I got a call from a partner of the family ranch operation that owns land all around me, and that I bought my property from. He was missing sheep, and heard I had an airplane and wondered if...... Sure, anything for my neighbors (whose hillsides I play on year round, when the grass isn't up anyway). Down the ridge line from my place about 5 miles, it took about 30 minutes of close in circling, working higher all the time until I finally eyeballed clear up to the 9,000 K ridge line and started working the backside, and there they were I saved the lat/long took a few pictures, and texted it all to the sheep guy's kid, ain't technology wonderful? The sheep are the white blob behind the trees, right of center.




As long as I up there, I landed the 8600' ridge above my place, that I tried to the day before but got interrupted by a work call, the wind was there but less, and I gradually got a feel for the rotor or burble (I had to set up the approach on the lee side) and it was minimal and it was nice having a headwind for the landing. Hold on a second..... there was a knock at the door just now, as i was typing this, back now. The sheepman, and his son and grandkid were at my door. Since the air was still good, and they were still a little confused as to how to get to where the sheep are, I put the passenger seat in and his son (200 lbs.) and I flew the route, this time with how to get to it on horseback. He had never been in an airplane of any kind, and he got an accelerated course in mountain flying and best of all didn't puke. Mission accomplished and safely back on the ground, the old man then tells me that is 50 K of livestock up there, and insisted I take a few bucks for expenses, being experimental I can't make money, but I can accept some to defray actual expenses, and after hearing that 50K figure, did so

Being a good neighbor screwed up my morning however, I had planned to fly up to the Montana/Idaho border and make some mountain ridge landings, but too late now, damn the luck.

courierguy wrote:
Being a good neighbor screwed up my morning however, I had planned to fly up to the Montana/Idaho border and make some mountain ridge landings, but too late now, damn the luck.

No, no, no - what you DID was even better! Being an airplane operator that is perceived as being a really good neighbor is worth it's weight in gold. You're making all of us look good and inviting new people to see our passion in a very positive light.

Just. Awesome.

can always tell when the races are in town...

BRD that cockpit picture is awesome. That says "Avweb" picture of the week all over it!

piperpainter wrote:BRD that cockpit picture is awesome. That says "Avweb" picture of the week all over it!

It is pretty cool - I don't ever remember any of my copilots being that short!

Another morning spent watching the sun rise over the big rocks. Not many places I'd rather be.

BRD wrote:can always tell when the races are in town...

Looks pretty nice. Definitely a low time Aztec!

Beautiful, RP!!

I spent the day learning how to calibrate a test aircraft's pitot-static system via a trailing device. Essentially it consisted of flying an OH-58C to ridiculously tight tolerances straight and level, wings level climb/descents, and turning climb/descents to record data for an hour. I was smoked afterwards, but then I seat swapped into an EC-145 and flew safety chase for a classmate while he flew the data points in the 58C. Our trailing device hangs from a 125' cable and looks kind of like this:



I got a picture but I have to check our SOP before I post it. I don't want to screw this opportunity over a silly picture!

8GCBC wrote:Looks pretty nice. Definitely a low time Aztec!

I was thinking Twinkie. Great pic anyhows-

Winnah!

A 66 non-turbo'd Twink it tis! Ben (Woodwing) has been kicking against the goad and trying to refer to it as the "TC". But this is a losing battle...Twinkie is going to stick!

BRD wrote:Winnah!

A 66 non-turbo'd Twink it tis! Ben (Woodwing) has been kicking against the goad and trying to refer to it as the "TC". But this is a losing battle...Twinkie is going to stick!

Nice looking Twin Commanche! I did most of my multi-engine training in a twink with the Miller Conversion (200hp engines, large dorsal fin). Talk about a pocket rocket!

Flew up to see my ol buddy swingle in zanesville tonight. It was a good flight. Much needed too! For my sake as well as my airplane. Got a bit of water in the fuel and had to drain all of it out this past weekend as well as clean the filter element.

Got to run some fresh fuel tonight!


August is back! Southeast Ohio humidity and haze made for a little better than 5 miles viz.


Made an approach on this hilltop. One day when I have some more time to look it over again I may attempt it. Looks doable. Land in the direction that the picture is taken (uphill), and then takeoff the opposite.


Another view



Riverside airport.


Riverside departure!
https://vimeo.com/103874556

You don't have one of those little glass see through in line fuel filters do you? I was seduced into using them long ago, by the concept of being able to see into them. Cute feature but it totally overlooks the fact that they have a very small percentage of filter media then a plain old automotive metal canister in line, which is all I've used for the last 20 years. I know because I cut into both and measured the sq. in. of both, and it was a HUGE difference. The advantage being you can get a lot more crap in the one and still have fuel flow. Just a thought.....

courierguy wrote:You don't have one of those little glass see through in line fuel filters do you? I was seduced into using them long ago, by the concept of being able to see into them. Cute feature but it totally overlooks the fact that they have a very small percentage of filter media then a plain old automotive metal canister in line, which is all I've used for the last 20 years. I know because I cut into both and measured the sq. in. of both, and it was a HUGE difference. The advantage being you can get a lot more crap in the one and still have fuel flow. Just a thought.....

Yes I do. And note taken!

How often do u change yours?

Crzyivan13 wrote:Flew up to see my ol buddy swingle in zanesville tonight. It was a good flight. Much needed too! For my sake as well as my airplane. Got a bit of water in the fuel and had to drain all of it out this past weekend as well as clean the filter element.

I saw on FB some photos of swingle flying old black and tan again, is it back in the air for good now or just a one off?

DrifterDriver wrote:

Crzyivan13 wrote:Flew up to see my ol buddy swingle in zanesville tonight. It was a good flight. Much needed too! For my sake as well as my airplane. Got a bit of water in the fuel and had to drain all of it out this past weekend as well as clean the filter element.

I saw on FB some photos of swingle flying old black and tan again, is it back in the air for good now or just a one off?

I'd say one off, but........ I think the the flying juices are flowing once again in the Ohio backcountry.

yeah I saw the photos of him flying that J3 the other week and the grin did suggest there was no going back from there! particularly given how close that s7 on steroids is!

Crzyivan13 wrote:

courierguy wrote:You don't have one of those little glass see through in line fuel filters do you? I was seduced into using them long ago, by the concept of being able to see into them. Cute feature but it totally overlooks the fact that they have a very small percentage of filter media then a plain old automotive metal canister in line, which is all I've used for the last 20 years. I know because I cut into both and measured the sq. in. of both, and it was a HUGE difference. The advantage being you can get a lot more crap in the one and still have fuel flow. Just a thought.....

Yes I do. And note taken!

How often do u change yours?

Once or twice a year, I have no reason to change them (Car Quest) more often as I have never had any fuel. problems. I usually do it when I clean the air filters. Less then 10 bucks.

That's good to hear about Swingle. Don't know about him, but if I'm not flying or at least have a 100% ready to go plane sitting in the hangar I am not a happy camper. On the other hand, as long as the plane's OK, everything else can turn to sh*t and I can deal with it.

The other day, at about 8,000', I saw this huge herd of wild horses in Montana. Yes I understand they can decimate the range and cause other problems, but it still was a awesome sight, especially with the 10K+ mts. in the background.
There was more that didn't get in the picture...... I love the gravel bars like this, really fun to play around on when it's a hot day. The big rock concert held every year near Three Forks, as close as I want to get to that many people that close together, I asked who was playing this year, and didn't recognize ONE of the bands, must be getting old, then I realized I didn't care as I had a flyable airplane.

Storm came and went...

Great pics as usual BRD.