A pretty typical evening patrol around the lakes watching the ice form. But this year there is one thing different, Swans, zillions of Swans. I've noticed them becoming more numerous in the past couple years but this season takes the cake! They're all over the place!

I talked with one of the airborne game wardens after helping him park the 185 and he said that the Trumpeter program was so successful that the program manager had been transfered to a new project and that it may not be long before they even let us have a season on 'em. I must admit, I'd hate to blast a Swan but if it isn't done they'll over run the place like Geese. (AKA: flying carp)

Eagles too, there's an abundance of 'em but at least they pay for themselves by eating the muskrats. Muskrats like to bury into banks during the winter, usually right below your dock and they bust the boards out by the landings...

I have been outside for several weeks now and have done a little fying down here. I have a new level of respect for you guys who fly in the high up mountains all the time.

I had my son in law give me a quick check out in his 172 and the next morning swept the snow off and launched from Challis Id. to Boise. I didn't know you could get one of those things up to 14,300 ft. but that's what I needed to clear the mountain fog and get over from Stanley to Boise.

And by the way, there arn't many more places to land in those canyons and rocks than there is at home in alaska.

Then today we flew to Salmon then over to Cobalt and back to Morgan creeck and back to Challis. Did some slow flight some stalls and some t&g work. great fun.

Shane

Well, our season ended yesterday, so today, for the first day in a while, I did no flying (or sitting and waiting to fly.) I had a great season here, the Idaho backcountry is a great place to call the office. Seven months, 550 hours of flying, and lots of great moments and memories.

Here's a shot from Cabin Creek a couple days ago, hunters on the way out.
[Thanks Zane for helping me figure this out.]

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The other day, with a little blue in the sky, an oxygen bottle, and some time on my hands, I went flying to see how high my plane would go. There was a 5 mile diameter hole in the clouds over the airport when I lifted off, so I stayed with it as it drifted north.

My plane is a homebuilt Savannah. It's gross weight is 1230 pounds, but on the day I flew it was closer to 950. The Rotax 912ULS engine is rate 100hp. With leading edge slats and a very boxy shape, it is great at short landings and takeoffs, but slow at 90 mph max cruise.

At 10,000 it was still climbing at better than 500 ft/min. At 12,000 I put on the oxygen. At 16,000 the rate of climb was 300 ft/min. At 17,000 the rate was about 200. I pushed the nose over, and max level speed was only about 60 mph indicated. This is about 79 mph true. I was bored, so I did not continue the climb, but I think it would have gotten up to about 18,000. The descent seemed to take almost as long as the climb. I stayed over my "hole" and was well north of the airport when I came out below the clouds. Got to see a Citation on long final. Glad the hole was big enough for two.

For the geeks, there is a neat spreadsheet called the Bootstrap Method of Aircraft Performance written by a guy named John Lowry. His article explaining how to use the spreadsheet as well as the xls file can be found on the AVWEB site. Anyway, using this spreadsheet the prediction of service ceiling is very close to what I actually got. The spreadsheet can predict performance at various altitudes and weights. There is also one for constant speed props.

tom

Today we head for Southern Utah. Tomorrow Punta Kino on the Mexican mainland. Saturday El Feurte an then on to the Copper Canyon with the Baja Bush Pilots. I'll bring back some Cubans. Adios-see you in a couple weeks
Dave

Sign me up for a few of the Cubes!!!

Today I had the opportunity to introduce my mom to the North. She came up yesterday to stay until Tuesday. This woman loves history and traveling. She makes two or three trips to Europe every year and just got back from Russia last week. She claimed she never had any desire to visit AK until we moved up. Like most "Outsiders" her view of here was that of a frozen wasteland and igloos.
We left our place and went to Talkeetna's Village strip in town, landed and had lunch. Flew into the Ruth Ampitheater and along the foothills through Cache Creek down to my cabin, looked around and flew to a neighboring lake to drop some propane for a local homesteader. Shot two Grouse to augment dinnner (there were seven birds left in the Spruce for you PETA types) and came home the long way. 2.8 hours total, she had a great time! It was 10 degress above when we left, 15 below at Willow when we got fuel and 15 above for the rest of the trip.
On another note, and another thread, static was so high that with the yellow lab in the back seat, my fleece pullover was covered with yellow hair! A beautiful day, one Hell of a tailwind from talkeetna to the cabin (Gps read 190+, I'll post a picture later) and landed on glare ice at all places other than stated strips.
Mom's perspective of AK has changed immensely, mine has grown accordingly too.
Sorry guys, no grass to mow but there is lots to do and see. Going back out to the cabin in the next couple of days to spend the night and deliver some more propane.
Thinking a Cuban and a glass of scotch on the deck of the cabin would fill the ticket nicely. Life is good. What a time to give Thanks!

Did the Thanksgiving thing with family in Grand Junction. Flew the cub direct to page ( kinda ho - hum ) but then dropped down and flew up Powell and the CO river at "right heights" the rest of the way. Tooled around the Glade Park and CO Natl monument areas and had a blast! Thanksgiving was a blast this year!

Tuesday morning I took the 185 to Lafayette, IN for annual. The temperature was 12 degrees, clear skies, skiff of snow on the ground, the plane had been plugged in over night. Went to start it that morning but it turned over too slowly to start, battery was low. Had to jump it. The plane has a 28 volt system in it and by the time I got to Lafayette the guage was reading 22 volts. Luckily the radio's were still working when I got there, I was told at 19 volts they probably would not have. Made a good wheel landing on the hard surface. Came home with a friend in a 182 and then took the Super Cub for a spin and filled up with gas. All and all a nice time, good flying days this time of the year can some times be rare. Just hoping now, for once, to get away with a cheap annual.

Twin Falls to Salt Lake International.

Had a bad plug and got off later than I wanted to, but got to SLC right at dark. SLC was inverted and lots of low haze made for an interesting last few miles.

Busy place stay on your toes.

Left after dark and just at hub time, we could see 15 or more jets lined up and taxiing, got out just as the place became very busy.

A smooth as butter flight over the lake with a rising full moon, it was wonderful.

Back home at 7:30.

only about 3.5 in the air.

Dane

Five planes of us went up to Bagdad (E51) this morning for breakfast. Didn't have to heat the engine as it was 42 f this morning at 28AZ, but the ole gal I slept with last night did feel comfortable wearing a sweater on the way up and yes I am spoiled.

The High speed differential braking author, "Garv", after getting beat up for using all capitals flew from Thermal, Ca. to Ocotillo Wells, L 90, to practice all the good advice I received yesterday. I departed 35 at Foxtrot and half way down the runway an Ultra light was departing 17 without a radio .. close to a bad day for both of us. The winds were light and variable and 80 degrees for you Alaska bros. I tried five wheel landings two were go/ arounds the other three excellent. I still prefer three points. Departed after another experimental landed a head of me and was not on 122.9.....Life is tough in the Bush.
Vern KIngsford from Alaska Float Ratings suggested slow flight tecneques which I tried successfully. My Maule 235 withouts flaps holds altitude just above stall at 65 mph. Full flaps 55 mph. Next did 360's with the above numbers. Jeremy probably could do both at 40 mph. When on to do 45 degree 360's at various speeds over the Salton Sea
No matter what your budget is, this 80 degree valley is affordable to all including the many illegals. See ya all this summer at Nimpo lake, BC...Garv

Great flight today from Durango Colo. over to Monument Valley Utah. Buzzed Mexican Hat and checked out their strip, looked doable. Buzzed over Az Mineral, it looked pretty good also. Great lunch at Gouldings with the best chocolate cake in the southwest. Took off, flew around the monuments, back over Mexican Hat, up the San Juan river, Took a left up Mc Elmo Canyon, buzzed a couple private dirt strips near Mancos and the back to Durango. Could not have been a nicer day. Wish ya'll could have been there. Gary

A week or so ago we headed from OGD to 06U for some fajitas. Haven't flown much lately due to a shoulder surgery, so it was good to get back into the air. Fajitas were great as usual at the Horse Shoe Casino. Then ran up to Buhl just to check it out. Then followed the Snake River Canyon to the east and flew over my parents place southeast of Burley. Then back to Ogden.

A nice afternoon's ride. Well worth the 1.5 hour of deicing the plane. Finally had to get it into a heated hanger to get it all of. But it was worth it.

I've been working in the Bay area and got home for a few days...lucked out on some good weather. Left OLM, did a low pass by Hill Top but the horses were out so I stopped in at 44T Hoskins, then then down the sound at Nisqually and Johnson Pt, past Boston Harbor down Eld Inlet then up over Summit Lake to 4W8 Elma for a burger...slid in on the grass. Headed south to 8W9 R&K Skyranch for one last grass strip before parking back at OLM. Good to be flying again...and my airplane likes it too.
Don

I landed on the grass at Elma a couple times last summer. First time.. I figured the grass was about half the lenght of the paved runway (listed at 2300), no big deal. Not! Landing west, the grass threshhold is displaced due to the runway turnaround,plus the runway turnoff is not at midpoint. Instead of 1150 feet or so, I later figured the grass was actually about 750 or 800 feet-- no big deal, IF you realize it. I didn't. I landed too long, then damn near overran the paved turnoff & off into the bushes! Pretty funny, after my pulse rate went down.
Don, I know most of the places you mentioned, but where is Hilltop?

Eric from Port Townsend

I think I'm catching up to you guys in skill level.....slowly haha... I brought our PC-12 on a little round robin last week with stops into Montreal, Teterboro and lovely Latobe PA....the approach into Latrobe is typical except the fact that it was a direct cross wind with guys up to 36kts....the huge rudder on our PC-12 is more of a pain to deal with in crosswinds then it helps....managed to stop the plane in 1000ft still but it wasn't easy hah....thats as close tot he bush as I'm getting these days.....goint o Montana in 2 weeks...!!

Hey Pitts, why not put that PC12 on skis and head north? You've got beta, right?

CAVU

Well went Bar hopping yesterday.... 7* and BEAutyfull!!!!



*this picture was not taken yesterdaybut is a file photo* One of these days I will remember my CAMERA!!!!!

How was the "Bar" strip Wup?? I almost went down there today, but went to BKE instead via the Lostine R. Canyon and John Henry Lake. I came home via Red's...What a day for flying....Next time you head out give me a hollar and I'll see if this new engine will keep up with your Maule...I've seen you fly over a few times and your plane sure looks nice.....