2-19-04 flying pics

[GyroRon]

Here is one of the airport I fly out of.

you can see the pond my instructor flew my plane into next to the runway

[GyroRon]

The Hangars. We had a few people out flying this afternoon. It was nice up today!

[GyroRon]

Another hangar shot

[GyroRon]

On approach to runway 22

[GyroRon]

Golf course behind the airport

[GyroRon]

another view of the golf course

[GyroRon]

Instrument panel in cruise

[GyroRon]

Charlotte North Carolina skyline..... I know it ain't much

[Aussie_Paul]

Ron, is your airport very low or are you working on QFE?

Nice pics. Auswsie Paul.

[GyroRon]

What is QFE? I will guess your refering to my altimeter only showing 300 and change for altitude. I have a habit when flying ultralights to zero my altimeter before takeoff when flying locally. I had planned to go fly around to snap some pics of big houses and lakes and that kind of stuff, but decided to just do two trips around the pattern with the camera and then drop the camera off and go back up. The ultralight pattern at my place is at or below 500, so I guess I was flying a little low today! ;)

Probably can't tell what it is, but the instrument next to the gps is a G meter. I show 3 G's max during loops and around 2.5 during rolls, and about 2 in spins.

[ventana7]

Ron,

Nice Pics- Thanks.

Care to elaborate on how your instructor landed in the pond?

Rob

[Chuck Irby]

Ron,

I too have been curious about what happened re the accident.

Also, what's the latest re the insurance?

[GyroRon]

I wasn't there so I didn't see it. He was landing on 22, and the wind was from the north, strong cross wind. As he got the plane on the ground he was too fast and was floating and he lost directional control and started bouncing back and forth hard from the left wheel to the right wheel and then the tail started to come around and the plane started towards the pond and he gave it full throttle and tried to get airborne for another attempt. He was simply too slow adding power and not enough room to climb out. He hit a small tree on the edge on the pond and that hurt the left wing and then the plane swung around and buried the right wing in the mud and the plane dropped into the pond at full throttle which bent the prop.

Or the simpler explaination my instructor gave me..... " I just F__ked up! "


The insurance is paying for it to be fixed. I have a fellow up in Tenn working on it full time right now. The engine is torn down for inspection and I think we are going to overhaul it at this time while were at it. It will get a new right wing and the left wing rebuilt. Plus a ton of other stuff. I will be without my Pacer for roughly 6-8 weeks. But when I get it back It will be a better plane.

[Chuck Irby]

Ron,
That sounds really good re the repair work. I'm glad it seems to be working out well for you.

[Screw]

Great pics.

John-

[barnstorm2]

Fantastic Pictures. :D Please post some more if you have them!

[GyroRon]

I don't have any more till I take the camera up again. My camera is a VHS-C camcorder with a crappy built in digital camera, so it isn't handy to have in the cockpit on all flights. I would like to somehow take some movie footage with the camcorder part of some loops and rolls like in the sportcopter video and be able to post it so all could watch, but How to do all this is way beyond me.

[Steven_Kozned]

Ron:
Glad to hear insurance will cover your taildragger. I happen to be learning in one right now, a 1945 Aeronca 7AC Champ, so I feel for your instructor's comment.

About making a video, if you have a helmet, I'm sure you could duct tape it to that, and just look at what you think you want us to see.
Worked for the Sport Copter video, don't see why it wouldn't work for you!
Regards,
Steven

[GyroRon]

It is not a problem to secure the camera, the problem is how to take footage shot on my VHS-C format camera and somehow download it to my computer and be able to post in here like I do the pictures from the digital camera.

[Steven_Kozned]

Ron:
That's easy...if you have the right equipment...just buy a VHS-C adapter, plug the adapter into any VCR and use an analog to DV converter box, like the Dazzle, which has a FireWire interface to transfer the DV to a Mac or PC.

Rather than use your VHS-C camera, I would rent a DV camcorder for the weekend and directly import the footage using the Firewire interface to your PC. The quality difference is incomparable. Also, instead of a PC, it helps to have one of the newer Macs, which come from the factory already configured to do this sort of work.

Optionally, I could transfer the video clips to DVD. Using the DVD player in your PC, you could edit the clips into a killer movie.
Or I could do the whole thing for you, if you promise not to kill yourself trying for some spectacular videos.

Regards,
Steven

[Chuck Irby]

Wow Steven, I am really impressed. It sounds to me like you know all about that stuff. :) ;) There you go Ron!!! Now lets see those loops and rolls.

[GyroRon]

Steve I may take you up on that soon. I will look at how to attch my camera and then go up and do some flying then I will just mail you the tape and let you edit it and so on.

[ToddP]

Great pictures Ron. I'm glad to hear the news about your Pacer. It sounds like things are going to work out alright. Any gyro plans in the works?

[PW_Plack]

Steven,

An Aeronca Champ! I learned to fly in one of those, and was all set to take my checkride in a 1950 7EC, but another student wrecked it the weekend before my appointment.

Ron,

Jim Vanek's helmet-cam was one of those itty-bitty "lipstick" cameras feeding his Sony DV recorder. I'm not sure I'd tape the whole camcorder to your helmet...

[GyroRon]

Yes Todd the pacer is coming along, but now that the engine is apart for inspection the Oil pump has to be replaced along with the Cam shaft due to a AD on the pump and the cam being wore beyond limits. Insurance isn't going to pay for this stuff I don't think...... I am also thinking of going ahead and doing the cylinders too so it will be considered a full major overhaul.


Paul, I wouldn't tape it to my head! I would tape it to the framework behind my head under the wing somehow for the crazy stuff and then just hold it in my hand for the normal stuff. I will experiment some next time I get a chance to go out there.