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What did you do with your RV this weekend? (10/3/2020 - 10/4/2020)

This weekend, I'll finish up my transition training in my new (to me) RV-9A. It took me 5 hours and about 20 touch-and-goes (I'm a rusty pilot). What a fantastic airplane!

So...my instructor is happy and my insurance company is happy (if an insurance company is ever happy). I'm happy too, but still a lot to learn. I can handle the airplane OK, but now I need to get more familiar with the capabilities of my full-IFR panel (430W, AFS 4500/3400, AP, and G5). It will be quite awhile before I'll ever be filing IFR in this plane, but I do want to understand the whole system in the event I'm ever dumb enough to get stuck on top or inadvertently fly into IMC.

I just replaced a dead ADI with a G5. I now have three different altimeters and the last step in this RV rehab project is a pitot-static leak test and IFR certification for all three altimeters. They all agree at various altitudes, but I want to get the system certified. My instructor is taking the plane back to his own airport today so his avionics guys can get that done on Tuesday. When it comes back on Wednesday, next step will be pulling the interior for a deep cleaning of seats and carpet...something I've been itching to do since we ferried it back. I'll install the Anti-Splat foot-bar thing in an attempt to spare the interior any further abuse. I may need to look at aileron push-rod boots too....I noticed some cold air intrusion flying on this rather cool weekend.

My first excursion into a fast low-wing airplane, and first experience with Experimental aircraft. What a blast!
 

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Left bottom wing skins done.

With the help of a good friend (Tom Velvick) we spent 7 hours riveting the bottom skins on to the left wing of my 7. FYI - If you haven't done this yet plan for full day for each wing or into several sessions. That wing walk area is a PITA to work in.
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Glad you asked, DR. ;)

Yesterday morning, I had planned to fly my RV to Santa Paula (KSZP) for lunch, and fuel. The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry...

Shortly before I planned to leave my house, a friend called to see if I could help him fly a Challenger 604 from KTRM to KSBA, and back. He would fly us out and back between KTRM, about a 30 minute flight, in his C180. Since my RV and his C180 are based at the same airport, this worked out fine. So, off we went..

I knew that VAF'er bruceh planned to fly to KSBA yesterday as well, and it just so happens as we were holding short at KSBA, he was landing. Hard to miss a purple RV; and I was happy to wait for him to land before taking off.

After finishing the work flying, I found myself back at L18 and debating where to fly my plane. It was nearly 3:30 PM, and I wanted to be home within two hours, so I decided to go down to KSDM to pick up some gas, mixed with a nice flight along the coast. The flight was fine, and the gas was cheap ($3.35/gallon) but the visibility left a bit to be desired. Still, a fun day of flying though...
 

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We did go to Santa Barbara. Last weekend the trip up there was hampered by coastal weather keeping us from getting a decent start. This weekend my son decided he wanted to go instead of my daughter. I went to the airport for the EAA chapter meeting there at 10am and when my son showed up, we got going. The flight up we got put at 6500' by ATC, so we elected to cross the LA Bravo via the coastal route, then an easy cruise into SBA. We taxied over to the self serve fuel, filled up then parked at Signature. If you buy fuel, no charges for the day! They also shuttled us over to Goleta Beach and back. My daughter still wants to do this trip, so maybe we will be back up here sooner than later. On the way back we had a bit of a headwind and it was mostly smoky. We climbed up to 9500' and did the Coliseum route on the way back.

Photos are here.
 
So my original fuel servo came back from overhaul and got the re-install done a little less than 2 weeks ago. Did an oil change at the time. A week ago last Wednesday I went for my post maintenance flight - at least that was the plan. Hit a pothole at the foot of the taxiway closest to my hangar and soon noticed a pull to the left. A short taxi led to a strong pull so I let it stop and knew from the angle that the plane was at that I had a flat tire. 2 hours to get it back to the hangar and a week for a replacement. Replaced the tire and tube this past Thursday - first time I'd looked at the damage. All it took was a 3/16" long nick in the tube. I'll patch it up and have a spare I guess.

Now that I've done the background, fast forward to what I did this weekend. Went up for 1.2 Saturday morning to test my repaired servo, post oil-change check and tire check. Oh, and I installed my replacement left upper intersection fairing (lost the original during the Airberta poker rally in August), so that was tested too. It had been a month since my last flight - too long.

Good flight, had it up to 10.5 for a while, everything ran and flew well. TAS was better than I've seen in a while, up as high as 146 KT at 62% power (WOT/2400). Not bad at all for my slow plane, book is 145 KT at 55%. I'll take it.
 
Condition inspection underway

Condition inspection has started. My rv12 is in pieces! Hope to wrap up this week.
 

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Beach detour on the way to CI

Loaded up and headed to the Outer Banks for the weekend. Flew into KMQI Manteo, Dare County after a bounce at First Flight. There, we met up with daughter and boyfriend to celebrate her birthday before continuing on to Falcon Field today so Vic and Base Leg Aviation can do my first CI since I became the caretaker of Roger Mell’s dream machine. Later this week it’s back North to the grind, but for now enjoying some quality time with the -7.
 
Saturday: oil change.

Sunday: took a little trip down toward Auburn (K01) and Nebraska City (AFK) from Millard (MLE). My daughter and her kids were headed up to see us by car. I intercepted and did a few parallel passes off to the side (and at a safe and legal altitude, of course) so the kids could see, complete with a few wing wags.

After seeing the in-flight movie, “Close Encounters of the Bird Kind”, I decided that perhaps a higher altitude would be advisable, so I climbed and headed home. Those hawks and buzzards seem to think they own the place. I wasn’t going to argue with them.

Once home I found out that they were actually coming up to attend a surprise birthday party... for me.

Good times.
 
It was a georgous Fall day in the east. Flew from my home in Frederick, MD to Slatington, PA. The airport is adjacent to the Lehigh river and if you are an EAA member there is camping and of course fishing available. A walking/bike path runs along the river and connects to the Appalachian trail about a mile from the airport. Good food in slatington itself. Nice day to get out for a walk and enjoy the scenery.
 
I had some loose plans to join my previous co-workers and "Pizza Boss" for an informal reunion. 3 hours of driving or 50 mins of flying and a requisite crown vic for a 30 min drive was way more appealing.

After relatively smooth has been verified, Lil' dude is allowed to loosen his safety belts and sit on his legs for a better view. I love discussing objects on the MFD map vs what is out the window.

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I spent about 8 years working with this group of people through high school and college slinging pizzas and having a blast.

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On the drive back to the airport Lil' dude kept telling me how cool the runways were "in" the airport. I'm embarrassed to say I missed it entirely and saw it on the second go around. The tile designers really nailed it from Lil' dude's perspective......He would've loved to flown his "Hot Wings" all around the lobby and intersecting runways. Our airport has the same generic tile but no runways.....

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I was "spotted" on the ramp by a visiting friend and texted a photo of my plane on the ramp......I was gonna stop by your strip on the way home honest. We stopped by for a short visit on the way home, Lil' dude was reflecting in the possible projects....

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I held a play date for Norma Jean so she could have fun with a friend while I ate lunch.
 

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Last-minute decision late Sat afternoon to hop up to Greenville, SC (KGMU) for a visit with our daughter and grandson at the aviation-themed playground at GMU. I love our time machine - what would have been a 3 hour car trip was over in 50 minutes (including pre-flight time), especially since the airplane and runway are already in our back yard. Got to spend some time with them before fueling up and enjoying a beautiful sunset flight home at 8,500' and TAS of 160kts.
 
AAF Tank Museum, Danville, VA

Mugsy and I headed southwest from the Annapolis, Maryland area on this beautiful Saturday. Here we are crossing the Chesapeake Bay.

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On the ramp at Danville Regional Airport.

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We rented a car that the Danville FBO keeps on site and drove to the AAF Tank Museum. I had heard about this museum somehow, and had wanted to visit, but it is not air conditioned so we waited for cooler weather.

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The museum was better than we expected with 120+ tanks, and all sorts of other artifacts: uniforms, helmets, rifles, guns, etc. It's a huge facility. It was very interesting. Here is a huge American M-60 tank.

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Soviet T-34

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German Panzer Mark IV

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Iraqi (Soviet-built) 152mm self-propelled howitzer tank, captured during Desert Storm

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Winging our way home, enjoying a nice tailwind and 200 mph groundspeed.

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Nice nice shot of Mugsy on top a scattered layer with Richmond in the background below.

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The Chesapeake Bay Bridge below with Baltimore in the background. Visibility was phenomenal today, I estimate 70 miles.

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Danville is in southwest Virginia, a fair distance away, but the RVs speed made this one-day trip possible. The AAV Tank Museum is worth seeing if you are ever in southwest Virginia.
 
Made the move to the airport... 2 years 7 months in the garage. Should be airborne in about 6 weeks
 

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Fall colors are 80-90% in Northern WI and UP. Finally had a good day take a colors tour with my wife. Went from KATW to 40D (Three Lakes WI). Funny, her reaction, when I told her it was a grass strip.
 

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"Tanks for the Memories"

Here is a huge American M-60 tank.

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Bill:
very much appreciate this - the M60 was my ride for many years, and prepared me for building an airplane:
AMU (Armor Monetary Units) are significant;
Limited parts availability;
Every one is designed the same, but each has a different personality;
Blood and sweat, patience and diligence, attention to detail required.
 
Grandpa and Grandson Speed Rally

Well I am a bit late as this happened a few weekends ago. My apologies. Myself and Grandson Rikus did our first Speed Rally together. Me the pilot and him the the navigator and our ride was Zumer, my RV7A. This is quite a unique discipline where one flies a route of about 135 nautical miles around nine or so turning points. All at full throttle and only your map, compass and stopwatch to navigate with. Strictly no GPS allowed. You get judged for Navigation accuracy and Speed achieved. Each AC carries a logger that gets downloaded afterwards to get your track flown and to do the scoring with.

The result does not matter- what matters is the fun we have had with Zumer. And Rikus found a turning point that I would have missed in which case we would have picked up a six minute penalty. We have been placed 16th out of 23 entries. We have already entered for the next Speed Rally.

What a privilege and what a blessing.
 

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Diddley squat........

Our P-Mags are en route Texas for a look see after a bad misfire event a week or so ago (10 years old, 113's and 500 hours). Despite my best efforts, UPS held them pending more info outbound and guess what - they don't work weekends :mad: All paperwork was on the package, but I guess the operative was struggling to read....

Currently in Louisville, so Brad should get them Thursday.

Still - I have a Piper vagabond to putter about in.....:D
 
Fall colors are 80-90% in Northern WI and UP. Finally had a good day take a colors tour with my wife. Went from KATW to 40D (Three Lakes WI). Funny, her reaction, when I told her it was a grass strip.

that sure is pretty. there is no better way to see it all. color overload!
 
Mugsy and I headed southwest from the Annapolis, Maryland area

The museum was better than we expected with 120+ tanks, and all sorts of other artifacts: uniforms, helmets, rifles, guns, etc. It's a huge facility. It was very interesting. Here is a huge American M-60 tank.

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Soviet T-34

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German Panzer Mark IV

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Iraqi (Soviet-built) 152mm self-propelled howitzer tank, captured during Desert Storm

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Winging our way home, enjoying a nice tailwind and 200 mph
Danville is in southwest Virginia, a fair distance away, but the RVs speed made this one-day trip possible. The AAV Tank Museum is worth seeing if you are ever in southwest Virginia.

Great report Bill! I didn’t know Danville is that close to tank museum. My grampa drove T34 for three years 1942-1945.
 
Just got back from a short trip (42 hours in 2 weeks).

200 hours in the first year of flying.
 

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Nigh Flight to La Junta

We have been trying to fly at night once a month during the full moon just to keep current. This month was La Junta, Colorado. La Junta was a bomber training base during WWII. You can still see triangle runways scattered around the nearby area where the bombers went to shoot patterns.

I tried taking photos along the way, but none of them came out. So here we are about ready to put the Sabrina Lee back in the hangar back at KFLY.

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Blue skies.
 
Impromptu trip to Destin FL

What a great time to get a call from great friends from Missouri who said hey we are heading to Destin yall wanna come we have extra room. Weather was perfect so we jumped in the plane and off we went.

The best part was we didn't know we were going until the day before.





 

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What a great time to get a call from great friends from Missouri who said hey we are heading to Destin yall wanna come we have extra room. Weather was perfect so we jumped in the plane and off we went.

The best part was we didn't know we were going until the day before.






What grat (Air) Pictures..... Corona cancel my Holiday Trip to FL.... hope for 2021
 
Took N783V for paint.

Flew the newly minted RV-10 just out of Phase 1 for some milestone flying. Friday, took my first passenger (my wife) to breakfast at T82 in Fredericksburg, TX. Tuesday, flew plane from TX to AL for paint at Evoke Aviation. This required another first, an IFR clearance and flight into “the soup”. All went VERY well! Though I hate not flying the 10 for at least 2 months, I can’t wait to see her all dressed up with paint from Jonathan’s team at Evoke. Very confident that these guys will do a FANTASTIC job.
 

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Prior to deployment I had the chance to fly the RV back from Norfolk to middle Tennessee; attached are several photos from my last weekend in town:

Cruising north to Springfield TN


Cruising over the Class Charlie but just below the cloud deck


Nashville at sunset




And finally one more sunset shot
 
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