- Joined
- Oct 30, 2003
- Messages
- 18,391
- Location
- Santa Maria, California
- Aircraft
- Givens Predator
- Total Flight Time
- 2600+ in rotorcraft
As I arrived at the airport the fog appeared white and was caressing the hills in a most sensuous way. Unfortunately it burned off before I could get into the air and take a picture.
I finished my preflight in a half hour and winds were at 350 at 11kts. This is right at my limit for cross winds.
Off I went and it was pretty windy, especially between the hangers. I nearly returned to the hanger. As I warmed up the oil I was directly across from a wind sock and the wind looked to be straight down 30. I called for a wind check and it was 300 at 11.
The air had that clean feel that happens after a rain. The parched hills took on a green mantel from two days of rain after a long dry spell.
I waited until I was out on the runway before I started my pre-rotation. My blades were moving around more than I am used to and there is a bump in the runway that I feared would start some unpleasantness if I was starting them spinning. They spun up nicely from the head wind and I was off in about 75 feet. It felt like an elevator as I rose above the tower before I arrived at the tower. I was at 500 feet above ground in less than half the runway. Twice the tower asked me to make my cross wind turn early for spacing.
I was leading with my rudder and making more elegant turns because of it. The helicopters were very busy today so they switched me to a left close pattern a couple of times to keep me away from them.
I made a touch and go and I thought I had over shot my spot. It felt like I went backward to hit it dead on. I suspect that this was an illusion. I departed straight out.
It looked clear, but the pictures look just as overcast as the last ones. There was a real bite in the air so I tried operating the camera with my gloves on. The wrist strap kept me from losing the camera.
I called from ten miles out and was told to enter a right downwind and report mid field. I repeated it and off I went, this meant that I was crossing the end of the runway 30. As I got near the flight corridor the tower warned me that I was too close. I reminded him that I was to enter a right base and he said “EXPERMENTAL 2 MIKE GOLF ENTER A LEFT DOWN WIND AND REPORT ABEAM THE TOWER”. I don’t feel that this was my error. I was cleared for the option on 30.
The strong head wind made for my best landings yet. I was not able to make a bad landing and most were really elegant. After a few touch and goes I stopped for gas and a personal preflight.
I was having so much fun working on my descending turns that I didn’t want to stop for lunch. I flew for an hour with 12 touch and goes. I practiced some go-arounds and I felt like I had total control of the aircraft. If a gust would move me I would just move back with power, rudder or stick. It was mostly a combination of all three. I find myself anticipating events and intuitively knowing what to do. I feel the event and just react to it. I am not spending a lot of time wondering what might put me back where I want to be.
I finally stopped for lunch at 1:00 and when I was finished winds were 300 degrees at 14 kts so I spent some time on maintenance and went to work. My desk is in chaos and my flying has defiantly exacerbated my poor work ethic. The people that work with me are being real nice about it, so far.
I will try to learn to shrink the pictures myself. They are really very similar to the other days.
I have to write up something about gyroplanes for the Santa Maria Times and that must take priority. I have a reporter coming out Thursday or Friday and I want her to be educated when she arrives. She promised me that she would read it. She covers the “airport beat” and saw the Predator landing and thought it was interesting. The airport manager has suggested that he might be nicer to me if I do a good job on this.
Thank you, Vance
I finished my preflight in a half hour and winds were at 350 at 11kts. This is right at my limit for cross winds.
Off I went and it was pretty windy, especially between the hangers. I nearly returned to the hanger. As I warmed up the oil I was directly across from a wind sock and the wind looked to be straight down 30. I called for a wind check and it was 300 at 11.
The air had that clean feel that happens after a rain. The parched hills took on a green mantel from two days of rain after a long dry spell.
I waited until I was out on the runway before I started my pre-rotation. My blades were moving around more than I am used to and there is a bump in the runway that I feared would start some unpleasantness if I was starting them spinning. They spun up nicely from the head wind and I was off in about 75 feet. It felt like an elevator as I rose above the tower before I arrived at the tower. I was at 500 feet above ground in less than half the runway. Twice the tower asked me to make my cross wind turn early for spacing.
I was leading with my rudder and making more elegant turns because of it. The helicopters were very busy today so they switched me to a left close pattern a couple of times to keep me away from them.
I made a touch and go and I thought I had over shot my spot. It felt like I went backward to hit it dead on. I suspect that this was an illusion. I departed straight out.
It looked clear, but the pictures look just as overcast as the last ones. There was a real bite in the air so I tried operating the camera with my gloves on. The wrist strap kept me from losing the camera.
I called from ten miles out and was told to enter a right downwind and report mid field. I repeated it and off I went, this meant that I was crossing the end of the runway 30. As I got near the flight corridor the tower warned me that I was too close. I reminded him that I was to enter a right base and he said “EXPERMENTAL 2 MIKE GOLF ENTER A LEFT DOWN WIND AND REPORT ABEAM THE TOWER”. I don’t feel that this was my error. I was cleared for the option on 30.
The strong head wind made for my best landings yet. I was not able to make a bad landing and most were really elegant. After a few touch and goes I stopped for gas and a personal preflight.
I was having so much fun working on my descending turns that I didn’t want to stop for lunch. I flew for an hour with 12 touch and goes. I practiced some go-arounds and I felt like I had total control of the aircraft. If a gust would move me I would just move back with power, rudder or stick. It was mostly a combination of all three. I find myself anticipating events and intuitively knowing what to do. I feel the event and just react to it. I am not spending a lot of time wondering what might put me back where I want to be.
I finally stopped for lunch at 1:00 and when I was finished winds were 300 degrees at 14 kts so I spent some time on maintenance and went to work. My desk is in chaos and my flying has defiantly exacerbated my poor work ethic. The people that work with me are being real nice about it, so far.
I will try to learn to shrink the pictures myself. They are really very similar to the other days.
I have to write up something about gyroplanes for the Santa Maria Times and that must take priority. I have a reporter coming out Thursday or Friday and I want her to be educated when she arrives. She promised me that she would read it. She covers the “airport beat” and saw the Predator landing and thought it was interesting. The airport manager has suggested that he might be nicer to me if I do a good job on this.
Thank you, Vance