ETLB Squawk Forums — Archive

Got up early in the morning and Chris and I put a few new gaskets in the ole Tcart getting ready to fly up to High Point to the annual Doug Mouler Lunch and flying extravaganza.  Winds were up a bit beeing at 17 kts but took off straight down the runway and made the trip around the airbase's restrictd zone and was on a course to the flyin.  I have a new 295 garmin and really don't like it as much as I did the 195 I still have, Got to the flyin early... well the judges at High Point are some of the toughest in the area and figured if I got there early not so many would see if I had a bad landing.  Got there and the wind was whisling through the trees and gave me a bit of trouble on the last of the final but the plane got straight about 3 feet off the ground and the landing was so soft I didn't even know I was on the ground for about 30 ft.  Paul and Chris were already there.  Paul had flown the Huns free route by getting permission to fly across Wichita at 300 ft over what we here refer to as the big ditch.  Great time was had and about 20 planes showed up.  A fokker triplane landed and did mild aerobatics on leaving, then a Helicycle showed up.  It is suppose to be the only turbine powered single seat helicopter.  Was way cool  With air bikes, race planes, helicopters, tailwinds, Luscombs, chiefs, taylorcrafts, RV6's, Coyotes and others it was well attended... don't know if there was an official count of people but we set up over 100 chairs and there was standing room only when we ate..... Now... the winds kept going up as the day went on and I flew back in 23 mph winds with 32 mile and hour gusts leaving some of the other LSA grounded.  Don't know if Paul spent the night but am sure he will tell the story.   I put this on so that you guys would know the facts of the story..... Pauls version will be better of course... but someone has to be honest on the board about this flyin.... might as well be me.  I will say in the 32 mph gusts my landing at Selby wasn't as good... but the roll out after landing was only about 40 ft or less then had a very hard time turning around to get back to the hangar... todays winds....6 so will go out and see what I can do today.

All in all the valley center flyin was a great event and it is most likely the last fly in I will attend in ks before moving to georgia in 2 weeks. We had a good turnout and for the most part good weather and a good time was had by all.







My beloved Five Six Sierra

COOL!!

Not only did my plane make it on here but that fat guy standing in front of the Fokker is me as well.  That is my red with black trim Taylorcraft. This is only the 3rd pic I have of my plane. Thanks Chris for taking pictures of the planes at the flyin... will have to start keeping my camera with me since you are leaving.

Thanks for posting the pictures Chris, I have not had time to  make a significant comment  on the EAA fly-in yet but will  do so.  

Paul Fiebich

Paul,
I hope you can explain how in the hell that "Little Fokker" made to the fly-in without a scratch.  Just check the appropriate box.
1. I can't afford ammo anymore?
2. I bought blanks by mistake.
3. I put the rounds in backwards.
4. I bought the wrong caliber bullets.
5. I left the bullets in my winter jacket but it was warm Saturday so I    didn't need my jacket.
6. The pants I carry my bullets in has a hole in the pocket.
7. His smoke system was better than yours so you couldn't see him.
8. You really believe Snoopy is the Red Barron and you like dogs.
9. You laid your ammo on the floor of the plane before you realized you don't have a floor on your plane.
10. You just didn't give a shit that day!

Nice T-Craft avenger. The paint is sweet.

When I stated, a couple days ago, that I was busy and would comment on Avenger's story later, it was because "busy" meant I was still cleaning off my cockpit seat!

Highpoint departures

The ride back from Highpoint, even at 8:00 PM, was like riding an inner tube down the Colorado River.  After watching the "heavy iron" take off from Highpoint during the 20-30 mph winds and gusts, there was no way my lightly loaded AirBike was going to try mixing it up with the weather gods. Even the twin engine Piper that made a low pass was getting jerked around.  

Bill's takeoff looked good---until about 50' AGL!  Lots of  wind rocking him all the way until out of  sight.  Chris' C-150  fared better, seemed to penetrate the wind and was not as susceptible to the gusts.  Perhaps due to his smaller wing area and higher loading. But by any measure, both planes got knocked around quite a bit. Brent (PPC guy) called from the Selby Aerodrome at 7:30 PM telling me that surface winds there were now light and variable, same was now true at Highpoint. This contradicted Jabara ASOS.  

AirBike takeoff and flight

I punctuated my takeoff with a plum of smoke while waving to Doug Moler standing by  his  hangar.  God that looked great in the mirror! All felt smooth and I anticipated a smooth ride around the east side of Wichita.  The weather was so pleasant I  decided  not to  take the shortcut down the Big Ditch. Then at about 100'---bam! Extreme turbulence, some of the worst I have ever experienced. It was like being in a juice blender!

Climbing through 1000' AGL hoping for better weather higher was a mistake, it got worse, much worse.  However I needed to clear two radio towers in my flight path so I stayed there for the next five minutes, then remained there another ten until clearing the Jabara Airport area and Beech Aircraft airport area. At times my ground speed was 75 mph with only 5700 rpms.

The air wasn't bumpy, it was jerky.  I was jerked up and down 10' at a time.  Gusts rolled the AirBike a good 30 degrees.  Thankful now  for the open cockpit sides and uncovered fuselage---a lot of the wind just blew through the plane.  I flew with one hand on the stick, both knees squeezing the fuselage like a jockey and the other hand on a fuselage tube. I tried to keep my lunch from being deposited on the panel. I did, it never got past my adams apple.

Lower  altitude

Clearing Beech airfield I began descending to 500', the lowest I dared go because of cell phone  towers in the suburban area I was over. Not much change in turbulence. I wished I was home already but the GPS showed 15 minutes to destination. Then it started increasing eventually reaching 27 minutes as my ground speed dropped to 33 mph. My half circle flight around Wichita caused me to receive first a rear quartering wind then full broadside and eventually a direct headwind. I  was entering the headwind phase.

The wind and gusts made it hard to keep the ball centered. I was always compensating for something. My flight path was that of a kite!  Had I been driving a car I would have gotten a DUI for sure! I did  not hear any loud noises, sounds of splintering wood or groans from the plane,  that was good. This is one tough little bugger! It is undetermined if the rough flight was due to wind or flak bursts getting dangerously close.  

Landing at Selby Aerodrome

Crossing the Arkansas River meant Selby Aerodrome was only three miles away, I announced my position and intent on 122.9.  There was no response.  It was hard to talk, the jerky ride kept causing me to exhale air in puffs.  Somewhat like your little kid brother continually punching you in the kidneys as you talk.  Downwind, base and on final.  Real hard to keep the plane on course. I think I just skidded around the pattern like an ice skater who lost one shoe. Windsock showed about a 5 mph wind a little off centerline, far different than what I was experiencing at 300'. Amazing!

ASI showed 60 mph on final while ground speed showed 35 on the GPS.  Slowly I crept over the duck pond, gravel road and fence. Suddenly at about 25 feet the wind stopped!  The plane shot forward (as much as an AirBike can do that, I even felt a little "G" force on my back) and I pulled the throttle back. Not wanting to risk a full stall, three-point landing, and get blown over by a sudden gust, I made a wheel landing, kept the aileron into the wind, rolled, then let the tail settle. There was almost no wind at ground level.

Brent and his buxom, red-headed nurse in her white uniform were there to greet me and tend to my wounds if necessary. It wasn't. But the comforting hug from her sure was nice! This is the end of the story. Now back to cleaning the cockpit seat.

The beginning of the story

Bill and I visited at Selby Aerodrome for awhile discussing departure and route strategies before my take off at 10:00 AM.  Later, he would fly an east pattern around Wichita while I would skim the Big Ditch. High winds kept the tri-planes grounded but I strafed their hiding  places anyway.  Passing Mid-Continent tower I let out a couple of victory puffs of smoke, this also allowed them to see me, otherwise, they look right through my airplane. Some sarcasm was heard over the tower radio as I passed through their airspace "Watch for the AirBike's wake turbulence." Yeah, right!

Speed is king!

For one of the few times in AirBike flight, I was passing cars on the I-235 expressway!  A 15 mph tailwind pushed my ground speed to almost 85 mph!  Man that felt good! Turbulence  was building as I flew 300' AGL down The Big Ditch.  The empty waterway offers numerous landing areas in the event of an emergency such as a hit from anti-aircraft fire from German pill boxes.  At this speed it is difficult for them to get a bead on me, most of their shells went behind as did the flak bursts. I thumbed my nose at them along with screaming Nah-na-na-n-na-nah!

Landing at Highpoint airfield was tricky.  Wind was about 20 degrees off the runway centerline, gusting and more turbulence was created by the trees and hangars.  I was the first plane to arrive and  parked next to Doug's AirBike which had been pulled out of the hangar. During the next two hours Chris and Bill arrived.

Chris & Bill arrive

The wind  and gust were considerably up now, perhaps winds at 25 and gusts approaching 40 mph. We didn't see Chris land but knew he was present because he timed his U-turn right in front of the open hangar and blew grass and crap into the area we just cleaned.  Chris does fly well but needs to learn some elements of courtesy.  Then it was time for Bill to arrive.  We heard the unique sound of his 85 horse four banger overhead and all present lined the hangar door to watch him "perform." His reputation precedes his presence.

We were not denied our entertainment.  In his Mini-Max, early on Bill perfected his landing technique of alternately touching the wingtips to the ground immediately upon wheel contact with earth. This day in his Taylorcraft he cleverly performed his dance while about three feet AGL. First the left wing down almost to the ground, then the right.  He repeated this procedure several times but never did make contact.  We think he was demonstrating superb control doing his Bob Hoover maneuver. Ultimately he did let the wheels touch, but he did this action far from the crowd. He then had to burn fuel to taxi the last half mile to the hangar!  Maybe he is just shy. On the other hand, perhaps the maneuver wasn't deliberate? Bill? Scores ranged from 1 to 10 depending upon one's perspective.

Tri-plane

Dick Rake, all your suggestions for why I let that little Fokker land are good ones.  And ones I have often used to explain why they got away in other skirmishes.  But you missed the real one. I was prepared, guns, bullets, smoke, and mirrors!  And everything was in  working order. Seems as though Baron Dick Curtiss, pilot of the tri-plane, was in serious trouble.  He flew overhead with engine sputtering and black smoke trailing.  He then made a low runway pass and pressed both hands together as though in prayer. This indicated to us that he would not be violent. I waved Dick in for a landing.

Although we are enemies, gallantry and chivalry does prevail in our airborne adversarial encounters. Here was a fighter in trouble and needing our mercy.  We showed him that but made him park his DR-I on the opposite side of the runway just in case.  Our guns were trained on him if this was a trick. We helped him patch his plane and make it airworthy again. I want to kill him in an honest battle, not take advantage of his weakened condition.

We even shared our food and wine with the tri-plane pilot.  Our nurses were off limits though!

Now you know the rest of the story!

AirBike Ace

The wind was a bit interesting all day, when i departed K50 heading to valley center I had a 25kt tail wind helping me along.

On the way home, I allowed the 150 to accelerate to 80kts in ground effect then climbed at 85kts to 3000ft. I think my choice of higher speeds allowed me to penetrate the wind better. In route to cook I expirienced several large jolts, I mean really big.....unlike anything I have felt before and couldnt keep the altitude better than plus or minus 100ft. I called cook traffic at 5 miles out and i was advised to expect an interesting approach. A cherokee that landed in front of me reported significant turbulence and a loss of 15kts airspeed at 100ft, it turned out to be just as bad as reported and quite a ride.

It was a good day but i was quite happy to be back on terra firma.

chris

Chris called me on 122.8 and warned me of the approach he had at cook only a few miles from selby.... on my approach I was riding a 38 mph gust which at about 200 ft off the deck dropped to about 23 or so which caused me to drop like a rock.  Applying power I was able to make the field but must say Chris is right the trip from High Point to Selby was as rough as I have flown in for a long time.  I got down on the ground as best I could and the landing wasn't horrible but the trip from the end of the runway to the hangar was equally as bad and exciting.... weathervaning isn't much fun.  I was curious the next morning as to the smell emulating from Pauls airbike and now we know the rest of that story.

What an amazing NEW venture for me... Even as Paul's personal Nurse, it was a very exciting event, the Highpoint-  Doug Moler flyin.. What a treat!

I am new at and with all the flying apparatus, however to begin my story it started with my father. Jack Kennedy from Mulvane, Kansas was an avid airplane buff, he had  many stories and many RC planes along with his own opportunities such as welding on the first Apollo.. Wow, I can not tell you how amazed he is today, watching his daughter being involved in what was a passion for him. So, to all you pilots, guys and gals that have begun to educate me and show me what it really is to view life from a different perspective.. Thank you!

Brent started this whole bug, so there, I can say it outloud he gave me the bug, yet Paul himself let me work on his plane.... oh the meaning of ironing has another dimension!

Then Sabrina Moler and her wonderful husband, what gracious host and hostess.. it was an absolute pleasure to be involved and honor each of you as well!

I look forward to many more hugs, more flights, rides etc... you all know, one of the highlights of the High Point Flyin, was that wonderful opporunity to fly in the R44..

Thank you again, all of you for making everyone comfortable and educating me on all the differences in aircraft there are out there.. Yet even everytime a plane landed, you know I was told as a lady, I have a habit of saying things are "cute", so I am now acutely aware that I must "NOT" say, "Oh my, that plane is CUTE". So, I will let you all know right now, that I apologize in advance, yet  let me tell you, there were cool planes, nice planes, awesome planes, ugly planes, beat up planes, and by all means... there were a couple "cute" planes.. So, get over it.. it's a female thing.. guys seriously, I get it.. But the yellow cab plane is darn "cute"!  

Till we meet again, be safe and make sure you carry your barf bags with you!

Thanks,

Nurse Jackie

Jackie, your excitement about aviation is matched by only a very small percentage of women.  Since Brent introduced you to the aerial spectacle via his PPC you have embraced this activity wholeheartedly.  What  a treat to have you "on board" and a part  of  our local flying group. Your experience at the EAA fly-in at Highpoint was a positive one, had  the weather been better,  you would have been able to get rides in some of the planes as well as that helicopter.

As you noticed at the fly-in and after reading the posts on this board, we are passionate about flying. And, we like sharing our experiences with others who join in and recognize what we are doing. I am sure you will continue to enjoy this activity as you expand your participation and we get to know you better. Maybe a LSA pilot's license is in your future?

You did a good job of ironing the fabric on my Tiger Moth wing, not much different than doing the same with shirts eh? After you get to know Brent better, you will find he has a lot of rough edges and rumpled surfaces that need to be ironed out too.  Like an airplane wing, just put the heat to him and he will straighten out.  

Airplanes, like women, can be "cute".  Those of us who have such airplanes call them "chick magnets." Just ask Dick Rake! Of course, this does damage our own psyche because women want to see our planes, not us!  Go ahead, continue using the word cute.

The photo below illustrates your excitement upon the first opportunity to sit in an airplane cockpit.  That was exacerbated when you were given permission to grasp the control stick. The grip is soft flexible rubber covering the rigid metal tube, it reduces vibration transmitted to one's hand.  As I watched your expression upon grasping it, it occurred to me, some thoughts of your other previous experiences must have been racing through your mind.

Fortunately you quickly learned that the control stick only moves left and right plus forward and aft.  There was no need to pull up on it to ascend and conversely. Good girl!

Again, glad to have you share your flying experiences with us.

AirBike  Ace

Paul,
When I got near the end of your story I caught myself reading between the lines. Good story either way!  
Dick

Yeah Dick, an  innuendo is about as close as I want to get to  that topic on the board.

Paul

Is this  the same High Point where they have the Furniture Market every year?
I was there some years ago for the Furniture exhibition and had a good time with friends.

No  furniture market here, however there are a few couch potatoes!

Paul

Quoted from fiebichpv No  furniture market here, however there are a few couch potatoes!

Paul

that was funny

Sorry, I should review my geography that place was High Point NC