Making a comeback.

Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe

Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Jun 7, 2008
Messages
16,169
Location
DXO124009
Display Name
Display name:
Light and Sporty Guy
And, no, I'm not talking about Rocky XXIV...


Bought an airplane (almost - supposed to go down and pay for it a week from Saturday) Bad pictures here.

Scheduled for (at least the start of) a flight review this Sunday.

I should put a poll on this:

A ) Gonna wow the instructor with my aviation prowess.
or
B ) I'll have him shaking in his boots.

:goofy:
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
I should put a poll on this:

A ) Gonna wow the instructor with my aviation prowess.
or
B ) I'll have him shaking in his boots.

:goofy:
Click to expand...

If you do a couple of snap rolls, you could do both at the same time... :D

Good luck, and enjoy the Merlin... looks like a fun bird.
 
Congratulations!! :cheerswine:

Hoping to see you out at Ray Community (57D) one of these days. Or, maybe breakfast somewhere.
 
Are you nuts??? Fly that plane???? There's no GPS in it. Don't you think that's dangerous???!!!

:goofy::goofy:

Neat. Post better pix soon. Congrats.
 
If it isn't being flown regularly, give it an especially thorough check out. We just had a guy leave 13 gallons of avgas on the ramp overnight because someone had put a home made black rubber gasket (instead of cork) in the gascolator bowl to body joint. It was a newly purchased plane that he was flying from near the southern border of the country to near the northern border. He filled up when he got here expecting to leave early the next morning. Got to find/fix a problem and fill up again in the morning. At least he didn't run our of fuel in the air.
 
Awesome! Beautiful plane, have fun with it!
 
flyersfan31 said:
Are you nuts??? Fly that plane???? There's no GPS in it. Don't you think that's dangerous???!!!

:goofy::goofy:

Neat. Post better pix soon. Congrats.
Click to expand...

Well, I do have a GSMAP 76 that I bought years ago for driving / sailing.
(I ain't never flew with no GPS before (cars, boats, bicycles, walking: yes. Airplanes: no) - this will be a first for me)

I'll work on the picture thing.

Graueradler said:
If it isn't being flown regularly, give it an especially thorough check out. We just had a guy leave 13 gallons of avgas on the ramp overnight because someone had put a home made black rubber gasket (instead of cork) in the gascolator bowl to body joint. It was a newly purchased plane that he was flying from near the southern border of the country to near the northern border. He filled up when he got here expecting to leave early the next morning. Got to find/fix a problem and fill up again in the morning. At least he didn't run our of fuel in the air.
Click to expand...

There have been problems with the port fuel tank - time will tell if it is really fixed. But it does fly semi-regularly. I'm not planning any long over-water legs right away.

That's one thing about homebuilts that can make it entertaining - sometimes the "substitution for aircraft part" doesn't quite work out.

When my brother finished his first homebuilt, he took a "belt and suspenders" approch to the oil pressure indication. He had the regular guage plus he put in an automobile oil pressure switch to run an idiot light - just to be sure, eh?

He was flying down to visit me several years after it was built - I'm waiting (and waiting) for the call that he had arrived...

Finally he calls and I drive over to the airport. There is his T-18 sitting in a puddle of oil.

Somewhere over Indiana the pressure switch had failed and sprayed oil all over the inside of the cowl. He made it into a strip without further damage but had to get a ride into town to get a pipe plug... It was still dripping oil when he arrived by my place.

But, no worries. :wink2:
 
Nyaa, just keep asking him "Say again, what's the rule for entering the downwind, red right returning?"

denny-o
 
Well, it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been...

I managed to connect with the runway every time.

I had a little trouble getting oriented for entering a right pattern for 35 at ONZ - funny how stupid simple things can just throw you.

Too sloppy with speed control through base / final. Flare tended to be a bit too high. Slow flight went well - cruising around with the horn whining and flaps down took more power than I had expected.

I think I was doing OK with my feet until I tried to concentrate on the ball for a moment and got confused. :rolleyes2: Then I remembered "step on the ball"...

Stalls were easy. My feet knew what to do to pick up the wing.

It's coming back.

Next time the hood goes on and more trips around the pattern.
 
Still at it. The instructor says I am up to PTS standards for nearly everything, except my flare lacks flair.:wink2: Actually, I am over controlling a bit in pitch and I am bobbing the nose up and down - more time scheduled on Tuesday to fix that.

I better get it fixed on Tuesday - I have some time scheduled (Thursday) in the new airplane down in Indiana to knock the rust off my tailwheel toes. If that goes OK, it will come home then.

I did upload some pictures (starting here) that I took when I went down to pay for it.
 
YEA! I am flight reviewed. 8.5 hours of dual. About 50 trips around the pattern. 1 go-around. 1 should have gone around. Hood work, slow flight, and all that other good stuff.

I have more dual scheduled for Thursday in my airplane down in Indiana - if that goes well (and the weather cooperates) I won't have an empty hangar any more.
 
Drove down last night (one way rental) got 3 hours of dual in the new airplane this morning (sheesh, where did my tailwheel skills go???) and started back.

1 800 wxbrief said no-problem. HAH! Got about half way and when I checked with Detroit, they were having lines of thundershowers rolling through. OK, I figure I'll divert a bit west and go behind. That didn't work. The big plume of "tropical moisture" that had been sitting over the middle of the country for the last few days drifted over far enough to catch me. I was checking local AWOS broadcasts and I am hearing thunder and lightning all over. Crud. Where is the nearest airport?

Made a tolerable landing at Henry County (7W5) and tied down about 15 minutes before the rain rolled in. The crew car was in use, but the young lady in the FBO gave me and another couple a ride to a hotel in Napoleon Ohio and said she would pick us up in the morning.

Still raining. With luck it will clear up enough by morning.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Made a tolerable landing at Henry County (7W5) and tied down about 15 minutes before the rain rolled in. The crew car was in use, but the young lady in the FBO gave me and another couple a ride to a hotel in Napoleon Ohio and said she would pick us up in the morning.

Still raining. With luck it will clear up enough by morning.
Click to expand...

How long were you airborne?

What was your cruising altitude? Fuel consumption?

Was it fun??

:cool2:
 
Well, the good news is that your decision-making skills appear to be intact, along with your hide. Now you can arrive home fresh and well-rested.

Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Drove down last night (one way rental) got 3 hours of dual in the new airplane this morning (sheesh, where did my tailwheel skills go???) and started back.

1 800 wxbrief said no-problem. HAH! Got about half way and when I checked with Detroit, they were having lines of thundershowers rolling through. OK, I figure I'll divert a bit west and go behind. That didn't work. The big plume of "tropical moisture" that had been sitting over the middle of the country for the last few days drifted over far enough to catch me. I was checking local AWOS broadcasts and I am hearing thunder and lightning all over. Crud. Where is the nearest airport?

Made a tolerable landing at Henry County (7W5) and tied down about 15 minutes before the rain rolled in. The crew car was in use, but the young lady in the FBO gave me and another couple a ride to a hotel in Napoleon Ohio and said she would pick us up in the morning.

Still raining. With luck it will clear up enough by morning.
Click to expand...
 
dmccormack said:
How long were you airborne?

What was your cruising altitude? Fuel consumption?

Was it fun??

:cool2:
Click to expand...

All told, 6 hours today including some taxi time getting familiar with the aircraft waiting for the instructor. 2.6 en-route. About one hour left to go to get home.

3500 feet (more than 500 feet below clouds :tongue:), Not sure on the fuel yet - I filled up about halfway into the dual and didn't write down the time. But it looks like a bit over 3 gallons per hour for mixed pattern work / cruise.

It felt good, but I'm not yet comfortable with my tailwheel skills. So a lot of sweat was generated. It was nice to finally be up there on my own.

When I came in to 7W5 I just assumed that the winds were still from the southwest - after I announced downwind for 28 I finally spotted the wind sock and announced that I was upwind for 10.

wabower said:
Well, the good news is that your decision-making skills appear to be intact, along with your hide. Now you can arrive home fresh and well-rested.
Click to expand...
Used to be a bold pilot, now I'm an old pilot. :wink2:

I think I will be getting horizontal early tonight. Trying to keep the airplane straight by squeezing the seat with the butt muscles is tiring :goofy: at this point, it is nice to be able to unwind a bit.
 
Great going! Looking forward to flying with you some day.

-Rich
 
RJM62 said:
Great going! Looking forward to flying with you some day.

-Rich
Click to expand...

Okee dokee - but you might want to wait until I get my tailwheel toes back up to speed. :wink2:

Update: Time to spare? Go by air.
KONZ 091037Z AUTO 00000KT 3SM BR BKN003 OVC014 24/23 A2991 RMK AO2 P0001

Forecast is to clear up by about noon.
 
Always an adventure, especially in a low and slow plane. Enjoy the delays and living on island time!

I second what Wayne said, definitely sounds like your decision making skills are intact.
 
You might try my proven strategy of just growing a wider butt. It provides added aircraft stability by spreading more weight over a greater area (I think that's part of Einstein's theory about mass, just not sure which sub-section) and without the necessity of repeated involuntary constrictions of the sphincter.

Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Trying to keep the airplane straight by squeezing the seat with the butt muscles is tiring :goofy: at this point, it is nice to be able to unwind a bit.
Click to expand...
 
Weather lifted enough for me to launch at noon - had to dodge a couple rain showers, but no real problems and the airplane is now in it's hangar.
 
gprellwitz said:
Congrats! After a few more flights, it'll be able to find its way back there on its own!
Click to expand...

Oh Oh! Should I be worried that it might try to fly back to Indiana???

I know it likes grass better than pavement, because every time I have landed it on pavement, it keeps going for the grass :wink2:
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Oh Oh! Should I be worried that it might try to fly back to Indiana???

I know it likes grass better than pavement, because every time I have landed it on pavement, it keeps going for the grass :wink2:
Click to expand...
"If you love something, set it free. If it comes back to you, it's yours."

If it doesn't, hunt it down and DESTROY IT!

Congrats on the new bird.
 
When I got to California with the Aztec, the thing didn't want to start to leave. :)
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Oh Oh! Should I be worried that it might try to fly back to Indiana???

I know it likes grass better than pavement, because every time I have landed it on pavement, it keeps going for the grass :wink2:
Click to expand...

Just treat it nicely and it will hang around (unless the barefoot bandit comes along).
 
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