I got the Luscombe to a few more nearby fly-ins before the season ended. There was Greenwood in October and a Horn Point work party in November which I indeed flew into. And a flight up to Cheswald later in November, to say goodbye to a classic airplane which was leaving my sociogram, but never my heart. Then along came December 1st and 2nd. Beautiful warm days that started out foggy. Days that showed G.A. was alive even in December.
For me it started on Friday Nov. 30th. I was having one of my usual nothing days, except the weather was pristine, and warm. I had expected a visit from a friend or two who may have wanted to visit as a part of the "Holly Run" on Saturday and "Massey" on Sunday. But nobody called about that. I got a call at 4PM from my friend the Professor. He asked if I was still going to be having friends over. I said no. He said "Can I fly in anyway?" And I said absolutely but 'tis getting late. Suddenly I cared about doing something. I needed my truck to gather some firewood. I needed firewood because the Professor and I like campfires. The truck was full from another project. I hurried and emptied the truck and before I could start gathering fallen tree limbs, the 152 circled in a gorgeous sunset and I saw it land west where naked bare trees now allowed me to see the airstrip in almost winter. The light was fading and the Professor parked the Cessna and climbed in the truck and he was charged from a great flight as a cap off to a long day and long week for him. So we gathered wood as much as we could grab before dark. Then we laid a fire. Then before lighting it we ran out to dinner. (Suicide Bridge). Then a roaring fire.
Saturday morning wife had been up for hours before I rose. The Prof. still sleeping in. I made some breakfast and I opened the hangar doors and rolled out the Luscombe. It was foggy, and calm, and fairly warm. I started gathering more wood. Soon the Prof was helping me and all of a sudden it was 3:30 and getting late again. We started the Luscombe and I taxied out to go to Cambridge for fuel. Then we got visited by a couple RV's who did beautiful fly bys..... had they been on the Holly Run? I took off and headed for CGE. The Choptank River was coated with an icing of fog. The viz was down in a weird haze. I was considering turning back on a flight that was 12 miles long. My little 65hp engine started missing and my heart jumped. I pulled on the carb heat and it got rougher still but I kept the heat on and it finally cleared up. The Prof had taken off also, but decided to just fly two circuits. I got my fuel and had help with a prop start and was on my way home. I took off and flew all the way home with the carb heat on. It was 100 percent humidity. And I landed and left the airplane outside, and far away from our fire pit. I would be using it tomorrow anyway. I had enough light to gather more wood and lay the fire. We ordered carry out food delivered so we could just hang out in the hazy, damp night by that lovely fire. We made it an early night.
Sunday morning. I had chores to do. The wx was foggy. I was moving slow. I had to go to the store to get breakfast food and my covered dish contribution to Massey. Weather permitting.
It seemed to take forever to get launched. The Prof had planned to take his 152 to Massey, but he asked if he could come with me in the little Luscombe. So we went. The wx had cleared and it was wonderful. The pattern was a bee hive, but we snuck in one hour late and the place was packed we were triple parked.
I saw many of my friends and had a great time. We watched everyone take off. Then we had to hustle to get propped (thanks Dempsey) and get going, these days are short. Then back just in time for one pass to see if we could scare away deer, foxes, skunk, seagulls, dogs. Again I parked outside and 500 feet from the fire pit. And for the third night my friend the Prof and I had a nice campfire. A very early night as he had to leave and teach in the AM and what if there was fog....
Monday morning.... for some reason I awoke at six and couldn't go back to sleep.... so I made coffee and slugged around and watched the Prof go about his Profy, Profy day. He checked wx, skyped his GF in Norway, ate breakfast, the fog slowly lifted. He launched about nine and I was on my golfcart out by the runway saying goodbye on my Icom on 122.9. He flew out of sight in the sun and the mist.
I figured I would go back to bed. But the golfcart took me along the treeline to some brush I had been clearing. I started picking up limbs and twigs. I took off my jacket. It was almost 50 degrees already in the sun. I still had on my moccasins. I put on my work gloves. Did you ever go to a fire that burned all night and try to get it going from the coals with twigs just for the hell of it?
GAI :::::+:::::
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Ya Can't Do It All
This summer really got screwed up as far as fly-ins go. First of all, I cancelled my own fly-in due to events beyond my control. That knocked the wind out of my sails in many more ways than one. We also had a drought and heat wave. And I had family obligations. The Luscombe was supposed to go somewhere every single weekend but it did not. I did get to Greenwood twice. And got up to Sentimental Journey in the CherOHkee for a day trip. And to Horn Point and to Kentmoor in the Luscombe. And just last Saturday, Spring Hill. Which was lovely, but weather threatened away many planes from there and from the Wings and Wheels at Cambridge. The Luscombe and I snuck in and it was great. The food. The folks. Antique tractors. A live music trio. The incredible 310 prize winning Songbird. Thank you JB for your kind and talented hospitality.
Now this Saturday is three days away. I am going to Essex Skypark. It is a wonderful Big/Little Wings and Wheels. It's the best. And I had to choose. Because the same day, this Saturday has: (1.) Bethal ,Pa. which is a wonderful old timey show and fly-in. (2.) Ocean City, Nj. Air Fest. (3.) Wellsville, Pa. the big Aeronca fly-in, and (4) Martinsburg, Wv. the Air Show. I guess one just can't do it all. And Friday night, before this big Saturday, I'm taking my VW to Denton. A town near me. For another small town "cars in the park". If that's not enough, on Saturday night after Essex, I'm driving 2.5 hours to a venue on the Western Shore to see a wonderful retro rock folk country band where people are. Who know me, and some even maybe like me. I don't know if I will have the stamina to do Saturday. But at least I'll do the flying first when I am fresh. And awake.
All of this after spending six weeks of the "dog daze" doing absolutely nothing. Except maybe feeling sorry for myself. And throwing a few friends off the bus because they exhibit the same human frailties that I do.
Somehow I didn't have strength for them. And for myself. In all of that I remained thankful. Grateful. For my troubles are nothing. Lots of folks would love to have my "troubles".
When it cooled off I started eating better and moving around. That gave me the energy to care. I'm going to sell or give away a few projects. I'm going to clean up the hangar. Have a few campfires. And a big bonfire.
Look for me this fall. I'll be in jeans that are coated with grass clippings. I'll be in a black Luscombe, or a blue Beetle. And I don't know this for sure, but I expect I'll be smiling.
GAI :::::+:::::
Now this Saturday is three days away. I am going to Essex Skypark. It is a wonderful Big/Little Wings and Wheels. It's the best. And I had to choose. Because the same day, this Saturday has: (1.) Bethal ,Pa. which is a wonderful old timey show and fly-in. (2.) Ocean City, Nj. Air Fest. (3.) Wellsville, Pa. the big Aeronca fly-in, and (4) Martinsburg, Wv. the Air Show. I guess one just can't do it all. And Friday night, before this big Saturday, I'm taking my VW to Denton. A town near me. For another small town "cars in the park". If that's not enough, on Saturday night after Essex, I'm driving 2.5 hours to a venue on the Western Shore to see a wonderful retro rock folk country band where people are. Who know me, and some even maybe like me. I don't know if I will have the stamina to do Saturday. But at least I'll do the flying first when I am fresh. And awake.
All of this after spending six weeks of the "dog daze" doing absolutely nothing. Except maybe feeling sorry for myself. And throwing a few friends off the bus because they exhibit the same human frailties that I do.
Somehow I didn't have strength for them. And for myself. In all of that I remained thankful. Grateful. For my troubles are nothing. Lots of folks would love to have my "troubles".
When it cooled off I started eating better and moving around. That gave me the energy to care. I'm going to sell or give away a few projects. I'm going to clean up the hangar. Have a few campfires. And a big bonfire.
Look for me this fall. I'll be in jeans that are coated with grass clippings. I'll be in a black Luscombe, or a blue Beetle. And I don't know this for sure, but I expect I'll be smiling.
GAI :::::+:::::
Saturday, June 30, 2012
It's a Tough Call
I think I want to make a point about health care. Maybe not a point. Maybe just a hypothetical question. Perhaps not about health care , but the more general question of a society taking care of it's own. Or man's humanity to man. Or inhumanity. Bear with me, it may be a while before I get to the point. "Really Lloyd?" "What a surprise".
I have been getting some annoying calls on my cell phone. From numbers unrecognized by my contact list. You all know exactly what I mean. Of course I do not answer calls from unexpected numbers. If you answer and it is a nasty, toxic, telemarketing scheme, it can lead to more annoying calls. Or something even worse. It could be that you will find yourself the victim of a clever criminal computer scheme that winds up charging calls to your phone and the calls show up on your providers bill and the money gets routed from your provider to the criminal hacker. And it can lead to idenity theft. Because the more you fight it, the more the criminal finds out about you.
So what happens is: I don't answer these unidentified calls. Sometimes it is a legitimate call and a voice message is left for me. Fine and good. I simply label a new contact.
But if no voice message is left, and the call is repeated: of course I still never answer. But I type the number into Google. I almost always find out enough info on the number to know it is toxic. For free. Then I label that number in my contacts with the name "do not answer". The calls keep coming maybe once or twice a day, but it doesn't frustrate me quite as much because I know what it is. Immediately. And I feel as if I have some control. After a few days, or weeks, that number will give up and try someone else. It's still a pain, but not that bad. Then another toxic number will start calling and the process starts over. When I have two toxic numbers calling during the same week, that is indeed unfortunate.
I am no closer to getting to my point about health care and humanity. But let me forge on.
Lately I have been getting an even nastier type of calls. The sender has to be a devious, sadistic, son of a witch. The calls come up without a number and have the word "unavailable". I don't answer and there is no voice message left. What possible reason could the sender have except viral harrassment? Is this a young hacker who has outgrown ripping the wings off flies? So today I called my cell phone provider. I won't mention their name, but their initials are Verizon Wireless. The technology in the way they fielded my call was pretty amazing. I was put on hold after a long and arduous voice response conversation with a computer. The "on hold" part was a series of short and not so short infomercials. This went on and on. New phones. Minutes deals. Upgrades. Features. Sales. I pads. Smart phones. Video tablets. I listened to a hundred of these and they never started to repeat. I put the phone on speaker and moved it away from me far enough to stop the torture, but close enough to hear in the remote case that a human would come on the line. Finally someone did and they didn't sound like they were in India. The young lady was very nice and listened patiently for my geezer rant about the harrassing "unavailable" calls. One possible solution, she said, was changing my phone number. They would do this for free. How nice. I didn't do that because: 1. nobody would have my number 2. the bad guys could start doing the same thing to my new number! Next was "Call User Contol". With this system the phone rejects any call that is not 10 digets. So the word "Unavailable" trying to come in would be a rejection that the receiver never knows about. This costs five dollars a month. And does nothing to help about those telemarketing calls which do show a phone number, toxic as they are. I tell her to sign me up. She tells me according to her records I am due for an upgrade and she gives me a pitch I think she is reading from a script. I tell her no thanks. Even though my phone charges up and discharges way too fast: meaning battery is dying. And now and again when I hit the 5 key it feels too stiff and puts up 3 numbers on the screen in a blink. That malfunction would be a deal breaker, but the problem goes away after I fret for eight minutes.
Again, I'm no closer to the point about health care. I better get to the point or I will forget what it is.
I started thinking about my nice new Verizon service which fights off one kind of phone virus. I told my wife about it and I heard myself say something like "you know it really isn't fair that I have to pay 5 bucks a month because my phone has a germ attack and Joe Blow my neighbor has been lucky about computer calls and he doesn't have to pay 5 bucks a month." Then I stopped talking and started thinking. I would not wish these toxic calls on Joe Blow or anyone. But Joe Blow might start getting them tomorrow. I think if Verizon can stop it for me, they should stop it for everyone as part of their service.
Bing. My point. Maybe if every Verizon customer paid a penny a month we could all have the insurance against this type of call. It just comes with the phone. It's part of the phone like having a ringer. You have to have it. You can't opt out and not pay the penny a month. Everyone wants it and they don't want to even have to think about it. It's a no brainer. Once it's in the system it probably won't cost Verizon a thing. It will be a done deal. It will have the power of every single customer quietly enjoying the protection of the service.
My point Part 2. I was unlucky about getting toxic calls. Joe Blow was lucky. I've been lucky to be somewhat healthy all my life along with my wife and son. Some problems of course. I don't want to be without health coverage. There's more. I don't want any family in my country (or on the planet) to not have health care available to them. I don't want any child to not be insurable. Or have any family become bankrupt due to health expences. ANY FAMILY. ANYONE. Rich or poor. Paid up premeums or not. Black or White. Gay or not. Christian or not. Pre existing condition or not.
I'm not making a pitch for Obama care. I don't care what politician gets credit for it. This is a simple thing. First we make sure no one goes hungry in the United States. Then we make sure everyone gets the medical care and treatment they need. Period. This takes priority over having wars against countries we don't like. And wars to protect oil we think we need so some of us can get richer. I don't know a damn thing about Obama care. And I know you don't know much about it either. I don't care if they keep Obamacare or get rid of it. The Genie is out of the bottle now. If Romney wins, he won't be able to just say that our new health care system, under him, will be no Obama care. The lack of something is not something.
Yesterday my brother told me he is glad the Supreme Court upheld the Constitutionality of Obama care. He said he likes the provision that no lawyer can ever, under the system, deny someone a treatment because the lawyer has an expert witness that can say the treatment might not work, the patient might die anyway, etc. And no insurance company can put a top on the expenses that have been spent on a patient, so they get no more treatment under insurance because of the top out.
Again, I'm not selling Obama care or Obama. I don't like that Obama rammed this program thru congress in the middle of the night. But myself. I'm glad the Supreme Court upheld it too. My son is turning 24. So now we have two more years of him on our insurance. If the vote went the other way, he's on his own.
I know lots of people that really hate Obama. Hey, politics is politics. Just like religion. I'll say it again. I want EVERYONE in our country to have health insurance. And I want EVERYONE to chip in and pay for it. Whether they need it or want it or not. Just like highways and schools. It's more important than highways and schools.
46% of us like Obama. 46% of us hate his guts. So come November the 8% will decide. And Obama and Romney and every Senator and Congressman and Governor and Commisioner and Alderman and Sheriff and Dog Catcher will be kissing the behind of that 8% and promising the moon and their first born child to that 8% and spending more money than has ever been spent on an election in the history of the world on courting that 8%. It won't matter who wins. Again the Genie is out of the bottle. The system has been about money for a long time. But now the system is about and controlled by money. It won't matter who wins. The rot is too far gone. It won't matter who wins. We will still have to have a universal health care system. We already have it. We never called it universal. After all we're not socialists! But the Supreme Court has decided it's OK to have a universal system within our Democratic Republic.
I have to admit, this election is entertaining. Our country is literally "on hold". I do miss the reality show comedy of the Republican Primary. Sarah for President!
I contacted my congressman, Andrew P. Harris.
I got a message back. "Unavailable"
LLITTY ::::+::::
I have been getting some annoying calls on my cell phone. From numbers unrecognized by my contact list. You all know exactly what I mean. Of course I do not answer calls from unexpected numbers. If you answer and it is a nasty, toxic, telemarketing scheme, it can lead to more annoying calls. Or something even worse. It could be that you will find yourself the victim of a clever criminal computer scheme that winds up charging calls to your phone and the calls show up on your providers bill and the money gets routed from your provider to the criminal hacker. And it can lead to idenity theft. Because the more you fight it, the more the criminal finds out about you.
So what happens is: I don't answer these unidentified calls. Sometimes it is a legitimate call and a voice message is left for me. Fine and good. I simply label a new contact.
But if no voice message is left, and the call is repeated: of course I still never answer. But I type the number into Google. I almost always find out enough info on the number to know it is toxic. For free. Then I label that number in my contacts with the name "do not answer". The calls keep coming maybe once or twice a day, but it doesn't frustrate me quite as much because I know what it is. Immediately. And I feel as if I have some control. After a few days, or weeks, that number will give up and try someone else. It's still a pain, but not that bad. Then another toxic number will start calling and the process starts over. When I have two toxic numbers calling during the same week, that is indeed unfortunate.
I am no closer to getting to my point about health care and humanity. But let me forge on.
Lately I have been getting an even nastier type of calls. The sender has to be a devious, sadistic, son of a witch. The calls come up without a number and have the word "unavailable". I don't answer and there is no voice message left. What possible reason could the sender have except viral harrassment? Is this a young hacker who has outgrown ripping the wings off flies? So today I called my cell phone provider. I won't mention their name, but their initials are Verizon Wireless. The technology in the way they fielded my call was pretty amazing. I was put on hold after a long and arduous voice response conversation with a computer. The "on hold" part was a series of short and not so short infomercials. This went on and on. New phones. Minutes deals. Upgrades. Features. Sales. I pads. Smart phones. Video tablets. I listened to a hundred of these and they never started to repeat. I put the phone on speaker and moved it away from me far enough to stop the torture, but close enough to hear in the remote case that a human would come on the line. Finally someone did and they didn't sound like they were in India. The young lady was very nice and listened patiently for my geezer rant about the harrassing "unavailable" calls. One possible solution, she said, was changing my phone number. They would do this for free. How nice. I didn't do that because: 1. nobody would have my number 2. the bad guys could start doing the same thing to my new number! Next was "Call User Contol". With this system the phone rejects any call that is not 10 digets. So the word "Unavailable" trying to come in would be a rejection that the receiver never knows about. This costs five dollars a month. And does nothing to help about those telemarketing calls which do show a phone number, toxic as they are. I tell her to sign me up. She tells me according to her records I am due for an upgrade and she gives me a pitch I think she is reading from a script. I tell her no thanks. Even though my phone charges up and discharges way too fast: meaning battery is dying. And now and again when I hit the 5 key it feels too stiff and puts up 3 numbers on the screen in a blink. That malfunction would be a deal breaker, but the problem goes away after I fret for eight minutes.
Again, I'm no closer to the point about health care. I better get to the point or I will forget what it is.
I started thinking about my nice new Verizon service which fights off one kind of phone virus. I told my wife about it and I heard myself say something like "you know it really isn't fair that I have to pay 5 bucks a month because my phone has a germ attack and Joe Blow my neighbor has been lucky about computer calls and he doesn't have to pay 5 bucks a month." Then I stopped talking and started thinking. I would not wish these toxic calls on Joe Blow or anyone. But Joe Blow might start getting them tomorrow. I think if Verizon can stop it for me, they should stop it for everyone as part of their service.
Bing. My point. Maybe if every Verizon customer paid a penny a month we could all have the insurance against this type of call. It just comes with the phone. It's part of the phone like having a ringer. You have to have it. You can't opt out and not pay the penny a month. Everyone wants it and they don't want to even have to think about it. It's a no brainer. Once it's in the system it probably won't cost Verizon a thing. It will be a done deal. It will have the power of every single customer quietly enjoying the protection of the service.
My point Part 2. I was unlucky about getting toxic calls. Joe Blow was lucky. I've been lucky to be somewhat healthy all my life along with my wife and son. Some problems of course. I don't want to be without health coverage. There's more. I don't want any family in my country (or on the planet) to not have health care available to them. I don't want any child to not be insurable. Or have any family become bankrupt due to health expences. ANY FAMILY. ANYONE. Rich or poor. Paid up premeums or not. Black or White. Gay or not. Christian or not. Pre existing condition or not.
I'm not making a pitch for Obama care. I don't care what politician gets credit for it. This is a simple thing. First we make sure no one goes hungry in the United States. Then we make sure everyone gets the medical care and treatment they need. Period. This takes priority over having wars against countries we don't like. And wars to protect oil we think we need so some of us can get richer. I don't know a damn thing about Obama care. And I know you don't know much about it either. I don't care if they keep Obamacare or get rid of it. The Genie is out of the bottle now. If Romney wins, he won't be able to just say that our new health care system, under him, will be no Obama care. The lack of something is not something.
Yesterday my brother told me he is glad the Supreme Court upheld the Constitutionality of Obama care. He said he likes the provision that no lawyer can ever, under the system, deny someone a treatment because the lawyer has an expert witness that can say the treatment might not work, the patient might die anyway, etc. And no insurance company can put a top on the expenses that have been spent on a patient, so they get no more treatment under insurance because of the top out.
Again, I'm not selling Obama care or Obama. I don't like that Obama rammed this program thru congress in the middle of the night. But myself. I'm glad the Supreme Court upheld it too. My son is turning 24. So now we have two more years of him on our insurance. If the vote went the other way, he's on his own.
I know lots of people that really hate Obama. Hey, politics is politics. Just like religion. I'll say it again. I want EVERYONE in our country to have health insurance. And I want EVERYONE to chip in and pay for it. Whether they need it or want it or not. Just like highways and schools. It's more important than highways and schools.
46% of us like Obama. 46% of us hate his guts. So come November the 8% will decide. And Obama and Romney and every Senator and Congressman and Governor and Commisioner and Alderman and Sheriff and Dog Catcher will be kissing the behind of that 8% and promising the moon and their first born child to that 8% and spending more money than has ever been spent on an election in the history of the world on courting that 8%. It won't matter who wins. Again the Genie is out of the bottle. The system has been about money for a long time. But now the system is about and controlled by money. It won't matter who wins. The rot is too far gone. It won't matter who wins. We will still have to have a universal health care system. We already have it. We never called it universal. After all we're not socialists! But the Supreme Court has decided it's OK to have a universal system within our Democratic Republic.
I have to admit, this election is entertaining. Our country is literally "on hold". I do miss the reality show comedy of the Republican Primary. Sarah for President!
I contacted my congressman, Andrew P. Harris.
I got a message back. "Unavailable"
LLITTY ::::+::::
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Luscombe Part 2
Today promised to be fair weather, and cooler. Just eighty degrees and white puffy clouds. At 8 AM I smelled the decaf brewing and looked out my bathroom window. Weather as predicted. I was supposed to be hustling to get the Luscombe rolled and pre flighted, then take a shower and go. But I found myself having a few cups of that decaf and sitting and chatting with wife. We talked about my interesting friends and her interesting family. And we talked about the heat wave and today's sea change which gave us puffy clouds and 78 degrees. I got the plane ready first. Then took the shower.
The Luscombe is harder to ramp up and launch than the CherOHkee. The Luscombe is easier to ramp up and launch than the CherOHkee. I guess I could write a post about what that means.
That reminds me of one of my first blog posts. When I asked the question "what airplane is the easiest to fly?" Answer: The airplane you fly every day.
The fly-in I was headed for this morning was only maybe 28 nm away. Over by Salisbury. As I taxied out I looked at some new turf I had seeded. I knew I had planted it too late in the season. I looked at the ten acres of melons my farmer had put in. And all of the irrigation equipment involved. And my runway was tan, brown and red instead of green. The heat wave had scorched it. And I thought of the fly-ins I had been to recently. Horn Point. Kentmorr. Sugar Hill and now Art's. All within 30 nm. of my place. I had the brief thought that I could go to a car show or fly-in every single weekend from now through September if I wanted to. I even know a few dates in October. Hey, I said. I'm taxiing the Luscombe and not thinking about it. That's good. I must be getting comfortable in the airplane. But taxiing is what we called in the airlines a "Sterile" activity. No talking. What about talking to myself?.. Pay attention Lloyd. There's always something you need to be doing in an airplane. Where's the wind. Will there be deer or foxes on the runway. Engine instruments. Nice to be getting comfortable finally in this little taildragger. I just have to be careful because I'm naturally lazy.
I chugged along at 2500 feet. I had my window open and my elbow outside as in a car. I was neither hot nor cold. The viz was sweet after our huge entire east coast cold front. No GPS, VOR, or radar vectors. I am lost on a 28 mile trip. But how can I be lost. There's Vienna. I know it well. Oh and there's Sharptown. Hey I've gotta stay away from Laurel Deleware. They skydive there. And I can't get near Salisbury. A Control Tower. In a cardboard box on the empty right seat there is my Garman 196 portable GPS. And an ICOM portable tranceiver. I just don't feel like turning them on. There's highway 13. The road that bisects the Delmarva Peninsula. And there is Delmar. A town half in Deleware and half in Maryland. I'll follow that road east out of Delmar toward the beach. Yes, there is the Ocean City skyline. But where the heck is Art's? I'm lost. I can't be lost because there is the town of Pittsville. I look straight down. There is the Fly-in. "Airstreams and Airplanes". I see the gaggle of big, shiny trailers. I circle in a dreamy, I'm not ready to land yet, way. I'm the first plane there. I get parked and I watch the next two airplanes land. My friend Dempsey greets me and I ask if there is coffee. He says no but he can get some. I asked what he meant by that. He pointed at the dozen or so beautiful Airstreams and said: "There's thirteen kitchens".
Gen. Av. Informal ::::+::::
The Luscombe is harder to ramp up and launch than the CherOHkee. The Luscombe is easier to ramp up and launch than the CherOHkee. I guess I could write a post about what that means.
That reminds me of one of my first blog posts. When I asked the question "what airplane is the easiest to fly?" Answer: The airplane you fly every day.
The fly-in I was headed for this morning was only maybe 28 nm away. Over by Salisbury. As I taxied out I looked at some new turf I had seeded. I knew I had planted it too late in the season. I looked at the ten acres of melons my farmer had put in. And all of the irrigation equipment involved. And my runway was tan, brown and red instead of green. The heat wave had scorched it. And I thought of the fly-ins I had been to recently. Horn Point. Kentmorr. Sugar Hill and now Art's. All within 30 nm. of my place. I had the brief thought that I could go to a car show or fly-in every single weekend from now through September if I wanted to. I even know a few dates in October. Hey, I said. I'm taxiing the Luscombe and not thinking about it. That's good. I must be getting comfortable in the airplane. But taxiing is what we called in the airlines a "Sterile" activity. No talking. What about talking to myself?.. Pay attention Lloyd. There's always something you need to be doing in an airplane. Where's the wind. Will there be deer or foxes on the runway. Engine instruments. Nice to be getting comfortable finally in this little taildragger. I just have to be careful because I'm naturally lazy.
I chugged along at 2500 feet. I had my window open and my elbow outside as in a car. I was neither hot nor cold. The viz was sweet after our huge entire east coast cold front. No GPS, VOR, or radar vectors. I am lost on a 28 mile trip. But how can I be lost. There's Vienna. I know it well. Oh and there's Sharptown. Hey I've gotta stay away from Laurel Deleware. They skydive there. And I can't get near Salisbury. A Control Tower. In a cardboard box on the empty right seat there is my Garman 196 portable GPS. And an ICOM portable tranceiver. I just don't feel like turning them on. There's highway 13. The road that bisects the Delmarva Peninsula. And there is Delmar. A town half in Deleware and half in Maryland. I'll follow that road east out of Delmar toward the beach. Yes, there is the Ocean City skyline. But where the heck is Art's? I'm lost. I can't be lost because there is the town of Pittsville. I look straight down. There is the Fly-in. "Airstreams and Airplanes". I see the gaggle of big, shiny trailers. I circle in a dreamy, I'm not ready to land yet, way. I'm the first plane there. I get parked and I watch the next two airplanes land. My friend Dempsey greets me and I ask if there is coffee. He says no but he can get some. I asked what he meant by that. He pointed at the dozen or so beautiful Airstreams and said: "There's thirteen kitchens".
Gen. Av. Informal ::::+::::
Monday, May 28, 2012
The Luscombe
Just like the term "full circle" suggests. Here I am in the learning curve of relearning how to fly a taildragger. 44 years ago I first soloed a taildragger. It wasn't my "first solo". That was in a PA-28 nose wheel. So my first taildragger solo was a "checkout". Like one would get today. Except today one gets a taildragger endorsement in one's logbook to satisfy a regulation. Back when I first soloed that Champ when I was 18 yrs old, of course there was no endorsement required. In fact the taildragger was called a "conventional" gear airplane. Nose wheel was unconventional. I flew some other taildraggers way back then. When I was maybe twenty and in college at "Maryland". I checked out in a yellow Piper J-3. We all know that airplane. When I was a kid the words "Piper Cub" meant any small airplane. The guy who checked me out was Jeff Brinkerhoff. His dad George was a renowned pilot and barnstormer. I still remember that checkout. It was a balmy Spring day and we were bounced around and it seemed more kite-like than even the Champ. After a little airwork and 4 or 5 landings we were back on the ground. I knew I was rougher in this thing. You had to fly from the back seat, I didn't quite have the feel yet. But I was very happy when Brinkerhoff said he would like me to come back tomorrow and he would fly one pattern with me and if I was ok like my last landing today I would be signed off for solo in the cub at College Park. I came back the next day and flew with him again and he went around with me just like he said and got out and I took the plane for the rest of the hour and shot landings and tooled over the family house in Lanham. Little did I know, a few years later I would become an instructor at College Park and log 400 hours riding in the front seat of Brinkerhoff's J-3's teaching primary students how to fly. It was a huge honor to know and be friends with Brinkerhoff.
After that, I wasn't quite done with taildraggers. When I was about 25 I was working at Cumberland Airlines. I got my foot in the door there because they needed a primary instructor. Later, I got a job flying the US Mail for them. During that period I bought my first airplane. A Citabria. A 7-ECA. It was like the Champ I had flown. It was, in fact, the same airframe as the old Champ. But all dolled up by a new company called "Champion", then "American Champion". But my Citabria wasn't new. It was a bit worn. But to me it was wonderful and I could write a hundred blog posts of adventures and flights of fancy in the little 7ECA.
During one winter I guess it was 76/77 I wound up in Pittsburgh flying Air Mail and Emory Airfreight. It's too long a story to begin to tell here. What a winter. It became a huge stepping stone an my aviation career. I got 175 hours in a Beech 18T. This was a Hamilton conversion. twin beach with PT-6 turbines. Although it did not require a type rating, it was run by a two pilot crew and that was required by the contracts for mail and freight. (And you needed two guys to load the freight!) This was my first "Captain" job. This Beech was a taildragger. It was nicknamed a "Kerosene 18".
Ok. Just one more taildragger from the past. When I was 27 and 28 yrs. old I found myself flying DC-3's. I got about 400 hrs. SIC time. (Not sick time. I learned all about that at the Major Airlines) SIC second in command. Co-Pilot. Being a DC-3 copilot is an interesting job and you are too busy working to learn to be the Captain. But that's another story. I guess I got maybe 6 or 7 hundred hrs. Captain. So add in another 1100 hrs. tailwheel to my logbook.
So here I am today 30 years later I wanted to go light sport. Cheaper, no medical, simpler, back to the fun. So sell the Cher OH Key right? No I'm not ready to do that. But I wanted a light sport airplane. The hardest thing about getting what you want is figuring out what you want. I decided it had to be a 7AC Champ. It couldn't be a 7ECA, my favorite. Because it is too heavy to be a light sport. Oddly, like I said above, it is really the same airplane. I couldn't find a 7AC. They all need engine overhauls and recovering. Or they are all done like new and dolled up. Then they start at $47K if you can find one.
Usually airplanes find me. That's how I got my Citab. That's how I got my M10 Cadet. And that is how I got the Luscombe I just bought one month ago. A Lucombe for me, for my light sport plane. Luscombe was not even on my radar. I didn't think it was cool. I never paid much attention to them. I figured since I couldn't find a Champ, I'd just wind up with a J-3. They start at $40K. Anyway the Luscombe came to me from a friend who hated to get rid of it, but he had too many toys. Nice toys. Like a '56 Cessna 310 Songbird straight tail tuna tank gorgeous Oshkosh winner. So he never advertised the Luscombe. He offered it to me and I said yes. Now I own a taildragger, like my first plane. I am the "full circle pilot".
A few weeks ago another buddy who is immensely qualified gave me an hour's dual in the Luscombe. Then I started flying it solo. I'm learning to fly all over again. It has been a humbling experience. I used to be a real hotshot in taildraggers. I'll never even say that again. I could do a whole blog post about the details of the various techniques and problems that I have been working on since I started flying the Luscombe. Before I close, just let me give one example and suffice it to say I've been working at this! Every project is more difficult than you expect it to be. After getting in about 35 landings and maybe7or 8 hours in this thing, I finally got in my first "wheel landing". And I hopefully can perfect that as I go so that from now on all my crosswind landings can be wheel landings which makes it go better. Oh, and by the way I have loved every single minute of it. And the Luscombe is basically the same type of light sport classic plane as the J-3 or the Champ except it costs half as much, goes considerably faster, and is all metal.
I took it to the Horn Point fly in. And the Kentmorr fly in. And hopefully many more to come. My Cher OH kee is parked outdoors. And dirty. And not flown. And only gets attention from my nephew and his uncle. It probably thinks I don't love it anymore. But I love it very much. And I newly appreciate it's electric starter and it's nose wheel.
GAI ::::+::::
After that, I wasn't quite done with taildraggers. When I was about 25 I was working at Cumberland Airlines. I got my foot in the door there because they needed a primary instructor. Later, I got a job flying the US Mail for them. During that period I bought my first airplane. A Citabria. A 7-ECA. It was like the Champ I had flown. It was, in fact, the same airframe as the old Champ. But all dolled up by a new company called "Champion", then "American Champion". But my Citabria wasn't new. It was a bit worn. But to me it was wonderful and I could write a hundred blog posts of adventures and flights of fancy in the little 7ECA.
During one winter I guess it was 76/77 I wound up in Pittsburgh flying Air Mail and Emory Airfreight. It's too long a story to begin to tell here. What a winter. It became a huge stepping stone an my aviation career. I got 175 hours in a Beech 18T. This was a Hamilton conversion. twin beach with PT-6 turbines. Although it did not require a type rating, it was run by a two pilot crew and that was required by the contracts for mail and freight. (And you needed two guys to load the freight!) This was my first "Captain" job. This Beech was a taildragger. It was nicknamed a "Kerosene 18".
Ok. Just one more taildragger from the past. When I was 27 and 28 yrs. old I found myself flying DC-3's. I got about 400 hrs. SIC time. (Not sick time. I learned all about that at the Major Airlines) SIC second in command. Co-Pilot. Being a DC-3 copilot is an interesting job and you are too busy working to learn to be the Captain. But that's another story. I guess I got maybe 6 or 7 hundred hrs. Captain. So add in another 1100 hrs. tailwheel to my logbook.
So here I am today 30 years later I wanted to go light sport. Cheaper, no medical, simpler, back to the fun. So sell the Cher OH Key right? No I'm not ready to do that. But I wanted a light sport airplane. The hardest thing about getting what you want is figuring out what you want. I decided it had to be a 7AC Champ. It couldn't be a 7ECA, my favorite. Because it is too heavy to be a light sport. Oddly, like I said above, it is really the same airplane. I couldn't find a 7AC. They all need engine overhauls and recovering. Or they are all done like new and dolled up. Then they start at $47K if you can find one.
Usually airplanes find me. That's how I got my Citab. That's how I got my M10 Cadet. And that is how I got the Luscombe I just bought one month ago. A Lucombe for me, for my light sport plane. Luscombe was not even on my radar. I didn't think it was cool. I never paid much attention to them. I figured since I couldn't find a Champ, I'd just wind up with a J-3. They start at $40K. Anyway the Luscombe came to me from a friend who hated to get rid of it, but he had too many toys. Nice toys. Like a '56 Cessna 310 Songbird straight tail tuna tank gorgeous Oshkosh winner. So he never advertised the Luscombe. He offered it to me and I said yes. Now I own a taildragger, like my first plane. I am the "full circle pilot".
A few weeks ago another buddy who is immensely qualified gave me an hour's dual in the Luscombe. Then I started flying it solo. I'm learning to fly all over again. It has been a humbling experience. I used to be a real hotshot in taildraggers. I'll never even say that again. I could do a whole blog post about the details of the various techniques and problems that I have been working on since I started flying the Luscombe. Before I close, just let me give one example and suffice it to say I've been working at this! Every project is more difficult than you expect it to be. After getting in about 35 landings and maybe7or 8 hours in this thing, I finally got in my first "wheel landing". And I hopefully can perfect that as I go so that from now on all my crosswind landings can be wheel landings which makes it go better. Oh, and by the way I have loved every single minute of it. And the Luscombe is basically the same type of light sport classic plane as the J-3 or the Champ except it costs half as much, goes considerably faster, and is all metal.
I took it to the Horn Point fly in. And the Kentmorr fly in. And hopefully many more to come. My Cher OH kee is parked outdoors. And dirty. And not flown. And only gets attention from my nephew and his uncle. It probably thinks I don't love it anymore. But I love it very much. And I newly appreciate it's electric starter and it's nose wheel.
GAI ::::+::::
Thursday, September 29, 2011
More Third Class Blues
I was so excited when I got the word about the AOPA and EAA working together to get rid of the toxic FAA third class medical. It sounded so reasonable. Now I'm a bit worried about the commenters in our ranks. I saw a lot of negative comments about the proposal. And the proposal hasn't even been written yet. The negative commenters all say the same thing. They don't want any limitations put on the new "3rd class medical free" pilots. They don't want the third class to go away in a "light sport" kind of way. They want the new rules to allow the recreational pilot to fly at night, on instruments, in planes up to 6000 lbs. With as many passengers as the plane can hold. Any horsepower etc.
This group of commenters are basically in line with the petition that was written a year or so ago, that suggests that the third class is useless and we ought to get rid of it. The petition mentions the 6000 lbs.
The problem with this approach is two fold. First, it asks for too much and the FAA will not agree to it. Second, it doesn't take advantage of the "foot in the door" that the light sport rules present. If it weren't for light sport, there would be no flying at all without the medical. (except gliders, ultra light etc). We all know that the 1320 lb. restriction is hopelessly ridiculous. But it at least got rid of the 3rd class on some level. It won general aviation something it needed for a long time. I am gratefull for it. I'll get a classic light sport myself in order to keep flying.
I think we full circle pilots and basic general aviation pilots ought to get behind this AOPA/EAA proposal. If it is done with the restrictions, ala light sport, it will likely pass. And a whole bunch of guys will be all set with a whole bunch of nice airplanes.
Lets get this done in a way that the FAA can tolerate. The AOPA and EAA lawyers will know just how far to push it and get it passed.
After this gets passed, we can always ask for more.
I'm surprised we have light sport. And gratefull. Let's let our experts sell this next step to the FAA. It's got a good chance. Let's not blow it just so a very few of us can fly at night and IFR.
I'm 62 years old and have 24,000 hours. Now I want to fly for fun. Keeping IFR recency, and charts, and airplane equipment, up for filing IFR is work. Not fun. And single engine at night: On a pretty night, I admit it's fun, but I can live without it. I wouldn't do much of it anyway, for obvious reasons. The same reasons that I don't want to fly single engine IFR.
I'd rather have these planned proposal limitations to drop the 3rd class, then no new deal at all. We'll set this deal back, or kill it, if we shoot for the moon.
Goodbye 1320 lbs. I sure hope so.
GAI :::::+:::::
A Ray of Hope in Third Class Blues
Out of the AOPA Summit in Hartford just today, just now, came a big announcement. An announcement that will hopefully be a lifestyle changer for me.
The AOPA in cooperation with the EAA (that in itself is a miracle!), is putting together a proposal to be submited to the FAA after the first of the year. The proposal would eliminate the FAA 3rd class medical. It would allow all licensed pilots to fly with a drivers license for recreational purposes in the way that "light sport" pilots now fly. There will be limitations on this medically self monitored recreational flying. The limitations will be decided in the coming months for the proposal. Examples of the limitations might be: 180hp or less, 4 seats or less, one passenger only, day/VFR. We will hear a whole lot about this in the coming year.
The difference for me in having a new, rational, medical situation for recreational flying means I would keep and fly my little Cherokee which I am familiar with. And I would not have to get a light sport aircraft: which I do not want anyway, and which I would not be as safe in, and which I would likely have to hand prop, and which would require some difficulty and expense to set up with radios that I would be comfortable in using in the SFRA and other situations.
The EU and the manufaturers of new $120K light sport aircraft are not going to like this no 3rd class idea. Pilots will not be forced to buy their airplanes anymore. I'm sorry if this hurts their business. But I want them to know that I would never buy a little tiny 800 pound airplane for $120K in any circumstance, medical or not. If I see the EU and the light sport manufacturers lobbying against this new proposal, I intend to lobby against them.
This new wave of energy to rid recreational flying of the cumbersome medical requirements, which were never needed in the first place, stands to be a huge boon and savior to American General Aviation. We need this. I need this. And I know I speak for many. Anyone who has a "special issuance" knows how absurd the 3rd class really is.
Okay my post on this is almost over. I got one more thing to say.
I have read remarks made against getting rid of the 3rd class. The remarks may be from people who have something to gain from the light sport manufacturing industry. But some remarks seemed to be from regular general aviation pilots who want their fellow pilots to "able" when they share the sky. These nay sayers need to back up their senseless fears with statistics or shut the hell up. Someone with a medical certificate of any class is just as likely to be incapacitated as someone who is self certifying. And one other thing nay sayer: if you like the third class so much then just go and get a second or first class as much as you want. By the way, you will find all three classes are almost exactly the same! But stay out of our fight to keep flying. We want to fly as long as we are healthy and we want to fly all our wonderful and safe airplanes in the aging fleet such as the Cessna 172. America has the majority of General Aviation aircraft. Our fleet is old and reliable. Our pilots are old and reliable. Let's fly.
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