Category: equipment damage

No Fly Day.

Nine Hundred and Ninety-nine times out of a thousand

I would have cleared that stop sign.

This was the #999th.

It started with dog piss in the shower and continued to go south the rest of the morning. While unloading, I discovered that the battery was dead. The wind was light and forty five degrees off the runways. The plan was to launch into the intersection and turn down the runway. The wing was a little behind my turn and the outside tip steering line caught the top of the stop sign and popped the tip right off. I felt it and immediately aborted. I honestly think I could have hammered the throttle and launched only to find myself flying a badly compromised wing. The left side would have had very low pressure and who knows what would have happened. Anyway I aborted and the only damage was to wingtip and a couple of lines.

Elisabeth is months out and Paramotor City is 6 weeks, so it’s going to be awhile. Tonight I picked up a Paramania Revolution 36 for a decent price. It’s a couple of years old but very low hours.

I was worried that 1000 was going to be underwhelming … the wait is going to make it special.

Bummer!  No Fly Day

Perfect morning, warm, clear, zero wind.  The streets at Placida had just been repaved.  I had a full tank of gas and a belly full of coffee.

 BUT…..  

The battery was dead and the mini charger couldn’t turn it over.   So, I positioned the truck to jump and …. then…. discovered that the hard landing last flight broke loose a weld.  Two strikes and time to call it a wrap.

Conway Arkansas Flight 936


The drive from Woodward to Conway was 450 miles.  I checked into another Indian operated Motel.  The area looked a little sketchy and I was worried about the rig.  Fortunately I was able to back the truck right up to my door and there was a super market just across the street for dinner.  I’d selected this hotel because it was just a few blocks from the municipal airport.
The next morning I was out and rolling an hour before first light.  I planned to launch as soon as I could see my boots on the pegs.  Following the GPS, I arrived at the airport in 8 minutes … but … it wasn’t there!  Instead it was a pile of rubble and muddy pits.  I got on the internet and found that there was a brand new airport a few miles out of town.  Back on the road.
The Dennis Cantrell Field is a gorgeous new airport. When I arrived there was nobody around.  I unloaded the rig and waited.  I was beginning to think that there wasn’t going to be anyone to ask permission so I started the motor to warm it up.  That woke em up.  A fellow came out of the formerly locked terminal and he quickly gave me a thumbs up.
I rolled around to the back of the terminal and laid out the Eden III.  Perhaps it was the smooth tarmac that allowed the lines to be sucked into the prop.  Maybe I missed something during lay out.  Whatever it was, the Eden III was out of the game with all the B and C mains on the left side damaged.  I was bummed but smiled at my spectator and said… “Time for Plan B” but I also said as I was laying out the Apco, if that happens again, my trip is over.  This launch was flawless.  I flew around the area for about an hour and landed on the apron behind the terminal.  This was the first time I had flown the Apco since Albuquerque.  I found it hard to reach the tip steering toggles and the brakes felt stiffer than I remembered.  It should have been a very comfortable flight but it just didn’t feel right.  When I landed there were a couple of new guys watching and I don’t think they had ever seen a PPG,  they might not have even seen a PPC.  We chatted for awhile and the first guy I talk to told me that he really enjoyed watching and said I was welcome back any time.  I don’t know who he was but I’m beginning to think he was the airport manager.  Thanks Conway!

903 Almost a No Fly Day … Shell Creek Airpark

Today was the second day of Tony’s instruction.  Yesterday we did some ground school at the house and messed with the wing a bit.  I replaced a line and showed him how to pack and lay out the wing.

This morning we watched a great sunrise while I set up for launch.  
The first attempt was aborted when I felt/heard a prop strike a line.  The second was a sckitchy launch with some of the lines getting under the keepers.  Once up, I scanned the lines to check the previous day’s work and noticed that one of the mallions had the lines reversed and a brake line was under the main D that we replaced yesterday.  This wing has a tendency to break o-rings.  It may be the keeper and it my be that they are just old o-rings but it’s something to watch out for.
The third attempt was another abort due to prop strikes.  I couldn’t find any damage but will make a thorough inspection when I fix the twisted lines this afternoon.  I’m going to completely rebuild the keepers with heavy gauge coated wire and some foil tape to reduce friction where the lines rub against the outer ring.

Later, I swapped out the line I’d installed with Tony, addressed some denuded mallions and
corrected the brake line crossover. 
Note:  there is a great YOUTUBE video on how to install the O rings.  It’s easy to forget if you haven’t done it for awhile.

Dumb Chute Story

This morning I got spanked!

Excellent weather, dead calm, clear skies.  76* 99% humidity high density of altitude.

I wish there had been a witness to this mornings botched launch.  
The best I can figure is …. 
I didn’t pay enough attention to the wing.  The LIFT EZ has been nicely benign.  Ever since the first flight, every inflation has been straight as an arrow and ready for throttle-up.  I think it was Jerry Frost, at the dry lake Mirage in Central California, he used to launch as if every one was on a short runway.  He would inflate the wing and go full throttle almost immediately.  Well…. The last several flights with the EZ have been easy.

I suspect….  I got lazy and didn’t look.  I assumed the wing was up and stable when it was probably way off to the side.  The roll out and initial inflation seemed normal.  When I went to full throttle i was immediately pulled to the right. The nose wheel was the first thing to impact followed by a good bounce from the right rear. The left wheel came in hardest causing a bent axle.  The fiberglass struts were stressed but not damaged.
I also remember the trike yawing to the left just before impact.  I don’t know where that came from, it’s almost as if the left rear wheel had been snagged by a cable but I wasn’t able to locate anything that might have cause a snag.  
Like I said ….I wish someone had been there to witness.  It seems obvious that the wing was off to the side.   Fact is, I wasn’t paying attention, I assumed the wing was acting as it had for the previous 15 flights.
Here is the list of damages
1.  Left rear axle
2. Nose wheel smashed
3. Two prop blades were nicked where they flexed into the motor drive pulley.
4. Slightly bent cage … No repair needed.
Right knee sprung
Sore right shoulder
Fortunately there was no damage to the wing.

Wings Over Winter 2014

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                                                   The Falcon on long approach 

The third WOW was held at the now closed Chateau  Suzanne in Lake Wales. It’s a beautiful little place and I will be forever sorry not to have seen it, in all its glory.  Chateau Suzanne is a  30s era, “Old Florida”, French style resort.  In it’s day, the Chalet was frequented by the rich and famous who would fly into Suzanne’s grass strip, to dine and mingle.  Today, the 5 star restaurant and hotel closed and they were only begrudgingly renting a few rooms to those pilots in need, and then, only with limited amenities.  The mixture of Florida and French kitsch works, there are narrow walkways to the bungalows and wrought  iron gates everywhere.  The colors are tropical and Mediterranean at the same time.  A truly a place out of time that has, “done gone on”

                                                 French Florida kitsch
Mike Lange arrived a couple of days early and enjoyed the best flying weather.  The winds were predicted to start building Friday night and Saturday was expected to be a blw-out.   I hadn’t planed to fly the first day ( more out of habit than any other reason) but Mike and the host, Eric Farewell encouraged me to take advantage of the clear air and so I went up for a nice sunset flight

 That evening, we sat around the campfire under a gorgeous full moon and introduced ourselves to the other pilots.  The group was mostly local guys with a few from adjacent states.  I didn’t know anybody and was working hard to remember names.  The next time I run into Mike (or is it Mark?) Weber, I’m going to recognize him…. I promise.
Friday morning was excellent!  I was at the field before sunrise and got in a nice long flight.  The wind was blowing 15 mph from the north so I didn’t travel far but I did go to 2000 ft and got a good feel for the area. The most notable landmark was a Deco styled tower which was built in the 30s on a meager little hill that is reported to be the highest point of land in Florida.  It denotes a neighborhood that was and is still populated by the super rich.  Of course, we were warned to stay clear of the area.
The afternoon was another story.  The first launch was a bust with the wing coming up crookedly and the second was a disaster.  Apparently, one of the lines came out of its keeper and caught the zip tie during initial inflation.  The wing came up crazy and with the help of a little wind …. I went into a slow turtle.  Totally frustrated and embarrassed I unclipped and jumped to right the rig before every mothers son ran over to save me.  The offending line was damaged where it caught on the zip tie holding the keeper. The sheath had been severed and the keeper was gone.  The pressure on the lines must have been tremendous because the keeper was one of those hugely thick 3/8ths zip ties.  It’s hard to imagine a single line breaking such a stout piece of plastic.
                                                           Broken sheath

With two bad launch attempts, including a turtle, I felt like the slow kit in the smart class.  I was determined to fly before sunset to save what ego I had left.  So….  I stripped some electrical tape off the cage and taped up the lines to make a temporary keeper for my third attempt.  The third launch was a non-event….. And a nice but short flight.
Of course, the best part of any fly-in is getting to see my PPG family.  If yesterday I was surprised not to know anybody, Friday the Tribe showed up.  I chatted with Eric Dufour who had brought a bunch of students down from Christmas Florida.  He told me that he and Elizabeth are moving to Valkaria, they are going to move out of the trailer and into a real house a shop for Elizabeth.  It will be nice to visit them.  Ryan Shaw and Jessica came from Arizona to support Nirvana / Paramania and Jeff Goin and Tim Kaiser flew the chopper over from Polk City.  That evening we all went out for dinner at Sizzling.  It was great to spend time with everybody.  These guys were my support during the dark years and I’ll forever cherish their friendship.
                        Jeff Goin
                          Ryan & Jessica
Saturday morning was cool with a steady breeze.  I launched clean and enjoyed an hour and 15 minutes playing around.   During the landing I was treated to the sight of two eagle wings flying over the field.  Eric Dufour had arranged for a couple of Elizabeth’s custom wings to be available and two competent pilots were putting on a show and Jeff trailed them shooting video.  About this time Bob Harrison showed up and he, Mike and I were outstanding in our field enjoying the “Never Quit” birds.  I especially like the way they would pull big ears to make the birds more realistic.

 Later when I was packing the cooler I noticed that there was one Ginger beer left, so I jumped on the bike and ran it over to Jeff and Tim’s RV.  It’s fun to drink and it might give some relief if any of their passengers get airsick.  Then on the way back, I ran into Terry Lutke and his wife…. what a surprise!!  They were in the area helping her folks move into  winter quarters.  We had a nice visit while I packed.  We talked about possibly getting together before they headed back up north.   I hope they do swing down to Charlotte Harbor.  It will be fun to show them around and possibly fly Pine Island and even better, if they have the time to stay the night and be our first house guests.
Thanks Eric, for putting this on.  It was great!  Good luck to you with Avaitor PPG.