For various and sundry reasons, I keep this blog in somewhat of an Internet vacuum and don't often link to other Web postings, but every now and then I come across something that resonates so deeply with me that I want to share it. So, without further ado, I offer this to you:
http://rvhotline.expercraft.com/articles/editors_page/2007/04212007.html
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Friday, April 20, 2007
In Pursuit of a Pursuit
So, what do you do when the things you've dreamed about, lusted for, and chased after for your whole life have all been accomplished? I suppose if you're Bill Gates you buy yourself an island and retire to the rewarding pursuit of focusing your untold billions on philanthropic projects ala Andrew Carnegie. But what if your means aren't really up to such rewarding pursuits? You still have the hunger for the chase, and a gnawing hunger it is.
As I was out mowing the lawn of my palatial estate, located no more than one statute mile from my hangar, which houses my beautiful RV-6, I couldn't help but bask in the fact that all of my needs have been met. A wonderful and healthy family, the best job I could ever hope for, a plane that I can fly wherever and whenever I want, cars that aren't constantly breaking down, and the aforementioned estate: what more do I need?
Well, the answer is nothing. I want for nothing. That, I think, is the problem (and admittedly, it's not a bad problem to have at all!). With nothing left to desire, nothing left to strive for, no goals remaining, what do I do to assuage the innate desire for a quest? This quest for a quest, if you will, must certainly be the explanation for why I continue to ponder various schemes for building, restoring, or completing a homebuilt airplane. It's odd, actually. The goal of many airplane builders is not the quest itself per se, but the end result of having an airplane to fly. I short circuited that by purchasing a complete and flying RV-6. Nothing at all wrong with that - I'd make the same decision today. But... something is still missing, and it's not a 180hp engine or a panel full of glass. The urge to create something is what goes unmet.
I go through various scenarios: build a single seat, wood airplane (Fisher Flying Products has many examples, but the Tiger Moth in particular strikes my fancy), find an older homebuilt that needs to be restored, or build a QB kit that can be completed in less than 700 or so hours (the Titan T-51 fits that nill nicely). Somewhere in that continuum would also be the idea of finding a plane that has been completed to the bare minumum (no paint, simple VFR avionics) and treating it like a restoration project with a higher initial cost and less grunge work (cleaning out birds nests and bugs, and their byproducts).
Each idea has pros and cons, but one thing that I keep circling back to is the balancing act between resale value, personal desirability, effort required, and cost. For example, I could build a little Fisher single seat biplane using wood, the ultimate composite, but I'd have a hard time selling it. That said, it's not inconceivable that I would keep it (in other words, it scores high on the personal desirability scale), but I'd have to find a lower cost place to keep it than a hangar at Bolton. I could do something with an RV with a focus on sellability, but the dollars invested would be much higher. The fundamental question always boils down to dollars and cents: what is the appropriate amount to invest in the pursuit of a quest? Must it be the absolute minimum? Does it make more sense to spend more dollars up front for the assurance that the final product would sell not only easily but well?
It is on these distracting thoughts that I place the blame for my accidentally mowing down a sapling. That's my story, and I'm sticking with it. But the thoughts go on...
As I was out mowing the lawn of my palatial estate, located no more than one statute mile from my hangar, which houses my beautiful RV-6, I couldn't help but bask in the fact that all of my needs have been met. A wonderful and healthy family, the best job I could ever hope for, a plane that I can fly wherever and whenever I want, cars that aren't constantly breaking down, and the aforementioned estate: what more do I need?
Well, the answer is nothing. I want for nothing. That, I think, is the problem (and admittedly, it's not a bad problem to have at all!). With nothing left to desire, nothing left to strive for, no goals remaining, what do I do to assuage the innate desire for a quest? This quest for a quest, if you will, must certainly be the explanation for why I continue to ponder various schemes for building, restoring, or completing a homebuilt airplane. It's odd, actually. The goal of many airplane builders is not the quest itself per se, but the end result of having an airplane to fly. I short circuited that by purchasing a complete and flying RV-6. Nothing at all wrong with that - I'd make the same decision today. But... something is still missing, and it's not a 180hp engine or a panel full of glass. The urge to create something is what goes unmet.
I go through various scenarios: build a single seat, wood airplane (Fisher Flying Products has many examples, but the Tiger Moth in particular strikes my fancy), find an older homebuilt that needs to be restored, or build a QB kit that can be completed in less than 700 or so hours (the Titan T-51 fits that nill nicely). Somewhere in that continuum would also be the idea of finding a plane that has been completed to the bare minumum (no paint, simple VFR avionics) and treating it like a restoration project with a higher initial cost and less grunge work (cleaning out birds nests and bugs, and their byproducts).
Each idea has pros and cons, but one thing that I keep circling back to is the balancing act between resale value, personal desirability, effort required, and cost. For example, I could build a little Fisher single seat biplane using wood, the ultimate composite, but I'd have a hard time selling it. That said, it's not inconceivable that I would keep it (in other words, it scores high on the personal desirability scale), but I'd have to find a lower cost place to keep it than a hangar at Bolton. I could do something with an RV with a focus on sellability, but the dollars invested would be much higher. The fundamental question always boils down to dollars and cents: what is the appropriate amount to invest in the pursuit of a quest? Must it be the absolute minimum? Does it make more sense to spend more dollars up front for the assurance that the final product would sell not only easily but well?
It is on these distracting thoughts that I place the blame for my accidentally mowing down a sapling. That's my story, and I'm sticking with it. But the thoughts go on...
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Is it here?
Is it finally here? The grass is green and growing, the sky is blue, and the winds have abated to a doldrumesque 9 gusting 16 out of the northwest. That, of course, meant that I had to go flying! Winds from 340 mean that Bolton would be using runway 4, which points to the northeast. It doesn't take a whole lot of trigonometry to discern the import of that: a nearly direct crosswind from the left.
If you remember, the crosswind from the left on takeoff is a tad harder to deal with than if it were from the right because there is already a left turning tendency from the torque of the engine combined with the spiralling air spilling off of the prop and onto the side of the rudder. No problem yesterday, though, as despite the promise of healthy gusts, it was actually a nice steady wind. Which, as is normally the case, went from being a crosswind to being a headwind once I established my course towards Urbana, where I would be dining. At 2500 rpm, I couldn't get much more than 134 knots. Pitiful, but hey, at least it was a short trip.
The runway at Urbana is aligned 20 degrees further north than the one at Bolton, so most of the crosswind component was removed for the landing. Still, it was a 9 knot wind and that should have some effect on the landing, but I greased the landing, much to my surprise. It must have been apparent even from a distance because the fellow on left downwind said something about my being a "helluva flier," although his radio cut out a bit and it sounded more like "liar." Odd, that.
Should you ever (and I admit, the odds are against it) find yourself in the position of deciding between the meatloaf and the scalloped chicken at Urbana, I'd go with the meatloaf. Not that I had it, mind you. I opted for the chicken. Read into that what you will.
Fortunately my issues with the chicken didn't really rise to emergency status until I was home, so the relatively bumpy/choppy ride last night wasn't overly unpleasant. In fact, with the motor run up to 2500 and shaking in its restraints like a greyhound in the race gate poised for a screeching run after the rabbit, it was a great reminder as to why I fly in the first place, especially as I noted the 164 knot ground speed. The feeling of unlimited freedom to move fluidly about in the sky, the delicate balancing of risk vs. reward, the immensity of being the total master of your own destiny, the lofty perch from which to view a few hundred square miles of central Ohio, the mastery of a complex and powerful machine, these all combine to make flying one of the most rewarding activities known to man.
Coming back into Bolton, the tower control called me out as traffic to a departing Cessna as "I think it's an RV-6." A few moments later, his normal decorum gave way to his curiosity: "6 Papa Golf, what is that thing? Is it an RV-6?"
"You are correct," I replied.
His response was cute: "I knew it!" I love it when those guys allow a tiny break in their stern, professional facade and show an actual interest in the airplanes that they work with.
The wind had died down by the time I got back, but still required a little bit of correction down final. They were still landing on runway 4, so I made my normal high approach that allows me to land a third of the way down the runway and depart the runway on the taxiway closest to my hangar. The landing was pretty good, but I did flare a little higher than I should have, which is a typical result of going from a narrow runway to a wide runway. I've lately started carrying a bit more power into the flare and have found that it generally improves things. It had been a cardinal rule of mine to make sure the throttle was all the way back in the flare because it had caused enormous bounces back in my tailwheel transition training days, but it seems that wheel landings (my new norm) are aided by a bit of cushion provided by the residual thrust of a high idle throttle setting. in any event, it was one of those landings that feel like laying your head on a thick down pillow: you can feel a little bit of initial cushioning, but you just keep sinking lower and lower, knowing that you will eventually hit bottom. Touchdown wasn't particularly firm, nor was there any bouncing, so I'm scoring it as a fairly good landing, with just a few points deducted for starting the flare a bit too soon.
Update: If you're wondering who Hogarth Kramer is, allow me to briefly explain: he's my dog. I was fooling around with my Blogger profile and there were, uh, unintended consequences, since fixed. Bob has a sharp eye...
If you remember, the crosswind from the left on takeoff is a tad harder to deal with than if it were from the right because there is already a left turning tendency from the torque of the engine combined with the spiralling air spilling off of the prop and onto the side of the rudder. No problem yesterday, though, as despite the promise of healthy gusts, it was actually a nice steady wind. Which, as is normally the case, went from being a crosswind to being a headwind once I established my course towards Urbana, where I would be dining. At 2500 rpm, I couldn't get much more than 134 knots. Pitiful, but hey, at least it was a short trip.
The runway at Urbana is aligned 20 degrees further north than the one at Bolton, so most of the crosswind component was removed for the landing. Still, it was a 9 knot wind and that should have some effect on the landing, but I greased the landing, much to my surprise. It must have been apparent even from a distance because the fellow on left downwind said something about my being a "helluva flier," although his radio cut out a bit and it sounded more like "liar." Odd, that.
Should you ever (and I admit, the odds are against it) find yourself in the position of deciding between the meatloaf and the scalloped chicken at Urbana, I'd go with the meatloaf. Not that I had it, mind you. I opted for the chicken. Read into that what you will.
Fortunately my issues with the chicken didn't really rise to emergency status until I was home, so the relatively bumpy/choppy ride last night wasn't overly unpleasant. In fact, with the motor run up to 2500 and shaking in its restraints like a greyhound in the race gate poised for a screeching run after the rabbit, it was a great reminder as to why I fly in the first place, especially as I noted the 164 knot ground speed. The feeling of unlimited freedom to move fluidly about in the sky, the delicate balancing of risk vs. reward, the immensity of being the total master of your own destiny, the lofty perch from which to view a few hundred square miles of central Ohio, the mastery of a complex and powerful machine, these all combine to make flying one of the most rewarding activities known to man.
Coming back into Bolton, the tower control called me out as traffic to a departing Cessna as "I think it's an RV-6." A few moments later, his normal decorum gave way to his curiosity: "6 Papa Golf, what is that thing? Is it an RV-6?"
"You are correct," I replied.
His response was cute: "I knew it!" I love it when those guys allow a tiny break in their stern, professional facade and show an actual interest in the airplanes that they work with.
The wind had died down by the time I got back, but still required a little bit of correction down final. They were still landing on runway 4, so I made my normal high approach that allows me to land a third of the way down the runway and depart the runway on the taxiway closest to my hangar. The landing was pretty good, but I did flare a little higher than I should have, which is a typical result of going from a narrow runway to a wide runway. I've lately started carrying a bit more power into the flare and have found that it generally improves things. It had been a cardinal rule of mine to make sure the throttle was all the way back in the flare because it had caused enormous bounces back in my tailwheel transition training days, but it seems that wheel landings (my new norm) are aided by a bit of cushion provided by the residual thrust of a high idle throttle setting. in any event, it was one of those landings that feel like laying your head on a thick down pillow: you can feel a little bit of initial cushioning, but you just keep sinking lower and lower, knowing that you will eventually hit bottom. Touchdown wasn't particularly firm, nor was there any bouncing, so I'm scoring it as a fairly good landing, with just a few points deducted for starting the flare a bit too soon.
Update: If you're wondering who Hogarth Kramer is, allow me to briefly explain: he's my dog. I was fooling around with my Blogger profile and there were, uh, unintended consequences, since fixed. Bob has a sharp eye...
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
The Cloud in Every Silver Lining
We had a short reprieve from the pilot-unfriendly weather patterns we've been experiencing these last few days weeks months today, and I leapt on the proffered opportunity to take PapaGolf out for a canter through the neighborhood. Having recently been the recipient of a bang-up airplane cleaning provided by some of co-pilot Egg's neighborhood friends, I more or less decided on impulse to stop by the neighbor's house and see if the enthusiastic washer that I had awarded "Airplane Washer of the Day" would care to ride along. That seemed like the least I could do in thanks for a couple of hours of wing and belly washing, and it's always nice to have some company along.
I throttled back to 2000 rpm once we reached our cruising altitude of 3,500' and we loafed along at a leisurely (heh!) 135 knots. It was a tad hazy, so the scenery wasn't as good as it might have been for my guest, but he enjoyed the ride nonetheless. We returned to Bolton to find the winds had picked up to 140 @ 6, but that isn't enough to be at all bothersome and I still anticipated a smooth landing. In fact, I made one of the best landings I've ever had in that airplane. Right wheel first to account for the crosswind from the right, left wheel a moment later, both touching the runway so smoothly that I could barely feel them start to rotate.
"Well, that was a pretty good landing, if I do say so myself," I observed.
His reply? "It was a little bumpy."
So I'm thinking, "Geez, what's it take to impress some people?" when I see out of the corner of my eye that he's got a big ol' RV grin on his face and he's just ribbing me on the landing. I'll bet Egg has coached him...
I throttled back to 2000 rpm once we reached our cruising altitude of 3,500' and we loafed along at a leisurely (heh!) 135 knots. It was a tad hazy, so the scenery wasn't as good as it might have been for my guest, but he enjoyed the ride nonetheless. We returned to Bolton to find the winds had picked up to 140 @ 6, but that isn't enough to be at all bothersome and I still anticipated a smooth landing. In fact, I made one of the best landings I've ever had in that airplane. Right wheel first to account for the crosswind from the right, left wheel a moment later, both touching the runway so smoothly that I could barely feel them start to rotate.
"Well, that was a pretty good landing, if I do say so myself," I observed.
His reply? "It was a little bumpy."
So I'm thinking, "Geez, what's it take to impress some people?" when I see out of the corner of my eye that he's got a big ol' RV grin on his face and he's just ribbing me on the landing. I'll bet Egg has coached him...
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Snow Day
Winter just can't take a hint. 25F and snow today, in April!
There won't be any flying today, and through previous experience you all know that means I spend the morning looking at airplane ads. Today's find is this fine looking F1 Rocket:
It had a prop strike, so the engine had to be completely overhauled. It also hasn't got paint on it yet, so between those two price-reducers you get a $150k airplane with an asking price of $120k. I also think this one is being sold by the insurance carrier for the previous owner since I recognize the name of the guy selling it as my insurance agent.
I'm tempted to ask him what the insurance costs on it would be as compared to my RV-6 policy, but it's moot: it's not like I have $65k lying around looking for a good home. Daydreaming about it is a nice way to spend a snowy Saturday morning, though!
On an unrelated topic, I still ponder upgrades to Papa's panel, but I've been having trouble visualizing what it would look like to add subpanels for the new instruments rather than try to duplicate the existing panel with a new blank panel. I came across this RV-6 panel while browsing through the For Sale ads this morning:
That looks ok to me.
There won't be any flying today, and through previous experience you all know that means I spend the morning looking at airplane ads. Today's find is this fine looking F1 Rocket:
It had a prop strike, so the engine had to be completely overhauled. It also hasn't got paint on it yet, so between those two price-reducers you get a $150k airplane with an asking price of $120k. I also think this one is being sold by the insurance carrier for the previous owner since I recognize the name of the guy selling it as my insurance agent.
I'm tempted to ask him what the insurance costs on it would be as compared to my RV-6 policy, but it's moot: it's not like I have $65k lying around looking for a good home. Daydreaming about it is a nice way to spend a snowy Saturday morning, though!
On an unrelated topic, I still ponder upgrades to Papa's panel, but I've been having trouble visualizing what it would look like to add subpanels for the new instruments rather than try to duplicate the existing panel with a new blank panel. I came across this RV-6 panel while browsing through the For Sale ads this morning:
That looks ok to me.
Friday, April 06, 2007
This is so far past ridiculous that I don't even have a word for it...
Can you believe that I am still working on this??
After burning will north of 200 sheets of paper, days of barely repressed (that's being generous) anger and rage, tech support calls to people even more prickly than me (yes, "Betty" at TurboTax, I'm talking about you), I have finally reached my limit. If it ain't right, the brainiacs at the IRS will just have to figure it out.
I've tried to account for CPA buffoonery in past years returns, I've had to wrestle TurboTax to the ground to remove a bogus penalty & interest entry that it made on my behalf (with no help from Betty, I might add), and I've just about had it with my lame-ass PC hardware and printer. Especially the printer, which decided to crap out with only a few pages left to print of what had damn well better be the final version.
I will not be doing this again next year.
If only...
After burning will north of 200 sheets of paper, days of barely repressed (that's being generous) anger and rage, tech support calls to people even more prickly than me (yes, "Betty" at TurboTax, I'm talking about you), I have finally reached my limit. If it ain't right, the brainiacs at the IRS will just have to figure it out.
I've tried to account for CPA buffoonery in past years returns, I've had to wrestle TurboTax to the ground to remove a bogus penalty & interest entry that it made on my behalf (with no help from Betty, I might add), and I've just about had it with my lame-ass PC hardware and printer. Especially the printer, which decided to crap out with only a few pages left to print of what had damn well better be the final version.
I will not be doing this again next year.
If only...
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Spring Break 2007!!
Warm beaches, warmer wimmen, and cold drinks? Well, no. We stayed home to enjoy the frigid, windy Indian Winter. Winds and temps both in the 30s. Not exactly flyin' weather!
But, life, lemons, and lemonade. Stiff upper lip. Make the best of it. Yeah, all of that applies. The high winds came first (canceling a cool trip I had planned to Louisville as it turns out), but the low temps weren't due for another day or two. Time to cash in the chips garnered from flying neighbor kids around and get a crew together for a good, old-fashioned plane cleaning:
But, life, lemons, and lemonade. Stiff upper lip. Make the best of it. Yeah, all of that applies. The high winds came first (canceling a cool trip I had planned to Louisville as it turns out), but the low temps weren't due for another day or two. Time to cash in the chips garnered from flying neighbor kids around and get a crew together for a good, old-fashioned plane cleaning:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)