Ironflight

Ironflight

VAF Moderator / Line Boy
Mentor
Well, it looks like the weather-guessers were right this time, and I'll have decent weather for the trip back to the family home in Minnesota tomorrow. My eighty-something mother (long-suffering through all my flying years...), doesn't even seem phased anymore when I tell her that "I'll be there when the weather is right!" I gave myself a four-day window for the trip from Houston to Minneapolis, knowing that the chances are good that one of the days will provide at least good IFR. Looks like the storm up there will be through the area by tonight, and I'll pull on my thermal Patagonias, boots and warm flight suit, and point the Valkyrie north in the morning.

And, of course, if the weather goes wrong, I can spend Christmas here or enroute. It wouldn't be the first time I wasn't with family, and won't be the last. And I have many friends who won't be this year either. (Some of them will be taking care of a freshly-landed Space Shuttle - maybe in California or New Mexico - working instead of enjoying some time off.) It is far better to be able to celebrate a late Christmas, or be there next year, than to push the weather and never make it at all.

Through the gracious assistance of RVators up north, Valkyrie has a warm stable (hangar) to spend a few days in when I get there - I have met so many great and friendly folks in this RV Community facilitated by this and other web sites.

I hope everyone that is strapping in for their own holiday travel has a safe journey, clear skies, and a warm place to stay at the other end. :D

Fly smart - fly safe!

Paul
 
Paul, may Godspeed and good tailwinds be with you for the flight. Have a wonderful Christmas Holiday!
 
The Great RV Community

The RVers always come thru. As Paul moves his plane in where mine usually beds down in Minneapolis, a gracious builder in Indiana has offered me a spot for my new RV-9A as I go to see my mom with my son. I don't think spam cans get the same warm welcome.......

Happy Holidays and safe flying to everyone.
 
Fog

Morning Paul
Just don't get to the twin cities too early as they are calling for fog again on
Sat. morning, burning off by midday and as you know the sun never gets high
enough in the sky this time of year to do much "burning". Visibilty is maybe
1/4 mile at 0930 right now.

I'll be passing underneath you at some point tomorrow as I DRIVE to my
inlaws in Mississippi. Just look for the white surburban full of kids and dogs
and a guy looking out wishing he was up there with you.

Have a great Christmas at "home". The weather for the next 6 days is supposed
to be partly cloudy and mild here.

Paul Danclovic
Carver MN
 
Great Flight!

I do love flying when it's cool! Trimmed out at 8500', I was getting 180 KTAS the whole way (WOT, 2350 RPM, 8.5 gph) - several knots more than I usually seat the same power setting. Of course, the 25 knot headwind component took away that advantage, but the air was smooth and the skies clear most of the way. With the headwind, the trip took 6:10 from Houston to the Twin Cities - including a fuel stop in Missouri.

The single muff heater proved adequate, although the sun through the big RV-8 canopy probably contribute more to the comfort of the pilot. When the sun went away due to a high cloud layer, I had to put on my jacket to keep the chill away.

Once again, thanks go to Alex, Pete, and Bernie for making room in their ultra-clean hangar for the Val. I still haven't met Pete and Bernie.....that's just the way RVators are!


Paul
 
Missed You Tonight

Paul,

I took my son Ryan for his first flight tonight in the new -9A. It was amazing - clear and smooth.

After I adjusted my taxi and landing lights, we admired your plane. As Borat would say "Very nice!"

Bernie and I are making a breakfast run to Eau Claire leaving tomorrow at 9. Feel free to join us. I'll be changing oil after that. I hope we get a chance to meet.

The thanks for the hangar go to Bernie and Alex. Two of the the greatest guys you will ever meet.

Happy Holidays
 
Nice reading of everyone's travel plans

"There's no place like home for the holidays" is brought to life by your posts. We are taking off for St. Louis in the morning and no doubt someone is flying into Fayetteville for some fried chicken or catfish & hush puppies with family. Weather permitting our trusty RV-6A will get us there in less than 2 hours. No matter what I have flown in the past I have never been treated badly in the air or on the ground (a little testiness in the air sometimes). This aviation community is a pretty special one. Happy holidays to you all.

Bob Axsom
 
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