Bob Turner
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2018
- Messages
- 4,019
Those didn't make it to my iPad - but saw your finished bird above. Not a fan of scallops, but that is one very attractive paint scheme. You done good!
Went Flying Today 2020
- Thread starter Bartman
- Start date
aftCG
Well-known member
I've been doing a lot more flying than posting lately. I'll start in reverse order. This past weekend I met a fellow local aviator for breakfast, and then I flew to a different airport to take part in a liaison aircraft event. Not really formation flying since we were in staggered trail with 500' separation, but cool practice for sure.
My Citabria was an imposter of course but the L3 and L-16 (and the Seabee) were actual warbirds. My plane shares enough DNA that I was welcomed anyway
Those pics are not mine, but these are:
My Citabria was an imposter of course but the L3 and L-16 (and the Seabee) were actual warbirds. My plane shares enough DNA that I was welcomed anyway
Those pics are not mine, but these are:
aftCG
Well-known member
I have also been attending some STOL practice and bbq events on a grass strip. We've had two so far and the next one coming up.
Some of the will known short field guys, some kit planes and even the carbon cub trike factory demo plane.
Some of the will known short field guys, some kit planes and even the carbon cub trike factory demo plane.
aftCG
Well-known member
Not so anonymous anymore are we? A little after work get away
I like the liason aircraft pics, that looks like fun tagging along with them.
Where did you find the plot of your flight?
Where did you find the plot of your flight?
aftCG
Well-known member
Flightaware. Just plug in your N number and hit enter. Every flight made by your ADS-B equipped aircraft is now archived for anyone to review.
Bob Turner
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2018
- Messages
- 4,019
We are finding that out rapidly. Last week two of the Stearman partners were turned in to the FAA for low flying. In discussions, we are hearing that they are not alone.
For a very long time folks have thought that buzzing the beach is ok. Now the sunbathers get your N-number off their smart phone and push a button sending it to the federales. 1000' above congested areas! Beaches are still congested in SoCal.
For a very long time folks have thought that buzzing the beach is ok. Now the sunbathers get your N-number off their smart phone and push a button sending it to the federales. 1000' above congested areas! Beaches are still congested in SoCal.
aftCG
Well-known member
Attended another STOL bbq event. I was beating myself up on the way home for not hanging with the Super Cubs, but I was bracketing 250-260 feet for all of my takeoffs and landings on a rough grass strip.
Last edited:
aftCG
Well-known member
Got my son up early (for him) and we did a little mountain flying. Departed Tacoma and flew North of mount Rainier, using Ranger Creek as a waypoint. I was hoping to get out earlier and make a stop there but I knew what would happen as the day heated up, so we pressed on to Tieton.
Tieton is a state owned grass strip at the head of Rimrock Lake. A standard pattern is not possible at Tieton unless you can punch through rock formations.
I misjudged the wind direction and set up to land down hill (and down wind obviously). Because of the above mentioned non standard approach you also can't see the runway, only a tiny gap in the trees which is the threshold.
Landed long but safely and only saw the wind sock sticking straight out when I shut the plane down. The lake is right off the down hill end so we walked over and spent about 20 minutes there. The campground was packed but we were the only plane. The population seems to pay no attention to the signs prohibiting vehicles on the runway.
Fired up and made the down hill, down wind takeoff out over the lake. It was already heating up so I was only seeing 500'/min climb but it was sufficient to claw our way back up over the cascades. We back tracked over Ranger Creek and tools route slightly closer to mount Rainier. My pics don't seem very close but when we were near rocks I focused on flying.
We were back home by lunchtime.
Tieton is a state owned grass strip at the head of Rimrock Lake. A standard pattern is not possible at Tieton unless you can punch through rock formations.
I misjudged the wind direction and set up to land down hill (and down wind obviously). Because of the above mentioned non standard approach you also can't see the runway, only a tiny gap in the trees which is the threshold.
Landed long but safely and only saw the wind sock sticking straight out when I shut the plane down. The lake is right off the down hill end so we walked over and spent about 20 minutes there. The campground was packed but we were the only plane. The population seems to pay no attention to the signs prohibiting vehicles on the runway.
Fired up and made the down hill, down wind takeoff out over the lake. It was already heating up so I was only seeing 500'/min climb but it was sufficient to claw our way back up over the cascades. We back tracked over Ranger Creek and tools route slightly closer to mount Rainier. My pics don't seem very close but when we were near rocks I focused on flying.
We were back home by lunchtime.
aftCG
Well-known member
When we left the STOL bbq event Friday I realized that we had just departed behind a couple in a stock C170 that lived about 80% of the way home with us. I kept the power up and eventually caught them. We flew together for several miles until I decided to tour the waterfront instead of staying up so high.
I didn't notice at first, bit damn who ever laid out that white stripe got it LEVEL with the horizon
I didn't notice at first, bit damn who ever laid out that white stripe got it LEVEL with the horizon
It's admirable how active you are with that plane!
I got out this morning for another round of spins but tried to link an entry to the "box, a 45 degree upline, a horizontal segment, and then a one turn spin to a heading. First one was maybe 200 degrees around, next was mayby 270, last one was about twenty degrees early from one spin and I might have even had a vertical downline before pulling level! When I saw I almost spun to a heading I forgot to check the quality of my downline. Headed home and have 9 hours of comfortable 1G flying to do tonight. Not a bad day!
I got out this morning for another round of spins but tried to link an entry to the "box, a 45 degree upline, a horizontal segment, and then a one turn spin to a heading. First one was maybe 200 degrees around, next was mayby 270, last one was about twenty degrees early from one spin and I might have even had a vertical downline before pulling level! When I saw I almost spun to a heading I forgot to check the quality of my downline. Headed home and have 9 hours of comfortable 1G flying to do tonight. Not a bad day!
Last edited:
Bob Turner
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2018
- Messages
- 4,019
That vertical downline may be what wins prizes in IAC contests. When they gave me my ribbon (1976) they said it was my downlines that clinched it. That contest was the first time I had ever touched a Decathlon - the Citabria I had practiced in broke.
it isn't late too recapture the experience Bob! 
Bob Turner
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2018
- Messages
- 4,019
No - I get nauseous after about eight slow rolls. I no longer do loops. Even my cross-country days are numbered, although I wouldn't mind one more coast-to-coast ferry flight.
aftCG
Well-known member
new laptop, new software to learn. I'm still all thumbs even after a few online tutorials.
First edit here
First edit here
aftCG
Well-known member
This past weekend I took part in a two ship flyover to celebrate the 98th birthday of a B-17 crew member (6 missions as a tail gunner and 44 more as a waist gunner). I posted previously about a staggered formation of L-birds that I was able to join. This was supposed to be around 8 planes but the wind was 18G25 and that was enough for pretty much everyone to cancel.
The winds were pretty much straight down the runway so I launched and bumbled my way an hour north, arriving with barely enough time to brief the flight.
There was a P-51 from a local flight museum (Heritage Flight Museum from Skagit Bayview) which made some great passes and then left for home where he reported winds of 33 knots. The sun was shining on us apparently because winds were under 10 knots.
We took off in trail from runway 29 and then made two laps over runway 34, which was closed but it was in front of Art, the birthday boy.
Some of the local photographers Terry Green and Bob Hafford caught the P-51 making his awesome passes and several of our more sedately paced laps.
The winds were pretty much straight down the runway so I launched and bumbled my way an hour north, arriving with barely enough time to brief the flight.
There was a P-51 from a local flight museum (Heritage Flight Museum from Skagit Bayview) which made some great passes and then left for home where he reported winds of 33 knots. The sun was shining on us apparently because winds were under 10 knots.
We took off in trail from runway 29 and then made two laps over runway 34, which was closed but it was in front of Art, the birthday boy.
Some of the local photographers Terry Green and Bob Hafford caught the P-51 making his awesome passes and several of our more sedately paced laps.
How did I miss that post? Beautiful area for flying!
aftCG
Well-known member
As some of you know, I'm in the process of building a Kitfox. There are some steps along the way that make you wish you could look at someone else's plane or ask an experienced builder how they did it. It drives you to find builders in your area, and there's a Kitfox owner at my home airport who built a Series 7 and installed an Aeromomentum (Suzuki car engine).
We've had some oddly perfect winter flying weather (cold, clear and zero wind) lately, so we've done some two ship flights to grass runways and grass bays at airports that don't object to their use.
Yesterday we flew down to Toledo, WA to visit another Kitfox builder and bagged a couple of grass strips on the way home. It was a ton of fun.
The Citabria is well matched for the job. If anything my 150 hp 7ECA slightly outclimbs his plane and can cruise faster (he still needs a cowling and he has no fairings on his lift struts, etc). He uses less runway on takeoff and he can decelerate quicker (turns out flaps are a thing. who knew?).
We've learned that if we point down hill I build up speed way faster.
In short, if we were engaged in air combat I could eliminate him from my 6 in a heart beat, and if I start with any altitude advantage he would never get a shot off. In turn, if he used the ability to rapidly decelerate he could turn inside me (shhh, don't tell him), forcing me to do some serious energy management.
We've had some oddly perfect winter flying weather (cold, clear and zero wind) lately, so we've done some two ship flights to grass runways and grass bays at airports that don't object to their use.
Yesterday we flew down to Toledo, WA to visit another Kitfox builder and bagged a couple of grass strips on the way home. It was a ton of fun.
The Citabria is well matched for the job. If anything my 150 hp 7ECA slightly outclimbs his plane and can cruise faster (he still needs a cowling and he has no fairings on his lift struts, etc). He uses less runway on takeoff and he can decelerate quicker (turns out flaps are a thing. who knew?).
We've learned that if we point down hill I build up speed way faster.
In short, if we were engaged in air combat I could eliminate him from my 6 in a heart beat, and if I start with any altitude advantage he would never get a shot off. In turn, if he used the ability to rapidly decelerate he could turn inside me (shhh, don't tell him), forcing me to do some serious energy management.
aftCG
Well-known member
Took advantage of a super clear day to deliver summer Christmas presents to one of my kids. The Cascades are beautiful this time of year - assuming you can see them
you have obviously put some work into your camera mounts! great footage and thanks for sharing!