ETLB Squawk Forums — Archive

AirBike Cross-Country Flight
to Gage, Oklahoma
February 7,8, & 9, 2015

I built my airplane to go places, expand my world, visit friends, and just plain 'ole have fun.  I did all of that mid-February by flying the 340 mile round-trip to Gage, Oklahoma to visit other AirBikers. An unusual February weather system in Kansas blessed us with three days of low winds and warm temperatures.

In the early Saturday and Sunday evenings at Gage, from 5:30 to 6:30 (sunset) we flew as a gaggle of up to 9 airplanes!  There were four AirBikes, one Hyperlite, A Rans S-18 Stinger and for a short time, a Cessna 172!

This is a brief description of my trip out and back: I left my Haysville, Kansas hangar (Blue Sky Ranch and Aerodrome now under new ownership) at noon Saturday, re-fueled after 100 miles at Alva, Oklahoma, then flew the balance of the distance to Gage arriving at 3:30. The return  trip began at 11:30 Monday morning, with re-fueling at Anthony, Kansas airport after 115 miles then flew the remaining distance home, arriving at 4:00 in the afternoon.

When I left Haysville Saturday noon, the temperature was 60 degrees, as the day wore on and I flew south, the temperature rose.  By the time I reached Gage and landed, the temperature at ground level was 85 degrees. Being dressed for cold weather traveling, I soon became overheated and started shedding some clothing layers.

The trip home was just the reverse. It was 65 degrees at 11:30 when I left Gage on Monday morning, climbed to 3000 feet AGL where the temperature was again 60 degrees. The temperature was downhill from there as I flew north. By the time I reached Haysville I had reduced my altitude to 1000 feet AGL to stay in warmer air but even there the temperature had dropped to 55 degrees. Higher was colder. I was dressed almost but not quite enough to ward off the chills. The "biological stick shaker" was activating.

As all of you know, my AirBike ain't no hangar queen! For me, flying is a phenomenally satisfying and confidence building activity. It is how I get my "high!"

One of the photos below shows a one-off airplane modification, if you can't figure out what it is, my website story identifies it. To read the story about my flight and see more photos of the group flights, go to my website http://www.airbikeace.org/

As Paul Harvey, noted radio commentator used to say :Wait until you hear the rest of the story!"

I hope you enjoy the story and can "fly" with me by reading it.

Paul D. Fiebich

Truly a great adventure Paul thanks for the awesome pictures and narrative.    

Great adventure Paul!  I enjoy reading your adventures.  Some good photos too.  Some areas look similar to our country, but you also have some very rugged looking areas.  I appreciate your comments about the Flight Plan.  I am in the process of doing my solo and cross country hours.  We are of course, required to file a flight plan.  I have been thinking that it is a hassle.  Your comments help, as you are of course correct.....if something happens, we want someone looking for us.  

I am curious about your fuel consumption, range, fuel capacity etc.   Also, what fuel is available for you at these airports?  Very few of the ones around here have 91 octane, no lead, no alcohol gas.  

Keep the adventures coming,

Dennis

Hi Dennis,

Filing a flight plan is very easy, just call 1-800 WX-Brief and provide the following information to the briefer:
1) VFR Direct from current location airport to destination airport (use airport identifier letters/numbers)
2) Provide your aircraft N number
3) Provide aircraft identification ie: Cessna 172
4) Provide estimated cruising airspeed (either MPH or KTS)
5) Identify departure point (again) and time in Zulu (if you don't know that, tell them local time)
6) State cruising altitude
7) State flight route (ground track) through major land features
Identify destination (again)
9) State estimated time enroute (give yourself 15 minutes or so leeway for taxii and parking before calling to close    the plan)
10) State how much fuel on board in hours (including reserve)
11) Identify at least one alternate airport
12) Provide your name, address, cell phone number, and phone number of a ground person (spouse?) they can contact
13) State the number of souls on board (so the search party knows how many to look for)
14) Color or special markings on your aircraft.

NOTE: You can file the plan earlier in the day then activate it from your plane's radio when you are ready to take off. If you have no radio, file for an Assumed Departure and specify a time for your take off. Then be sure to take off at that time or earlier.

I know this sounds like a lot of information but if you are ready with all the above information prior to calling, you can express all this in less than two minutes. Give it in this order if you can because that is the way the briefer will expect it. If you omit something, don't worry, the briefer will ask you.  Don't forget to close your flight plan after landing. I have found it best to file a flight plan for each leg of a multi-leg flight instead of putting them all in sequence. That way you have more latitude for variables that occurr.

The briefer will want to know if you want various types of weather, to avoid getting the 15-minute dissertation, just ask for winds aloft (at your cruising altitude), any NOTAMS on your route (jumpers, gliders, balloons etc.). If they state "VFR" not recommended, don't go.  Delay.

Finally, once you file a flight plan, they record who you are by your phone number and they create file folder. Next time you file a plan, they will key off your phone number and you will only need to change that information that has changed. Eventually they will call you by name. If it is a multi-leg flight, it is likely you will talk to the same briefer, they are friendly and are willing to chat briefly.

Good luck in your cross-country planning and execution.

Paul Fiebich

After re-reading your post Dennis, I realize I forgot a few things:
1) My Rotax 503 has a fuel burn of 4.2 gallons per hour (for safety margin when calculating I use 4.5 GPH)
2) I burn whatever is available from 87 octane auto gas (including alochol) to 100 LL
3) My fuel capacity is 11.5 gallons total
4) For convenience, I figure 15 miles per gallon
5) A comfortable range is two hours, flight to fuel exhaustion is 2.75 hours.  
6) I carry my own oil for mixing with the gas as I have never found 2-stroke oil at an airport.

I hope this information is useful

Paul Fiebich

Hey Paul is that approx  @ 17 litres an hour...?

Yes Arthur, that is approximately correct and close enough to provide a margin of safety. If one uses the conversion factor of .26417 divided into 4.2 GPH the answer is exactly 15.898 liters. That is about a quart difference or about 4 minutes flying time.

Paul Fiebich

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the info!  Very helpful.  I have submitted a flight plan once, and, being near the mountains I ended up hearing all about the reasons not to fly that direction.....even though I was not   Nice to know that I can bypass that part at least.  

I have read/heard a lot about the problems with leaded and alcohol fuels.  Are they overstated, or do different engines have different reactions to them?  I have a Hirth although I am still waiting to put it (the plane) together.  The only airport in my area that has no-lead, no alcohol is a grass strip about 40 miles away.  Everywhere else I have checked is LL100.  I am sure it would be a problem to have my wife follow me around in the car with gas so I can get home .  LOL!

Dennis

I recognize one of those Airbikes. How is the crew down there?

Paul, I really enjoyed this.

Thanks.

yes thanks Paul..... I go along with others stating ....very interesting facts

cheers Arthur

Andy, your AirBike is right at home with its brother AirBikes. They fly a lot, mostly the evening sorties like everyone did during my visit. Those guys are having a great time, the AirBike is exactly what they need to have fun; open air, pants flapping in the breeze, tundra tires for off-airport landing/visiting and everyone having the same mindset of "Fly for Fun."

The photos below show that your plane is right at home with its siblings.  Now get your rear in gear and start working on the Pietenpol!  

Paul Fiebich