More fun flying The Predator.

Looks like you have some nice driving and flying vehicles there Vance!

All-in - If reporting entering 45 to xx runway I normally will not state my altitude since it would be at pattern altitude, but this is at uncontrolled field.
 
Good call Vance. I have a friend who’s dad owned Woodland Aviation for many years. His saying was “The Pilot who flies into poor weather and dies is always buried on a beautiful day” in other words, it takes wisdom to pass on a flight you want to make.
 
John Ready was a friend of mine and one of my aviation mentors.

To his little sister he was a big brother and a Marine. She has a picture of her as a little sister with her big brother in uniform. I love that picture.

To his friends at the airport he few acrobatics in an Acro Sport 1 powered by a hand propped Lycoming O-290 and was the president of EAA chapter 499. He knew a great deal about the history of aviation.

He expected to live to 140 and worked to stay in shape.

His heart gave out and we all miss him.

His sister Mary from Florida was out in California for the second time trying to clean up the things John left behind.

I had a very busy couple of weeks and had only visited with her briefly at the hangar sale that was more of a we miss John fest.

I had finished up with a client at 5:00 and was working on the preflight for the next day.

I received a message on my Cell phone from Mary that she was headed home tomorrow morning.

I felt it was time to give her a ride in an open aircraft and show her where her brother John loved to fly.

Mary jumped at the chance despite the marine layer that was moving in on the Santa Maria Public Airport.

She called her husband in Florida and he was understandably a little nervous because he is a pilot and understands the nature of aircraft and knows of my handicaps.

I got her fitted with a helmet and gave her the required briefing reminding her that it was an experimental aircraft and did not meet the safety requirements of a standard category aircraft. I went through emergency procedures at length.

She would not take the controls.

As we taxied out the sky was still mostly blue and I asked for a straight out with a slight left to make a run up the beach.

As soon as we lifted off I could see that wasn’t going to work. There was a wall of fog over Guadalupe and things looked threatening over Nipomo so I asked for a right turn out to the North.

ATC came back with; “Experimental 142 Mike Golf continue straight ahead and I will call your crosswind.”

The challenge was there was fog straight ahead at our altitude about four miles ahead. I slowed to 30kts and waited for the clearance. North of the airport was nice and clear.

Over the river I did my little dance of steep turns, slow flight and a power off vertical descent.

I did a demonstration of “let’s see what is over the hill” and climbed to 2,200 feet and flew over the Twitchell reservoir and then over the dam and down a little valley covered with vineyards.

I looked over at the airport and I could see the fog rolling in so it was time to cut the flight a little short.

I explained how much John loved approaching SMX and took a picture to memorialize it.

A friend took a picture while Mary still had on her Gyro grin.

She said it was a great way to finish up the trip and it was a nice tribute to John who had helped me to become a flight instructor.

Her husband was pleased we had cheated death.
 

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The West Coast Cub Fly In has been held at the Lompoc Airport for thirty five years.

I try to make it every year despite not owning a Cub.

I peered out the window of our bedroom and the mountains were completely obscured by a heavy fog. I could not see the floor of the Santa Maria Valley looking to the South East.

I checked the weather and Santa Barbara and Lompoc were supposed to be overcast all day.

Ever the optimist I launched the M Roadster toward the Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX).

It was blue skies when I arrived at SMX at 9:00 and started working through my preflight list.

The Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) had the ceiling at Lompoc (LPC) at 600 feet overcast, well below VFR weather minimums and Vandenberg’s terminal aerodrome forecast (TAF) was expecting the weather to be Instrument Flight Conditions (IMC) all day.

I launched when the temperature/dew point spread was four degrees at SMX toward Santa Ynez (IZA) even though the ceiling was missing from the AWOS at IZA.

There was a light mist hanging in the air and it was nice all the way to IZA. I checked the AWOS at Lompoc and it was unimproved. I visited briefly with friends and headed down the river toward Lompoc just 20 miles away and I could see the fog just on the other side of the ridgeline.

As I approached Lompoc there was no sign of fog although there was a wall of fog covering Vandenberg.

It appeared from the radio calls that some were confused about what was a right upwind for runway 26 at Lompoc so I stayed well clear of the pattern.

The sky was littered with Yellow Piper Cubs, many with weak or no operating radio.

Lots of friends waved as I made my landing and found a nice place to park.

I love to see the passion displayed by so many who keep the Cubs alive.

I watched a pilot used rope to unstick his valve and was planning to fly back to Flabob in Riverside more than 160 miles over some heavily populated areas.

There was quite a collection of Cubs and the spot landing and flour bomb contests were a lot of fun.

As I was eating lunch a young man was operating a Cub pedal car that was being raffled off. It was a very nice piece of woodwork and he seemed to be quite taken with it going faster and faster and making wider and wider circles. The Pedals also drove the prop.

I was quite taken with this model T speedster that had apparently been a high school shop class project many years ago.

I also found the restored fire engine a treat.

The flight home was uneventful and delightful.
 

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Cubs are lots of fun to fly. I owned a J3 with 85hp engine and wooden prop for a few years then upgraded to a PA-11. The J3 only had a 12 gallon nose tank so had to plan fuel stops especially with headwinds. Have to fly the J3 solo from the back seat so visibility isn’t great while taxiing with nose high. Always flew the pattern assuming the engine would stop, and had that happen a couple of time after annual with mechanic adjusting the idle too low for the wooden prop.

PA-11 Cub was much faster and had 18 gallon fuel tank. Can fly solo from front. Neither had electrical system so had to use handheld radio. No attitude indicators. Both Cubs originally did not have shielded plugs and wires so the interference from spark made the radio transmission almost useless. I often flew into uncontrolled airports where the planes in the traffic pattern were complaining about the Cub not using the radio, but I could hear them just couldn’t transmit far until I had plugs replace and added shielded wires and external antenna. It’s not easy to get radio working in Cub, but I know all the tricks now. Same apply to gyros.

It’s not required to have a radio so planes need to look for traffic in the pattern... I always flew the pattern assuming and planes taxing up to take off would not look. also, the Cubs without electrical system do not require transponder so won’t have the ADS-B out for those that fly looking at instruments mostly...

Thanks for sharing Vance. Wish I could have gone to the Flyin!

Dave
 
More fun not flying The Predator.

A change of plans.

Plan A was to leave Santa Maria for the Popular Rotorcraft Convention in Mentone Indiana on Monday, July 29th.

I had some clients reschedule leaving the week open so the new plan is to leave Santa Maria Tuesday, July 23 and stop by Air Venture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin on the way to Mentone.

It is a long drive to Oshkosh (2,262 miles) and sometimes lodging can be difficult to find in Oshkosh during Air Venture. I have nothing reserved at this time. I am a little late for that.

I hope to roll into Oshkosh Thursday, July 25 and will probably stay through Monday before heading over to the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI on Monday evening.

I will head down to Mentone after a day at the museum ready to begin the convention some time Wednesday.

I highly recommend Air Venture for anyone interested in aviation or small business.

I will spend Monday at the EAA Aviation Museum that is a very special place for me.

I highly recommend the Henry Ford Museum as a wonderful historical adventure.

As a gyroplane enthusiast the Popular Rotorcraft Association convention at Mentone is an important event for me.

I look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones.
 
Vance - your driving? Wow. Long drive. Can you bring camping gear and camp there?
 
I am renting a Prius for around $46 per day.

She will go 500 miles on a tank and averages close to 50 miles per gallon.

I will have a sleeping bag and there is room for me to stretch out in the back.

I sometimes shower at truck stops.

I love driving across country and have driven in all 50 states.

A trip like this is always a great adventure for me.

It is a two day drive if I am in a hurry.

I prefer to be more relaxed.

I just turned 70 and much over a thousand miles a day wears me down.

When I road raced motorcycles we would drive straight through from Redwood City, CA to Daytona, Florida. It was typically two racers, two motorcycles and a mechanic. We had a sleeper and usually didn’t have money for motels.

Bonneville is about seven hundred fifty miles from Nipomo and I raced there for more than 30 years.

A drive like this allows me to relive my youthful adventures in an older sort of way.

I miss the adventures of my youth.

I love the adventures of today.

I prefer to travel with Ed; she has work to do so I will be solo.

I prefer to fly a gyroplane. At this time that is a little over my budget for time and money.

I am going to pick up the pace a little because there is a Thursday 8:00AM breakfast with the National Association of Flight instructors that I want to attend. I may leave after work on Monday.
 
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Im heading to Airventure also , I'll be there Thursday thru Saturday, hope to see you there. Anyone else going ? Maybe we can have a meet'n'greet .
 
Vance - My VW diesel gets 54mpg and has plenty of torque to get up the mountains. Prius will rev really high getting up mountains, but nice car for road trips. Is there places at Oshkosh to park car and camp in car? Maybe I will do the same if so.
 
I just turned 70 and much over a thousand miles a day wears me down.

Hmm, I drove around 1000 miles in one day a few times, when I was in the Army. That certainly wore ME down, and I was nowhere near 70!
 
Im heading to Airventure also , I'll be there Thursday thru Saturday, hope to see you there. Anyone else going ? Maybe we can have a meet'n'greet .
My cell number is (805)680-9523.
I have it turned off a lot when I am in a seminar.
 
Vance - My VW diesel gets 54mpg and has plenty of torque to get up the mountains. Prius will rev really high getting up mountains, but nice car for road trips. Is there places at Oshkosh to park car and camp in car? Maybe I will do the same if so.
I suspect the frown on people sleeping in their cars that don't pay camping fees.
I don't know this for a fact.
 
Hmm, I drove around 1000 miles in one day a few times, when I was in the Army. That certainly wore ME down, and I was nowhere near 70!
Thank you for your service.
I am probably driving faster than you did in the Army.
I find it difficult adjusting my mind to my older body.
My body allows me to do things I shouldn't and then punishes me the next day.
 
Vance - I would pay the fees. Just wanted to know if there was place to park cars for camping. Might as well sleep in car as I have a wagon, than sleep in a tent (since I don't have a tent). I found some camp sites looking at Oshkosh site. I'll give you a call too if make it out to Oshkosh. Thanks!
 
After I finished up with a primary student at the Santa Maria Airport Monday, July 22 I picked up a nearly new black Prius and headed off for AirVenture Monday afternoon, July 22.

It doesn’t matter how many times I make the drive it is always magic to me. The drive on the two lane winding through the hills east of Santa Maria is beautiful and things open up past Tehachapi. I love the desert past Barstow and there is always ugly traffic in Las Vegas. Climbing up into the hills out of Las Vegas gives me a feel for the size of the drive and the further into Utah I get the more magic the scenery becomes.

I made it as far as Richfield, Utah Monday night and stayed in a lovely big room at the Royal Inn. The nice woman had just bought the motel and was doing a great job of fixing it up with her husband who builds bridges for his day job.

The drive over the Rockies is always magic and I love the transition to the flat lands. I stopped at the recently refurbished Motel 6 in York, Nebraska.

It looked like an easy drive to Oshkosh until I started hitting construction. By the time I arrived it was too late to find lodging or even a camp ground so I slept in the car at an unnamed truck stop with the permission of the management on condition I not mention the name of it.

The next day I was able to find lodging in Neenah, WI through Saturday night at what I felt was a pricy $120 per night.

I made it to the National Association of Flight Instructors breakfast at 8:00, Thursday and visited with some flight instructor luminaries including John and Martha King. The rest of my time was spent immersed in the magic that is AirVenture going to classes and learning about aviation.

I saw lots of old friends and met some new ones. One of my new friends is Al from Racine Sport Flyers. He wanted me to give a proficiency check ride to one of his instructors for Sport Pilot, gyroplane and Sport Pilot gyroplane instructor who had 19 hours of gyroplane time in his log book. I could feel my tour of the Henry Ford museum slipping away. I had wanted to spend some time flying an ELA Eclipse and this seemed like a good way to manage that. I called Daniel, the applicant and we agreed on Tuesday at Racine.

Sunday most of the vendors are clearing out and I went to the Air Museum. I had my afternoon planned to be at the EAA Library and that didn’t work out because it was closed for the lack of a librarian so it was off to Green Bay to see the tall ships and the train museum.

I called my client Daniel to see if we could move things to Monday so we had a weather day if things didn’t work out and he agreed to move a client and Monday at noon.

It was late and pretty deep into the nineties when I rolled into Racine and my skill at picking out charming older inexpensive motels let me down. It is the sort of place where I leave my socks on. The toilet didn’t flush and the air conditioner was not able to drop the room below ninety degrees till well after midnight. In the morning my efforts to take a shower were rewarded with a tepid low pressure dribble.

More about the check rides and Mentone coming up.
 
I met Al of Racine Sport Flyers when I was wandering around in the Ultralight area. He saw my name tag that proudly proclaims I am a gyroplane CFI and asked if I would sign off one of his flight instructors for Sport Pilot, Gyroplane and Sport Pilot flight instructor.

Plan A was to do the proficiency check rides from the ultralight field and the thought of taking off with a low time gyroplane pilot in an unfamiliar aircraft did not appeal to me so plan B was to go to Fond Du Lac County Airport for the proficiency ride. We would be a little rushed and working in a difficult environment and I teach to never hurry aviation. They did not have the log books for the aircraft anyway. Plan C was to meet at Batten International Airport in Racine, Wisconsin on Tuesday after I had spent the day at the National Train Museum in Green Bay, WI and seen the Tall Ships. For unforeseen reasons Monday seemed like a better idea and became plane D.

I rolled into Racine after dark and made a poor motel decision. The toilet wouldn’t flush and the air-conditioned did not make a dent in the 90 degree heat. In the morning the shower had a tepid low pressure stream.

Plan D was to start at noon so I spent some time in the Prius with the air conditioner on and when I rolled into Batten International Airport and found the Racine Sport Flyers hangar Daniel was up with a client in a CLTS and I listened to his radio work. The lesson ran a little long because Daniel wanted to end on a success so we did not get started till 1:00.

We did both orals at the same time as there was a lot of overlap. I had all the standards printed out and checked things off as we worked through each standard.

There was a delay in getting in getting the aircraft log books and as I checked the aircraft log book I found the pilot who had signed off the phase one had not used his certificate number making the signature invalid. Al made a call to the flight standards district office and they agreed with me that the aircraft was not legal for the check ride. Al then called the pilot for his certificate number and we were good to go.

It was more than five hours before we were flying the Sport Pilot, Gyroplane proficiency check ride. Starting an hour late and grounding the aircraft was kind of a shaky start.

Daniel is a first class instructor and was probably trying too hard because everyone he had asked about me at AirVenture had said in a worried tone; “Vance is thoroughly by the book, you had better be good. Either you meet the standards or you don’t.”

I explained from the beginning my goal was to endorse him and I would be saddened by a failure. I also explained that I felt 19 hours of experience in a gyroplane was probably not enough to be a good gyroplane flight instructor so I suspect it was a mixed message.

The proficiency check ride was going well. He went around on his accuracy engine at idle landing and I thought that was a good aviation decision. On the second attempt I asked him to go around and the third was the charm.

He was getting tired and together we decided to do the flight instructor proficiency check ride Tuesday.

After my Monday night experience I needed a nice motel so I stayed at the $80 a night Country Inn Motel and it was a delight. The motel was clean, had a good air conditioner and a good hot shower.

We were aiming to start at 10:00 and it slid a little.

We needed to cover some instructor specific things in the oral and a few things I had not checked off the day before.

I played the recalcitrant student and Daniel was able to keep us out of trouble while offering gyroplane focused guidance and maintaining his situational awareness.

We carefully reviewed his paperwork and managed our business.

I was proud to be a part of Daniel’s aviation adventure and I know several people that will be using his services.

I had hoped to slip through Chicago on my way to the Popular Rotorcraft Convention in Mentone, IN before rush hour and failed.
 

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I rolled into the Rochester Motel late and she gave me the same room as last year. The air conditioner worked and there was plenty of hot water. The room lacked some of the more traditional motel values.

Wednesday morning the Mentone airport looked great and I felt like I was home. Christine sent a one eyed want to be pilot my way and it was a delightful way to spend my first morning at the convention. His wife was wonderfully supportive.

After that is was a never ending stream of wonderful people at a wonderful place. I had some great Gumbo with Rudy and friends on Thursday night.

I never tire of watching the magic of gyroplane flight.

Many of the seminars were great.

Maxi Wilds shared some of his experience and insights into gyroplanes.

If you get a chance to listen to Norman Surplus you should take the time.

I gave a talk on proficiency check rides using my most recent experience as an outline.

I was surprised to see a room full of people who had not yet taken their proficiency check ride and my friend from the FAA was there to keep me honest.

The fireworks on Friday night were spectacular and choreographed in a most elegant way.

The awards banquet was a delight and I was able to spend some more time with Norman, Christine and John Rountree. I also go to meet Gary Neal who is a very experienced flight instructor and a very nice man.

When I returned to the Rochester Motel the dead bolt and the air conditioner was on. Someone was in my room so I got my money back and made it as far as Cloverdale, Indiana before calling it a night.

Sunday I made it as far as Tucumcari and had a nice stay in the Americana Motel where I have stayed before.

I made it home around 9:40, cleaned out the car and made it to the airport by 10:45 only to find the airport closed. I am already looking forward to next year.
 

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