- Joined
- Oct 30, 2003
- Messages
- 18,374
- Location
- Santa Maria, California
- Aircraft
- Givens Predator
- Total Flight Time
- 2600+ in rotorcraft
Work, 33% chance of rain and working with the composite guy nearly cost me a flying day.
Winds were 280 at 15kts gusting to 22kts.
The repairs on the Predator went quickly and the preflight went well.
Lockheed Martin had an AIRMET for moderate turbulence and another for mountain obscuration. I double checked about precipitation and none was expected in my flight operating time frame.
Ed decided not to fly.
There was a haze in the air that reflected the afternoon sun and it was cool with a fresh bouquet of a recent shower.
Sunset was at 7:39 so when I took off at 5:00 I felt I had enough time to fly to San Luis Obispo, have supper at The Spirit of San Luis restaurant and wander home. Yes, I did set my GPS for daylight saving time. I try to learn from my mistakes.
I flapped the blades briefly in the gusting wind but with a little forward stick their good behavior was restored and we climbed out briskly making 41kts of ground speed down the runway at 60 kts indicated air speed. The Predator felt powerful and capable in the cool dense air.
The flight was surprisingly smooth as we wondered across the Santa Maria Valley at 75kts IAS making 58kts of ground speed. We were just keeping up with most of the cars on Highway 101 as we made our way to the water tower.
I listened to the San Luis Obispo ATIS and called the San Luis Obispo tower 12 miles south east at 1,500 feet requesting a straight in. They reminded me to stay south of the centerline and told me to report over the landfill. This is easy to find because it is where I begin to dodge curious seagulls.
There are some small hills that we traverse at an angle that usually cause some turbulence and have two rows of big power lines. It was even smooth over the hills. The indicated air speed was swinging through around 15kts but it did not seem to shake the Predator.
I heard “experimental gyroplane 142 Mike Golf, runway 29 clear to land!” before I had a chance to report the landfill. This is still more than 4 miles from the numbers and we were making less than 60kts over the ground.
A King Air reported in over Lake Lopez and he was advised of being number two behind the experimental gyroplane, slow moving. The voice sounded familiar but I couldn’t place it.
The landing was near vertical and gentle as could be because of the winds. I feel that landing into a good wind is more fun than still air.
As I was securing the Predator a fellow who had deplaned from the King Air had his papers spill out of his briefcase and I helped chase them down in the wind. “Thank you and I like your bird.” I recognized him without consciously recognizing him and remarked that I had done the same thing.
A sheriff had a close eye on me and I wondered what I had done wrong. We got to talking and he has seen the Predator fly over the baseball field where he practices many times and was excited to see her land. He said he has always been in love with gyroplanes. We made arrangements to go flying and I settled down to supper.
After the sheriff left the waitress proclaimed excitedly that the fellow in the King Air was a well known actor. He was probably glad that I didn’t consciously recognize him and treated him with the respect of a fellow pilot.
After supper I called the tower with the current ATIS for a taxi to runway 29. He was very friendly and I thanked him for it. I find a friendly tower adds to the joy of a flight and I told him so.
I asked ATC for a left downwind departure to the East South East and it was approved as requested.
The takeoff roll was short and the lift off almost vertical. The air was still surprisingly smooth and the Predator felt like she was ready to go. I waved good bye to whoever might be watching and soon we were at 1,500 over the hills at 100kts of ground speed. I headed straight for the water tower and listened to the SMX ATIS. At the water tower I called SMX ATC from ten miles to the North East descending through 1,300 feet. I was to make right traffic and report mid field. It is 22 nautical miles as the crow flies from SMX to SBP so the tower is a handy reporting point in either direction. It is usually 28 miles as the gyro flies.
The landing at SMX was nice enough to illicit a compliment from the tower and cause an involuntary giggle. I love to fly!
“Experimental Gyroplane 142 Mike Golf, continue to parking, monitor ground point niner.”
After an appropriate period of afterglow I filled her up and did an extensive post flight inspection, checking my recent repair and she is ready to go when the mist burns off today.
Thank you, Vance
Winds were 280 at 15kts gusting to 22kts.
The repairs on the Predator went quickly and the preflight went well.
Lockheed Martin had an AIRMET for moderate turbulence and another for mountain obscuration. I double checked about precipitation and none was expected in my flight operating time frame.
Ed decided not to fly.
There was a haze in the air that reflected the afternoon sun and it was cool with a fresh bouquet of a recent shower.
Sunset was at 7:39 so when I took off at 5:00 I felt I had enough time to fly to San Luis Obispo, have supper at The Spirit of San Luis restaurant and wander home. Yes, I did set my GPS for daylight saving time. I try to learn from my mistakes.
I flapped the blades briefly in the gusting wind but with a little forward stick their good behavior was restored and we climbed out briskly making 41kts of ground speed down the runway at 60 kts indicated air speed. The Predator felt powerful and capable in the cool dense air.
The flight was surprisingly smooth as we wondered across the Santa Maria Valley at 75kts IAS making 58kts of ground speed. We were just keeping up with most of the cars on Highway 101 as we made our way to the water tower.
I listened to the San Luis Obispo ATIS and called the San Luis Obispo tower 12 miles south east at 1,500 feet requesting a straight in. They reminded me to stay south of the centerline and told me to report over the landfill. This is easy to find because it is where I begin to dodge curious seagulls.
There are some small hills that we traverse at an angle that usually cause some turbulence and have two rows of big power lines. It was even smooth over the hills. The indicated air speed was swinging through around 15kts but it did not seem to shake the Predator.
I heard “experimental gyroplane 142 Mike Golf, runway 29 clear to land!” before I had a chance to report the landfill. This is still more than 4 miles from the numbers and we were making less than 60kts over the ground.
A King Air reported in over Lake Lopez and he was advised of being number two behind the experimental gyroplane, slow moving. The voice sounded familiar but I couldn’t place it.
The landing was near vertical and gentle as could be because of the winds. I feel that landing into a good wind is more fun than still air.
As I was securing the Predator a fellow who had deplaned from the King Air had his papers spill out of his briefcase and I helped chase them down in the wind. “Thank you and I like your bird.” I recognized him without consciously recognizing him and remarked that I had done the same thing.
A sheriff had a close eye on me and I wondered what I had done wrong. We got to talking and he has seen the Predator fly over the baseball field where he practices many times and was excited to see her land. He said he has always been in love with gyroplanes. We made arrangements to go flying and I settled down to supper.
After the sheriff left the waitress proclaimed excitedly that the fellow in the King Air was a well known actor. He was probably glad that I didn’t consciously recognize him and treated him with the respect of a fellow pilot.
After supper I called the tower with the current ATIS for a taxi to runway 29. He was very friendly and I thanked him for it. I find a friendly tower adds to the joy of a flight and I told him so.
I asked ATC for a left downwind departure to the East South East and it was approved as requested.
The takeoff roll was short and the lift off almost vertical. The air was still surprisingly smooth and the Predator felt like she was ready to go. I waved good bye to whoever might be watching and soon we were at 1,500 over the hills at 100kts of ground speed. I headed straight for the water tower and listened to the SMX ATIS. At the water tower I called SMX ATC from ten miles to the North East descending through 1,300 feet. I was to make right traffic and report mid field. It is 22 nautical miles as the crow flies from SMX to SBP so the tower is a handy reporting point in either direction. It is usually 28 miles as the gyro flies.
The landing at SMX was nice enough to illicit a compliment from the tower and cause an involuntary giggle. I love to fly!
“Experimental Gyroplane 142 Mike Golf, continue to parking, monitor ground point niner.”
After an appropriate period of afterglow I filled her up and did an extensive post flight inspection, checking my recent repair and she is ready to go when the mist burns off today.
Thank you, Vance
