Ron Lee
Well Known Member
Eleven days ago I received a phone call from another local RV-6A pilot. He had broken his leg near Jackson Hole WY and needed someone to go there and get the plane back to 00V. Having noticed thunderstorm activity in the Rockies by noon my first restriction was that it would not be a one day, out and back (~ eight hours) trip. I would have to fly up commercial then leave early the next day.
The trip up was this past Wednesday and was marred by a cancellation of my 1115 AM flight from Denver to Jackson. I finally got on a 730 PM flight but that had me trying to find my way to a hotel in darkness and light rain. I did find it and managed a good nights sleep but did not get to really see much of the place. It looks nice and I need to go back in the fall.
Thursday morning I get to the airport just after 700 AM, check with the FBO about the plane, get gas then begin a preflight. The nose tire is really low and I decided it was not worth trying to operate it that way so I look for tools in the plane to remove the nose wheel fairing. I could not find any. I go back to the FBO to get the tools I need to remove the fairing then when I need two 9/16 sockets to loosen the axle, I gave up and had a mechanic come out and finish the job. Once that was done I was ready to go so removed the towel that covered the instrument panel and went down to the seats. Lo and behold there were the tools. I had tried to call the owner but he had dropped his cell phone in a bad place so was unreachable when I needed him.
Pull the plane out of the tie down spot and perpendicular to other aircraft (to avoid prop induced damage) then start his check list on switch configuration prior to start up. He has dual Lightspeed ignitions, two batteries, no key switch starter and lots of buttons on his stick. It was not something that I could just jump into and fly unless I was willing to experiment with each switch...that is not prudent.
Regardless, I get it started easily, taxi and depart. His plane has a constant speed prop while most of my time is in fixed pitch. We covered the operating procedures for his prop and it was not problem. Actually, it is a joy and still the best prop in my opinion.
Originally, I had decided to not use GPS and just pilotage to get home. That plan was changed due to excessive clouds along the route and later than desired departure. My backup plan, developed quickly based upon years of flying around here, was to avoid the Colorado Rockies and heads towards prairie east of the Rockies. I initially told Center that I was heading towards Sidney Nebraska. In flight, I decided that Laramie WY was good enough and once I got close to that airport I could turn south.
Once I headed south along the Front Range, I observed the clouds and rainfall in the mountains which confirmed my obvious good judgment in routing.
When I got to the southwest section of Denver Class B, I was cleared through it and soon thereafter was told to turn to a heading of 150 for traffic. I finally look at the Dynon D10 compass section and turn to 150. That does not look right so I check the GPS track and it is about 30-40 degrees lower. I mention my finding to ATC and sure enough I need to turn much further south. The Dynon compass reading was somewhere around 35 degrees too high. I had not paid much attention to the Dynon up to that point. I fly with a six pack and basically ignored the Dynon. I monitored the normal instruments that I am used to. This compass error may be a calibration issue.
The only other issue during the flight is that he does not have a fuel flow/totalizer system. I don’t recall asking how accurate his fuel gauges are below 5-10 gallons
It seemed logical that he had at least four hours fuel endurance for a less than three hour flight but it took monitoring and acceptance of a fuel stop if there was any doubt to ease that issue. Once I got to Laramie I knew that I had it made with plenty of reserve. A flow meter/fuel totalizer is worth far more to me than glass.
Landing at Meadow Lake was uneventful and the plane was tucked away in his hangar.
Prior to leaving Colorado Springs, I had him put me on his aircraft insurance policy. It cost nothing which shows that they respect my superior judgment if lackluster flying skills.
The trip up was this past Wednesday and was marred by a cancellation of my 1115 AM flight from Denver to Jackson. I finally got on a 730 PM flight but that had me trying to find my way to a hotel in darkness and light rain. I did find it and managed a good nights sleep but did not get to really see much of the place. It looks nice and I need to go back in the fall.
Thursday morning I get to the airport just after 700 AM, check with the FBO about the plane, get gas then begin a preflight. The nose tire is really low and I decided it was not worth trying to operate it that way so I look for tools in the plane to remove the nose wheel fairing. I could not find any. I go back to the FBO to get the tools I need to remove the fairing then when I need two 9/16 sockets to loosen the axle, I gave up and had a mechanic come out and finish the job. Once that was done I was ready to go so removed the towel that covered the instrument panel and went down to the seats. Lo and behold there were the tools. I had tried to call the owner but he had dropped his cell phone in a bad place so was unreachable when I needed him.
Pull the plane out of the tie down spot and perpendicular to other aircraft (to avoid prop induced damage) then start his check list on switch configuration prior to start up. He has dual Lightspeed ignitions, two batteries, no key switch starter and lots of buttons on his stick. It was not something that I could just jump into and fly unless I was willing to experiment with each switch...that is not prudent.
Regardless, I get it started easily, taxi and depart. His plane has a constant speed prop while most of my time is in fixed pitch. We covered the operating procedures for his prop and it was not problem. Actually, it is a joy and still the best prop in my opinion.
Originally, I had decided to not use GPS and just pilotage to get home. That plan was changed due to excessive clouds along the route and later than desired departure. My backup plan, developed quickly based upon years of flying around here, was to avoid the Colorado Rockies and heads towards prairie east of the Rockies. I initially told Center that I was heading towards Sidney Nebraska. In flight, I decided that Laramie WY was good enough and once I got close to that airport I could turn south.
Once I headed south along the Front Range, I observed the clouds and rainfall in the mountains which confirmed my obvious good judgment in routing.
When I got to the southwest section of Denver Class B, I was cleared through it and soon thereafter was told to turn to a heading of 150 for traffic. I finally look at the Dynon D10 compass section and turn to 150. That does not look right so I check the GPS track and it is about 30-40 degrees lower. I mention my finding to ATC and sure enough I need to turn much further south. The Dynon compass reading was somewhere around 35 degrees too high. I had not paid much attention to the Dynon up to that point. I fly with a six pack and basically ignored the Dynon. I monitored the normal instruments that I am used to. This compass error may be a calibration issue.
The only other issue during the flight is that he does not have a fuel flow/totalizer system. I don’t recall asking how accurate his fuel gauges are below 5-10 gallons
It seemed logical that he had at least four hours fuel endurance for a less than three hour flight but it took monitoring and acceptance of a fuel stop if there was any doubt to ease that issue. Once I got to Laramie I knew that I had it made with plenty of reserve. A flow meter/fuel totalizer is worth far more to me than glass.
Landing at Meadow Lake was uneventful and the plane was tucked away in his hangar.
Prior to leaving Colorado Springs, I had him put me on his aircraft insurance policy. It cost nothing which shows that they respect my superior judgment if lackluster flying skills.
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