We left home early this am with the destination of the day being Tucson, or more specifically Marana (KAVQ).

Our route took us right over Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. I'd been to them as a kid but this was the first time I'd seen it from the air.


To avoid turbulence I took the wagon to 12.5. The entire trip we had a good to great tailwind. East of Tucson between the mountain passes is a very large dry lake bed. Surface wind was 30kts and created a dust cloud that stretched for 10's of miles and gradually worked its way up to 12.5 where we were.

As we passed the mountain tops guarding Tucson my 200+ mph ground speed should have been a clue. But it wasn't. And at 12.5 the air had been slick for a long ways, and I'd grown comfortable. A couple of miles past the mountains I started my descent. Then it happened. Wipeout! Just like eating a big wave on a surfboard, we ate a big wave of wind. Indicated airspeed fluctuated 60mph in seconds and we got tossed every which way. All I could do was keep the airplane from flipping over, and get further away from the mountains. As we got further away from the mountains we'd get a rest of a couple of seconds in calm air, and then it would start again.

So why did I do something so stupid? Especially since I'd seen my ground speed at 200+, and I know what flying mountains is like? A big part was Marana's AWOS which was saying the winds were 5 to 7. I believed Marana even though Foreflight was telling me 25 to 35. Foreflight was right. And as I already stated I got comfortable with the smooth air. Well we obviously made it to the ground safe and sound, and as we left the airport headed for our hotel I was greateb by this:


But even cooler was a guy in a Skywagon that was taking off and landing over and over and over in the 25 to 35 wind and the runway he was using put this wind at about a 60 degree cross wind. Granted he was getting some relief from the hangars, but still it was impressive to watch. Would have like to meet him but we were on a schedule.

My main purpose in telling this story, besides berating myself for being an idiot when I know better, is to warn pilots with little or no mountain flying training. With winds at this speed it can easily become impossible, and I mean impossible, to control your plane. Your bank angle, pitch and airspeed change constantly and more rapid then you can imagine. And the effect of these winds can be felt for many tens of miles past the mountains.

Wife did fantastic through this. Had the death grip on the chicken strap and V-brace but never complained, not even afterward. It was all my fault, didn't need to happen.

Anyway, golf tomorrow at Tucson National then back in the air for San Diego on Saturday. More pics and stories to come.

What brings you to madera? I live in chowchilla about 10 minutes from there


mike

One of my sisters and her family live there as well as our Mom. Figured this would be the last time our Mom would recognize us but I think it's too late as she went stage 7 of Altzheimers/Dimentia three days ago. So the stop has changed somewhat.

No wind today in Tucson. Great day for golf and that's saying something considering I'm not a huge fan. But nice spending time with the wife, she loves golf.

Headed to San Diego in the morning.

"The mountain of my misgiving".



The view from our hotel room at the Omni Tucson National Resort. Not a bad view to wake up to.

So the fellow you saw doing circuits in the wind has a video up on the 180/185 Facebook page. He was hoping you'd go up and join him Phil.

Was he angling across the big wide runway?

A1Skinner wrote:So the fellow you saw doing circuits in the wind has a video up on the 180/185 Facebook page. He was hoping you'd go up and join him Phil.

I was considering it. If only I wasn't on bushwheels.

contactflying wrote:Was he angling across the big wide runway?

Wind was 090. He was using 030, 75 feet wide. Only saw a couple of the half dozen or more T/O&L, was busy unloading my wagon. Held a crab into the wind until 5' to 10' above the runway, then kicked it straight and 3-point landed. Kept it straight and didn't see any noticeable side load on the gear. Looked like 8.50's for tires. The times I saw him land he didn't angle the runway. My hat is off to him for having the balls to practice in those conditions (especially on pavement), I could tell he was enjoying it.

Yesterday, on the way back to the wagon I took a closer look at the Helio. I'd never seen one up close before. Wow what a cavernous baggage area, especially with the back seats removed. Wish I could have pulled up next to it and compared the wagon side by side.

If that wasn't cool enough a Navy Albatross taxied by and then took off. Be still my heart, there is nothing cooler then radial engines, and those big suckers made some noise. Gotta be the coolest motorhome platform ever made.

Just outside the airport is a diner with excellent food. A must eat place if you find yourself in Tucson.

Our next stop was Eloy (E60) for fuel. There were three twin turbine otters working and flocks of people falling from the sky. Cheap fuel but a short hose, best to nose into the pump, oh and no ground cable.

Then it was on to Montgomery Field in San Diego, flying in a corridor pinched between Mexico and restricted airspace. I have to admit I was nervous flying into that much blue air space, not to mention actually having to talk to someone on the radio (something I do not even once a year) and not appear to be a complete chuckle-head.

To my surprise SoCal Approach, and Montgomery Tower & Ground were very friendly and courteous, neither of which can be said of the blue airspace near my home. Had some grinding noises from the new starter at Eloy, not happy about that, headed to the plane today to pull the cowling and check it out.

A1Skinner wrote:So the fellow you saw doing circuits in the wind has a video up on the 180/185 Facebook page. He was hoping you'd go up and join him Phil.

I thought you were pulling my leg, but you weren't. Cool. Neat to see a video from his plane of one of his landings. Wish I could have met the guy.

Ya I like the camera angle with it mounted on the stinger. Unfortunately, lots of places land you wouldn't see much once the camera is in crop stubble or grass.

A1Skinner wrote:Ya I like the camera angle with it mounted on the stinger. Unfortunately, lots of places land you wouldn't see much once the camera is in crop stubble or grass.

I was thinking the same thing. He's apparently not adding a lot of elevator trim during his landings or else he can roll the trim wheel at mach 1.

Right at the end of the video you can see us on the ground, SUV next to the wagon.

He side slipped into the wind on very short final. Does that airplane have flying wires, from below, on the horizontal stabilizer?

Those are the tail wheel cables, but they do look like flying wires with that wide angle lens.

In Cessnas, I always landed with full flaps. The trim is the same as cruise, thus not another thing to mess with. Also full flaps allow slower landings in any wind condition. In strong crosswinds, they make the angle across the runway a snap. Yes, you have to use the throttle aggressively.

Ya I noticed that he didn't seem to use much trim. In my 180 when I am slow and full flap I need full nose up trim, she's a pretty hard pull on the yoke without it.

My 185 is the same way.

Hit the San Diego area beaches today. First was a tide pool area off the Submarine base. Been a long time since I explored tide pools.

After lunch we headed to La Jolla to check out a seal nursery, marine layer came in before we got there but the seals didn't care.

Thanks for sharing this TR. Got a small case of cabin fever here in the Great North recovering from a back surgery. Neat to read about your adventures. Always enjoyed a good x/c in that country "back in the day".

Today was spent touring various ships, or boats, I can't keep them straight.

First was the HMS Surprise. Anyone recall where that ships name has been used? The ship itself was in one of this years Super Bowl commercials.

And I thought rigging a Stearman was tough.


Then it was onto the USS Midway. Never toured a carrier before. Pretty interesting, especially with my Master Chief Son-in-Law to help with info. Wife got a bunch more pictures. I'll post a few once we get back home and can get them off her camera.



But I really enjoyed touring the Russian Foxtrot Submarine.




Tomorrow is another day of golf at the South Course of Torrey Pines.

Ships are really cool.

Phil,

You guys with the heavier Cessnas might try full flaps and the apparent rate of closure approach. I like the 400' pattern you will be using at Llano. If you keep the trim set at cruise trim and slow up to the mid white by 1/4 mile out and then put the flaps on full, it should work out so you don't need to mess with the trim. At slower speed, the flap doesn't force the nose down so much. With the apparent rate of closure approach, there is no round out. The round out is where you might be fast and the yoke pull tough. You are slow enough when you flair at the numbers, that it is not so bad. I was always low, so didn't have to use trim for a long descent. But for circuits, I didn't see the need. But then, I only took 182s on the pipeline when my 172 wasn't available. Around spray fields with the 180, we were too busy with other stuff (lots of junk in the way) to mess with the trim. The 185 is quite a bit heavier, isn't it?

Jim

contactflying wrote:Ships are really cool.

Phil,

You guys with the heavier Cessnas might try full flaps and the apparent rate of closure approach. I like the 400' pattern you will be using at Llano. If you keep the trim set at cruise trim and slow up to the mid white by 1/4 mile out and then put the flaps on full, it should work out so you don't need to mess with the trim. At slower speed, the flap doesn't force the nose down so much. With the apparent rate of closure approach, there is no round out. The round out is where you might be fast and the yoke pull tough. You are slow enough when you flair at the numbers, that it is not so bad. I was always low, so didn't have to use trim for a long descent. But for circuits, I didn't see the need. But then, I only took 182s on the pipeline when my 172 wasn't available. Around spray fields with the 180, we were too busy with other stuff (lots of junk in the way) to mess with the trim. The 185 is quite a bit heavier, isn't it?

Jim

Jim, 180 and 185 similarly equipped are pretty close in weight, certainly not more then 150 pounds difference if that. If the 185 is trimmed all the way back for landing and you decide to go around and pour on the coals she'll point herself to the heavens and you can't roll the trim forward if you are trying to lower the nose. Of course the smart play if you find yourself in a full nose up trim go around is to just add enough power to get flying again and roll the trim forward until the climb pitch is more under control.

So here are a couple of photos from the south course of Torrey Pines. This first one is of the beach below one of the holes, boy would I liked to have landed there.

The onshore breeze creates a constant uplift against the 500' cliffs and lots of those paraglider guys fly it.



All the while fighter jets and ospreys were taking off right over the golf course. Pretty cool.

The golf adventure started out with us in the cart getting pinched against a chain link fence by some cart boys in another cart which then ricocheted us through a heavy chain anchored to concrete posts, breaking the chain which then whiplashed me in the forearm leaving a huge welt. I really can't stand golf. But scenery was spectacular.

Today we'll be flying up to Madera (KMAE) after I replace the 185's new starter.