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WDYDWYRTW? Sept 20-21, 2025.

DeltaRomeo

doug reeves: unfluencer
Staff member
Getting this weekend’s thread started. Here’s 0940 CDT 9/20/25 RV traffic in the USA. Hope you’re having a nice weekend.
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PS: RV-10 on the ramp KDTO I walked by yesterday.
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v/r,dr
 
‘Tis the beginning of the leaf peeping season here in Colorado. For the unfamiliar, the leaves on the aspen trees up in the mountains start changing from green to a golden, sometimes almost orange color this time of year. The window usually lasts for 2-3 weeks before the leaves fall and the snow begins. Several of us here in the neighborhood make an annual pilgrimage to see the colors and have breakfast.

Yesterday (Friday) I met @Vlad and a friend up in Steamboat Springs, CO (KSBS) for breakfast and then followed them down to Telluride (KTEX) for lunch. They went back to Utah from there and I made a beeline for home (Denver-ish) at 13,500’.

Today, we flew a loose gaggle of 3 planes up to Leadville, CO for breakfast and leaf peeping. I flew my RV-3 and the neighbors and wives flew in an RV-6 and a Skywagon. The Skywagon guy also has an HRII, but it’s down for the condition inspection at the moment.

We were probably a week or two too early for the best colors, but it was still fantastic to get out and about with friends.

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Our favorite Russian aviator.

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My RV-3 over the Vail, ski area.

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Vlad’s friend (Pico) took this near Steamboat Springs, CO.

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Gaggle of neighborhood friends somewhere south of Loveland pass, I think.
 
Some day I am going to figure out that fancy Doug graphic and get in the air to show up!

No pics but have flown a bit after almost two weeks on the ground. Yesterday was hand flying (I am a lazy AP user), went well, want to come up with a proficiency program to practice. Today took an old coworker and his daughter up for a bit. I want a BBQ or oyster run soon.
 
Put on new tires, new brake pads, degreased the belly, and waxed the bird.

The Aero Classics that came with the kit did not last like I thought they should. Wear was even on both wheels and alignment was checked and don’t think it contributed to the wear. I put on Fight Custom III Wilkerson retreads and it only took 1/2 ounce on each wheel to balance. One of the AC’s needed 3 ounces to balance. Did 4 landings after getting all my to do list completed. The new tires were far superior and didn’t feel as “mushy” as the originals.

Brake pads still had wear left but since my hands were dirty, it was a good time to replace.

I have the Flyboy Deluxe Tailwheel and it looked good for wear.

One on the wheel fairings had a small crack and fixed that.

I’m at 60 hours on my RV8 and the last 20 hours have been spent working on mostly getting better at landing. I don’t have a count but I’m guessing somewhere around 200 landings on the AC’s.
 
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Attended a fly-in marking the 55th year of operation for KJGG, a privately owned, public-use airport in Williamsburg, VA USA. Numerous RVs in attendance. One of the vendors was a local distillery offering a fly-in themed rye. Obviously I bought a bottle because… whiskey + airplanes. It is no Old Forester 117, but I will say it is by far the best fly-in themed whiskey I have ever had.

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Saturday morning pancake breakfast at the annual flyin at 1WF, WACO Field, Troy, OH. Lots of cool airplanes to see. Then I headed on down to I68, Warren county Airport, Lebanon, OH for their “Airport Days” Flyin. Lots of people, live music, food trucks, and Warbirds. We put up a couple formation passes sorties with two T-34’s, and two RV’s. Lots of fun with beautiful weather.
 

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No pics, but took a nephew up for his first 2nd small plane flight and first RV flight. He's a Duck fan, so he wanted to fly over Autzen Stadium for a view of it from the air, which we did after we had breakfast at 7S5. They were doing YE flights at 7S5 and he thought that was pretty cool. He didn't know that was a thing.

The flying weather was smooth but a tad hazy. He was impressed with the performance of the plane (his first small plane flight was in a Cub, and only for pattern work, he told me). He's driven to Autzen many times for games and was amazed how close it really is by air (and 150 kts ground speed).

It was a good day. He already wants to go flying again. So do I. Go figure.
 
I flew my RV for the first time this weekend since installing the new instrument panel. No squawks! Everything worked the first time. Airplane ran great, all the issues I set out to address seem to have been addressed.
It had been out of service for 82 days, in that time I’d only flown 13 hours in other planes. I’m happy to say I didn’t forget how to fly it, actually had two of my best landings in it.
 

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