patrol guy wrote:And she had plenty of pear to her shape

Scolopax wrote:My plane consistently takes off from a 3-point attitude in approximately 400 - 500 feet in most situations, with the exception of density altitude above about 6000' or at gross weight. It peels off of the ground indicating 38 - 42 mph and manages to accelerate through 60 mph in a second or two for a reasonable climb out of ground effect and is then ready to maneuver with decent control authority. The ASI indicates essentially nothing before that point. I have grown comfortable enough with its takeoff and landing performance to fly it in and out of seven and eight hundred foot long fields where no fifty foot obstacles exist. The performance is reliable and predictable enough that I count on the fact that I'm getting out of there, and this approach has served me well thus far. Taking off seems the only option once you have enough speed to actually make the call. This sometimes seems to be living a little on the edge, but we count on our engines to power us through situations every time that we fly over steep rugged terrain and usually on climb out as well.

I have heard rules such as you must have 70% of your takeoff speed by mid-field, otherwise abort takeoff. This is obviously not practicable when you can't really indicate 70% of takeoff speed, and you most likely couldn't get stopped without a wild ride heavy on the binders through bumpy dirt, grass, rocks, etc... It seems the takeoff can necessarily be absolutely committal in some short field scenarios, but it works out fine if you trust your equipment and use good judgment, even though sufficient margin for changing your mind doesn't exist. Has anybody developed any strategies or know of any effective rules for aborting a takeoff from a short field where so little time defines the difference between wise precautionary action and potential disaster?

Very glad my dad is in the left seat. We eventually leave tera firma, but those tree's are looming ahead and we arent near the tops. I dont say a word. I do take a sideways glance at my dad. He has that rock solid look that I have seen many times before. Total confidence, and total commitment. I hear a wack as some part of the airplane hits one of the tree tops as we weave our way through the tallest ones. After we are back in cruise mode I ask him: "So, dad.....you think we could have gotten off any sooner than that?" "Nope".

JJBAKER wrote:Not that I could add anything of value to this awesome thread...

But this one:

Very glad my dad is in the left seat. We eventually leave tera firma, but those tree's are looming ahead and we arent near the tops. I dont say a word. I do take a sideways glance at my dad. He has that rock solid look that I have seen many times before. Total confidence, and total commitment. I hear a wack as some part of the airplane hits one of the tree tops as we weave our way through the tallest ones. After we are back in cruise mode I ask him: "So, dad.....you think we could have gotten off any sooner than that?" "Nope".

was hands down the best laugh I've had in a while!
Funny, how that "total confidence and total commitment" look turns out to run through certain families...
Do you think he knew that you would hit the trees.........?