Another No Go
Didn't even make it to the airport this weekend, decided to cancel Saturday night for the Sunday flight as we already knew the weather would keep us on the ground. Hopefully this week I'll have time to get back out to the airport and get my night currency taken care of.
- posted by Kenneth @ 1/18/2004 09:20:55 PM

 
Go...No Go...
Minor incident to report. I decided yesterday evening that I would head out to the airport and get my night currency. After all, I was already headed down there to get a weight and balance sheet to plan my trip this weekend. After I convinced myself that the weather was not a factor, I went out and did my preflight on N734MN. Pretty routine except for the headlight circut being popped out. No problem, push it back in, and poof, the lights come on. Finalized the preflight, started the engine, set the flight instruments and radios, and just as I was about to pull away, decided to close the window. With a gentle tug...POP! the window latch pops off in my hand. Long story short, I was in no mood to switch airplanes at this point, so I shut down, and tied down. I'm still not current, but maybe this weekend I can take care of that.

I am current for day flight though. Sunday, Jose, his wife Alede and I are headed down to Stephenville, TX to the Hard Eight for BBQ. If you're in the area and need the $100 Hamburger this is a great place to go.
- posted by Kenneth @ 1/15/2004 08:32:37 PM

 
Can you hear me in there?
Finally got up to do some flying, but ended up getting cut short. Flying out of Fort Worth Spinks (KFWS)It was a windy day today, blowing out of the south at around 13 kts, and gusting to 20. Went up in N739BL which I've had few if any problems with. My worst trouble today with this particular ship was that the pilot's seat didn't ever quite want to move where I wanted it. Always seemed like I was leaning back. None the less, after three short trips around the pattern, I made my call to the tower as I entered the downwind leg to ask for a departure to the north. No response. Again, "Spinks tower 9BL request north departure" nothing. About that time I start to get a high pitch whine and crackle over the radio. Switching to Comm2 I was able to hear that I had been cleared to land. By this time I was abeam the numbers and beginning to realize that I wasn't going to get to make my departure to the north as I had hoped. My plans of touring downtown Fort Worth and heading to Fort Worth Meacham International(FTW) were about to get shot down. Turning my base I continued to try to call the tower and see if either COMM 1 or 2 would work, but the tower gave no indication that they were receiving anything. On short final I gave up and decided to just land and surrender the plane to Rick (the owner of Wings Above Aviation) so it could be repaired. So a day of dashed hopes, but I'm glad the radio decided to go out where it did, and not on approach to Meacham.

A few other happenings, I'm signed up for an ASF Seminar on Manuevering Flight. It applies to the FAA Wings Program (link requires AOPA membership). The wings program is a way that the FAA can help ensure, or maybe I should say help pilots maintain proficiency. By participating which involves a few hours of flight training, and attending a seminar, you can go through their 10 phase program completing one phase per 12 month period. I believe, though I may be wrong, that each completed phase will substitue for a BFR. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

Speaking of good deals, I noticed a flyer today at the airport advertising a 1/6th share in a Cherokee 6 for just under 10 grand. The plane would be based at Spinks, and the flyer says that most of the owners rarely fly. Sounds like a sweetheart deal. Unfortunately it would seem that now is just not the right time. It's one of those deals that after you run the numbers you wish you'd never seen. I think I just have to much going on right now to make it work. Though it's not the $70,000 I would have to lay down for a plane on my own, it's still a lot of money that I don't have right now. Of course I'll keep crunching away in hopes of figuring out how to make it worth it, but I think it's more than I can handle with an upcoming wedding, and the likelyhood of trying to purchase a house in the near term.
- posted by Kenneth @ 1/11/2004 01:16:16 PM

 
Next week should be a good week for flying as well. I plan on taking Jose and possibly Aleed up for a ride. Jose went to school at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, so he has no excuse to not fly! He's busy with a lot of other things, but I still bug him about getting his license. I know he'd enjoy it.
- posted by Kenneth @ 12/29/2003 07:18:05 PM

 
Today I finally got to fly again! If not for long, at least I was off the ground. I've been wanting to take my dad flying for quite a while, but have not had the opportunity. Today I got checked out by Nathan Havlik to rent from Arkansas Aviation at Cantrell Field (M03) in Conway, AR. Their 172 was having problems starting this morning (I think he killed the battery) so we had to use the 152. It was my first time in a 152, and they're a little small and touchy. Just went twice around the pattern, and did a simulated engine failure on the second trip around. Nothing major, but now when I'm in town I'll be able to fly around and sight see or take friends up.

It's been really rainy the last few days, so it was great to get a clear evening to fly. Left my sunglasses at home on accident, and we were using runway 26...straight into the sun. I guess otherwise it would have been too easy.
- posted by Kenneth @ 12/29/2003 07:15:14 PM

 
Having now obtained my pilot's license on Sept 15th, 2003 I have already had many great experiences in the air and on the ground. From flying out of a small unlit airport at night with nothing but the rotating beacon to light the path, to blowing a tire during rollout after landing at Granbury. Hopefully here I can share stories with whoever cares to read, and maybe preserve memories for myself and those after me.
- posted by Kenneth @ 12/28/2003 11:14:44 PM