Skylane wrote:Well didn't go anywhere. Just took the Ridge Runner out for some taxi practice. Been awhile since I PIC'ed a tailwheel airplane.

...

I thinkess I will like this little bird. If I can get used to the 2 stroke engine and the 6300 rpm red line. I like the 2.5 gph for sure.

C ya, Bub

Glad to hear you're in the air, Bub. I have to agree, those high rpm engines just don't sound "natural". On the other hand, at 2.5gph it may not sound natural but it sure will sound sweet.

1SeventyZ wrote:K- Great pics. If you're ever back up this way give me a ring and we'll grab lunch.

Bub- We need pics of this Ridge Runner! Did you go with the 582 or 503? You oughta talk to my old man, as he's overhauled many Rotaxes and has a pretty good handle on caring for them.

Zane,

Came with a 3203 Hirth, 65 hp. Don't know a whole lot about Hirth, but from what I've read, they seem OK. Has a 3 blade IVO prop.

http://www.recpower.com/3203.htm

I'll post a couple pictures when I get some taken.

C ya, Bub

...while on another pipeline route, I found what seems to be a crashed cessna. I was inside Wright Pattereson USAF base's inter circle, flying circles around this crash, while two F 16's were doing touch and goes in a patteren over top of me.

I reported this to the tower. They knew nothing about the cessna. I gave gps coordinates, and left the area. A few minutes later the Springfield tower, where the 16's were from, called me for more info.

I didn't think until later to turn the radio to 121.5.

It doesn't look like there is a prop on the plane to me.

sorry about the blured pics.
JG

Looks survivable though, let's hope for the best.

I just zoomed in on those blurry pictures I took today. I can't quite read a N number, but there is no prop, elevator, or rudder.

It must be stashed to hide, or maybe for a movie????

At least, no one appears to have been laying there waiting for help.

patrol guy wrote:I just zoomed in on those blurry pictures I took today. I can't quite read a N number, but there is no prop, elevator, or rudder.

It must be stashed to hide, or maybe for a movie????

At least, no one appears to have been laying there waiting for help.

Or for training since it's on WPAFB.

Tadpole wrote:

patrol guy wrote:I just zoomed in on those blurry pictures I took today. I can't quite read a N number, but there is no prop, elevator, or rudder.

It must be stashed to hide, or maybe for a movie????

At least, no one appears to have been laying there waiting for help.

Or for training since it's on WPAFB.

Or maybe drug runners .

I know I flew today because I have a big knot on the top of my head
but I can't remember the flight or if I took pictures - Ouch

Flew up to Cedars North (W58) for a couple of grass landings then off to 1W1 to refuel as the sun was heading down.

The 150 has a pull type starter handle that was replaced not that long ago. Since then it's been quite difficult to fully pull and get it to engage, usualy requiring two hands. After refueling I pulled the handle, the prop started turning when, "SNAP", the darned thing broke cutting my fingers in the process. Ouch.

Fortunately the local mechanic just returned from flying his Stearman around. He helped me get the airplane to the tiedowns so he could replace the handle the next day and try to fix the reason it's so hard to pull. Just as I was about to curse my bad luck, he offered to fly me a back to my home airport. Suh-wheet! I quickly praised my bad luck and climbed aboard for my first ride in an open air cockpit. All I can say is, Wow! That big radial droning along, the wind, all the while skimming across the treetops... wow.

hotrod150 wrote:Be careful at Packwood. The tv news had a story about how there's quite a bunch of elk in and around town there. I don't know if they're as damn dumb as deer when it comes to (not) avoiding vehicles, but you'd have a real mess on your hands if you had an elk strike. A friend of mine hit a deer not long ago and while it wasn't near as bad as it could have been, it was bad enough.

Eric

A number of years ago a Lear Jet taking off from Astoria,OR. hit an elk and they just barely got out of it before it burst into flames. A total loss. They have the field fenced now.

In the first picture it looks like maybe the prop is on the ground, right under the front of the plane. There is something there. Bob

East shore of Walker Lake.

Gump: 4
Coyotes: 0

Life is good in the wilds of Nevada.

Gump

Didn't have anywhere special to go, but it was a beautiful fall day. Went over to Romeo (D98) and shot a couple of landings. No, it's not a 'back country' airport, but there aren't any in this part of Michigan.
Took my dog, Reilly. He enjoyed it, and marked several things around the hangers (outside).

It was last week but flew my wife to Half Moon Bay for seafood and clean air.

Didn't really go anywhere, but I did manage to do some instrument approaches with one of my former instruments students, only this time I was the one doing the flying. Talk about the teacher being under the microscope. All in all it was a fun flight. Planning for Marble in the AM.

I took off from Wasilla yesterday headed to our homestead south of McCarthy. There is not much snow in the Valley, but we have 12 inches in the McCarthy area. The first hour was flawless weather. On take off from Wasilla, the temperature was –3F, but I got a good temperature inversion and caught 20F for much of the rest of the trip. Over Tazalina Lake I picked up ground fog and this stayed with me until well past Chitina. (see picture below) About 20 miles out of Chitina, I caught a break in the fog and headed underneath it for the last 40 miles to McCarthy.

The ceiling was low and lowering and I immediately got forced closer to the ground and eventually found myself flying in a thickening mist and hence skirted over to the Chitina River in the hopes that I could follow it on in to the confluence with the Nizina River. However, things were closing down fast. So after flying two hours and getting within 20 miles of home, I had to do a 180 and was able to follow the river back to where I found the break in the ground fog. So I climbed out and flew another two hours back to Wasilla and hangared my Husky.

The Husky has great fuel endurance and I stayed comfortably warm the whole way. My wheelskis slowed me down a bit, but I still averaged 7.8 gph and 100 mph with a power setting of 23”/2000 rpm.

Nizina




Picking up Ground Fog Over Tazlina Lake



Sheep Mountain while going through Tahneta Pass

Nice pics, Nizina. I'm excited to see some pics from the coming ski season.

From yesterday...

I was with my jump team down just south of Memphis. I controlled the C-130 with my 6 jumpers on board for the pregame show at the Ole Miss Game. Then I brought in a 2-ship of F-16s for two passes over the stadium.

Afterwards a friend picked me up in his Cherokee and took me over to another airport in MS to meet another friend with his Swift. I got to fly that around awhile and then went to that guys grass strip and switched over to his Starduster Too for some open cockpit flying. I was taking in all the flying unique airplanes that I didn't take any in-flight pics though, here's what I got.

The Swift


The Starduster Too


My team on the Jumbotron


Ya, this job sucks



Posing


Aircraft I used for this game


My team exiting the C-130

Did a little backcountry mountain flying today. Here is a shot of Twin Lakes near Leadvillle, CO. Not the greatest of quality, but what do you expect from a cell phone.

Had a great time giving rides to my apprentice's Boy Scout troop.
This little fireball is TJ and loved to hear himself chatter on the intercom in his best astronaut voice.
Dale