RV-6 sets speed Record - Old Guys ROCK!

[Bob Axsom]

The setting of records is a stimulating activity and I have the fast RV-6A that Jeanine and I built in our garage so it is natural to pursue it. I thought about this years ago with out Archer II, joined the NAA, got the sporting license but we never did it - too little time and money. In 1996 we flew the Marion Jayne Air Race from Shreveport, LA to Frederick, MD. In that race was husband & wife team Paul & Eddie Whistle from Colorado. We learned that they had flown their Bonanza around the world in search of records. At that time the NAA published a record book each year but the organization has not published a record book since 2004. They did sell me a new copy of that book last month. This seems like an unsatisfactory way to run a record organization but that is the way things are deteriorating pretty much everywhere these days. Your record is not published in human readable form by the NAA in their latest book of course:



Bob Axsom

[flyinlee]

I happen to pick him up on FlightAware that night when he was still east of the Rockies and checking where he was going got my attention because he filed direct. I followed him until I went to bed after trying to predict where he was stopping for gas but I gave up after several predictions. Left the computer on the site all night and got up the next morning and he was still flying. I saw him stop and unbelievably he got right back up. Saw him land in Florida and I thought that was it but no, he turned around and headed back.Followed him all the way back on and off. It was an unbelievable track on Flight Aware knowing it was an RV. I often thought about that flight and now this is the first I read what it was all about.

Pretty cool and it was interesting to watch the track in real time.

[Bob Axsom]

Originally Posted by flyinlee

I happen to pick him up on FlightAware that night when he was still east of the Rockies and checking where he was going got my attention because he filed direct. I followed him until I went to bed after trying to predict where he was stopping for gas but I gave up after several predictions. Left the computer on the site all night and got up the next morning and he was still flying. I saw him stop and unbelievably he got right back up. Saw him land in Florida and I thought that was it but no, he turned around and headed back.Followed him all the way back on and off. It was an unbelievable track on Flight Aware knowing it was an RV. I often thought about that flight and now this is the first I read what it was all about.

Pretty cool and it was interesting to watch the track in real time.

I didn't know people did that or even could do that. I remember in December of 1986 when Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager were making there around the world flight how exciting that was to follow but I didn't know that people followed flights like that otherwise. I can see the appeal. It would really be great if you knew someone was making a major record attempt and you were able to follow along.

Bob Axsom

[flyinlee]

Bob,
Many times when I get bored with TV I'll get on FlightAware to see any RV's that might be up on IFR flights. Many times Nasa's U2 will be up and when they were checking the oil spill in the Gulf they were flying an interesting pattern. The long ranging single engine flyers are the guys exporting a "fire Boss" overseas but they will rest occasionally.

Lee
RV6A