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Did anyone do anything with their RV this weekend (3/21 - 3/22)

SPX

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With the COVID-19 restrictions setting in, I am thinking that maybe there was more building in the garage being done than flying, but there's a lot of the country still unrestricted, so .. let's hear it!

And, an argument could be made that flying your RV alone or in formation with others is the best form of social distancing, couldn't it?? Hard to transmit anything to others when you're alone and aloft.

I digress .. I worked yesterday, San Diego to Tucson in the work plane. I then drove home (445 miles, but it was surprisingly painless, and a pretty quick six hours). This morning, I wanted to go topoff the RV in case it sits for a bit with tighter restrictions. So, flew to a neighboring airport to get it topped off, and then put it back in the hangar.


F70.jpg

 
I've been demotivated recently on the -10 build. Too many things going on.

But I did get to the airport on Saturday to take the -6 up for a little while. The ceilings were pretty low, so my options were limited. At least I got the wheels off the ground!
 
We primered and dimpled the horizontal and vertical stabs. Got the horizontal front and rear spars riveted together. There's plenty of time for the build right now....I think the girlfriend updated the website so please check it out. Could always use some input.
 
My RV-8 flew again!

In mid January, I started condition inspection. First thing I did was pull the magneto and send it off to Champion-Slick for the SB1-15A treatment. They told me turn-around was 1--5 weeks just depending on how many come in during any period.

In the mean time, I replaced the O-rings in my brakes with Viton, and replaced the Mil-5606 with the Mil 83282 fluid.
I replaced both my throttle and mixture cables with custom McFarlane cables.
And, of course, I did the rest of the condition inspection.

Last week, my magneto finally made it home from South Carolina, and Saturday, 3/21, my airplane flew again for the first time in over two months.
Beautiful spring day to fly.
 
Heck yes! I flew a recon mission on Saturday followed by a 7 hour hike on Sunday. I brought those monster antlers from 8,000 feet on foot. That was a challenge. Anyone has an idea on the best mountain hiking boots? :D



Today my good Russian buddy Ivan made a first flight of his RV9 dragon tail. Congrats man!





This is my gift to you and I will deliver it personally after it’s all over.


 
Stirred the oil

With a quick little IFR flight to KPOC and back. 2 approaches and a bit of actual!

-Marc
 
Gas run

Since everything is closed, no hamburgers. Ran down to 4V1 as they have the cheapest gas nearby. Got to where I could hear the AWOS, and it says the pump is down. Rats! So I came back to KFLY, filled up there. All in all pretty quiet in the Frontrange down by Colorado Springs today.

cheers

Geoff
 
Heck yes! I flew a recon mission on Saturday followed by a 7 hour hike on Sunday. I brought those monster antlers from 8,000 feet on foot. That was a challenge. Anyone has an idea on the best mountain hiking boots? :D



Today my good Russian buddy Ivan made a first flight of his RV9 dragon tail. Congrats man!





This is my gift to you and I will deliver it personally after it’s all over.



Wow Vlad, that looks like a matched set. I find a couple every year in my pasture (black-tail deer, not elk). A bit of a statistical anomaly from small sample size, of the six that I have found, four are left side.

Is Ivan going to paint his, or leave it naked like yours? Looks like he might be thinking about red, some time in the future?
 
Social spacing being hard to do in a 7, took a solo flight from Sparta MI to Muskegon, turned south and dropped to 500’ along the Lake Michigan shore taking photos of the cottages falling Into the lake due to high water levels. Turned inland at Holland and flew over Park Township airport on my way back home. Park Township airport, a historic field from the 30’s, was just voted out of existence during the last election. Very sad and wanted to visit one more time but will land there later this summer. ATC at both Muskegon and Jerald R Ford international were mostly working GA. They were very friendly and very glad to be talking to me! Fun flight!
 
I started on my condition inspection and finished the fuselage and left wing. Then started on rewiring the brakes on my wife's RV (the camper type that we take to OSH every year). Tomorrow I put new pads on the front of her car and hopefully get back to the camper and -9.

Saturday night it was warm enough that we showed Knives Out on the hangar door. It is a good movie and I recommend it. The next nice Saturday night will have us showing Ford vs. Ferrari.
 
Flew ?around the block? from Torrance Beach to Huntington Beach and back. Overheard someone telling ATC ?glad to find some normalcy up here?. Amen brother.
 
Shoveled Snow/ice to Free my RV

Shoveled snow and ice for over 2-hours. After a good warm up was able to taxi out and do some T&G's. Decided to risk the snow (we got a bunch last night) and try to taxi up to the fuel sales tank.

Slight incline and three inches of heavy wet snow made it interesting.

After fueling, flew to the east and did some air work.

Sunny and warm today, 36 deg F, felt good wearing just a t-shirt while shoveling.

Serious wind over mountains today, from 5000 thru 18,000 winds were above 58kts, 91kts at 24,000.

Steve flew his C182 over towards Mt Redoubt, where I was planning to go, said bad turbulence turned him around to head home.

Sure is allot easier moving the RV-6 around in the snow and ice than the C182!

Best regards,
Mike Bauer
 
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Social Distancing

I did get in some vertical social distancing. Flew about 1.5 hours in moderate chop playing/testing new TruTrak autopilot. On previous flights I had some porpusing during steering turns. This weekend was first test in chop. TruTrak did very well and now not thinking I need to rethink my static routing/connections.

Also built 4.5” tall wood ramps so I can pull the RV up onto the scales to weigh it again. It has been a while since I weighed it and have completed a few changes recently so need to get new weight and balance.
 
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A little social interaction instead

flew KPTK (Pontiac MI) to 1D2 (Canton) to show the RV-10 to an interested potential builder. Tony had contacted me through Facebook indicating he was interested in building, but had never seen an RV-10.

We went up for a little ride, gave him the controls for a few minutes and came back in. He was very impressed. Nice to spread a good disease (RV flying disease, that is!). :)
 
Up flying Saturday morning since almost nobody else was. It was so quiet, I checked the NOTAMS to be sure the system wasn't closed down. Controllers seemed happy there was someone to control.

Flight schools are closed down it seems so really slow around here without them in the air.

As I taxied in, my friend Les was heading out in his RV-10.
 
Hangar Move

I started moving out of the hangar I share with a good friend to a hangar I recently purchased at KBUU. Moved tools and other miscellaneous stuff. Will hopefully move the airplane sometime later this week, after the snow melts that fell last night, I?m currently on a grass strip.
 
Finally chased down a persistent and very annoying oil leak—I think. Replaced a gasket on an accessory cover that I think was the culprit. The old gasket looked fine but it was very hard. Anyway went on a short 1/2 hour test flight and it looks like the leak might have stopped but I didn’t feel like pulling the cowl to see for sure as it was 90* and I was wiped after spending most of the morning spring cleaning the hangar. In any event this gives me an excuse to go back to the airport if we get locked down because of COVID— you know critical aircraft maintenance :D :p
 
Crossed the rocks

Headed for some self-isolation by making my first trip through the Rockies. Flew from Red Deer, AB (CYQF) to Golden, BC (CYGE) on Sunday on a beautiful day.

Just entering the mountains
rockies00.JPG


Nice and close views
rockies01.JPG


Lake Louise is just out of the frame to the left.
rockies02.JPG


Descending into Golden
intoGolden.jpg


Another close view on my way home
rockies03.JPG


This textbook lenticular cloud foretold the rough ride I was about to hit. I encountered the mountain wave most of the way home.
rockies04.JPG


View to the south just before breaking out of the mountains eastbound.
rockies05.JPG


What a great way to see these magnificent mountains.
 
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9A panel project

I continued with the "G3X from steam gages" panel upgrade project. It's been 3 weeks and I can finally see the tunnel with the light on the other side.
Removed all old system hardware. All new hardware components are installed. Main harness installed. New replacement panel cut, drilled and ready for prime and paint. Comm, xpndr, OAT, ADSB-In connected.
To do:
1. Purchase and install TCW backup battery.
2. Continue engine sensor wiring.
3. Configure, calibrate, test
 
Up flying Saturday morning since almost nobody else was. It was so quiet, I checked the NOTAMS to be sure the system wasn't closed down. Controllers seemed happy there was someone to control.

Flight schools are closed down it seems so really slow around here without them in the air.

As I taxied in, my friend Les was heading out in his RV-10.

Interesting opposite experience. Saturday at 5:00 was the beginning of Illinois' lockdown period. Went to pick up my son from school in Missouri. I saw a crazy amount of airplanes at most every decent sized aiport that I flew over in the state. Chicago airspace was crazy busy, mostly GA. I imagine everyone was getting one last flight in.

Larry
 
Repositioned my RV-7A from a tie down on the ramp at Madisonville, TN (MNV) to a hangar at Crossville, TN (CSV). It is a 1.75 hr drive from home but the plane is under roof now. It's really hard to do any maintenance on a ramp. At only 54 hrs on the hobbs, I'm still tweaking stuff.
 
Flew 1.5 hours down the Oregon Coast . Marveled at the crowded waysides, beaches, tourist towns and traffic jams. Each city in chorus shut down tourism, beach access, hotels, etc... the following day.
Going to go crabbing soon. I am sure I will have the bay to myself.
 
Installed injectors and fuel lines on the engine, and started fitting the baffles now so they'll go in easier later.
 
Vlad - those antlers are actually from a medium size bull, a five-point, but they have decent mass. For a really good bull you'll find them at least six on a side, the bases as big around as your bicep, and the spread (when still on said elk) five feet or so. Check out Lowa boots for good hiking boots. There are lots of good ones, though. Main thing is the lightest you can find that are sturdy enough for your application. Try to wear a pair out where you live!

Heck yes! I flew a recon mission on Saturday followed by a 7 hour hike on Sunday. I brought those monster antlers from 8,000 feet on foot. That was a challenge. Anyone has an idea on the best mountain hiking boots? :D



Today my good Russian buddy Ivan made a first flight of his RV9 dragon tail. Congrats man!





This is my gift to you and I will deliver it personally after it?s all over.


 
I removed the elevator tips of the -9A so I could balance the elevators. Then drilled out the rivets of the right horizontal tip so I could straighten an align it with the elevator. Got all that put back together then started working on the emp. fairing.

Saturday afternoon, I flew the 172 for a little bit.
 
Elk antlers found @ 8,000' Vlad

Not mentioned by Doug, interesting find, in that usually only 1 found. Other usually elsewhere. Doug's HQ @ Missoula, home of the Nat'l Rocky Mt. Elk Museum; shot a roll of film there, as did others.
 
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