1st BFR- Complete
After a month of trying to meet with my instructor, I was finally able to pin him down and finish the ground portion of my BFR. It was a humbling experience. Over the past two years, monetary limitations dictated my flying routine. This routine consisted of A LOT of fair weather flying; some flights during windy days, but mainly short local flights around town. Unfotunately, with this routine, a lot of knowlege was pushed aside. To help grow as a pilot and retain more knowlege, I hope that over the next two years I will be able to incorporate new experiences and longer flights into my current routine. The flight segment of my BFR should be a good start for collecting these new experiences. During the flight we landed on a very tiny mountain strip; more akin to someone’s backyard that gradually sloped into the valley. The first thousand feet were flat, while the remaining eight hundred were straight up hill. As a result we had to tack on an additional 10-15 knots to our final approach speeed in order to make it up the hill. The following is a picture that looks down said hill.
On the flight back we practiced a few stalls, power-on and off. However, the real excitement came at around 3000′ directly above the airport when the mixture and throttle were cut and a nose high attitude was assumed to stop the prop. This was an experience like no other. The silence was calming, but demanded attention. With the airport below, I lowered the nose, assume the best glide speed and greased the landing. A few more images from that flight…
Launching a Weather Balloon
Memories from my childhood were rekindled after watching the following YouTube videos. I can remember tying notes to party balloons in hopes that someone would discover them after falling back to earth. Unfortunately, I never received a response, but the possibility that someone might discover one of the messages still intrigued me.
I experimented with another mode of message transport as well, and with the help of my grandmother, was a little more successful when we sent a message in a bottle down the creek in her front yard. Sometime after sending the bottle on its journey, I visited her again and discovered a dampened piece of paper drying on her kitchen counter top. The ink had smeared and was running into adjacent words, to the extent that the note was no longer legible. Next to that letter was another from the appropriator who discovered the bottle. It wasn’t until sometime later that I concluded that she had taken the time to subject the first letter to a brief water treatment; suggesting that the bottle had experienced a lengthy sojourn. She had also written a response to the message in the bottle.
With these memories acting as inspiration, I decided to learn more about what it would take to launch a “grown-up” balloon for recreational purposes. To my surprise, it seems to be less restrictive than I had expected. There are federal regulations that need to be followed. Those can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/unmanned-balloon-CFR. To summarize, it seems as though a balloon can be freely launched under the following operating conditions (before doing so, please read the CFR and consult with the appropriate officials):
1) The launch site is outside of restrictive airspace and outside of Class B, Class C, Class D, or Class E airspace.
2) Horizontal visibility is greater five miles at any altitude below 60,000 feet standard pressure altitude.
3) You’re over a congested area
4) The payload can be guaranteed not to hazardous to persons or property not associated with the operation, should the payload fall from the balloon.
With respect to the balloon and payload requirements, a balloon can be freely launched (Except as provided for in §101.7) when:
1) Carries a payload package that weighs more than four pounds and has a weight/size ratio of more than three ounces per square inch.
2) Carries a payload package that weighs more than six pounds
3) Carries a payload, of two or more packages, that weighs more than 12 pounds; or
4) Uses a rope or other device for suspension of the payload that requires an impact force of more than 50 pounds to separate the suspended payload from the balloon.
5) For the purposes of this part, a gyroglider attached to a vehicle on the surface of the earth is considered to be a kite.
Carb Icing
Today wasn’t my day to fly. Rather than filling the tanks to half, the line guys must have felt generous, and decided to fill them to 3/4. As a result, I had to kick my passenger out (we were still on the ground when I did) in order to be within the weight and balance envelope of the airplane. As I was warming up the engine, I noticed that the rpm’s were slowly falling off and the engine was running a little rough. Thinking that there might be come carb ice built up, I countered it with some carb heat and let it run at ~1200 rpm for about 5 minutes. This seemed to correct the issue and I taxied out for a run up and systems check. During the run up, I noticed the same behaviors observed on the ramp, but to a greater extent when the right mag was checked. Not knowing what the issue might be, and knowing I was safer on the ground than in the air I taxied back to the ramp and called my old instructor to discuss these observations. He seemed to believe it was induction icing and told me he would check it out when he arrived. Prior to this incident, I had experienced a rough engine after carb heat application when landing. I associated the roughness with carb icing, but did not observe an RPM drop.
After completing his run-up my instructor determined that in fact my observations were the result of carb icing. Apparently the long taxi to the end of the runway, combined with an ambient temperature of 29°F and a dew point of 22°F, was enough to allow for ice to develop while the engine was running at the lower power. The attached figure shows that the probability of icing existed at the time of my engine run-up.
While reflecting on this problem, I considered what my reaction would have been had this occurred during a flight. Would I have remembered an rpm drop is a result of carb icing? Would I have added carb heat to counter the icing? Although I can not answer these questions, I am glad I was on the ground to learn from and address the problem. As a low time pilot, with little money I find myself erring on the side of caution to the point where I wonder if I should be flying at all. Nonethless, I’ve learned a valuable lesson, and have lived to fly another day.
Lame Duck
As the time wanes towards the birth date (February 19th) of the newest and first member of our family I can not help but reflect on who I am, and how I became who I am. When I think about the life in my wife’s stomach, I envision her having similar physical features and kindred quarks that will evoke such statements as, ‘she’s so much like her father’. While I also find myself purchasing farcical entities for her, that represent traces of my identity I hope she embraces, I can not wait to observe her develop into her own unique person. Reference the following link for an example of one of the aforementioned purchases: http://etsy.me/hHJ4Ko.
While many parents, including my own, might have preconceived notions about who their child will become and the goals they achieve, I find myself focusing more on her becoming a unique caring person. I am also looking forward to learning from her and appreciating the differences between us. It’s sure to be an interesting process as I look to avoid perpetuating the negative influences and promoting the positives one’s I experienced as a result of my rearing.
Autumn Leaf Fly-in
For all my aviation friends, the Hickory EAA, Chapter 731, will be hosting a fly-in on the 16th of October. The event will run from 8:00AM until 4:00PM. Please, stop in for a bite to eat and some good company.
Hickory Regional Airport Fall Fly-in
Recent flight
On Saturday I took N743CC for a couple of laps around the Hickory airport to practice touch and go’s.
Formation flight
While walking into the FBO I noticed a gentleman getting ready to fly as well, and decided to strike up a casual conversation. I knew I was in for a show after I asked what plane he was flying and he responded with this gem, “I don’t know. I think it has the letter p, Papa, in the tail number”. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, thinking that this might be his first or second flight with an instructor, I asked a simpler question. “What kind of plane are you flying?” I should have headed back home when he said, “I don’t know.”
As I was finishing my first circuit, while on final approach I heard the same gentleman (flying solo) receiving instructions from the tower on what an intersection departure meant. Yes, I know, I asked myself the same question. ”Who is letting this man solo”. I completed my touch and go with a sub-par landing and took off for another attempt at greasing the tires. While on downwind, I watched as our friend managed to take-off without incident.
On my third and final lap, the poor guy calls into Hickory Tower, and informs them that he thinks the gas cap on his 152 has come loose. wow. Through his tramsmission you could hear the “loose gas cap” smacking against metal. I’ve now made up my mind that I would make a trip to the tower and inform them of the preceeding conversation I had with the evidently green pilot as we were walking into the FBO. Once I had the aircraft stopped, I asked the ground controller (same person controlling the tower freq) if I might be able to make a trip into the tower to see inside. Although I was frustrated, I didn’t have the heart to inform her over the radio in case the other pilot was listening.
She appreciated the information I provided her, and informed me that when he had called back in about the “loose gas cap”, she had prepared the fire trucks for an eventful landing. The pilot landed safely while I was still in the tower and not too long after, discovered that it wasn’t the gas cap that was “loose”. It had been his seatbelt.
Incidents like these do not help my mid-air collision anxiety.
The introduction
This blog will likely develop into nothing as my life continues to end.
Now that you’ve read the disclaimer, let’s try to understand why I have created this blog.
My children are not born yet. Emma has spent approximately 5 months and 1week inside her mother. Recent events include the discovery of Echogenic Bowel. The name of this diagnosis generates fear and anxiety. We were informed by a local doctor that it is a “soft” indicator of cystic fibrosis. A trip to a Charlotte hospital, which was intended to alleviate anxiety with answers, provided a lesson in statistics. I won’t bore you with numbers, but will tell you that echogenic bowel is ALSO a “soft” indicator for Downs Syndrome. I’ve been able to supress my anxiety.
Emma’s movements are strong, and can be felt externally. Heartbeat measurements have proven difficult to obtain as a result of her wild movement. It seems as though she will keep me busy after her nine months are through.
Edgar, the temporary name for our adoptive boy from Ethiopia, has remained in our thoughts since the conception of Emma. His gender was to be a surprise until we discovered natural conception was possible (after two surgeries). The adoption agency requires a year’s difference between the oldest child in the household an the youngest (Edgar). Per the adoption agency, the adoption has been paused until Emma is three months old. At this point we can refile all of the paperwork we so diligently put together to prove our legitimacy. All parents and potential job candidates should go through this process. I’m sure Edgar will kick both his mothers just as hard as Emma is.
I’m sure Edgar would look similar if he were to be viewed using sound waves. Edgar won’t look like Emma after his nine months are complete.
I don’t know why this blog exists, or how long it will exist. A decision on a theme couldn’t be reach, which resulted in its delayed development. That sounds a little like my life. The blog’s original intent was to be inspirational, somehow. It still may develop into an inspirational source. If you read this and enjoy it spread the word. If you hate it spread the word.
