Black Magic officially became a time machine this past weekend. It's not a Bahama trip summary, a Monument Valley picture album, but ya gotta start somewhere.
I loaded up luggage, and launched out of i39 for the Cincy River Rats formation clinic at MWO Friday afternoon around 1430. I will have to say it was "way cool" actually putting baggage in the airplane for the first time. Anyway, with a borrowed 496 with XM weather, off I went northbound and out of the ol test area. Not being fully comfortable IFR with the airplane yet, I knew I may have to put down short of MWO and either rent a car, hang out and assess the weather ahead or spend the night. I made it about 2 miles south of Cincy's mode C vail when the ceiling had lowered to my pre determined no go levels. I turned around and flew about 10 miles to the south, in a nice clear rain corridor shown on the 496, and landed at an airport I had previously flown over. Don't you just love weather on board and the nearest function. I have the 430 in the panel but the 496 is one fine piece of equipment. We still got a little wet in the pattern but Black Magic needed a power wash anyway. Nice airplane outline on the ramp. I know, I know...I'm working on the wheel pants and gear leg fairings this week.
Here is where the RV crowd comes to the forefront. I called Dogg upon landing and let him know the situation. In a very short time, I got a return call saying Kahuna and a second ship were going to launch out on the 28 minute flight for the pickup, or Speedy's flight of three, with Reno, were going to divert from their flight from South Carolina was going to stop and provide taxi service if they got the text message Kahuna had sent. Long story short, Speedy's Taxi Service soon arrived and off to MWO, and a fine dinner and drinks with friends in Middletown, OH., leaving Black Magic behind to be retrieved Saturday morning.
Saturday morning I went flying with Rob in his yellow bird as the photo ship for the first formation flights of the morning. We took pictures of Taco's 4 ship for about 20 minutes then diverted to retrieve Black Magic. It was only a 20 minute flight in Robs bird 18GG........showing 231 kts across the ground and 208 indicated at 23.5 square.
It was a 30 minute flight back up to MWO for me, with Rob "hanging" with me to take some air to air pics. Can't wait to see those. Anyway, here I am coming in as a single ship, to an airport that has been featured in the local newspaper three times for the "airshow" going on by the RV airplanes...with spectators, my RV friends and me and my new taildragger landing skills to be featured front and center
. What the heck, might as well let her rip
inbound on the initial for overhead left break for 5!! To make matters worse, here was Subob holding short with a two ship....he's only flown everything form F-4's to 16's to who know what...... I could not have picked a better time to stick a wheel landing where the mains didn't even hardly flex!!
It sure was a nice time to have a slider, canopy back, elbow up on the slider rail, I bet it looked like I knew what I was doing, they just couldn't see my arm pits
It sure was nice to see Black Magic sitting amongst friends on the ramp for the first time.
I can't say it enough gang, if you are still pounding rivets, get out there tonight, pound, ponder, whatever, but do something to/with the project for when it becomes an airplane, you will kick yourself in the butt for not getting it finished sooner.
Keep pounding............it's worth it!!
Black Magic leaves the test area!!
I just wish I could afford to live the way I do 
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