Made it to FFA

bbchien

bbchien

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Feb 13, 2005
Messages
13,261
Location
Bolingbrook, IL
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Display name:
Bruce C
This weekend just before the big storms in the south, we went to RDU for a family reunion on my spouse's side. Saturday after breakfast, free time. All the girls wanted to do was SHOP. So I went to FFA. Very awesome what those bicycle mechanics did with some hacksaw blades and spokes...can you say wind tunnel!? Didn't realize the Wright 1904 flyer had a a wing-warp to rudder interconnect!

Got about a 30 kt tailwind at FL 19 (had to top the ice eastbound), and the high altitude low gave me a similar return slingshot around the north end, sweeet.
 
Bruce,

Glad you got to FFA. It is awesome to see the beginning.
 
bbchien said:
So I went to FFA.
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Thanks for the pictures. FFA is on a list of places I want to go sometime relatively soon. Gotta go get the IR before serious travel, though.
 
Amazing, isn't it, Bruce. I've been there many times - first time at about 12 years old - and what the bicycle guys did never ceases to amaze me.
 
Soooo... why didn't you come to Charlotte and pick me up on the way? HMMMMMMMM?

Wait.... it's not on the way....

Nevermind.....
 
Great photos, Bruce. I am glad you were able to land there.
 
I've been there a few times myself, including the 100th celebration (can you say cold and wet!?!). It's certainly remarkable what two fairly ordinary people accomplished.
For those interested, the monument is indeed a lighthouse of sorts. Next to the runway, is the AOPA's Pilots Building, complete with weather terminal. Parking is restricted to one night, and entrance to the park is free if you fly in.
Watch out for cross winds. The day I landed there was about 110 12G18.
 
Where would we be without innovators and risk takers like these? When I walk the ground there and at the Air and Space Museum, I get real quiet. Feel lucky to be where those people stood and to be able to try to fully understand what they did.

Glad you got there Bruce and found ground transportation!!

See you soon.

Dave
 
Yes, I'm bringing a Necro thread back to life.

First of all, the Wrights weren't all that ordinary. They were great bicycle riders and mechanics. But, even though he isn't mentioned much, the Wrights wouldn't have made any flights without Charles Taylor, who built the first aircraft engine when none of the engine manufactures would build them one because it was "too risky".

Today, the Charles Taylor award is given to the best A&P in the country. Don't know how they determine that. I have to admit I first heard of Charles Taylor when I was at FFA, and found out a bit more about him when I got my A&P license several years later.
 
FlySince9 said:
where are these alleged photos, anywayz? don't see them in the OP
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A lot of photos did not survive the migration to new forum software a few years back...
 
Crashnburn said:
Yes, I'm bringing a Necro thread back to life.

First of all, the Wrights weren't all that ordinary. They were great bicycle riders and mechanics. But, even though he isn't mentioned much, the Wrights wouldn't have made any flights without Charles Taylor, who built the first aircraft engine when none of the engine manufactures would build them one because it was "too risky".

Today, the Charles Taylor award is given to the best A&P in the country. Don't know how they determine that. I have to admit I first heard of Charles Taylor when I was at FFA, and found out a bit more about him when I got my A&P license several years later.
Click to expand...

The Taylor award is not given to the best A&P in the country. The basic criteria is to have 50 years in aviation maintenance and fill out the application. It’s just a longevity award and really isn’t based on any qualitative measure.
 
SkyDog58 said:
The Taylor award is not given to the best A&P in the country. The basic criteria is to have 50 years in aviation maintenance and fill out the application. It’s just a longevity award and really isn’t based on any qualitative measure.
Click to expand...

Cool, I can pick one up when I am 112. Of course, having never gotten a flu shot, I will be one of the few fertile males still around and will likely be too busy to fill out the application.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Thanks for the pictures. FFA is on a list of places I want to go sometime relatively soon. Gotta go get the IR before serious travel, though.
Click to expand...

FlySince9 said:
where are these alleged photos, anywayz? don't see them in the OP
Click to expand...

I did make it there, August of '07. Damn, a long time ago already.

IMG_1348-X3.jpg

IMG_1352-X3.jpg

IMG_1355-X3.jpg
 
The winds are tricky. On my approach I was lined up when I got below the trees but there was a gap in the trees and a gust moved me off center line so I went around. The next time I lined up off center and the gust put me on line.

Make sure to sign the guest book at the AOPA hut.
 
An excellent destination; I've been there twice, both times by wheels.
 
I got there this summer. Pretty cool place.

And if your flight training ever starts seeming hard, just be glad that you don't have to drag your glider up a giant sand dune in between every landing!
 
Congrats Doc,hoping to stop ,on the way north this spring .
 
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