fiebichpvDecember 23, 2019, 5:48pm
Last Flight of 2019? Predicted weather for the balance of the year is cold and windy.
Yesterday's temperature was 45 degrees, five lower than my minimum but the wind was light and variable, and I hadn't flown 11 days! Time to go "exercise" my AirBike! Arriving at the field at 4:00 I had the pre-flight and warm-up done by 4:15 and then taxied to the grass runway 01-19.
After looking for sky divers dropping from the heavens, I announced on 122.8 my intentions to take off on runway 19. The plan was for a one hour flight. Advancing the throttle, I was soon airborne into the dense cold air. Suddenly it was a lot colder than on the ground, I suppose speed has something to do with that. Sure glad I put rubber bands around my pant legs; I didn't want to have a cool "tool" or experience extreme "shrivel factor.
"A slight haze precluded flying into the setting sun so I went north. This took me over the golf course where hardy souls were whacking their balls. Then over some dreary looking farmland before heading east then south. The plan was to fly a modified rectangular pattern with the return flight on a northwesterly diagonal to avoid flying into the sun's glare.
40 degree air temperature at 1000' AGL precluded that last leg because by body's core was getting chilled into the danger zone. So, the third leg was shortened and the last leg thus was directly into the sun. Doing the "air show" wave (holding one hand up to block the sun) I headed back to the airfield. I have to keep my hand inside the cockpit otherwise anything protruding beyond my windshield edge produces drag on that side and I start turning.
Fortunately, as I flew directly into the sun, there were no other recreational fliers getting their final flights of the year other than the skydivers and their jump plane. Three miles out and still at 1000' I made my first inbound radio call. Next call would be when I entered the Downwind. My biological stick shaker was beginning to tell me I was getting colder, I had been up for only 3/4 of an hour.
A jump plane was taxiing to its start position at the end of the asphalt runway 17 as I entered base leg. I again radioed my position. On Final, over the tree at runway's end and the pond next to it, my Airbike settled gently as it met its shadow on the sod. Next, I would taxi into position to cross runway 17-35.
Enroute the jump plane radioed an inquiry about my intentions. I told them to go ahead and take off as it was a slow taxi for me to the crossing point. We waved to each other as we passed, him after breaking ground and me going the opposite direction while bending the grass with my tires.
Soon I was back at my hangar and noted the temperature was 2 degrees "warmer" than when at altitude. Following a post-flight inspection I parked my trusty plane and chocked the wheels. After a final walk-around, I patted the rudder and said to myself, God, I love this flying stuff!
Yesterday's temperature was 45 degrees, five lower than my minimum but the wind was light and variable, and I hadn't flown 11 days! Time to go "exercise" my AirBike! Arriving at the field at 4:00 I had the pre-flight and warm-up done by 4:15 and then taxied to the grass runway 01-19.
After looking for sky divers dropping from the heavens, I announced on 122.8 my intentions to take off on runway 19. The plan was for a one hour flight. Advancing the throttle, I was soon airborne into the dense cold air. Suddenly it was a lot colder than on the ground, I suppose speed has something to do with that. Sure glad I put rubber bands around my pant legs; I didn't want to have a cool "tool" or experience extreme "shrivel factor.
"A slight haze precluded flying into the setting sun so I went north. This took me over the golf course where hardy souls were whacking their balls. Then over some dreary looking farmland before heading east then south. The plan was to fly a modified rectangular pattern with the return flight on a northwesterly diagonal to avoid flying into the sun's glare.
40 degree air temperature at 1000' AGL precluded that last leg because by body's core was getting chilled into the danger zone. So, the third leg was shortened and the last leg thus was directly into the sun. Doing the "air show" wave (holding one hand up to block the sun) I headed back to the airfield. I have to keep my hand inside the cockpit otherwise anything protruding beyond my windshield edge produces drag on that side and I start turning.
Fortunately, as I flew directly into the sun, there were no other recreational fliers getting their final flights of the year other than the skydivers and their jump plane. Three miles out and still at 1000' I made my first inbound radio call. Next call would be when I entered the Downwind. My biological stick shaker was beginning to tell me I was getting colder, I had been up for only 3/4 of an hour.
A jump plane was taxiing to its start position at the end of the asphalt runway 17 as I entered base leg. I again radioed my position. On Final, over the tree at runway's end and the pond next to it, my Airbike settled gently as it met its shadow on the sod. Next, I would taxi into position to cross runway 17-35.
Enroute the jump plane radioed an inquiry about my intentions. I told them to go ahead and take off as it was a slow taxi for me to the crossing point. We waved to each other as we passed, him after breaking ground and me going the opposite direction while bending the grass with my tires.
Soon I was back at my hangar and noted the temperature was 2 degrees "warmer" than when at altitude. Following a post-flight inspection I parked my trusty plane and chocked the wheels. After a final walk-around, I patted the rudder and said to myself, God, I love this flying stuff!