Cold Clear Smooth

RW 24 Approach

I had 08Romeo plugged in for two weeks waiting on a decent day to fly.  Today it was cold, clear and smooth, perfect for a fun flight to get the oil pumping. Mary passed on flying out for breakfast and Mike was scheduled to fly to KHEF - Manassas Regional Airport/Harry P. Davis Field in Washington, DC.

I hoped that Vince wouldn't be on a fire call and that his Friday night crew duty would be over in time to fly. We swapped text messages last night and the plan was for him to text me if he was running late. All went well, as he trotted up to his house a few minutes after I arrived.

We headed to the airport and quickly went to work on 08Romeo. Uncovered and pre-flight completed we pulled the plane through the small pile of snow that accumulated in front of the hangar that had slid off the roof. Vince parked my SUV in the hangar and we climbed aboard 08Romeo to stay warm and get the fan turning.

Ice in the Delaware River near old New Castle

I have to say the battery minder on the maintenance setting has been a blessing, two blades and 08Romeo was purring along. We added fifteen gallons of fuel to bring us to forty-six, sumped, restarted and followed with a run up. All systems were good to go and 08Romeo launched off of two-four loving the cold temps and asking for more with a steady 1000 fpm climb.

On the ramp at WWD

It was a hands in your lap flight across the Delaware river and skirting along the New Jersey coastline following south along the Delaware Bay. We cruised at three thousand five hundred and I gave Vince a chance to shoot the RNAV 19 into Cape May.  I'm loving the WAAS upgrade and the LPV decision heights. It's great to fly the needles on a GPS approach.


Ice in the Delaware Bay

After enjoying a great breakfast at the Flight Line we saddled up for the Woodbine airport. Vince and I had hoped we could catch up with the group flying to Georgetown before they left. We did get to meet up with Jeff and take a look at his Mooney post bird strike with fresh paint, it looked awesome!

08Romeo on security camera at Woodbine

We finally decided it was time to head home so we taxied out to runway one three and launched for home. We did depart the pattern opposite of the published left traffic so we didn't have to deal with all the seagulls overflying the landfill. Yes, there is a landfill just outside the left downwind for one three and it was busy with birds when we landed.

Delaware Memorial Bridges

We enjoyed a fifteen knot tailwind coming home slipping under Philly's Bravo and just above Wilmington's Delta. I made an ok landing with a gyro copter on my heels and taxied 08R back to the nest. A fun day, 2.1 in the books and 08Romeo got some much needed exercise.

Approach Flaps

Since I'm not flying as much due to the wx I find myself reading more on the forums. I found this topic of when to add flaps on an instrument approach in one of the cloud buster sections.

 

If shooting an approach what are your thoughts on when to put in approach flaps? Do you configure at the Initial Approach Fix (IAF), Final Approach Fix (FAF) or when you break out?  Some pilots seem to add flaps prior to the FAF so as not to disturb the aircraft configuration and continue on a stabilized descent.  Others, like myself, configure for 90 knots as we approach the FAF in order to time the approach based on the approach charts FAF to Missed Approach Point (MAP) information.

For the instrument student approaches are pretty intense to begin with, especially when coupled back to back to back. Despite us all thinking that our instructors just lived to torture us there was a reason the CFII’s like to pile it on. The overload teaches us to juggle more balls at once and once you can keep all the balls in the air safely it actually seems to slow everything down around you. When you can really juggle all the balls you find yourself looking for things do.  I was taught to set it and forget it at the IAF, configure for 90 knots and approach flaps, fly the approach.  However, in the real world we are often asked for best speed and that opens a different can of tennis balls.

Once I had the instrument rating in hand I flew with different pilots that possessed different ratings and levels of experience. Most of the folks seem to configure gear and flaps at the FAF.  In my Sundowner it’s not a monumental task to slow down so I find it best for me, just prior to the FAF, to configure for speed and fly the approach until I break out. I do this for two reasons; First, if I have to go missed I am clean and climbing with no tendency to power up and get nose high for a potential departure stall. Second, trudging along at 90 knots seems like forever so I like to keep the speed up and only make a configuration change once the landing is assured.

As they say, your mileage may vary. What do you do when flying the approach?

Book Review: Those '67 Blues

Those '67 Blues  by: B.K. Bryans

 

I typically do not read fiction but B.K. Bryans book gives us a look into a two-week period of flight operations and the heroics of men flying in North Vietnam during the autumn of 1967. The Author based his book on his Vietnam war experiences as an A-6 Intruder Pilot. A very good read with a mix of action and background struggles with family at home. I'm looking forward to reading more of his work; Flying Low and Flight To Redemption.

 

From the Authors Web Page

 

Those '67 Blues is an enlightening action novel of U.S. naval aviators aboard an aircraft carrier on Yankee Station during the Vietnam War. Sortie rates and aircraft losses trended strongly upward through the autumn months of 1967.  Daily, the Pentagon sent major multi-aircraft “Alpha” strikes into the “Iron Triangle” delineated by Hanoi, Haiphong, and Nam Dinh.  Navy all-weather A-6s went in low and alone at night.

This is a day-by-day account of those missions and the men who flew them during two weeks of that fiery autumn. Feel the tension build in the cockpit of an A-6 Intruder as it homes in on a well-defended target, and the shivering adrenalin release that comes hours after a harrowing mission. Experience the terror as a SAM surface-to-air missile tracks its target—you. Live the fear of being shot down, hunted, and then tortured by the North Vietnamese.

Meanwhile, the aviator’s wives and children back home live through fears and problems of their own during a war that few people understand and many despise.

Review by the Association of Naval Aviation, published in the  Fall Edition of Wings of Gold  Magazine.

This is a story about the aviators who went in harms way big time. ‘At night,’ writes Bryans, ‘Navy all-weather A-6 Intruders went in low and alone.’    A brief excerpt: ‘The SAM that hit their A-6 right after weapons release knocked out everything electrical, set the port engine on fire, and caused the plane to shake like a dice cup.’   Bryans knows his subject. He flew A-6s during the war earning a Silver Star and DFC, and commanded VA-35 aboard USS Nimitz.

Foreflight 5.5.2 Update

1/7/2014

I recently downloaded the new Version 5.5.1  update. Works great on my iPhone iOS7, I brain farted and also updated my iPad1, iOS5. After the iPad app updated I got dumped out of Foreflight every time I went to maps screen. I quickly sent team FF customer service an email. Foreflight's response was returned in just under two hours.

Thanks for your email. We are aware of this issue, which is unique to the iPad1. The issue has been corrected and a new version of ForeFlight Mobile should be available in the App Store very soon.

1/8/2014

What's New in Version 5.5.2

We are off and running into 2014 with the first releases of the year. Version 5.5.1 brings animated in-flight NEXRAD radar via the Stratus ADS-B receiver (both first and second generation Stratus) and a new zoom-to-route button on the Maps view. Version 5.5.2 a bug fix for iPad 1.

My iPad one lives on to fly another day! I think it's time to start looking at an update.

Singer Island Plans

Mary and I decided on a four day get-away to Singer Island Florida.  I am sitting here sulking since after running my numbers I could have saved @ $630 flying myself.

My savings are strictly based on fuel consumption only and I took an average price of $5.75 a gallon for the trip.  Looking at my first leg south, fuel at KHYW - Conway, SC is $5.03 a gallon. The return trip out of F45 - North Palm Beach County would have me forking over $6.00 a gallon.  A rough estimate on fuel would be 160 gallons for 08Romeos round trip. The average of fuel multiplied by the avg cost per gallon works out as follows; 160x$5.75=$920.  Airline tickets are $1548 for two, round trip tickets.

I understand there is maintenance associated with the flight and reserves for engine, avionics, annual and so on. My numbers for per hour operating costs based on flying 10 hours a month are $134.87/hour. So I guess I can look at it with the "all in" strategy and figure round trip 16 hours at a mind blowing $2158. Body shiver....yikes!

Figuring in the time of year and possibility for icing I guess the $630 fuel only savings can be swallowed a bit easier. I won't have to concentrate on wx or flying, I can enjoy the sunshine and time away with my Bride.

We scheduled a meet up with a realtor so we can look at properties after checkout on our last day, our flight home doesn't leave until after dinner. It's time for us to start looking for that winter hideaway.  Actually, with all this snow this season we have been reconsidering our Ocean City MD retirement home and thinking about the home address in Florida with summer digs in OCMD.

House Cleaning

This morning I decided to clean up the Flight Journal. I went through all my links and those that did not have a reciprocating link to my Journal were deleted.  I also went back and read through my RV blog and decided I did not want to update both and so that went into the circular file too.

I have been giving some thought to retooling the look of the blog, its been the same since 2005, it's time.  So, pardon the dust, the color changes and layout until I decide what works. Maybe I'll end up keeping the old familiar look but for now it's time to experiment.

Book Review: Buffalo Airways

Buffalo Airways   by: Darrell Knight

I must say I am a fan of the show, or should I say a fan of the vintage aircraft.  I watched Ice Pilots as often as possible and even purchased a few of the episodes I missed.

Darrell Knight takes us back to the start of his flying, no, not the rumbling radial monsters but the very beginning, the quiet of glider flight. In June of 1964 Darrell,along with ninety-nine other cadets, was awarded a glider scholarship and summer posting at the former Canadian Forces Base at Rivers, Manitoba. The author recalls his solo flight and as all of us that fly can attest, it's a moment in time that will always be etched in our memory.

The book goes on to describe his travels and flight training along with additional ratings and licenses he obtained over the years. 
With no permanent positions available in Southern British Columbia, Darrell decided to look in the North West Territories for a flying job. Having remembered the Buffalo Airways vintage aircraft from his youth, Darrell sought out a job in Yellowknife.

The author provides an in-depth look into the history of each aircraft he crews on. Starting out as a rampie and working his way to the right seat he details the long hours and physical work required to make it at Buffalo.

Overall a good read, providing a behind the scene look at the demands of flying in brutal conditions and flying the vintage fleet. This book predates the Ice Pilots show but you could have advanced the timeline and fell right into place and not miss a beat.

The book is just 207 pages and makes for an easy read. If you enjoyed the show you will like the book.

First Flight 2014

Passing over KILG

Finally, Mother Nature allows for a flight!

I haven't started up the airport car since our Lewes trip back on November 30th, that would be 43 days!  Mary was not feeling well, migraines all week including a trip to the ER on Thursday. She remained snuggled in bed and I took care of the zoo then headed out.

I swapped text messages with Mike B on Friday but he and his Bride were playing on the slopes, can't blame him for that.  I was hoping to knock out approaches today but it was not to be.  I sent a text to Vince to let him know the right seat was open and he acknowledged that he was available.

North of ILG looking E/SE down the Delaware river

I picked up Vince and we headed to the plane. Vince was telling me about joining the local fire house, always have to respect anyone that wants to run into a fire when most of us are running out. I commended him for his volunteer junior status and know he will be able to explain every piece of equipment and truck in no time flat. It was a quick trip, or so it seemed, the airport seemed quiet.

I did notice that 08Romeo was wet today, that soda can sweaty wet, you know when the temps are just right.  These are the temps that make for carb ice, I kept that in the back of my mind for todays flight. I had the heaters on overnight so the power plant was toasty, Vince confirmed this with a big hug for 08Romeo on her upper cowling.  Yes, it was windy and a bit nip this morning.

I parked the SUV in the hangar and we taxied the plane up to the pumps for fuel. I brought my fuel load to twenty a side and sumped. With a few shots of prime 08Romeo was ready to play. I made a call to Philly Clearance, by phone, for my IFR flight plan and despite my route of choice and 530 entry I had to make some changes.

C KCGE
R MXE ENO GARED Direct
A 3000/6000
F 124.35
T 1113

Sunlight through the clouds on the Delaware river (Fort. Delaware)

Sunlight reflecting off the Delaware Bay through the thick cloud layer

Winds were 30016G19KT so runway two four was my choice. I was in the air crabbing my way out to the noise abatement altitude then turned on course for MXE. Philly climbed me to 4000 and advised they would turn me on course after traffic cleared, two army helicopters. The rest of the flight went just as easy, I managed .2 IMC and would have added to that total if they would have given me 6000 like I planned for. Once we had the wx and Cambridge in sight I canceled with Patuxent approach and switched to CTAF.

The ramp was empty at Kay's but the parking lot was full, I had my choice of tie down location.  With 08Romeo secured Vince and I headed in for some eats. The restaurant was very busy with locals, always a good sign that the food is good. We each ordered up cream chipped beef and a sweet tea, the best sweet tea around.  A Cessna 182 taxied in and parked next to the Sundowner, really close, just about overlapping wing tips.  Once finished up we headed out to the plane and did a quick walk around. 08Romeo was ready to fly and my plan was for a VFR flight under R-4006 at 2800 which would keep me clear of the (KSBY) Salisbury airspace and remain below the restricted.

The tail wind was great heading east to Ocean City, we enjoyed 135 knot ground speeds and the ride wasn’t the smoothest but far from the worst. Ocean City seemed slow today and that was fine with me. I made a nice 45* entry for the left down-wind runway three two and flowed through my checks.  GUMPS again and added approach flaps abeam the numbers. I did extend a bit so I could get a good fix on the winds once turning final. I decided on just a second notch of flaps once turning base and rode it in from there. The winds played around a bit and I did have some float after I planted the mains. It was strange, the gusting wind felt like it lifted me up but once I retracted the flaps and kept my aileron correction in she settled for a solid taxi.

 

As I was installing the nose plugs to keep 08Romeo warm I heard an aircraft pour on the power. I looked across the wing and over to the runway in time to see a Cirrus SR22 roll to almost sixty degrees.  I could not believe my eyes, I was looking at the belly of the Cirrus thinking he is going to cartwheel this bird down the runway. I’m not sure how but he managed to roll almost level missing the trees and then with flaps and trim still set for landing he immediately climbed nose high.  I thought I was going to see this poor guy stall spin after making the most unbelievable save.  I could not help but scream push it over, level, level!!  That SR22 hung on the prop and somehow climbed/crabbed its way out and now gaining altitude. 

I did hang out to see if he made another attempt and sure enough he brought the bird back around. This time he was right on it, smooth as could be, mains planted with barely a chirp followed by a long roll out, he was down safe and secure.  I didn’t stick around to see who it was, I’m sure he didn’t need to see me staring or asking questions on how he pulled that rabbit out of his hat.

 

Vince and I headed out to the car so we could take care of business. There was that awkward silence for a bit and then we talked about what we just had witnessed. I think it really did a number on Vince seeing how close that pilot came to making a smoking hole and how fast things can go wrong and your life be over.  We uncovered  and started the airport buggy and went for a nice drive. The solar trickle charger did a great job and the cover was still looking good and keeping the Cabrio clean and dry. We did see a pair of Bald Eagles as we approached RT.50 and that's always an exciting catch.

 

Back to the Flight Line...

I did take on fuel to bring me back to twenty gallons a side so I needed to sump before we started up.  The Cirrus was parked next to us on the ramp and I did take a picture of it but we didn’t discuss it any farther.  The flight home would be VFR with flight following and I figured I would give Vince the flying time to help clear his mind.  The winds for departure were 30009G16KT, twenty off the nose.  We were off three two and climbing out for 3000 looking to pick up flight following with Dover approach.  Vince did a very nice job despite the bumpy ride.

RT. 90 Bridge and Ocean City MD

It may sound corny but I wanted him to get back to flying in order to soften what he watched unfold. Vince’s communications with Dover were rock solid and when he heard Dover talking to a flight of two F15’s he perked up and asked me to fly so he could take pictures.  Thankfully the pair did T&G or low approach at Dover and climbed out towards us. Vince had the camera up and snapped off a few shots, that boyish smile was back on his face. The remainder of the ride went well and he communicated with Wilmington Tower since they were busy with traffic on the ILS and we were crossing it.

 

The fun started as we listened to the ATIS at Wilmington, the winds were blowing pretty good from 30014G19KT.  Vince knew it was going to be a ride getting into New Garden.  I called out the field and made my position reports with the plan to enter on a left base for runway two four.  I was looking at sixty degree crosswinds that were blowing, but I do like the challenge. Base to final now and my altitude is good, as we cross the last ridge we get a solid bang from below coming over the top of the ridge that gets our attention.

Now approaching short final I have the valley to cross just before the runway, it’s always bumpy there. I cross with little resistance then get walloped just over the numbers, dipping the wing into that crosswind is not getting it done then the wind just feels like it dropped out. 08Romeo started to sink fast so I went full power and decided to go around. I set up for another approach, this time deciding to crab it in and kick it at as I cross the numbers.  A few dippity do‘s across the last valley and a kick over the numbers has me low and bleeding off what flight 08Romeo has left in her.

 

I made a decent landing that Vince finally commented on, having sat silent since turning final on the first approach.  He gave me a score of ten, said it was my best in the worst conditions, he liked it.  I should mention that my friend Charlie was at the airport and saw my first go around and of course said he would be scoring the next attempt on CTAF.  Charlie said it looked good on the second landing, I was a happy camper.

Three hours in the log book today and some good crosswind work.  I also managed a few ticks of IMC and it felt good to be "inside" while in the air.

Book Review: Flight of Passage

Flight of Passage
by: Rinker Buck

I'm still waiting to make my first flight of 2014. Winter wx has me shoveling snow followed by keeping warm by the fire with a good book and hot tea.

 

I kept seeing this title pop up in the "what are you reading" forum posts on a few flying forums that I frequent.  I decided to download it on my new Kindle Fire (Christmas present) and dig into it. It's flying, it has to be good.

 

Flight of Passage falls right into that coming of age story of adventure and passing through to adulthood. The story takes place in the summer of 1966, Kern age 17 and Rinker age 15 restore a 1948 PA11 Piper Cub that they will fly from New Jersey to California.

 

Growing up was not easy in the Buck household. The entire family structure seemed odd to me with a Father who had issues he was dealing with and the other siblings did not seem to interact with each other. The Father, Tom Buck, was a magazine executive, and political activist who still defined himself by his once youthful occupation as a barnstormer. His professional flying ended when his plane crashed, killing his passenger and costing him a leg.

 

Tom would teach both his boys to fly. Kern was a pure stick and rudder pilot, a natural, while Rinker seemed to deal with flight by having to work at it.  Kern would do most of the flying and Rinker would be the navigator for their cross country flight.

 

The book details their adventure facing harsh weather, rough crop dusters pilots, and a dangerous crossing of the Rocky Mountains. Flying until they run out of daylight, setting the cub down in a new state, meeting new people and trying to fit in was consuming. Sleeping under a wing at an out of the way grass strip airport, other times spending for a room at a cheap motel and eating at small town diners was the norm. The boys somehow managed to conserve their funds in order to make it through this trip. I could not imagine what it would cost today to make this cross country flight, and if the people they met along the way would be as helpful as they were back in the day.

 

Overall a very good read that I could not put down. The real story line is how the boys develop an understanding of each other and establish their own identities, overcoming their resentment and coming to terms with their father and his ways. This was the real passage that occurs in this book.

Book Review: 14 Days To Alaska

14 Days To Alaska
by: Troy Hamon

For all the pilots out there...Think back to those first flights, learning how to get down the runway center line and get the plane in the air then having to go through the checklists and land that bird. Overwhelming at first for all of us, I'm sure. Remember how tired you were after a lesson, not physical tired, brain tired, mentally wiped out from trying to absorb all the information.

Now with that thought process engaged, imagine your brother as your instructor and learning 'on the fly' to Alaska, pun intended. Yikes! Troy Hamon captures the in cockpit  pressure, humor, brotherly harassment (in its own special way) that only one with a brother can understand.

Flying his 1951 PIPER PA-22 Tri-Pacer with his instructor and brother Quinn in the right seat they set off on the adventure of a lifetime. This is a very good read. I found myself more than once thinking, been there, understand those thoughts, how does that instructor make it look so easy. It was an interesting way to do the Private Pilot training and surely provided memories to last a lifetime. I'm looking forward to Troy's future writing.

Breakfast Meetup with Jeff

On my ride to the airport

Jeff had sent an email out Yesterday, early morning.

"Guys, the weather forecast looks near perfect for this weekend.  I'm planning to fly with someone here in Richmond and he suggested flying up to Kay's in Cambridge.  It's about an hour flight for me.  Anyone interested in meeting up?  We will probably plan to be there right around 10 AM."

I responded that I would be there since Mary and I cancelled the overnight to Myrtle Beach, SC.  Wx is looking bad Sunday for South Carolina and even though I am current I am not proficient enough to tangle with what they have in store.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy. A chance of rain this evening. Rain after midnight. Lows in the upper 40s. East winds 5 to 10 mph with gusts up to 25 mph...increasing to southeast 15 to 20 mph after midnight. Chance of rain 90 percent.

Sunday: Scattered thunderstorms. Rain in the morning...then showers likely in the afternoon. Some thunderstorms may produce gusty winds. Breezy with highs around 70. South winds 20 to 25 mph... becoming southwest 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Back to the meet-up....

The plan was to be at the airport around 8 am then get 08Romeo ready to fly. I took on fuel on my last flight so I was ready to go after my pre-flight. Mary decided to stay home, not that she was dealing with a migraine but instead she broke out in hives, who knows.

I was on my own and all be it rare that I don't have someone in the right seat I was looking forward to just me and the plane. After my run up I launched from runway two four and cranked up some oldies. Yes, I was singing along, mixing in some slow flight and a steep turn or two as I took in the 50+ mile visibility.  As I passed 58M, Elkton MD, I could look to my left and see the tip of Lewes Delaware at Henlopen, just awesome!

bridges at Bay Bridge

I made my calls and entered a left base for landing on one six. I had a Bonanza behind me working his way into the pattern number two to land. A made a nice landing followed by a turn out on the midfield taxiway and point 08Romeo towards Kay's ramp. I parked next to a Baron and the Bonanza parked next to me, a Beechcraft reunion of sorts. As I walked towards the terminal I saw 93Zulu cross the numbers and touch down, nice landing Jeff!

Jeff's Archer II

It was a good breakfast and Jeff's friend from KOFP-Hanover picked up our check, Thanks Scott. It was great to catch up, and of course talk airplanes and flying. We missed Frank D and Mike B, I hope your ears were burning guys. With Jeff back in the 'area' (Richmond) I see many more meet ups in the future.

Jeff and Scott filed, I just made the hop VFR. I did monitor Dover and Philly as I worked my way north. The visibility was perfect today. I could see Salem nuke planet from Easton airport and had a clear view of the Baltimore skyline too. As I worked my way north passing Ridgely, KRJD I could see the two cooling towers at Pottstown.

Salem from just north of Easton Airport @ 55 miles

I made my calls for New Garden and worked my way into a very busy pattern. I was number two following my hangar mate in his Turbo Saratoga and there was a Bonanza number three. I made a nice landing and made the midfield taxiway, one of my goals for working on the short field technique.

more of my ride to/from the airport

As we all taxied towards the north hangars the fuel line was stacking up. Most of the aircraft waited in line clear of the taxiway, all except for the silver Cirrus. He shut down and his passengers were out having a gab fest as if they were meeting up at a flea market. UGhhhh....I motioned that I was trying to get by and they looked at me then turned around and continued to gab. OK, no problem, I added in some throttle to get their attention and squeezed by hanging the right wing out over the grass. The pilot was chit chatting with the person fueling and his head popped out immediately, the three ladies that were flapping now stood at attention looking at me...I smiled and waved as I went by. Ok, I muttered jackass but I was by myself and I did not hit the PTT. I never claimed to be PC about anything.

Flight and Maintenance

The battery minder purchased before Christmas arrived, so a trip to the airport was in order. I sent a text to Vince and he was available to fly, the plan was beginning to taking shape.

New Garden was quiet this morning so we took a leisurely drive around to scout out potential warm bodies that may be lurking about the airport, there were none.  Ok, none that we could see. I parked the SUV and we opened up the hangar so we could tug 08Romeo out into the sunlight.  I completed the pre-flight and Vince did his own, good practice for the future aviator. Vince waited for 08Romeo to start before closing the hangar doors, no sense pushing them around a second time for no good reason. I pulled the power back and as we briefed Vince would approach from the right side rear to board.

I pulled the heat right away so we could thaw and thanks to the Reiff heaters 08Romeo oil temps we well into the yellow just shy of the green operating range. We agreed that Vince would handle the radio work and I would do the take off and flying. With the run up completed we launched off of two-four. It wasn't a bad looking day from 2,800 feet above the earth. We crossed Wilmington's airspace (2600) and headed across the Delaware River for New Jersey. PCAS had one target that Vince called out at our three, same altitude and parallel course, it looked like a lear jet that we heard depart ILG.  As the jet turned north heading towards Philly it was now converging, I descended to 2000 and we watched the jet pass in front of our nose a few miles out and now above our altitude. The flight was to knock off some rust and make a landing or two.

I entered the pattern at Millville, KMIV, and did one full stop on runway two-eight. I taxied back and handed controls to Vince for his take off. I would do the radios and he could get some flying in. He needed a bit more right rudder but overall a nice smooth climb out. Of course the standing joke is that Vince always gets to fly the headwind leg, he didn't complain, he just reminded me. Yes he had the headwind leg, I was enjoying 135 knot ground speeds and he was trudging along fighting a thirty knot headwind just off our nose and clipping along at 85 knots. Indicated airspeed was 115-120, and the Garmin 496 winds aloft confirmed the winds at three thousand.

We both picked out New Garden just inside of eight miles or so and I made the proper calls. I entered the pattern on a left base for two-four and made one of my best landings to date rolling 08Romeo on the deck so soft it felt like we were still flying. I'm finally getting the winds here and the hump in the runway, now if I could make the first turn off. We made a fuel stop and brought the total fuel to 42 gallons before heading to the hangar.

With 08Romeo tucked inside we covered up and plugged in the heaters then opened the BatteryMINDer box. It seemed pretty basic, a plug and play of sorts. I didn't get the rings in the shipment, apparently they no longer send those as part of the package.  I had to open 08Romeos battery box, two snaps clips, and use the alligator clips. I brought along another extension cord and we eventually ran the cable through the vent window and set the batteryminder in the baggage compartment on the battery box lid. The original plan was to leave the unit outside the plane and run the cord through the baggage door but I didn't like the cord getting squeezed so tight and possibly damaging the unit. All the lights checked out and the unit went into the maintenance/ pulsed de-sulfation mode.  I am going to order the ring set this evening so I don't have to open the battery compartment.

Battery Minder

I tried to get some flight time in but my batteries had other plans.  After pre-flight and pulling 08Romeo out of the hanger Saturday afternoon I got two blades then clicks.  I'm not a happy camper.

Today I brought along my battery charger for a 12v system. I have  two batteries in my Sundowner so my system is 24v. As in the past I removed the plate connecting the batteries and charged each battery individually. In the mean time I drove around the airport looking for life but the wx was really turning worse so the place was a ghost town. I did see one guy starting his Cirrus and I guess he had the same thoughts as to getting the oil pumping if he couldn't get in the air.

The charger did it's job and with the wx looking better I swapped to battery number two for its charge time. As Vince reminded me yesterday a watched pot/battery never boils/charges.  Yeah yeah, I get it, I'm just not long on patience.  With the blue sky peeking through I was thinking we may get some flight time in with a quick local hop then home, enough to get a few landings in.

As the green light came on to signal charging complete, the wx decided to cover the field. Low clouds were blowing through almost like a ground fog but not quite as low. We fired up 08Romeo anyways and taxied to the other end of the airport and back, even making a loop around the hangars. I did two run-ups and taxied a bit more until the oil came up to its normal position on the temp gauge then taxied back to my hangar and shut down.

I ordered a new 24v battery minder when I got home.

BatteryMINDer 24041-AA-S2 Aircraft Battery Charger - 24 Volt - 4 Amp

The VDC Model 24041-AA-S2 Plug n Run Aviation Specific 24v Maintenance Charger - De-Sulfator - Conditioners is approved for use on Gill and Concorde Aviation batteries. This 24 volt unit is similar to model 24041-AA-S1 except for its Plug ‘n Run feature, eliminating the need to set neither the output current nor battery type, before operating. This feature is of particular importance if any person, unfamiliar with the setting requirements, is involved in maintaining the battery.

For all size and type 24 volt aviation batteries including sealed AGM-maintenance-free and filler cap maintenance type

Instant alternator condition at the push of a button.

Guaranteed never to over-charge, regardless of time or temperature (32°F - 125°F ) with correct battery type setting and ABS-248 temperature sensors correctly installed on either battery terminal connection

Auto-restart after power failure

Safely charges up to 200% faster than conventional chargers

Maintains from 1 - 6 batteries at a time (parallel connected)

Automatically dissolves power-robbing sulfation using safe low voltage pulse technology (U.S. Patented)

Microprocessor controlled pulsed output ensures 100% full charge

Temperature compensation extends battery life by more than 200 Cycles (full charge-discharge cycles) with ABS temperature sensor

High efficiency design = low monthly operating cost of less than 50¢

Weather-proof enclosure

12 volt PowerPlug (fused) allows charger to be easily connected to battery via input 12 v power receptacle

1 year 100% money-back guarantee + five (5) year "no hassle" warranty.

Snug as a Bug

Wilmington was blanketed with 8.5 inches of snow last Sunday, 12/8.  It's the first snow I remember on my birthday in many years. The snow did provide an entertaining afternoon of Eagles football and I really didn't mind cranking up the snow blower at half time. What I really enjoyed was knowing I did not have to go dig out 08Romeo or clean her off. I didn't have to load up the snow blower and fuel and I didn't have to get wet and stinky from the exhaust. Instead I enjoyed the late game and a nice dinner with my Bride.

Bad memories of digging out 08R

We had a follow up snow, maybe 3 inches on Tuesday the 10th. I used the shovel and with one hand made a pass back and forth until the driveway was clean. I bagged a day of work so I didn't have to drive in it or be stuck in the office. My co-workers made all the "sally" jokes when I returned on Wednesday. I'm pretty thick skinned so I enjoyed the laughs and only countered with I was home with my Bride, you all were stuck here with each other, the laughs came to a halt.

snug as a bug

It's the weekend and once again we have snow in the forecast. Calling for 1-3 inches this afternoon, just enough to make me have to clear the driveway. Mary and I had a few errands to run this morning so we could make pizzelle cookies this afternoon. With the 'to do' list completed we are in for the rest of the day.

 

Stay warm and stay safe!



2013 Year in Review



It's time for my annual year in review and a look forward to new goals for 2014. I know I still have the remaining days in December to hit my magic 100 hour mark but wx will dictate the mission and therefore I only see a few hours added to my 75 hour total. The one bright note, I did bust 800 total hours and now sit at 820!!

As was 2012, this year with Mary's health issues made for a very slow travel year. The one long trip to Key West that would have helped the totals was so much cheaper to fly commercial that we decided to keep 08Romeo parked.

Mary's Mom passed in March which really took a toll on us both. I can still picture Mom in the back seat of 08Romeo with the headset on just taking in the view. My second Mom for sure, not many son-in-laws could say that. Mom L always voiced her opinion and I loved that. I still miss her stopping by and going out to dinner with us.

Mary and I also lost one of our dear friends in aviation. Bo Boggs passed in May and that really affected my flying. Bo was the very inspiration for this blog and was always a mentor for me when it came to aircraft  maintenance and cross country flying. I miss ya' buddy.

Maggie also left us this year in April and that came as a shock too. Maggie muffin had just turned eight, she was a loyal dog with a loving disposition and adored Mary. I hope our Ziva girl can measure up to Maggie's legacy.

The one bright note this year was the new infusion treatments for Mary's migraines. We are starting to see a little progress with their severity and honestly, her health is what is the most important issue at hand.

We did make a change and left our tie down at Wilmington's Red Eagle Avionics. We are now in a hangar at New Garden (N57)and I must say 08Romeo has responded very well to her new digs along with two spa days for wax and being pampered.

From the 2013 wish list 08Romeo was upgraded to WAAS for the Garmin 530 and the Collins transponder was replaced with a Garmin GTX327 which enables the Zaon PCAS to work flawlessly. I love having my traffic back!

On the Beach front...The plan is to once again place the motor home in Ocean City, MD for the 2014 season. 08Romeo will be our main transportation and we hope to extend our travels for some additional vacation time.  We are looking forward to a healthier year in 2014 for the both of us!

2013 Totals

ASEL: (89 Landings, 17 Approaches)	75.4
Approaches - ILS:	5.0
Approaches - RNAV/GPS:	10.0
Approaches - VOR/DME:	2.0
Cross Country:	47.9
Night:	1.0
IMC:	3.0
Simulated Instrument:	4.9
PIC:	75.4

 

2014  Goals

Hours: Hoping for at least 100 
Aircraft Upgrades: Replace the Collins Audio panel with a PMA8000B
Travel: Get back on track for 4 day get-aways and explore new locations!