Flew out to the Alvord lakebed today. Great winter weather and plenty of places to land despite a good portion of the lakebed being wet/frozen.

Need 1 more half strip of duct tape and the oil temp would have been perfect.

DSC_0906 by scottf, on Flickr


DSC_0896 by scottf, on Flickr


Lakebed was nice and firm.

DSC_0905 by scottf, on Flickr




DSC_0904 by scottf, on Flickr

scottf wrote:Flew out to the Alvord lakebed today. Great winter weather and plenty of places to land despite a good portion of the lakebed being wet/frozen.

Need 1 more half strip of duct tape and the oil temp would have been perfect.

DSC_0906 by scottf, on Flickr

Most of the ragwing pipers I have experience with have had an oil cooler cover. It wouldn't be too hard to make one to keep in your plane, anytime it's under 40F I put mine on:
When it's 40-45F, I flip mine upside down which leaves a gap for a little airflow:

Here's a pic of the back, for an idea of how it pops into the cowling:

scottf wrote:Flew out to the Alvord lakebed today. Great winter weather and plenty of places to land despite a good portion of the lakebed being wet/frozen.

Need 1 more half strip of duct tape and the oil temp would have been perfect.

DSC_0906 by scottf, on Flickr


DSC_0896 by scottf, on Flickr


Lakebed was nice and firm.

DSC_0905 by scottf, on Flickr




DSC_0904 by scottf, on Flickr

You need one of these

Thanks for those pics. I've got some aluminum sheet metal around and some cherry rivets... I will have to fabricate a cover like that. I wasn't aware it covered the entire oil cooler but that makes sense. This is the first winter with my Niagara cool installed and it really cools a lot better than my old stock cooler.

ajfriz wrote:You need one of these

Hey AJ I hear you've been wearing the wings off that Milkstool Glad someone is flying out there..

SixTwoLeemer wrote:

ajfriz wrote:You need one of these

Hey AJ I hear you've been wearing the wings off that Milkstool Glad someone is flying out there..

I've been flying it a few times a week... I'm afraid to check my bank account to see how much I've spent on avgas the past month

Headed out to Happy Canyon and Dirty Devil.
Met some new friends.

Nice video, an excellent day out.
It was great to finally meet up with you. The Savage Cub is awesome!
RR

You are really having some fun with that yellow bird! It looks like you have been flying it for years. Keep posting those videos, I am living vicariously through you now.

I still see stars and bars... are they growing on you?

I am SO happy to see you flying it, and not letting it sit and get dusty!

Have a happy new year!

Bob

The Stars and Bars are here to stay. I have plans on expanding the theme on the wings and rudder.
Still making friends with it. Definitely different than a Rans S-7S.
The weather has been the big limiting factor the past couple of weeks.
Those pesky P.N.W. fronts keeps rolling through every couple of days.
I should get a couple of days in during the next week.

S-12Flyer wrote:The Stars and Bars are here to stay. I have plans on expanding the theme on the wings and rudder.
Still making friends with it. Definitely different than a Rans S-7S.
The weather has been the big limiting factor the past couple of weeks.
Those pesky P.N.W. fronts keeps rolling through every couple of days.
I should get a couple of days in during the next week.

Be interested in seeing a comparison write up between the two if you feel like it.

Cold last night around here...

gbflyer wrote:

S-12Flyer wrote:The Stars and Bars are here to stay. I have plans on expanding the theme on the wings and rudder.
Still making friends with it. Definitely different than a Rans S-7S.
The weather has been the big limiting factor the past couple of weeks.
Those pesky P.N.W. fronts keeps rolling through every couple of days.
I should get a couple of days in during the next week.

Be interested in seeing a comparison write up between the two if you feel like it.

I second that!

motosix wrote:

gbflyer wrote:

S-12Flyer wrote:The Stars and Bars are here to stay. I have plans on expanding the theme on the wings and rudder.
Still making friends with it. Definitely different than a Rans S-7S.
The weather has been the big limiting factor the past couple of weeks.
Those pesky P.N.W. fronts keeps rolling through every couple of days.
I should get a couple of days in during the next week.

Be interested in seeing a comparison write up between the two if you feel like it.

I second that!

I'll start another thread for that.

BRD wrote:Cold last night around here...

Looks like you're flying through a black light poster! Great pic!

a few more recent iPhone shots!

Beautiful sunsets/sunrises!

Went out to practice some slow flight today.

Started going backwards at one point!

Made a short gas run to APA. The snow and packed snow made the landings sporty and braking action was nil.

Landing at KAPA on 35L


My tracks back at home, the edges were pretty deep in spots. Yeah for 31s!

Yesterday, I finally flew with an instructor that is experienced in the 206. I wasn't able to find anyone that really knew how to fly this particular airframe in Louisiana or Kansas. There are plenty here in Alaska, but the timing hasn't worked out.

What a great flight! I was honest at the start. I struggle finding the right airspeed, glide path and power setting to consistently spot land. We did lots of slow flight, stalls, and some deep stalls letting the airplane fall like a leaf for several hundred feet.

After that, we landed the crap out of it on 2R into fairbanks. After working out some good routine with power, attitude, flaps, and aim point, I was hitting my mark within +10 feet. I was never short and never put that huge 8.50 Nosewheel on the ground first. The biggest thing I learned was to carry a little bit more power into the flare and let it out when I want to get it on the ground. By the end I was consistently rolling to a stop without breaks in less than 800 feet. Surely this isn't a huge feet for some on here, but it's improvement that I'm proud of.

Takeoffs have never been an issue, but wow did we squeak the performance out of it. Off at 30-40 knots and accelerate in low ground effect (that's for you contact) had me off in 200-300 feet. With him to back me up, I was testing out different flap setting and dropping flaps after we started rolling. Don't tell the other sight that rich is having trouble with, but I even tried 30 flaps. I hope to know my airplane as much as he knows his.

The great part is that I have the techniques to work on in practice now. I need to let the plane settle a little lower going into the flare and ease the power out gentler to smooth out touchdown. I'll try to get some video next time. I can't help but think that if I take video it will capture a dubious moment. I'm not superstitious, but I'm a little stitious.

Brett