Month: November 2007

105th Flight 52nd Birthday

Three Birthday Flights in a Row!
It was clear and cool all day with very little wind. I was getting antsy at the store and at 1:30 both Marcia and I were outta there. I hustled home to change and was at Titan by 3:30.
I knew it was going to be smooth by the haze hanging over the city. There was a very faint breeze from the SSW that was not moving anything. The tails of the wind indicator were hanging at a strange angle about two feet away from the poll and frozen into place like they had been starched. It w2as just enough to point the way less than 1/2 a knot.
The take off was one of the messiest yet. I popped up a bit early and set right back down. I was a little spooked because the wing surged and the front wheel dropped. I think if I had used a little brake I could have gotten off on the first bounce, instead I backed off the gas a bit …set it down and taxied until I could re-launch clean. Either way it was a non event…just another testament to the wonderful qualities of the Trike Buggy.
The temp was 43 degrees and I thought I could get along with golf gloves…and I did, but just barely. Much of the flight I kept my hands in my lap and when i got down they were damn cold!
The winds were about 10 mph at 1500 ft AGL. I went over by the Marina and cruised back to the field against the wind. I landed just after sunset and went home to enjoy a great birthday dinner with the whole family…including Mom

100th Flight!

john was already at the field when I arrived. I took of about 3:30 and played around the marina & LZ for about an hour.
Got into sink during landing but no problem. held the risers a little higher and the wing came up better.

Big List
Today was my 100th flight. …And …I’m looking forward to the1000th.I’ve swallowed three props a couple of frames a bit of pride and two years (plus a day). For a long time it was all about take off and landing , but it’s been 55 flights since I’ve had a difficult landing or really stupid take-off and now I’m learning to fly. What a ride ! Foot launch is king but I love my buggy.There have been a couple of engine outs, broken muffler springs and semi”puckering’ moments, but for the most part…all were non events.I’ve flown ocean beaches, dry lake beds, rocky mountains and cornfields. With hot air balloons, powered parachutes, gyro copters and a mess of PPG’s.During three major fly-in s and lots of mini s I have met instructors and manufacturers veterans and newbies. I’ve lost track of some of the guys I started with, one moved away another sold his rig early, and one was killed in a during a fly-in …people come and go…but allin all, a great bunch.. Several have been key and I really thank you.And look forward to the next time we meet.So…Brian, Doug and Roshanna, Leon Wayne and Suzi, Bubba, Alex andBo, Michael , Bob and Jeff, Michelle Eric and Jim. Casey and Chad
THANKS!

98 & 99

Two botched launches The wing came up slow and off to one side. When i did get up the left brake line was locked in a loop around the pulley. I sorted it out without problem but it was disconcerting not to have any pull at all. Another problem was that I started with the risers a little lower in my had and so I wasn’t able to “get on the A’s” with as much pressure as I usually have.
The landings were great! 1/3 power and brake. I have no doubt that I could have eased off the brakes added power and lifted of any time.

96 97 Simms

Bad launch that looked great. I was launching 90 degrees off a very light wind. The wing was oscillating and I took off with the wing far to one side. Instead of centering I stayed on the brake and turned hard into the sky. It worked because the Simonini has plenty of power for my weight but if I had been in another machine with less power it could have been bad.

95 Simms

Chip Marek and I. Also a very strange little dude who had followed me from the gas station. Not the best of days, Marek and Chip were planning a long flight and I had only enough gas for about 45 minutes.
Marek got up quickly and I went north to the golf course and then to the Park. When I got down Chip was standing by his machine which was badly damaged. he explained that he had put it on his bumper rack to check out a problem and forgot to bolt it down properly before testing the machine. It jumped out of the rack and broke the prop…cage…and muffler. $1000 + in damages.