpm (can't see needing to pitch steeper than that in this plane).
Using the google maps measuring tool and looking at the video I'm using no more than 750' of pavement for touchdown, top and takeoff roll.
 
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Bob Turner

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Apr 4, 2018
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That seems pretty good for a Citabria. I can get a J3 stopped in 150 feet, and airborne in 200, but I come across the fence at stall airspeed with power. My Decathlon takes 600 feet for takeoff only, and maybe more than that for landing.