pilot_dude
En-Route
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- Nov 2, 2010
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pilot_dude
This past weekend I was flying with my wife, 4 dogs and ferret in our Cherokee 180. Looking ahead we saw a good bit of build up. After some analysis we realized the there was some convection but tops were only 33k feet. Figuring Henning has flown through this type of thing multiple times we kept on course not wanting to upset ATC.
We enter the leeward side of the build up and start getting tossed around pretty good. As we continue on the turbulence increases and we do 3 unintentional barrel rolls before we knew what happened. ATC contacts us to see if all was well as our altitude was changing dramatically. We inform them that we believe we have structural damage and request a diversion to the newest airport.
Once we land we realize the wing tips were ripped off the plane. Since we still had 300 NM to go, we did what Henning has taught us, we found a few 2x4's and some old fabric from a de Havilland Tiger Moth that was rotting on the field and fabricated a new wing tip.
Upon taking off the engine failed but we made the "Henning 180" back to the field from 100 AGL. We made it back safely and did a field overhaul in about 7 hours. Taking off again, we noticed the engine ran better than when new from Lycoming. We flew the last 300 NM on 10 gallons of fuel. The thing that's hard to believe is that during our roll out at our home airport, a deer ran in front of the plane. We were unable to stop in time and made impact with the critter. Fortunately I had my Swiss Army knife and processed what remained of the deer on the runway. Since the plane was now in ruin we just built a fire out of deer bone and had one heck of a supper.
Hope your weekend was less adventurous but you'll never know what skills you can learn just from reading these posts.
We enter the leeward side of the build up and start getting tossed around pretty good. As we continue on the turbulence increases and we do 3 unintentional barrel rolls before we knew what happened. ATC contacts us to see if all was well as our altitude was changing dramatically. We inform them that we believe we have structural damage and request a diversion to the newest airport.
Once we land we realize the wing tips were ripped off the plane. Since we still had 300 NM to go, we did what Henning has taught us, we found a few 2x4's and some old fabric from a de Havilland Tiger Moth that was rotting on the field and fabricated a new wing tip.
Upon taking off the engine failed but we made the "Henning 180" back to the field from 100 AGL. We made it back safely and did a field overhaul in about 7 hours. Taking off again, we noticed the engine ran better than when new from Lycoming. We flew the last 300 NM on 10 gallons of fuel. The thing that's hard to believe is that during our roll out at our home airport, a deer ran in front of the plane. We were unable to stop in time and made impact with the critter. Fortunately I had my Swiss Army knife and processed what remained of the deer on the runway. Since the plane was now in ruin we just built a fire out of deer bone and had one heck of a supper.
Hope your weekend was less adventurous but you'll never know what skills you can learn just from reading these posts.
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You had a FERRET?!? 
I ain't buyin it..........
