BlueMaxJuly 4, 2020, 4:26pm
I departed Kwld in the Vmax at 7:45 yesterday morning along with a fellow weedhopper pilot and headed northwest on a short 8 mile hop to oxford ks to meet up another local hopper pilot for some flyimg fun. The wind was south east at 5kts and a high overcast at departure from Kwld. However, the huns switched on their giant wind machines as i crossed the numbers for 17 at oxford and the wind abruptly switched to 010 at 10kts. I watched the sock swing out of the corner of my eye as I entered the flare! Nothing like being faced with a sudden quartering tailwind to keep your feet awake in a minimax!
After shooting the breeze in oxford for a bit we departed in a loose gaggle, the 2 hoppers leading and me trailing. I atempted to keep pace with the weedhoppers for a while but soon had to break off as navigating the "wishy washy" air currents at near stall speed wasnt exactly comfortable. I peeled out of the group and headed west on a relaxing local flight, flying over a friends farm and following the meandering path of the arkansas river back towards kwld. Staying above 1400agl to avoid hun anti aircraft fire and the rapidly developing thermal activity. Kansas can be a rough place on a summer day!
Upon arriving back at kwld I was again confronted by the huns and their wind generating machines, having failed in their first atempt they had now aligned perpendicular to the runway, generating a crosswind of 12kts. The BlueMax and its dashing young pilot handled it with ease, once again sending the huns running home tail tucked and empty handed. As I taxiied taxied in a locally based bearhawk circled overhead providing top cover and looking for any straggling huns. I got the plane tucked into her place in the hangar just in time as a little popcorn thunderstorm was rapidly approaching and very shortly thereafter gave the dry kansas soil and corn a good soaking.
After shooting the breeze in oxford for a bit we departed in a loose gaggle, the 2 hoppers leading and me trailing. I atempted to keep pace with the weedhoppers for a while but soon had to break off as navigating the "wishy washy" air currents at near stall speed wasnt exactly comfortable. I peeled out of the group and headed west on a relaxing local flight, flying over a friends farm and following the meandering path of the arkansas river back towards kwld. Staying above 1400agl to avoid hun anti aircraft fire and the rapidly developing thermal activity. Kansas can be a rough place on a summer day!
Upon arriving back at kwld I was again confronted by the huns and their wind generating machines, having failed in their first atempt they had now aligned perpendicular to the runway, generating a crosswind of 12kts. The BlueMax and its dashing young pilot handled it with ease, once again sending the huns running home tail tucked and empty handed. As I taxiied taxied in a locally based bearhawk circled overhead providing top cover and looking for any straggling huns. I got the plane tucked into her place in the hangar just in time as a little popcorn thunderstorm was rapidly approaching and very shortly thereafter gave the dry kansas soil and corn a good soaking.
When in doubt just use full throttle.... it might not help but it will end the suspense.
