Lucky. That would be really hard to clean up under the floor of a Courier. Good reminder to carry bags.

Today's adventure. Got to love the cooler weather.

Columbus, Ga to Roosevelt/Warm Springs reviewing for the practical. We didn't get to the ground reference maneuvers, but the only standard I didn't otherwise pass was the short field landing where I came up a just short. Of course, that was only the second landing I had attempted since January. With the first landing today being the 'new' emergency descent I had just learned five minutes before. And I was little rusty on stalls, but all in all not too bad if I say so myself. Now if the FAA will just hurry up and send my knowledge test results...

Flew down to the Alvord this weekend. The smoke is getting really bad with visibility dropping below 10 miles in places well away from the fires.

Looked at Willow hot springs/Whitehorse but quite a few people there, surprisingly, a big cattle herd close by and on the move, and looked like a few big rocks on the roadway. Off to Bog hot springs


Bog Hot Springs


Bog Hot Springs Parking Lot


Bog looks like a great place to camp for the night.

It's my beloved Skywagon's birthday today. She was signed off and test flown at the Cessna factory in Wichita on September 19th, 1959.

Any excuse to go flying, so I took her up for a nice birthday flight before work this morning. I bet she flies just as nice as she did in '59.

Life is good!

Flew with a buddy around the Great Salt Lake. Landed at 4 strips on the various islands. Ahhh September.... glad you're back!

Nice photo Sixtwoleemer! Looks like a cool spot!

I had the opportunity to finally meet one of our (we had spoken on the phone but never met) own "Chance" at the AIr Races last week. I knew that he had a piece of property north of Reno but had no idea how beautiful it was.

Chance has a very large chunk of property in paradise. Anyhow, I took off this morning with the mission to continue my break in on the new engine...so, I figured I would go north to see "Rymes" in Susanville and see if I could spot "Chances" ranch.

Long story short, I made a call to Chance as I flew over what I thought was his area. His wife answered and said "I just heard a plane fly by"...well... "that was me I said." She responded with "He is out in the grey Jeep and you may see him if you fly by."

I suddenly had a purpose. I was now looking for a grey jeep. Again, long story short, I found the grey jeep and a guy waiving at me. The wave was from Chance. I made a fly by around the jeep he was in and then watched him park in a manner that I knew was a landing spot. Well, I landed, had an opportunity to visit with him for a bit and then off I went.

It was great seeing you Chance! I am already looking forward to coming back!



Chances barn that was built when Lincoln was President


Driving back out to the field...he owns almost all of the land in this photo, except for the mountain in the distance


Big wings


1952 Willy's and a 1953 Skywagon


Sure is good to be flying again!!!

Left Chances place and did some stall work on my way back to the hanger. The wing does not stall...well, it buffets at around 40...Still had real good authority of the wings...Guess I will save this part for my 180 thread.

Thats where I flew today

AKT

I launched yesterday at pre dawn, and got to see that big red sun come up through the smoke while over Wyoming at 9500'. The viz, thanks to a light N. breeze overnight that brought in even more smoke, was so bad that I really had to keep a close eye on my GPS as I had nothing to eyeball to keep me on track. Never losing sight of the ground it was about as IFR as I want to get (but still legal).

Coming back I had headwinds (did I say I went to Wyoming???) and as usual forgot how damn big Wyoming is, and I ran out of daylight enough to where I seriously considered getting a motel room 30 miles from my own home! No night flying for me, ever, plus my strip isn't lighted....the smoke made it real hard to judge the advancing darkness, but I ended up making it in to my strip and did it ever feel good to do so

9.5 hrs, a pretty good day despite the smoke. I had planned to do some more river flying, and did, but failed to see any gravel bars if any and besides it got rough and windy. Great stop at Rawlins BTW, highly recommeded FBO.

Fly out for breakfast
Just a short trip from fly for fun over to brush Prairie to pick up a friend Mark then off to Woodland for breakfast.
Harley's stole 172

How was the CFS?

Checking out the fall colors. This is the best time for flying around here.

Kind of looks like your nosewheel is spinning in cruise. Great video, it's been three years since I've done a fall color flight around here. Can't wait to do it again someday.

Tadpole wrote:Kind of looks like your nosewheel is spinning in cruise. Great video, it's been three years since I've done a fall color flight around here. Can't wait to do it again someday.

Thanks.
The prop wash is greater on the top of the wheel than the bottom so it usually spins backwards. Does the same thing on John's nose wheel also.

Flew from SNY up to the Chadron Nebraska area to look at the fire devastation...188,000 acres burned. Then on to Custer SD for a fuel stop and then back to Scottsbluff NE for lunch with the wife, a touch and go at Kimball NE, and then back to SNY. The damage from fires in NW Nebraska and SW South Dakota is by far worse than I have ever seen!

Fuel stop at Custer SD

It's where I didn't fly today that is on my mind. I was hoping to fly to Owyhee reservoir, after at least the option of having breakfast in Murphy, and maybe some touch and go's on the way and back, but the smoke is too thick for fun flying. Visibility here in the Treasure Valley is down to 2-4 miles. I'm praying for some rain and a good wind, then I'll be back with a good flying story.

Took my FIL out for a fall color cruise tonight. I was hoping to see the same areas where I took the photos above, but most of that area was in the murk. Got a little of it recaptured, and some of the are further downstream. We were having such a great time I then flew up Big Creek near home to show him the places we go in the boat when we are out for a fun boat ride. Lovely evening for a flight.

But the real progress is on the flying front. I took a few turns working on right seat flying earlier this year. My landings were inelegant, but not scary. I was wanting to learn to fly form that side in order to facilitate eventually getting a cfi ticket, but also to allow me to put less nimble folks in the left front seat of the PA-22. My FIL is one of those less nimble sorts.

We managed to get him in the airplane just fine that way, and we flew around and had a great time. Then, reverting to the standard for landing from early training, I dialed in 1500 rpm and let it walk itself onto the runway, which minimized the opportunity for my somewhat challenged left throttle hand to mess things up. Worked great, had a great landing. Probably a good reminder to go back to basics. I spend most of my landings practicing spot short soft field landings...all three features at once...sort of a habit if you fly in Alaska to be practicing for those whether you use it or not. But just making a basic beautiful landing is a lovely thing sometimes, it sure was tonight.

And for you non-PA-22 drivers...yes they really love to land at 1500 rpm...

SixTwoLeemer wrote:Flew with a buddy around the Great Salt Lake. Landed at 4 strips on the various islands. Ahhh September.... glad you're back!

Looks like fun! I need to finish the tcraft soon so I can take it out there.

What a nice day at daybreak

Troy Hamon wrote:Took my FIL out for a fall color cruise tonight. I was hoping to see the same areas where I took the photos above, but most of that area was in the murk. Got a little of it recaptured, and some of the are further downstream. We were having such a great time I then flew up Big Creek near home to show him the places we go in the boat when we are out for a fun boat ride. Lovely evening for a flight.

Awesome photos. Beautiful.

by Troy Hamon » Sun Sep 23, 2012 12:24 am

Took my FIL out for a fall color cruise tonight. I was hoping to see the same areas where I took the photos above, but most of that area was in the murk. Got a little of it recaptured, and some of the are further downstream. We were having such a great time I then flew up Big Creek near home to show him the places we go in the boat when we are out for a fun boat ride. Lovely evening for a flight.

Troy, I agree with that sleepy guy, beautiful pix, was like that up here last Sunday, Went to Fairbanks today and they either blew off or got Rained off, Fall has passed by Stevens Village
GT