It all STARTS with a DREAM!

[skagwaypilot]

I knew a guy that learned to fly in thirty days in Southern California.....

I'm working with a young pilot who has a Private Pilot certificate. His goal is a tailwheel endorsement but I'm spending most of my (his) time teaching him things he should have learned before he went for his Private Pilot check ride. He performs most of the basic activities in an acceptable manner. However, his previous instructor avoided controlled airspace. Accordingly, my student does not know how to talk on the radio.

The point is, his breadth of experience wasn't adequate. My advice is to save your nickels and dimes, sleep well, and enjoy the ride.

Good advice from andersenroger..

[dreamer]

As much as I thought I was moving here for other reasons, it seems that realizing a lifelong dream was in fact at least one of the true purposes of my coming here (so far at least). I am surrounded by experienced pilots with a wide range of experiences and have not one but two of the best instructors one could ever hope for teaching me right now. All I have to do is shut up and listen, watch and seek out the lesson in every opportunity that is presented and work my ass off. It's one of the hardest things I've ever done! I felt some discouragement my last time up. I know that's to be expected at times and I'm TRYING not to be too hard on myself. I felt sloppy at the controls and was having trouble getting the aircraft trimmed properly to maintain a steady altitude. I have an opportunity to go up this afternoon in one of these... http://www.cradleofaviation.org/exhi...ger/index.html You should see the all original instrument panel on this! It's gorgeous! I won't be able to log any time, but will be able to gain some experience and PRACTICE! It's a beautiful day for flying

andersenroger and skagwaypilot, your points are well taken about the importance of breadth of experience. I realize there's certain things I will learn here in Florida and other things I'll have to learn if I travel elsewhere. Every plane is different too. I don't want to RUSH through the process (though I doubt my instructors would let me do that) neither do I want to be months or years between lessons and have to keep re-learning fundamentals everytime I go up (though I do believe one could spend a lifetime perfecting those very same fundamentals). My primary instructor is working with one person who'd obtained a private pilot certificate, but somehow had not learned some real fundamentals of pilotage and got LOST twenty minutes from home on a clear day!

Better keep studying!

[dreamer]

Had a great time up the Sky Ranger today. Another hour at the controls (not logged) but great practice on the stick and working on getting that trim set right in changing conditions. I found my way to an airport 24NM away in skies a little bit bumpy and with a fair amount of wind. The ground reference work has been paying off. Flew a halfway decent pattern through three landings (two on grass). Maule tailwheel vs. Scott... hmmm... feels different. Pretty tough seeing over the cowling in this particular plane while taxiing as opposed to the SC... Some differences in TO technique... hmmm...

Well! Next time I dream that I'm flying, I'll have to figure out what plane I'm in too!

[cubscout]

Of course, andersonroger had the HUGE advantage of flying in N'braska, which gives one almost every variation of flying imaginable, except for hills, valleys, and mountains. NO, really.

I fly over Curtis pretty regularly, guess it's time for a "precautionary" landing to see what's going on there.

Best wishes to all on their flying.

Thanks. cubscout (Adm., N'braska Coastguard, retarded)

[dreamer]

The neighborhood had a fly-out today. A bunch of pilots and a couple of non-flying folks who had never been in a small airplane before flew out to a nearby small GA airport for lunch. Strong crosswinds on the runway (20-25 knot gusts) kept a couple of the little vintage tail-draggers grounded, but there were plenty of other planes flying. An aircam that was planning on attending could have handled the wind, but it was just a leettle bit too cold to be flying in such a wide open plane! I had the opportunity to sit right seat in two different cockpits with some really skillful high time pilots... I was in an early seventies Twin Comanche on the way over and a late seventies Cardinal 177RG on the return trip (the most modern AC I've been in yet) ... Got to drive the Cardinal for a little ways, but declined an offer to land it! (yes, I certainly DO have my limits!) It was my first time watching the operation of constant speed propellers and retractable landing gear. Looking forward to my next lesson

[dreamer]

That's me in the front seat taxiing past my yard (off the left wing) down on the ground (clear of the active!). The picture was taken by the real estate agent listing the house and hangar across the street and is up on the MLS now. This is the same location I was in the dream except facing toward the runway rather than away. I'm REALLY looking forward to my next lesson!!! Not such a little taildragger this next time... I'm going up in a Warbird! Whoo Hoo! boyoboyoboyoboy!! Well it IS a basic trainer, right?

[Widebody]

http://www.supercub.org/photopost/da....jpg[/img]

[dreamer]

Awhile ago the soles came off the old moccasins I was using for flying shoes, so I searched around and found a really cool pair of Apache style moccasins on-line and ordered me a pair... http://www.mukluks.com/apache.shtml They've got smooth edged ribbed crepe soles that won't get stuck in heel brakes and won't slide off the rudders. Boy are they comfortable! Just like wearing clouds! Today I got to wear my new flying shoes for the very first time...

I logged 1.6 hours today in a 1942 Consolidated Vultee BT-13A!! (6.2 hours in the log book now) Now THERE'S some "basic" training! Boy was THAT fun! An incredibly responsive machine... Just the slightest, gentlest control pressure had immediate effect. The morning air was smooth as glass at 2000 feet. I turned a perfect circle about a point without any change in altitude (hmmm... I might just be getting this stuff!).

Attended a meeting of the local warbird squadron, ate a hundred dollar hot dog and headed for home. It was much bumpier in the afternoon sun... "WHOA Nellie!!" I took us straight to the airport without being able to actually see it beneath the wings and told the guy in front "I think it's under us now".

What a great plane! There's less than thirty of them still flying. I'm so glad I had a chance to fly this one.

[dreamer]

OK, so it's not a supercub... That's my instructor on the left

[dreamer]

My first time at Sun 'n Fun... Boy was THAT fun! I close my eyes, I STILL see AIRPLANES! Logged more time in the BT, flew in a twin Beech-18 in formation (BT several feet off the wing) to a flyout with a bunch of warbirds at Leeward airpark... did several low passes over a six thousand foot grass runway (whoo hoo!!!) Spent about an hour in a flight simulator... no SC, flew a J3 cub for a few minutes then switched to an Extra 300 and did snap rolls and lots of LOOPS Saw all sorts of beautiful airplanes, talked to all sorts of interesting people and heard ALL kinds of stories. Slept underneath a big old tree for an entire week. One morning, Santa Claus left a brand new lightspeed ANR headset in my cute little house with the zipper door Covered a control surface with polyfiber, made a cool little aluminum hubcap with a hammer and an English wheel <kewl> It's the 8 days a week 25 hour a day nothing but aviation channel! I really DO love the smell of av-gas in the morning Flew home in the BT, helped give it a nice bath and dragged my tired tail back to the hangar. Just when I was really starting to miss the sounds of all the engines, I got a call to go flying in a Beech Bonanza "Debonair" (the one with the square tail) and got to fly THAT for awhile and then helped change out the oil in it. I've been asked to help detail a C-172 XP belonging to another CFI in exchange for more lessons and log-able hours and have been offered some lessons in a CITABRIA! I bought some raffle tickets for an Aviat Huskie with a full set bush wheels. Of course, I can't wait to get back in the SUPERCUB again Really enjoyed meeting all the supercubbers hanging out by the crimsom cub Life is GREAT!

[moneyburner]

You're hawgin' ALL the fun!

[dreamer]

Oh yeah. ALL the fun.

Today I learned that the guy with the blue hat actually DOES walk over and say, "I'm from the FAA and I'm here to help" at which point everyone who's been hanging around waiting for him to show up bursts into laughter.

Heard a few missed approaches overhead a while ago and then a loud bang and a funny crumpling sound and ran outside to see a 172 with it's tail in the air and one wing on the ground across the field. I jumped the fence and ran over, crawled under and found the pilot dangling half out of the plane struggling to free himself. I cradled him in my arms to support him, got the seatbelt unhooked and untangled his legs from the doorway and the seat. When I finally got him extricated (carefully) while the fuel dripped down behind me, he reached up with both hands and grabbed my face and kissed me! So I gave him a big hug and carefully set him down and helped him to his feet. And yes ladies and gents, the pilot walked away from the airplane! So I guess that was a good landing.

Oh my.

Lynne

[dreamer]

Well I now own a piece of an airplane... Just a small piece, but it works... I acquired a Cessna "aerotherm", the OAT instrument that is mounted inside the cabin at the wingroot. I am using it right now to measure the inside air temperature of the hangar (Hah! would you look at that! It's a standard day!) The wreckage of the 172 was dismantled and hauled down the runway on a flatbed truck. I watched the whole process and made the final call on a handheld radio as she made her very last roll down an airstrip. I thought about purchasing the plane as a "project" if all it needed was a new set of wings, but it had a lot more problems including a split in the rear carry-through spar from the accident and an illegal tail modification. Oh well... It's a collection of parts.

I am begging a retired A&P a couple of hangars over with an impressive collection of parts and projects to take me on as an "apprentice" in exchange for knowledge and flight time (I'll pay fuel and insurance). He's got more projects than he can work on and both he and his wife are facing health issues. I think I could do a lot to help him out and I know I'd learn a lot from him. There's a little Champ with wind damage I'm feeling like a lovesick teenager over... <sigh>

I dropped a big ole Grummon canoe on my foot a few days after the accident and haven't flown since. I am going stir crazy! The foot has healed up sufficiently to where I could fly now, but my instructor is out of town for an extended period captaining a boat somewhere near the Dry Tortugas while the tarpon are running I am seriously thinking about packing up my tent and camping out in Indiantown for a few days to fly with Tom Bent in a Decathlon... I like the idea of working on takeoffs and landings on a 6,300 foot grass runway

Collecting feathers hoping someday to have enough for wings,

Soaring in my dreams,

Lynne

[12Geezer2]

Sounds like you are having a great time. Sort of brings back lots of memories. First solo was in a 150 H.P. supercub(still my all time favorite) that's More than 30 years ago. Now have flown 60 different aircraft and the adventures continue. Most recent was a 1957 C 172 from Wi. to Nevada for a friend. Keep dreamin and living the dreams. My only regret is most of my dreamin was on a small scale. ----Growing old is manditory-Growing up is optional !!!!!

[dreamer]

Whoo Hoo!

I have an appointment early next Wednesday morning (Wx permitting) in Indiantown for some instruction with Tom Bent in a Decathlon!!

I can't wait!! (hopping up and down and spinning 'round in anticipation)

Hope I can get up in the air with someone around here and get in a little stick and rudder practice before going over there... I'd hate to be flying like I've never flown before



Thanks for the encouragement 12Geezer2!

[CloudDancer]

Hiya Dreamer -

That's gonna' be some story-inspiring "learnin' to fly" logbook you're filling up there girl !

You are getting some time in some FUN and way cool airplanes.

The Decathalon will do a bit snappier on the rolls and spins than the Champ. ENJOY!!

Me....JEALOUS!!

CloudDancer

[dreamer]

Thanks Cloudy Sounds like you've been hanging around the wrong kind of airports lately!

Passed my physical yesterday! The FAA now has a record of the location of my tattoos

I am SO looking forward to these next lessons. Due to insurance issues, I have never actually landed an airplane nor have I done a full takeoff on my own.

I am living and working on a private airport being taught to fly by an assortment of pilots in their own personal aircraft rather than going to an actual flight school. Someone will have to add me (and my instructor) to their insurance (I will pay all costs) and be willing to let me fly an airplane (I'll help with maintainance and trade work) in order for me to eventually solo. I really don't want to start renting tri-gear AC from the nearest school at this point. I'd much rather put the $$ into fixing up and insuring the little Champ next door for example. My instructor cannot add me to his insurance because as a CFI, his insurance premiums would skyrocket.

I have been learning as much as I can on the ground (with my books and such) and in the air with another PIC. I REALLY want to do ALL my primary training (and solo) in a taildragger. I think I could make a transition to nosewheel later if I absolutely had to... I suppose that would be a worthy endorsement to go for at some point! I couldn't think of a better place to learn takeoffs and landings than a 6,300 foot grass strip with an experienced taildragger pilot. We'll probably get in some unusual attitude training and aerobatic manuevers in-between touch and goes

Might be a good day to go outside with a cape on and see what happens... It's really WINDY out there!

Wheee!

[dreamer]

Looks like a good day for flying!

[dreamer]

What an incredible experience! A couple more hours in the log book spread out over five flights in two days. Lots of touch and goes in brisk gusty crosswinds that were challenging but not overwhelming. I can take off! I can land! Wheee! I can grin like a fool during aileron rolls and loops. I LIKE flying up-side down!

Tom Bent is an amazing instructor. I'm probably the greenest student he's worked with in a long time. Those were my very first TO's and landings... I've followed along on the controls previously, but never gone further. Tom teaches tail wheel transitions, spin training and advanced aerobatics. He's got an older Decathlon and a Pitts S-2A. He put me in the Decathlon for these first lessons. He was trained as a fighter pilot in WWII. Started out in J3s, transitioned to Stearmans, then P-40s and the 5-51. Luckily for him, the war ended at the "tail" end of his training. During the Korean War, he was an instructor in the Air Force training pilots in the T-6. He's flown all sorts of jets and spent many years as a field engineer for Pratt and Whitney. That's just the briefest synopsis of his experiences. How lucky am I to have flown with him. I can't wait to do it again!!

Indiantown is a magical place. Not much in the way of "extras", but who cares! It's a 6,300 x 300 foot grass runway! It's a "private public use" airport that recieves no public funding of any sort. The landing fee (waived with fuel purchase) and other patronage is all that supports the cost of keeping the grass mowed and other maintainace costs. I spent two nights in a tent on the field next to the funky FBO (bring your own water... it's an agricultural well not suitable for drinking). What fun! I met all sorts of interesting characters and can't wait to go back again... I'll be back by the end of next month if I'm lucky

Thank goodness it is finally raining! We lost the horizon in the smoke during the final flight. It was a very smoky trip back across the state in the old Mercedez that I drive. The drought had Lake Okechobee down so low the bed of the lake was not only exposed, but on FIRE! Lake Okechobee is one of the largest natural lakes in the country fed by rain and water that has travelled from the Appalachian Mountains by way of rivers and streams and the underground rivers of the Florida aquifer. Water from the lake feeds the Everglades, which is nothing more than a very wide and shallow river headed to the Gulf of Mexico. Let it rain... we sure do need it. Soon it'll be VFR again!



Lynne

[dreamer]

Finally went FLYING again today... I went up last week in a 172 to watch for traffic while a friend practiced instrument approaches at a nearby TOWERED airport and that was quite interesting but today was REALLY cool Went up in a wide open AIRCAM (oooh! multi-engine!) Flew lower than I'm used to (500ft over an uninhabited area), then HIGHER than I'm used to (4000ft+)... That adiabatic cooling rate is quite nice on a steamy afternoon in the tropical sun Practiced basic manuevers and trim setting and airspeed watching etc... (pilot is a CFI), then practiced Dutch rolls and eventually got the nose locked on a spot on the horizon. (oooh... coordinated stick and rudder!). Flew around in circles and such and maintained a sense of direction (that homing instinct WORKS!) What FUN to be flying on such a beautiful day! What a cool little airplane!! Pilot demonstrated a perfect wheel landing and did one more turn about the patch (took off with 1/2 power just for fun) and ended with a perfect 3 point landing. Boy it sure feels good to go FLYING! I'm still flying touch and goes at X-58 in my dreams and hope to be back in Indiantown at the end of the month. I want to learn spin training too <g>. A friend gave me an old Chicago sectional to study (whoa! the world world ISN'T flat!) Hmmm... look at that... there's New Holstein... Isn't that the place where they paint the Supercubs to match the cows???

Still dreaming...

[dreamer]

My instructor is STILL out of town and I've done about all the "ground schooling" I can handle for now. Even though I am living in what is probably the flattest, lowest elevation sectionals in the country I just took an on-line MOUNTAIN flying safety course and got another credit for the FAA wings program. What can I say, I need an airplane! My "room-mate" in the hangar moved out last week... "Sweet Lorraine", a Ryan PT-22 project, has now gone on to Indiantown to hang out with all the other cool little taildraggers over there. My birthday is coming up at the end of this week and I could think of nothing I'd rather be doing, so.....
I scheduled three more days of flying lessons with Tom Bent at X-58! Packing up now... can't wait!

[dreamer]

Boy was THAT fun!

Tom sez I've got good feet My directional control is good, pattern work decent, etc. and I am very close to being able to SOLO! Still having a leetle bit of trouble judging when to begin to flare. Some landings were actually good, others... well... not so. You'd think after sleeping on the ground for three nights in a row I'd have a pretty good idea of where it is Hmmm... any pointers most definitely welcome! Might have to come up with a better method of adjusting the seat in order to reach the rudders... when the seat is full forward, it takes two hands to pull the stick all the way back 'cuz it's hitting the front of the seat... perhaps a thicker cushion behind my back so the seat doesn't have to come forward as much. I'd guess that rudder extenders and toe-brakes don't mix. I may also be focusing in the wrong place... I have been looking at the end of the runway (over a mile away in this case) in order to stay on centerline, but probably need to focus on other points as well when getting closer to the ground?? On my birthday, flew to a nearby municipal airport with hard surfaced runways and did a bunch of T&G's there too... Did OK, but DO like grass better On the way back to Indiantown, had some FUN! Tom started teaching me some easy aerobatic moves. Did aileron rolls, wing-overs and lazy eights! I am in trouble now I LIKE flying up-side down... A LOT!!

I came back from the trip with something I hadn't planned on, but will be coming in handy. I've got a JOB All proceeds to be applied directly to flight training, AV gas and airplane parts (saving up for a whole bird). I've been hired at a pretty decent hourly rate to polish up the PT-22 As you can see from the piece of cowling with the nose art on it, it's gonna take a while to get that puppy all sweet and shiny again. Coming soon to an airshow near you

Flying around the yard on a little red tractor now...



Lynne

[dreamer]

P.S. I don't recall giving you rights to use my likeness for Sweet Lorraine.

Wow! That is a remarkable resemblance However, she's looked like that as long as I've known her... a timeless beauty y'know... I'd have assumed you already knew about it. I guess you made quite an impression on the artist at some airshow or another Do you want me to find out who did it? Let me know and I'll get right on it.

Lynne

[dreamer]

I can't believe that not ONE of you guys had any helpful advice about judging the moment of flare in the landing

I know, I know... As soon as you saw "Lorraine", all your better judgement blew right out the window

[musket]

Well, Dreamer, in my limited experience, if I bounced the a/c, I flared too soon; if the a/c 'skipped', I didn't flare soon enough -- you want'a be sort'a in the middle.

[Brian Fox]

Hello Dreamer

Chances are that all you need is some more landings and eventually it will all fall into place. Don't fixate on the flare though or everything else may well go out the window. Just keep at it and soon you won't even be thinking about it as it will "feel" right.

Good luck!

Brian

[dreamer]

Back in the saddle again... Just did 2 1/2 hours in the SUPERCUB again!! Yippeee!! And... a whole buncha landings on pavement!

I do like grass. I really do. But it was fun climbing out over the clear blue ocean at the end of a different runway and it was a beautiful day to fly with doors and windows OPEN I landed for the first time at home... (see view at left)

The flare is improving with practice (thanks Brian and all)

It took me a little while to adjust to the lower landing speed of the Supercub. The Decathlon comes in on final at 80 and climbs out about the same. Different trim wheel adjustments too. However, they are BOTH pretty red and white airplanes

A large controlled burn was taking place at the State park on the way home... lots of buzzards flying around the smoke Luckily none too close! I guess they like a good Summer cookout too

Y'all have a good time in New Holstein

Lynne

[dreamer]

Did a few turns around the pattern in the SUPERCUB today to practice some landings with my instructor here at ___ (see left). I'm glad I've been able to get back into the SUPERCUB lately I was starting to get worried that with all these other airplanes I've been flying that y'all were gonna wanna kick me out of SUPERCUB.ORG

I was having some difficulty concentrating on what I was s'posed to be concentrating on (round out, flare, et al) due to a small herd of deer hanging out next to the runway that was making me very nervous. One doe with two fawns was lying down peacefully along a fence by the runway just watching me go back and forth Yikes!

My instructor is heading out of town again. When there is more time available (there wasn't today), we'll head somewhere else to practice. Beside the deer issue, it's a relatively short and narrow runway with obstacles (trees) at both ends here necessitating a somewhat steep approach with a lot happening quickly. I need more practice!

Packing for another trip to Indiantown... I have one lesson scheduled with Tom Bent in the Decathlon on Wednesday on a nice looong grass strip (several T&G's possible on every pass). I'll be spending another day and a half polishing the fuselage of the Ryan while I am there and bringing back the rest of the cowling pieces to work on here (I've made a supporting "saddle" for the curvy pieces out of an old windsock frame and a folded up quilt). Good thing I've got plenty to keep me well occupied! Both of my instructors will be away in August

Hopefully they'll be some opportunity to fly

If I practice T&G's in my dreams, will I be up and down all night?

[dreamer]

Goin' Flying!

[dreamer]

Well THAT was FUN Did some more T&Gs on 6,300 feet of freshly mown grass and flew right up to the edge of an incoming storm system and practiced steep turns

The landings are getting easier Got an "atta girl" and a pat on the back from the back seat this time

I can see my reflection now in the right forward section of the Ryan fuselage (hmmm... need strong soap and LOTS of hot water on ME!). I can barely move

More hours in the last seven days than I've ever flown in a week. Lots of hours in July! All landings in TW aircraft. (The idea of landing in something withOUT a tailwheel makes me nervous!)

Hey Cloudy! Met a guy who lives part of the year in Alaska (AK plate on a pick-up truck and a cool yellow Piper Cub in a hangar here)... On his way back to Anchorage this week for flapjacks at Gwennie's I told him to be on the lookout for the guy in a brown paper sack and an Aaaah LOW hah summer weight anorak with polar bear ruff. Yeah, I know, you and every other pilot in town trying to keep a LOW profile.

Sweet dreams!

[dreamer]

Well, everybody's done left town and left ME in charge. I'm mowing ocean's of grass and caring for a whole herd of horses. Luckily there's a nice cool swimming pool that needs tending too. My instructor here is out of town for the entire month and Tom in Indiantown was headed North for a few weeks. Late last week, Tom sent me an e-mail informing me that the trip was delayed in favor of nicer Wx come Fall. So I finished mowing ALL the grass and made arrangements for the horses to be fed for a few days (only a small herd that week) and jumped in the car and drove three hours East to fly for a few more days On the first day, Tom taught me how to do wheel landings and I greased them all in! Finally got a handle on how to slip the airplane too. On the second day, the wind shifted and we were using a runway I'd never used before. I was exhausted from polishing the Ryan (O my shoulders!) and sleeping on the hangar floor... All the ground references in the pattern were different from what I was used to and I couldn't make a consistant approach to save my life (with predictable results). I flew like I'd never flown before! On day three, still using the "other" runway with the addition of a nice crosswind, I had a good day! Go figure! At the end, Tom told me that if I owned the airplane, he'd have soloed me already Seeing as I don't I'm almost but not quite ready! (Gotta get a leetle more consistancy happening on them three-pointers) On the other hand, he informed me that I've been flying the airplane by myself for awhile now and it's been a long time since he's had to come in to "save" me.

Now it looks like I might NOT be able to get away for 3-4 weeks Sure hope I'm not grounded THAT long!! Toes and fingers crossed

Lynne (flying around on the tractor again)

[dreamer]

Starting to get pretty depressed around here and not liking being stranded OTG ONE BIT! Suddenly a bad switch in an RV getting prepped to go on a month long trip (leaving yours truly in charge of a demanding string of horses) results in a small fire (Luckily caught quickly!) and I have a sudden unexpected opportunity to leave town for a few days! I'm GOING to Indiantown t'morrow!
Will FLY Tuesday and Wednesday!

Dunno if Tom CAN actually let me solo in his airplane <sigh>, but the FAR's say I need more duel time anyways and there's LOTS more I can learn from him regardless of whether I'm able to actually solo or not (insurance is the major factor and "renters" doesn't seem to cover enough). I DO want to take spin training, recovery, unusual attitude, etc. just to be able to handle whatever could happen up there. Sure beats living in fear of what might! I see people who OWN airplanes afraid of ever flying them!

Looks like I'll have to BUY myself a taildragger in order to be able to solo... I've got enough in the bank for a set of wings OR mebbe an engine OR some avionics and a prop OR some landing gear and tires OR some fabric and paint, but I don't yet have enough for the whole darn thing at once and don't know if I have the patience or the lifespan left for the many YEARS it could take to save up enough $$ for ANYthing all by myself...
So... I'm looking into the possibility of starting up a taildragger flying club around a Champ or a J-3 or some similar classic trainer... A sweet little airplane, mebbe LSA, that some experienced TW CFI's interested in co-owning could use for instruction as well those who want to be learning (or transitioning) as well as those that just want to have some FUN flying (etc.)! So far, there's been a positive interest among the people 'round here I've talked to. I've talked to some insurance agents already too. I think it's do-able! Looks like I'll be drawing up a tentative proposal of some possibilities and organising a meeting of interested people when I get back. Any and all advice welcome. Wish me luck!

Tieing on my flying shoes again

[skagwaypilot]

flew right up to the edge of an incoming storm system

Here's something to consider regarding storms... there can be an outflow from a storm as much as 10 miles or more from a thunderstorm.
For example, you are a 'safe' distance flying away from a thunderstorm and on short final for a landing. You are watching the wind sock and it is pointing toward you as you approach the threshold. Just as you begin your flare, the wind suddenly shifts 180 degrees and you suddenly have a brisk quartering tailwind. You are suddenly a candidate for the 'Ground Loop Survey'.
How do I know about things like this???... personal experience. I was able to go around so no ground loop that time.

[dreamer]

flew right up to the edge of an incoming storm system

Well I don't know how close we actually were. I trusted that my very experienced instructor would not bring us TOO close to that imposing edge. I'm really glad to be learning in challenging environments under adult supervision. I'd certainly like to be able to handle a sudden change in the flight environment if it were to occur enroute when I'm on my own someday. I was mesmorized at how powerfully beautiful the clouds were (a whole line of storms to the East lit up by the afternoon sun), yet cognizant of the dangers contained within. I'm glad to be learning on such a long grass runway with such an experienced pilot. I have no qualms about going around should the situation demand such a response. But here's a question... How do you learn to judge the distance of clouds?? How do you KNOW that you're a safe distance away? How can you tell that you're more than 500 feet below, 1000 feet above and 2000 feet away from a cloud? I've tried to steer away from clouds that were in fact MILES away (better safe than sorry I think), but this really has had me wondering... How do you measure??

Got back late tonight, weary and still covered with aluminum dust. Look at the cover of this week's "Trade-A-Plane" to see the exact same model of the Ryan PT-22 that I am polishing.

Flew two days with Tom Bent in the Decathlon. On Tuesday, climbed up through scattered clouds higher than I've even been in a little plane. Didn't hit ANY clouds! When we were up OH about a mile... pulled the power, brought the stick back and kicked HARD left rudder at the moment of the stall Whoo hoo!! SO... kicked some opposite rudder, did some fancy stick work and then pulled up OUT of the dive. SPIN TRAINING!! (I DID ask for it! ) Went one way, then the other and when we were done, I made one of the nicest 3 point landings I think I ever made followed by yet a few more touch and goes... did I mention the CROSSWIND? Eventually called it a day cuz we needed more FUEL... Unfortunately, the fuel pump was broken... Luckily, there was an additional five minutes of fuel in the inverted tank and Tom only had a twelve minute flight home, so we figured he could do his TO and landing right side up and flip flop the rest of the way home if needed. Needless to say, he made it back with fuel to spare.

TODAY! We did unusual attitude recovery By sheer chance, I'd recently read up on Howard Stark and the Stark 1,2,3 system... (Stop the turn, level the wings and fix the airspeed). Ta Da! Tom pronounced my response to every unusual attitude he put us into as "perfect" THEN we did some more ROLLS!! Later OTG (after a few MORE crosswind landings), Tom suggested I might want to think about aerobatic flying Uhm... YEP! I'm thinking about it for SURE!!


Now I lay me down to DREAM!

[dreamer]

Took the FAA written exam today...

Got a 97! Missed ONE question One of those dang radio navigation questions... ADF related I think... The ONE topic I was REALLY having trouble with (never flown in an airplane that had any of that stuff IN it!). Naturally, I drew all of THOSE questions out of the hat.
BOY am I glad THAT's out of the way.

Went flying on Sunday after studying REALLY hard all week. Got a good lesson about what happens to your brain when it's really tired. I was very glad there was an experienced pilot in the back seat. My brain just wasn't working very well.

It was a neighborhood fly-out to a nearby airport for Sunday brunch. Stearman, BT-13, Supercub, a couple of token 172s... I was in the front seat of the air cam (the flying whiffle ball!). It's a really strange airplane... WAY different from the SC and Decathlon I'm used to. Challenging but fun... wide open cockpit, sitting at the very front of the airplane, nose down attitude in cruise flight, aft CG, twin engines mounted behind the wing located behind as well. What a view!

On the way back, I key the mike to make the 10 mile location report and my brain stops working immediately after I identify the aircraft... um... I know I'm supposed to say something about what I am doing, but have drawn a complete blank (10 miles SW... ) so after a brief moment of silence I announce "Coming Home!" then key off the mike and laugh my ass off, startling a bald eagle that has just appeared forty feet off my left wing.

My instructor's wife (flying the Supercub) comes in on the radio... "WHERE are you???" Naturally, EVERYbody has heard my brilliant call.

The Supercub lands first. From the air I see the Stearman and the BT-13 flying in close formation. I watch them do a low pass over the runway. The Stearman lands and clears the active. We do a touch and go with a BT-13 escort over the grass on the side. The BT comes around again and lands, then I try to master coming in under power (all my practice to date has been power off). I reject several approaches that are just TOO high (that airplane just wants to CLIMB!) My instructor on the ground offers to shoot me down. Finally manage to get it down.

On Monday, got up in the SUPERCUB!! and flew an equal number of approaches and landings You would of thought I'd been doing this awhile. That first landing was PERFECT! Sweet

And today, I took the test. Didn't realize when I set this up for the first available date, what date it actually was. I wore a flight jacket with warbird patches and an American flag on 9/11/07. The airport we had breakfast at on Sunday is the one where the terrorists took their flight training. The building that housed that school has been torn down.

(goes silent now)

Lynne

[dreamer]

I left a message on the answering machine of my flight instructor here (<~~~ see home runway to the left), hoping that he might have time to take me up in the Supercub before my next trip to Indiantown this coming week. I was puttering around the hangar, waiting for a reply, when the DOG announced that company was coming.

I turn around towards the door to see a smiling face that I fondly remembered from Sun 'n Fun. It was the CFI that taught my instructor and his wife how to fly tailwheel airplanes and checked him out in the war-bird later. Driving through the area and needing to fly a "real airplane", he'd come by to visit and to take the BT13 out for a spin.

There was an extra seat available under the canopy Fast forward to OH about the blink of an eye, I'm all strapped in and we're off! I'm one happy passenger looking straight down for wildlife on the ground flying sideways through some slick steep turns and next thing I know, it's feet on the rudders and hands on the stick.

I do some Dutch Rolls and 180 degree turns to get used to the airplane again and guide us southwest toward the coast. At VNC, we taxiied the big warbird off into the grass for a minute and switch seats... I'm in the FRONT SEAT now right behind that big beautiful R985 all strapped in under an open canopy and OFF we go again!

Round and round the pattern... out over the shining blue Gulf of Mexico turning right base to final on one three, practicing WHEELIES! Whatta SWEET airplane! Boy do I like flying lessons!

All the neighbors are home again and the grass is sufficiently short, so I'm getting ready to go EAST again to polish the Ryan and fly with TOM! I'll be baaack

Wheeee!

[dreamer]

The Decathlon lives at a strip that is only 20 feet MSL and got hit by EVERY passing "scattered" shower and storm out there the entire time I was over at Indiantown (where it didn't hardly rain at all). THAT strip became un-useable, Tom was unable to fly out and I didn't get to FLY with him at all. I did get a ride in a C-120 with one of Tom's former students (he has WONDERFUL landing technique!). We flew over Tom's neighborhood and saw that it was pretty much surrounded by water I wonder what you could do with a Pitts on floats?

While hoping to fly, I continued working on the Ryan. It's getting VERY shiny ALL over now The torque on that polisher is something else though Oh my poor shoulder! Three nights sleeping on the hangar floor was enough for me. I headed home, brightened up by an offer to fly in a WACO the next time out!

After I got home, I sent a thank you note to the nice feller in the 120 who let me fly his airplane (at altitude). He responded that "shapely mini-skirted blonde tattooed hippy chick pilots" were always welcome in any plane of his So THAT'S what they think of me over there. I always wondered. I informed the rest of the tribe. The pilot is very happy now

Toes and fingers crossed that I'll be able to schedule more time in the SUPERCUB soon!

[CloudDancer]

HOOOOOOOIII - ooh!!

Did somebody say SHAPEly MINI-skirted tattooed BLONDE HIPPY CHICKS? :P

Gro-o-o-vy. PsycoDELic man. "Take to the sky ....on a NATURAL (airplane) high...." Ri-i-i-ght on. Power to the people man! Don't trust NOBODY over thir.....fou...... don't trust NOBODY over EIGHTy man!

Well dreamer....looks like your getting purty experienced there girl. Ain't it just more fun every time you do it??!! (Defy gravity, I mean )

You got the hard part done, the written. Glad you missed one question though, 'cause I've always resented all those people wavin' their 100%'s in my face. (Naturally 'cause I'VE never gotten one.)

Looks like you've got a nice little strip there. Keep up your narratives as you continue toward the Private Pilot certificate. You are giving us all some great reading and stirring fond memories.

CloudDancer

P.S. Do "hippy chicks" still believe in FREE LOVE man?

[musket]

From Dreamer:

take the BT13 out for a spin.

..., I'm all strapped in and we're off! I'm one happy passenger ... flying sideways through some slick steep turns and next thing I know, it's feet on the rudders and hands on the stick.

I do some Dutch Rolls and 180 degree turns to get used to the airplane again and guide us southwest toward the coast. At VNC, we taxiied the big warbird off into the grass for a minute and switch seats... I'm in the FRONT SEAT now right behind that big beautiful R985 all strapped in under an open canopy and OFF we go again!

Whatta SWEET airplane!

Did you know, back in the last century, during that great unpleasantness known as World War II, that BT-13s were frequently referred to as "Vultee VIBRATORS" ?

[dreamer]

Did you know, back in the last century, during that great unpleasantness known as World War II, that BT-13s were frequently referred to as "Vultee VIBRATORS" ?

Oh yes. Quite a smooth airplane to FLY actually. The nickname came from the tendency to rattle the windows of buildings along the runway as it climbed out and over them. The tips of that big prop goes supersonic.

Vroom!