Katama, July 24th

[BillG]

The whole day was pretty scenic, wasn't it? I ended up off of your left wing, over the ocean. I would have turned north earlier but I wanted to get around the MVY Class D first, then you were in my way! With hindsight I should have let you get more of a head start but I was blocking the taxiway at Katama with 3 planes trying to get across.

I replaced the DG in my Skyhawk a few years ago. Pretty sure I was able to order an overhauled unit, have it shipped to my mechanic, installed, then shipped the old one back to save the the core charge. At least that way I wasn't without a DG for any time.

 

[Skip Miller]

We took the scenic route along South Beach and Gay Head, over the smaller islands to the NW of the main island, WOW some really beautiful beaches with no one on them!

Those are the Elizabeth Islands, running from Woods Hole out to the last of the islands, Cuttyhunk. They are indeed beautiful. At least one of the islands is privately owned, accounting for the few/0 people on the beach. I've cruised those waters in a boat, and there is generally poor anchorages excepting the inner harbor facing Woods Hole on the northeast end, and Cuttyhunk on the southwest end.

Saw an interesting looking airport, Elizabeth, 0B8, on Fishers Island. Anyone been there, any reason to go there?

Yes, a long time ago, about 1980. There were no services. It is walking distance to the "beach" but again way back then the beach consisted of very large grains of sand (aka rocks) about 2 or 3 inches diameter. Back then it was two runways and a payphone to call a taxi.

-Skip

 

[Gary]

The whole day was pretty scenic, wasn't it?

No doubt about it! It's all new country to me, very beautiful albeit a bit densely populated.

I ended up off of your left wing, over the ocean. I would have turned north earlier but I wanted to get around the MVY Class D first, then you were in my way! With hindsight I should have let you get more of a head start but I was blocking the taxiway at Katama with 3 planes trying to get across.

You do my heart good to hear that a Cherokee could be in the way of a Tiger!!! If we were really smart, we would have all agreed to 122.75 for some air-to-air communication and position reports. I was with to the MVY tower while going up the south beach, just to keep track of the traffic in and out. There was quite the line there taking off from Katama, I sort of just jumped in line when an opening existed, there was a red nosed C-172 waiting to cross, so when he didn't move, I just took the opportunity.

I replaced the DG in my Skyhawk a few years ago. Pretty sure I was able to order an overhauled unit, have it shipped to my mechanic, installed, then shipped the old one back to save the the core charge. At least that way I wasn't without a DG for any time.

That's one option, need to do some pricing and delivery work. The one in there is an overhauled unit, it's only two years "old".

 

[kath]

I got really lucky getting out of MVY after dropping you off, Toby. The ground controller was a great help... he said to me, "Taxi to 6 via Delta (for an intersection takeoff)... there are a bunch of jets at the end there, but they're having some trouble getting clearances, so if you go straight to Delta and call up the Tower from there, they can get you out a lot sooner." So I did. Runup, and then immediate intersection takeoff from Delta, while a line of jets all waited further down. Timing is everything!

At Katama, the winds were shifting all over the place when I left. After I paid up at the restaurant, I saw a big twin take off on 21... and before the twin was halfway down the runway, the crazy red biplane landed on the same runway, behind him! I was agog. Wish I'd been listening on the CTAF for that one.

--Kath

 

[Toby]

I got really lucky getting out of MVY after dropping you off, Toby. The ground controller was a great help... he said to me, "Taxi to 6 via Delta (for an intersection takeoff)... there are a bunch of jets at the end there, but they're having some trouble getting clearances, so if you go straight to Delta and call up the Tower from there, they can get you out a lot sooner." So I did. Runup, and then immediate intersection takeoff from Delta, while a line of jets all waited further down. Timing is everything!

At Katama, the winds were shifting all over the place when I left. After I paid up at the restaurant, I saw a big twin take off on 21... and before the twin was halfway down the runway, the crazy red biplane landed on the same runway, behind him! I was agog. Wish I'd been listening on the CTAF for that one.

--Kath

Good for you on that takeoff. If I had gotten on line five minutes later, I would have waited another xxx minutes. The line got long in a hurry.

Yeah, the windsocks were all going in different directions at Katama, weren't they. Which runway did you land on and then take off from after you dropped me off?

 

[AdamZ]

Wow! Sounds like you had an awesome time everyone. So sorry I missed it. If your weather was like it was here in Philly you had an awesome Day. So Bill whats this all about the prop stopping?

 

[Gary]

Re: Katama, July 24th, Life's a Beach

Pictures! Taken by Nicole and photo-edited to perfection!

BTW - The airplane napkins were excellent and does the Deputy Sherriff really exist? Thought for sure he would stop by.

Gary

 

[BillG]

Great pictures! Except the editing made me look fat. Oh wait, maybe I really am fat... At least the stopped prop makes more sense now, right...?

 

[EHITCH]

Great photos! Looks like you had superb wx.

The Elizabeth Islands, huh .... I'm definitely taking credit for them, especially if they have an airport ....

Elizabeth

 

[Skip Miller]

Great photos! Looks like you had superb wx.

The Elizabeth Islands, huh .... I'm definitely taking credit for them, especially if they have an airport ....

Sorry about that. Plenty of room for seaplanes, though.

Elizabeth Airport is on Fishers Island, about 40 miles east of the Elizabeth Islands. You can have that one if you want!

-Skip

Old shaggy dog story: Once upon a time there was a wealthy land baron who owned most of Cape Cod and the Islands. Fearing a family squabble on his death, he decided to give each of his three daughters their choice of islands. He asked his eldest, Elizabeth, to choose first... and she chose what we now know as the Elizabeth Islands for their picturesque beauty. Martha went next, and being the good business person that she was, saw the agricultural possibilities coupled with the difficulty of importing fine wines from overseas through Boston, so she chose what is now known as Martha's Vineyard.

There being only one island left, Nan took it. Ba-da-boom!

 

[Anthony]

Yeah, it's ok. I finally just let it sit on the sand. Eventually I took it apart and managed to get all the pieces into a plastic bag, with Gary's help.

Bill, I am glad you and others can take such a flipant attitude towards your statement of the prop stopping over water. I am really disgusted and was quite worried about.......your Tiger. You do realize that after you finish the interior and get it painted, we are trading and I don't want a scratch on it!

 

[Gary]

Bill, I am glad you and others can take such a flipant attitude towards your statement of the prop stopping over water. I am really disgusted and was quite worried about.......your Tiger. You do realize that after you finish the interior and get it painted, we are trading and I don't want a scratch on it!

Well Tony, we were on the beach, having a good time, beautiful weather, so maybe we were a little "flippant" but hey all the proper proceedures were followed, easily within gliding distance to land and a fine landing area was evident. Bill handled all of this with great aplomb and all was safe and secure in the end!

Gary

 

[Toby]

There being only one island left, Nan took it. Ba-da-boom!

Aaaagggghhhhhhhhhhh!

 

[Toby]

Bill, I am glad you and others can take such a flipant attitude towards your statement of the prop stopping over water. I am really disgusted and was quite worried about.......your Tiger. You do realize that after you finish the interior and get it painted, we are trading and I don't want a scratch on it!

It was nice and smooth on my 4-mile trip to Katama. And we had the "sunroof" open, very refreshing.

 

[BillG]

Ha - I thought you were all about Mooneys now?? The interior is just about done, just need a couple more screws and a few small pieces of carpeting. And I need to take pictures. I suppose it would be nice to figure out where the 2 big screws I have left over are supposed to go but the plane still seems to be flying ok! Sheesh - ya always end up with extra parts!

Thanks for the help, Gary - I almost thought we were not going to get it back in the bag.

 

[Anthony]

Ha - I thought you were all about Mooneys now??

Ha! No I am still a Grumman guy.

 

[BillG]

Whew!! When do you order your new interior then? It only took me about 11 hours to get mine installed (couple o' roadblocks). I'll post pics and writeup when I have 'em, in another thread.

 

[Anthony]

Whew!! When do you order your new interior then? It only took me about 11 hours to get mine installed (couple o' roadblocks). I'll post pics and writeup when I have 'em, in another thread.

My paint and interior were new in 1998 and the plane has been hangared ever since, so it still looks relatively new. Its my avionics/panel that need the work and that, as you know, is big $$$. Sigh.

It seems, with many older planes, (mine is a 1978) you either get two out of three. I.E. either good engine, cosmetics, and bad avionics like I did or another permutation of the big three.

 

[BillG]

Two outta three ain't bad, right? Actually I got none out of three... now I'm about 2 1/2 - still need the exterior painted but that's not happening any time soon. Then I can start in on the speed mods...