- Joined
- Oct 30, 2003
- Messages
- 18,363
- Location
- Santa Maria, California
- Aircraft
- Givens Predator
- Total Flight Time
- 2600+ in rotorcraft
It rained all day Saturday and was stormy.
We got up early Sunday hoping to fly. I checked ATIS and the temperature and the dew point were the same. I didn’t know what this meant so I asked the forum and called my hanger mate John Ready. John felt it was a mistake and there were some good explanations on the forum. I called the next ATIS and there was a ten degree spread but the wind was up to 9kts at 290 degrees.
We drove down to the airport trying to imagine the best destination. There was some doings at Santa Paula so that seemed like the ticket. It felt like a warm summer day.
My small part of the doings at Santa Paula interrupted the pre-flight and then an 89 year old worker from the Santa Maria Museum of flight was going to carry an extending ladder from the hanger next door over to the Museum. I stopped to help him. After a few more interruptions we were ready.
As we started to roll the rotor seemed to wander around a little too much so we stopped to readjust my rotor brake and we were ready to go.
The wind was starting to come up and the new ATIS came out with the winds at 280 degrees at 13kts. We filled up with gas and called ground with my new abbreviated radio call. “Santa Maria Ground, Experimental Gyroplane 142 Mike Golf at Chevron, Romeo, taxi 30.”
Off we went and I showed Ed the magneto and carburetor check. She had not known what I was doing.
I asked for a left downwind departure to the south and it was approved and 30 was clear for takeoff.
It was warm enough for the takeoff to be leisurely. Once we had established climb out she climbed at 300 feet per minute.
It was bumpy as we headed toward the Lompoc Valley and we were running 75 miles per hour ground speed at 50 miles per hour indicated airspeed. We slipped over the first ridgeline and picked up some lift on the windward side and some sink on the lee side.
There were strange pockets of fog in some of the Valleys but it was generally clear. We slipped over a second ridgeline to a valley with a lot of orchards. We started over the next range of hills and the ride became a little too rocky. I could see the fog line over the ocean as the Predator shook her tail. We headed toward Santa Ynez.
Santa Ynez seemed particularly busy and some of the pilots sounded stressed. I felt we were a little underpowered to climb the 5,000 feet to clear the San Marcos Pass on a windy day. We decided to take the long way back to Santa Maria. We wandered from valley to valley as we worked our way slowly north. Sometimes we would follow the winding roads and sometimes we would shoot for a distant point. We overflew the funny private airstrip and some monster houses.
Ten miles to the east of the airport I took my deep breath to make my radio call. The tower was busy and I was nine miles out before I could get a word in. The winds had come up and were 270 at 22kts gusting to 28kts. I was told to make a straight in to 30 and report 3 miles. About 4 miles out I was told to make a left turn and follow the Piper, report in sight. I reported the piper in sight and I was number two. As I settled into to my 28 mile per approach they decided to take off a Brizillia that was holding short. I acknowledged the Brizilia and told Ed that this would be a little exciting. She thought I meant it would be fun.
There were three aircraft lined up on final behind us and one waiting to take off. I hit my spot but she didn’t really want to stop flying so I went around and let the tower know my intentions. He had us fly a left closed pattern and report mid field. Before I could report mid field we were number two behind the Bonanza. I reported the Bonanza in sight and I was cleared for 30 number two behind the Bonanza. We were even with the numbers as the Bonanza crossed the threshold. I cut the power 500 rpm and began my crosswind. Ed tapped me on the shoulder and pointed out another Bonanza on short final on a collision course. Just then the tower boomed “Experimental 2 Mike Golf turn right.” I was turning right before the words were out of his mouth. I was told to follow the Bonanza and that I had almost cut him off.
I asked for a wind check and it came back 260 at 22 gusting to 29. I told the tower that there would be a delay on the runway while I managed my rotor blades. He came back, “take your time; there is no one behind you.” I had some power in as she started to touch down. She touched down her left tire and then climbed back up about six inches. I played with the power and briefly hovered a few inches over the runway turning slowly anticlockwise. We touched down on both mains at a complete stop. I was now pointed directly into the wind holding my spot. Full forward with the rotor and at 100 rpm I turned off on the taxiway with the rotor tipped into the wind. I was told to taxi to parking and monitor ground .9. As soon as I could I turned into the wind until the blades came to a stop. The trouble I anticipated never arose.
As Ed filled her up I checked with her and she confirmed my understanding and sequence of the radio calls. They were both V tail Bonanzas. I don’t know how to do it better. The second one had last talked to the tower 5 miles out and easily could have been the first. I should have understood what was going on better, somehow I missed that there were two Bonanzas on a straight in for 30.
I didn’t have the shake I get when I scare myself and Ed had confidence in me. I loved how much less drama there was compared to earlier encounters with gusting winds.
Ed took over 300 pictures and here are 16 of them.
Thank you, Vance
We got up early Sunday hoping to fly. I checked ATIS and the temperature and the dew point were the same. I didn’t know what this meant so I asked the forum and called my hanger mate John Ready. John felt it was a mistake and there were some good explanations on the forum. I called the next ATIS and there was a ten degree spread but the wind was up to 9kts at 290 degrees.
We drove down to the airport trying to imagine the best destination. There was some doings at Santa Paula so that seemed like the ticket. It felt like a warm summer day.
My small part of the doings at Santa Paula interrupted the pre-flight and then an 89 year old worker from the Santa Maria Museum of flight was going to carry an extending ladder from the hanger next door over to the Museum. I stopped to help him. After a few more interruptions we were ready.
As we started to roll the rotor seemed to wander around a little too much so we stopped to readjust my rotor brake and we were ready to go.
The wind was starting to come up and the new ATIS came out with the winds at 280 degrees at 13kts. We filled up with gas and called ground with my new abbreviated radio call. “Santa Maria Ground, Experimental Gyroplane 142 Mike Golf at Chevron, Romeo, taxi 30.”
Off we went and I showed Ed the magneto and carburetor check. She had not known what I was doing.
I asked for a left downwind departure to the south and it was approved and 30 was clear for takeoff.
It was warm enough for the takeoff to be leisurely. Once we had established climb out she climbed at 300 feet per minute.
It was bumpy as we headed toward the Lompoc Valley and we were running 75 miles per hour ground speed at 50 miles per hour indicated airspeed. We slipped over the first ridgeline and picked up some lift on the windward side and some sink on the lee side.
There were strange pockets of fog in some of the Valleys but it was generally clear. We slipped over a second ridgeline to a valley with a lot of orchards. We started over the next range of hills and the ride became a little too rocky. I could see the fog line over the ocean as the Predator shook her tail. We headed toward Santa Ynez.
Santa Ynez seemed particularly busy and some of the pilots sounded stressed. I felt we were a little underpowered to climb the 5,000 feet to clear the San Marcos Pass on a windy day. We decided to take the long way back to Santa Maria. We wandered from valley to valley as we worked our way slowly north. Sometimes we would follow the winding roads and sometimes we would shoot for a distant point. We overflew the funny private airstrip and some monster houses.
Ten miles to the east of the airport I took my deep breath to make my radio call. The tower was busy and I was nine miles out before I could get a word in. The winds had come up and were 270 at 22kts gusting to 28kts. I was told to make a straight in to 30 and report 3 miles. About 4 miles out I was told to make a left turn and follow the Piper, report in sight. I reported the piper in sight and I was number two. As I settled into to my 28 mile per approach they decided to take off a Brizillia that was holding short. I acknowledged the Brizilia and told Ed that this would be a little exciting. She thought I meant it would be fun.
There were three aircraft lined up on final behind us and one waiting to take off. I hit my spot but she didn’t really want to stop flying so I went around and let the tower know my intentions. He had us fly a left closed pattern and report mid field. Before I could report mid field we were number two behind the Bonanza. I reported the Bonanza in sight and I was cleared for 30 number two behind the Bonanza. We were even with the numbers as the Bonanza crossed the threshold. I cut the power 500 rpm and began my crosswind. Ed tapped me on the shoulder and pointed out another Bonanza on short final on a collision course. Just then the tower boomed “Experimental 2 Mike Golf turn right.” I was turning right before the words were out of his mouth. I was told to follow the Bonanza and that I had almost cut him off.
I asked for a wind check and it came back 260 at 22 gusting to 29. I told the tower that there would be a delay on the runway while I managed my rotor blades. He came back, “take your time; there is no one behind you.” I had some power in as she started to touch down. She touched down her left tire and then climbed back up about six inches. I played with the power and briefly hovered a few inches over the runway turning slowly anticlockwise. We touched down on both mains at a complete stop. I was now pointed directly into the wind holding my spot. Full forward with the rotor and at 100 rpm I turned off on the taxiway with the rotor tipped into the wind. I was told to taxi to parking and monitor ground .9. As soon as I could I turned into the wind until the blades came to a stop. The trouble I anticipated never arose.
As Ed filled her up I checked with her and she confirmed my understanding and sequence of the radio calls. They were both V tail Bonanzas. I don’t know how to do it better. The second one had last talked to the tower 5 miles out and easily could have been the first. I should have understood what was going on better, somehow I missed that there were two Bonanzas on a straight in for 30.
I didn’t have the shake I get when I scare myself and Ed had confidence in me. I loved how much less drama there was compared to earlier encounters with gusting winds.
Ed took over 300 pictures and here are 16 of them.
Thank you, Vance
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