Is not a healthy exercize. I know and understand that, but emotion and intellect don't live in the same areas of he brain. Just knowing that the weather here has been 100-year unusual, and has killed off palms and other plants due to cold helps me to understand that a normal March/April trip would be tranquil wind and water with temps in the 80's and flying everyday. Doesn't squelch the little green guy that lives in my head and gets pissed when he doesn't get to go play!
Yesterday, I had a very narrow window and managed to get airborne with Sherman, then the traffic stacked up and we did two nicle lazy circles around the ICW watching the sailboats race before scooting in and landing.
Sherman was going to get out and let me go solo, but I declined. The weather was rapidly deteriorating and the pattern was full. At least I got another landing.
WhenI soloed, Sherman took some pictures including Micky watching me fly and my first landing. Enjoy!
Monday, March 29, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Oh Yeah!, I Soloed too!
How in the world did I let the blog miss my solo? Bad blog! Bad!
I guess other than my buddy Robert, not many people solo after only a week of instruction, but that's what I did.
I did it as a "DAWN PATROL".
SportPlanesFlorida.com is really busy right now. Jim Julius warned me at signup that there were several other guys on accelerated schedules after the 19th. Marc is down on vacation for 8 days, Chris is also time limited. So the pattern is full and the airplane is scheduled from 8 AM to 6PM. I have a 4-6 slot everyday. If the weather is good, that's great because nobody's behind me and I can play until civil twilight. But like every other place in the peninsula, or the world, the really primo time is dawn. Smooth low winds and little traffic.
So Sherman arranged for my solo at 7AM Tuesday. Normally, the student doesn't know about the solo date or time, but mine was unusually obvious due to the rigmarole of getting the student ticket as the last item.
I brought Micky along, and the weather was perfect! Final signoffs completed, and preflighted.
It felt weird not having Sherman in the seat. the visibility to the right was improved drastically. Ready for taxi, I called ground and announced that I was student pilot on his first solo, had the ATIS info and was ready. They cleared me to 32 with the normal hold at 22. I've learned to leave the left shoulder harness just a tad loose so I can set the parking brake, but I forgot and had to loosen it to set the brake for the runups. Ready to go, called the tower and waited for another guy to land.
Then it was my turn. They still had the runway lighting on which made the scene even prettier and since I was cleared, I did a rather fast taxiout and did not stop. A smooth increase to full power and rotate at around 40 the aircraft flew off smoothly at 60 and we were a rocket ship! The Remos shot up at 1100 feet per minute and way before the intersection I was established cross wind and nearly at pattern height. Throttled back to stay below 100 and settle in downwind. The nice thing about a controlled field is that I don't have to announce my position. The tower calls the turns. Or at least that's what they did.
cleared to land, I turned base and final and had a really pretty setup. The GPS lady said, "Five Hundred" in that sexy voice just as I'm sure to make the field gliding, my speed is at 80 and the Rotax is idling. Ten thousand feet of MY runway awaits, but I'll only use maybe 500 feet total.
Ooze down fly just above the overrun and touch on the numbers, hold the nose off and let it drop well below flying speed, then add power and right rudder because of the aluminum magnet they put in the left side all runways and we're screaming back up. Left turn before the intersection, and I'm looking at the bench outside of Dolphin for Micky. She must be inside.
On downwind and do it again, only even smoother. This is really nice when the wind isn't slamming you around. I purposely extended the climbout to get even closer to Dolphin for a look. Still no redheads jumping up and down. Bummer!
The third approach, I tell tower that "Nine Romeo Echo will be full stop." and made a truly slick landing. Then as I'm expediting down the runway to get to A5 and my turn the tower tells me "Good Job!"
It's rare as hen's teeth for a cab operator to have any opinion, so I'm tickled to death and say "Thank You, sir!"
Taxi in as Micky and Sherman come out of the lobby where they had watched and monitored the radio. Good... they heard the controller!
Too bad the Flip camera fell down on the first landing because the first approach was a beaut!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Solo Cross-country, all alone and loving it!
There are two big deals in any pilot's initial training. The first is when your instructor trusts your ability to put the aircraft down at your home airport. I did that yesterday morning with 12.1 hours of instruction. Now I've got 12.6 hours and Sherman cut me loose on my solo cross-country.
The requirement is that you go on a minimum of 75 mile roundtrip and land at an airport that's not home base. it is the culmination of everything you've been taught. You must plan and execute the entire package, the instructor has to approve your plan and sign-off your student certificate and logbook that you're allowed to take the plane to the chosen airport(s) and return. You have to prove that you and the airplane are capable of safely completing the trip. That includes the weather, fuel, time-of-day (I can't fly at night by law), and communications.
My plan was a bit more ambitious. I wanted to leave Sarasota and go to Venice, which is like a second home now, and then go to Punta Gorda (Charlotte county). I'd done a low pass there.
The timing and fuel worked well. I figured it as a fuel usage of 3.5 gallons for 100.5 miles. And around an hour or so. Since I had to be back at SRQ before civil twilight at 2008 I knew that with the fudge factors thrown in, the latest I wanted to be off was around 1745. That would get me back at a reasonable 1915 with plenty of daylight left.
We briefed with Sherman, reviewed the routing, fueled and did a good preflight. I got off in good order at 1727 and enjoyed the view at 1600 feet. My nav log was working out well and my checkpoints were doing fine. The wind was a little stronger than predicted so ground speed stayed near 100 mph. Okay it was going to be slower, but not much.
I went toward Venice and about 8 miles out tuned the radio. To the wrong frequency. Nobody was talking to 199RE. Odd. Checked the frequency on the chart, and then corrected the radio. Still nobody in the Venice pattern was talking. I didn't see anybody, but still wanted to know the radio worked, so I called the FBO and asked which runway they were using. Nice lady told me what I already knew, that 31 was it. The little airplane on the segmented circle looked right, so I called traffic and went in. For some reason, I turned in early and let my speed stay up, so I was high and fast. Even though it's a fine, long runway, I chose not to use my extraordinary skills, and called for a go-around. The pattern was still very empty, but I'm yakking away letting all the 747's and Airbus's know that I was taking a Light Sport Remos into 31 at Venice, dammit!
Turned to Base and Final and this time it looked real good. Nobody talking in the pattern, and nobody in sight. Way too good to be true. Let down to the flare and shifted my gaze to the far end of the runway. Now I'm flying the Remos 3 feet off the ground and I see a pretty, yellow, 65 horsepower Piper Cub sauntering in to land on runway 13. My runway from the other end. I yell in the radio "aircraft on opposite end of 31" and he slowly turns to enter the crosswind and come around to my end of the runway. Looking back at it, he really wasn't that low.
I finished my ,now ugly landing, slowed to a taxi and took back off muttering to myself, "I'll bet that's one of those idiots from the flight school down here!" So I turn into the pattern and determine to watch him land and if its a blue airplane with yellow wings, I'm gonna call his instructor and chew the guy out.
Wrong! He turns to final and I figure it out. He's justa really pretty J-3 Cub that probably has the doors open, wind in his teeth and no radio at all. No problem, but I wish he had swung out to sea like I did to avoid low flight at the end of a runway. But, all in all, no problem. Even if he had landed, I had enough performance at hand to avoid him.
On to Punta Gorda! I'm listening to the weather down there and trying to visualize the traffic pattern when I think, "Man, I remember what it looks like, but a picture would be oh-so nice. Wait! I've got one in my flight bag strapped here beside me!"
Then I re-learn how nice an autopilot, or right-seat slave would have been.
Trying to fly with the left hand and monkey with the zipper, and rummage through the bag with the other hand, is distracting. Next time I'll organize better with the bag.
Got the directory out and was looking for a runway to choose, when I heard a guy announce he was ready on runway 4. That answered my needs, so I put the directory away, and announced the wide body Remos was entering the pattern. Checked the wind by reference to ripples in all the ponds down there and flew a decent pattern, but turned in too close. Another low altitude tour of the airport. Climbed back to the pattern and talked my way around for another go. A guy in a Mooney squeezed in and took off, but he talked to me and it wasn't an issue.
This time I crabbed in really pretty and kicked her straight for a very credible landing. I love it when the centerline stays between the wheels!
Off to Sarasota.
Nice low sun angle off the Gulf really gave good contrast to the shoreline and a couple of high-altitude stratus clouds made pretty sun-dogs way up high. We got to 2000 feet with no problem and I backed off from 120 mph to smooth the ride out. This was living! Watching the world slide under the nose, ticking off the waypoints, and watching Lake Myakka swim out of the haze.
Looking around I thought, "Ya know...If I wasn't doing this student solo thing, I'd deviate west. I don't like being in the middle of this swamp!" Really! I thought that if the noise maker quit, I'd have to glide in and fight the gators. But the Rotax kept percolating on.
At the right distance, I called Tampa and warned them that I, steely-eyed aviator man, was going to land at my airport. They submitted and told me to keep my speed up and expect straight-in runway 32. So I didn't change a damn thing. Kept right on in my comfortable cruise and headed for 32.
Shortly after I could spot the airport, they turned me over to the tower controller, who promptly ordered me to keep my speed up. See above for hurried reaction. He also told to "continue" for 32.
Now "continue" is just the controller dude leaving himself an out at my expense. It was not a clearance to land, and I couldn't break off the approach either. So I kept going and let down since the runway was in sight. Now my speed is up to 120 mph, I'm happy, but the runway is getting too big, too quick.
Finally about a mile and a half out, I key the radio and squawk, "Tower, Remos 9RE is a STUDENT PILOT! AM I CLEARED TO LAND 32?"
Now a female controller comes on and clears me to land. AHA! Shift change!
I pull the throttle all the way back to idle, and slow to approach speed.
This was one slick landing. the centerline and markings were like railroad tracks, and the nose stayed up as I slowly pulled the stick to my crotch and the airplane slowed. At 35 mph the nose eased down and we're a ground vehicle again!
Tower lady in my ear asking me to turn at A7, which is right where I am!
I push the brakes on and made a better than ninety-degree swing to A7 and clear the active.
I'm talking to the ground controller and whoosh! An AirTransvestite MD-80 comes by on 32. That's why the wanted my speed up!
He lands, I taxi, no problem. Except that now he's on MY taxiway and I'm between him and the terminal. I hold at 22 for a Cirrus to takeoff and then Ground lady asks me to take the first Dolphin Aviation entrance. Hey!.... Priority Handling!
Swoop in to Dolphin and the Trannie passes well behind me.
Stop, note the times and push the cute little thing into her spot. Called Micky. Then my phone rings. It's Sherman. We talk about the fun times and the two go-arounds, the Cub on touchdown, and what a great thing this flying stuff is!
Dropped off the key and log and drove away for my redhead wife and big,fat motorhome.
Lessons learned, juggling books and stuff alone in a cockpit requires forethought, guys without radios fly too, and ATC wants stuff for a reason sometimes.
I'm ready to go again!
The requirement is that you go on a minimum of 75 mile roundtrip and land at an airport that's not home base. it is the culmination of everything you've been taught. You must plan and execute the entire package, the instructor has to approve your plan and sign-off your student certificate and logbook that you're allowed to take the plane to the chosen airport(s) and return. You have to prove that you and the airplane are capable of safely completing the trip. That includes the weather, fuel, time-of-day (I can't fly at night by law), and communications.
My plan was a bit more ambitious. I wanted to leave Sarasota and go to Venice, which is like a second home now, and then go to Punta Gorda (Charlotte county). I'd done a low pass there.
The timing and fuel worked well. I figured it as a fuel usage of 3.5 gallons for 100.5 miles. And around an hour or so. Since I had to be back at SRQ before civil twilight at 2008 I knew that with the fudge factors thrown in, the latest I wanted to be off was around 1745. That would get me back at a reasonable 1915 with plenty of daylight left.
We briefed with Sherman, reviewed the routing, fueled and did a good preflight. I got off in good order at 1727 and enjoyed the view at 1600 feet. My nav log was working out well and my checkpoints were doing fine. The wind was a little stronger than predicted so ground speed stayed near 100 mph. Okay it was going to be slower, but not much.
I went toward Venice and about 8 miles out tuned the radio. To the wrong frequency. Nobody was talking to 199RE. Odd. Checked the frequency on the chart, and then corrected the radio. Still nobody in the Venice pattern was talking. I didn't see anybody, but still wanted to know the radio worked, so I called the FBO and asked which runway they were using. Nice lady told me what I already knew, that 31 was it. The little airplane on the segmented circle looked right, so I called traffic and went in. For some reason, I turned in early and let my speed stay up, so I was high and fast. Even though it's a fine, long runway, I chose not to use my extraordinary skills, and called for a go-around. The pattern was still very empty, but I'm yakking away letting all the 747's and Airbus's know that I was taking a Light Sport Remos into 31 at Venice, dammit!
Turned to Base and Final and this time it looked real good. Nobody talking in the pattern, and nobody in sight. Way too good to be true. Let down to the flare and shifted my gaze to the far end of the runway. Now I'm flying the Remos 3 feet off the ground and I see a pretty, yellow, 65 horsepower Piper Cub sauntering in to land on runway 13. My runway from the other end. I yell in the radio "aircraft on opposite end of 31" and he slowly turns to enter the crosswind and come around to my end of the runway. Looking back at it, he really wasn't that low.
I finished my ,now ugly landing, slowed to a taxi and took back off muttering to myself, "I'll bet that's one of those idiots from the flight school down here!" So I turn into the pattern and determine to watch him land and if its a blue airplane with yellow wings, I'm gonna call his instructor and chew the guy out.
Wrong! He turns to final and I figure it out. He's justa really pretty J-3 Cub that probably has the doors open, wind in his teeth and no radio at all. No problem, but I wish he had swung out to sea like I did to avoid low flight at the end of a runway. But, all in all, no problem. Even if he had landed, I had enough performance at hand to avoid him.
On to Punta Gorda! I'm listening to the weather down there and trying to visualize the traffic pattern when I think, "Man, I remember what it looks like, but a picture would be oh-so nice. Wait! I've got one in my flight bag strapped here beside me!"
Then I re-learn how nice an autopilot, or right-seat slave would have been.
Trying to fly with the left hand and monkey with the zipper, and rummage through the bag with the other hand, is distracting. Next time I'll organize better with the bag.
Got the directory out and was looking for a runway to choose, when I heard a guy announce he was ready on runway 4. That answered my needs, so I put the directory away, and announced the wide body Remos was entering the pattern. Checked the wind by reference to ripples in all the ponds down there and flew a decent pattern, but turned in too close. Another low altitude tour of the airport. Climbed back to the pattern and talked my way around for another go. A guy in a Mooney squeezed in and took off, but he talked to me and it wasn't an issue.
This time I crabbed in really pretty and kicked her straight for a very credible landing. I love it when the centerline stays between the wheels!
Off to Sarasota.
Nice low sun angle off the Gulf really gave good contrast to the shoreline and a couple of high-altitude stratus clouds made pretty sun-dogs way up high. We got to 2000 feet with no problem and I backed off from 120 mph to smooth the ride out. This was living! Watching the world slide under the nose, ticking off the waypoints, and watching Lake Myakka swim out of the haze.
Looking around I thought, "Ya know...If I wasn't doing this student solo thing, I'd deviate west. I don't like being in the middle of this swamp!" Really! I thought that if the noise maker quit, I'd have to glide in and fight the gators. But the Rotax kept percolating on.
At the right distance, I called Tampa and warned them that I, steely-eyed aviator man, was going to land at my airport. They submitted and told me to keep my speed up and expect straight-in runway 32. So I didn't change a damn thing. Kept right on in my comfortable cruise and headed for 32.
Shortly after I could spot the airport, they turned me over to the tower controller, who promptly ordered me to keep my speed up. See above for hurried reaction. He also told to "continue" for 32.
Now "continue" is just the controller dude leaving himself an out at my expense. It was not a clearance to land, and I couldn't break off the approach either. So I kept going and let down since the runway was in sight. Now my speed is up to 120 mph, I'm happy, but the runway is getting too big, too quick.
Finally about a mile and a half out, I key the radio and squawk, "Tower, Remos 9RE is a STUDENT PILOT! AM I CLEARED TO LAND 32?"
Now a female controller comes on and clears me to land. AHA! Shift change!
I pull the throttle all the way back to idle, and slow to approach speed.
This was one slick landing. the centerline and markings were like railroad tracks, and the nose stayed up as I slowly pulled the stick to my crotch and the airplane slowed. At 35 mph the nose eased down and we're a ground vehicle again!
Tower lady in my ear asking me to turn at A7, which is right where I am!
I push the brakes on and made a better than ninety-degree swing to A7 and clear the active.
I'm talking to the ground controller and whoosh! An AirTransvestite MD-80 comes by on 32. That's why the wanted my speed up!
He lands, I taxi, no problem. Except that now he's on MY taxiway and I'm between him and the terminal. I hold at 22 for a Cirrus to takeoff and then Ground lady asks me to take the first Dolphin Aviation entrance. Hey!.... Priority Handling!
Swoop in to Dolphin and the Trannie passes well behind me.
Stop, note the times and push the cute little thing into her spot. Called Micky. Then my phone rings. It's Sherman. We talk about the fun times and the two go-arounds, the Cub on touchdown, and what a great thing this flying stuff is!
Dropped off the key and log and drove away for my redhead wife and big,fat motorhome.
Lessons learned, juggling books and stuff alone in a cockpit requires forethought, guys without radios fly too, and ATC wants stuff for a reason sometimes.
I'm ready to go again!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Got my Student Ticket, Solo Next!
Sherman called me this morning to come to the hangar and ensure that my application for the Student certificate was really in the FAA system so that Dave, the Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE or check pilot), could electronically sign the application and I'd be legal for my first solo.
If the weather had cooperated, I would have soloed this afternoon. The winds at 3000 feet were too gusty for air work and the surface winds at a bad angle for first solo touch-and-go practice.
SportPlanesFlorida.com only has one trainer right now having sold the other one. I overheard a convdersation today that serial number 199 (N199RE) is the highest time Remos in the States. That's really good to know! I'm very impressed with how well the aircraft has handled the rough-and-tumble of primary training. The floor cover on the pilot side is worn, the seat fabrics are worn, but the aircraft still looks new outside.
Tomorrow is a really big deal. Sherman says I'm ready, and I think I am. We'll fly south to Venice and land. I will land. Sherman will endorse my Student License and talk to me on a handheld while I fly three touch-and-goes. If all goes well, I'll pick Sherman up and we'll go play with the airplane and get it back for the 8AM flight.
After my first solo, they cut the back of my shirt off for some reason that I'll find out tomorrow. Then, with Sherman's endorsements, I fly a cross-country and practice for the final exam. It's called a checkride and Dave, the DPE, will conduct an oral exam (quiz-he doesn't care a whit about my dental hygiene) and we'll go fly. He may do anything from pull power back and announce the engine quit to just ask me to do some maneuvering while he grades away. The engine out answer is easy, just land. The big question is; "Where!" With no power, every move ends in further down. If it's possible, the airplane will glide away for a ration of 10 feet forward for every foot down. Theoretically, of course. Since I'm not a test pilot, my glide will be shorter. Even then, from two thousand feet at cruise. I've got around 4 miles of straight flight before intercepting vegetation.
New pilots tend to panic with no engine and pull up into a stall at low altitude. It's much better to land straight ahead than try a low and slow turn.
If the weather had cooperated, I would have soloed this afternoon. The winds at 3000 feet were too gusty for air work and the surface winds at a bad angle for first solo touch-and-go practice.
SportPlanesFlorida.com only has one trainer right now having sold the other one. I overheard a convdersation today that serial number 199 (N199RE) is the highest time Remos in the States. That's really good to know! I'm very impressed with how well the aircraft has handled the rough-and-tumble of primary training. The floor cover on the pilot side is worn, the seat fabrics are worn, but the aircraft still looks new outside.
Tomorrow is a really big deal. Sherman says I'm ready, and I think I am. We'll fly south to Venice and land. I will land. Sherman will endorse my Student License and talk to me on a handheld while I fly three touch-and-goes. If all goes well, I'll pick Sherman up and we'll go play with the airplane and get it back for the 8AM flight.
After my first solo, they cut the back of my shirt off for some reason that I'll find out tomorrow. Then, with Sherman's endorsements, I fly a cross-country and practice for the final exam. It's called a checkride and Dave, the DPE, will conduct an oral exam (quiz-he doesn't care a whit about my dental hygiene) and we'll go fly. He may do anything from pull power back and announce the engine quit to just ask me to do some maneuvering while he grades away. The engine out answer is easy, just land. The big question is; "Where!" With no power, every move ends in further down. If it's possible, the airplane will glide away for a ration of 10 feet forward for every foot down. Theoretically, of course. Since I'm not a test pilot, my glide will be shorter. Even then, from two thousand feet at cruise. I've got around 4 miles of straight flight before intercepting vegetation.
New pilots tend to panic with no engine and pull up into a stall at low altitude. It's much better to land straight ahead than try a low and slow turn.
Weather and Small Airplanes
Should be mixed very cautiously, or not at all. No flying today and a very slim chance for tomorrow, so Tuesday is earliest for solo. Today we had heavy rain, lightning, high winds (15-20 knots) and low ceilings (1000-1500 feet). Except for the wind and thunderstorms it was an acceptable marginal VFR day. With the caveat that the local obstacle clearance altitude is 1900 feet to the west. Clearing the clouds by 500 feet and staying 1000 feet above densely populated areas would leave me with about 100 whole feet of legal airspace. Even though I am the steely-eyed, square-jawed comic book hero of days past, I am not that stupid! This is "Sport" flying not "Really Sporty" flying! I approach this just like scuba diving, driving an RV, or even corporate aviation, there are no red crosses painted on the airplane and no bombs either. No one is dying for me to fly them anywhere and time schedules are for convenience and reference only. Basically I don't give a @#$% how badly it puts you out or how much it costs. WE NO FLY NOW! The danger is that I understand this now, but may feel increased confidence after a few thousand more hours. New guys are 'fraidy cats. Cats have nine lives. Meow! So tomorrow I'll go into the hangar and do paperwork for my official student pilot certificate. Up until now, I've been riding on Sherman's ticket, but I want him to close the door behind himself and let me go solo! Please! For that I need a license of some sort. Sherman will still have to endorse my logbook for each flight and I dare not go off the chosen path without dire emergency dictating it. And having a dire emergency 50 miles away ( I'm limited to 25 miles) would really piss off the Feds. So give me my "Stupid Student Ticket" and let me go burn fuel doing landings at Venice, Manatee, and maybe Edgewood. I wanna do more stalls and turns around points and S-turns over I-75. I need 7.9 hours to meet the minimum experience number and they only have one airplane in their fleet. So just like group sex, I'll hang in there and look for an opening!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Where there's smoke......
12.6 hours.
Today was maximum fun! This morning's flight was to be landing practice at Venice and stalls. The landings at Venice were fun, but sloppy. One day I'll learn to flare on time, and the proper amount. The trick is to keep your speed up so you have something to flare with. Even though the aircraft doesn't officially stall until around 45 MPH (NO not knots, MPH) when it's clean (no flaps) and heavy, 60 is a good flying speed and it bleeds off rapidly when flared. So we did several touch-and-go's. It's really, really fun, you make the approach, touchdown add power fly up around 20 feet, land again, add power, land the third time and then power out. All in around 5000 feet!
After beating the airplane on the ground for a while, the pattern at VNC got full and crazy, so we went northwest to do the stall series. Stalls are a real non-issue in the Remos G3. Power off, it gives a couple of shudders and begins a descent. Recovery is just add power and fly! Power on stalls are more dramatic, only because you'd have to be really distracted to allow the nose to get that high and stay there! At about 40 degrees up the airplane slows down, buffets and descends. Lower the nose and fly it out with very little altitude loss after stall recognition. No blaring horns and flashing "DEATH" lights either!
After the two stalls, we're messing around and working the GPS for the return to SRQ and the cockpit is flooded with a horrible acrid, burning smell. Sherman thinks it's a wood fire below, but we see no smoke on the ground. We check the operation of everything in the panel, feel the circuit breakers and eyeball the engine management system. Everything seems normal, so we report in and get vectored south of Sarasota to setup an upwind for Rwy 22.
I really did a credible job of landing that time and we taxied it in.
I asked Sherman and we pulled the upper nose cowling off. I looked around the left side and found that the exhaust stack (tailpipe) was not there! The smell was the fiberglass and drain tubes cooking in the hot exhaust gases at low speed during the stall series.
Reported the problem to Jim and we grabbed tools to go out and "borrow" the exhaust from the GX. Just like any muffler, heat and cold make the clamps seize up. A little added torque with vise-grips and we got the good one on. Fixed a clamp on the heater muff, a loose ground strap and a couple of chafed spring safeties. It felt really good to get my hands dirty on an airplane again.
The Remos went out with a tall businessman from DC named Marc who jumped right in on the exhaust tube change. Micky came by and we sat out front on the bench and watched the airplanes fly. Then took video of Marc coming back from his intro flight. He seemed really down, but Sherman talked him in. Marc used to fly 25 years ago, but stopped. Guess what? He has a problem with pilot-induced-oscillations! Just like I had earlier this week. Just a process of muscle memory and "feel".
The wind came up in the afternoon. I checked the WX and even though the wind was high it came right down the runway and was well within cross and headwind limits and, more importantly, under my personal limits. So now I know that 12 knots on the nose is just a shorter roll and be careful taxiing.
Speaking of taxi, I had my first encounter with tower halitosis. The dude running the ground control station was pissy as hell! I made a mistake on a readback and he was down my throat, then we're holding short of 14, as instructed, and found a "radio shadow". He tried to call us to cross the runway and all we got was static bursts. When I finally heard "Echo" I moved forward about three feet and the radio cleared. He was even more asinine and suggested we taxi back to Dolphin and get the radio fixed. Screw him! At certain geometries between the tower's antenna and any aircraft's bottom-mounted comm antenna, there's interruptions in the line-of-sight caused by landing gear, his tower antenna position, etc. Not a real radio problem.
So.... we discuss his lineage and my lack of responsibility for the stomach lining of a civil servant and taxi on down taxiway "Delta".
At the end of runways, there's a run-up area to allow us piston pukes to check the engine's magnetoes or ignition systems for proper operation. A pretty, blue Grumman Cheetah was sitting in this one doing his runs, so I taxied off to the left of the taxiway and did my little engine thing. Next thing I hear is "BAD MIKE", the tower fruit telling me not to block "Delta". Once again, screw the guvmint creep! We finished our runs and announced to our satisfaction that we were "Number two in sequence for takeoff on 22".
Of course he got his licks in and let us sit there with the cylinder head temperatures climbing while a Robinson R-22 helo did two landings, the Cheetah got out, and then a couple of guys landed on 14. But eventually, he let us use his little runway and we farted as we left!
Nice climbout, we made safe altitude before we crossed the center and I had just announced to Sherman my intention to extend a bit on runway heading until over the ICW, when the tower cleared us to 180. No problem! A left 40 degrees and a beautiful view of the beaches. Then cleared to our own navigation and away we went watching the parasails off the beach from 1600 feet. The ICW was full of boats and the people were all over the beach!
South to Venice! Another crazy pattern day! Got four approaches and squeezed seven touchdowns (intentional) out of it. Then departed south and went to Charlotte county which if course is Punta Gorda! Did a low approach to the favored runway 27, even though most traffic was using their 22 (it's longer and doesn't have grass in the cracks). We left there listening to an MD-80 do a really pro job of reporting his position every mile inbound for PGD 22 and giving all the small guys plenty of time to get outta his way.
North bound for the 45 miles or so back to home base, I enjoyed the view and we talked about checkrides, standards, and where I'd put it if the engine quit (or maybe caught on fire?). My answer is anywhere except the swamps. It will hurt, smell bad, and the airplane would be tough to recover. I understand now why Interstate Highways are aluminum magnets! For a guy like me, it's considerate of the gummint to have built thousands of mile of usable runway! And I will use them!
Just go with the flow, match speed and drop into a gap, take the next exit!
PS- I greased the landing at SRQ!
Dual Cross Country 9 hours logged in four days!
It war brillig and the jabberwocky voled.
Now back to earth normal communications.
The weather this morning was gorgeous. Sherman and I planned a trip to Arcadia about 40 miles east. Laid it out on the sectional chart and corrected for deviation, Located and noted the visual waypoints we'd need to get there and the few places to avoid. Planned the fuel usage. discussed alternates and weather sources enroute. Got the weather and worked out the wind correction angles. Computed the effect on groundspeed and eta, Loaded up and went to Arcadia. Strong crosswind on runway 23. Sherman kept calling for more right aileron. The contrtol stick was jammed hard into my right thigh. Unusually jammed into the thigh, I kicked in right rudder and got her straight enough to land. Told Sherman that I thouht the seat was set wrong. We shutdown on the taxi way and I got out and reset my seat aft. Funny, with no knees under my chin, there was full throw on the control. Lesson learned--- check the seat adjustment before climbing in unless it is adjustable in flight. And free and clear controls
Got in the aircraft and had plenty of stick room.
All-in-all I really like simple sticks. The y sticks in the Jabiru are cool with the outboard throttles. Frees up the entire center for the non-flying pilot to work a laptop.
We used the grass runway at X06 (Arcadia) and the remos literally jumped into the air. Watching the birds fly, farmers get ready for their day and clothing being hung on the line. All stuff you can't see at 550 knots from the stratosphere with 360 of you close friends and a full toilet.
If my bladder gets cranky, we do a Captain Ron and pull over somewhere, and I don't have to ask the government for permission to do so. All my fellow pilots just tell me which tree they think is best,
We had a pretty flight to SRQ and then a long straight in to 32 with us leading the pack, Had a much better landing by not trying to land, just fly down the runway really low and then cut ther power. It will land. And I can control it.
Did the FAA paperwork to apply for my student pilot ticket. Got to have that to solo. Maybe Saturday. Depends on when "Dave" the DPE Designated Pilot Examiner
Now back to earth normal communications.
The weather this morning was gorgeous. Sherman and I planned a trip to Arcadia about 40 miles east. Laid it out on the sectional chart and corrected for deviation, Located and noted the visual waypoints we'd need to get there and the few places to avoid. Planned the fuel usage. discussed alternates and weather sources enroute. Got the weather and worked out the wind correction angles. Computed the effect on groundspeed and eta, Loaded up and went to Arcadia. Strong crosswind on runway 23. Sherman kept calling for more right aileron. The contrtol stick was jammed hard into my right thigh. Unusually jammed into the thigh, I kicked in right rudder and got her straight enough to land. Told Sherman that I thouht the seat was set wrong. We shutdown on the taxi way and I got out and reset my seat aft. Funny, with no knees under my chin, there was full throw on the control. Lesson learned--- check the seat adjustment before climbing in unless it is adjustable in flight. And free and clear controls
Got in the aircraft and had plenty of stick room.
All-in-all I really like simple sticks. The y sticks in the Jabiru are cool with the outboard throttles. Frees up the entire center for the non-flying pilot to work a laptop.
We used the grass runway at X06 (Arcadia) and the remos literally jumped into the air. Watching the birds fly, farmers get ready for their day and clothing being hung on the line. All stuff you can't see at 550 knots from the stratosphere with 360 of you close friends and a full toilet.
If my bladder gets cranky, we do a Captain Ron and pull over somewhere, and I don't have to ask the government for permission to do so. All my fellow pilots just tell me which tree they think is best,
We had a pretty flight to SRQ and then a long straight in to 32 with us leading the pack, Had a much better landing by not trying to land, just fly down the runway really low and then cut ther power. It will land. And I can control it.
Did the FAA paperwork to apply for my student pilot ticket. Got to have that to solo. Maybe Saturday. Depends on when "Dave" the DPE Designated Pilot Examiner
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Passed the written, more landings!
This morning we stayed right here in Sarasota (SRQ) and circled the pattern under tower control. And the pattern was busy! At one time we were number four following a regional jet, and two Cessnas! The beauty of a pattern is you know where to look for the other guy and are able to keep spacing on him.
The tower sent us off on 360's a few times and had half doing left turns and the other half right turns. We were doing the non-standard approaches. I admit that I don't like right turns. The visibility out of my window is much better! It just ain't natural!
My landings are improving. I'm getting the picture and understanding where those little wheels are. Keeping the nose off is tricky and directional control is not good yet, but I can get it down, keep it down, and slow it down!
Big grins, when Sherman said good job on one landing.
Our last landing was a short approach. I did all the communicating today, but Sherman had to answer when the controller asked if we could do a short approach, behind a CRJ Regional Jet.
One of the problems with landing behind a heavy jet, is wake turbulence. I have a friend that flopped a very nice turboprop over at Bush Field when thos nasty little tornadoes got him on short final to 35. The method for avoiding a problem is to never fly into the vortices. You watch for where the big guy touched down and then stay above his flight path and land appreciably beyond his touchdown point. It's easy when you only take 500 feet to land and the runway is 10000 feet long! Just yesterday I made three landings on one approach at Venice! It was like "Bounce, Balloon,Bounce, Balloon, Land". And we still had room to take off again. Love that Remos! And the trusty Rotax engine that keeps me out of trouble.
That was our full stop and it was pretty smooth.
Sherman took a guy up studying for Sport Pilot CFI out for his first ride in an LSA. I studied for my test, and when Sherman came back, we worked on pilotage and cross-country flight planning. Celestial Navigation on sailboats has really paid off!
Then I went to the other flight school next door and they set me up for my written test. The FAA has a bank of 520+ questions, they randomly select 40 and give you two hours to do it. It's done through a contractor named CATS and the security stuff is wild! After they took away all my stuff, no wallet, phone or other stuff. They sit you in front of a computer with video surveillance and you work the test. I missed 5 questions and got an 88%. Passing is 70%, but I was hoping for 100%
The test score sheet has to be given to the Pilot Examiner for your check ride. It is stamped, embossed and one-of-a-kind. No copies acceptable. I guess a lot of guys will cheat on the tests if you let them. I think I've flown with some that used something other than intelligence to get past their tests!
The tower sent us off on 360's a few times and had half doing left turns and the other half right turns. We were doing the non-standard approaches. I admit that I don't like right turns. The visibility out of my window is much better! It just ain't natural!
My landings are improving. I'm getting the picture and understanding where those little wheels are. Keeping the nose off is tricky and directional control is not good yet, but I can get it down, keep it down, and slow it down!
Big grins, when Sherman said good job on one landing.
Our last landing was a short approach. I did all the communicating today, but Sherman had to answer when the controller asked if we could do a short approach, behind a CRJ Regional Jet.
One of the problems with landing behind a heavy jet, is wake turbulence. I have a friend that flopped a very nice turboprop over at Bush Field when thos nasty little tornadoes got him on short final to 35. The method for avoiding a problem is to never fly into the vortices. You watch for where the big guy touched down and then stay above his flight path and land appreciably beyond his touchdown point. It's easy when you only take 500 feet to land and the runway is 10000 feet long! Just yesterday I made three landings on one approach at Venice! It was like "Bounce, Balloon,Bounce, Balloon, Land". And we still had room to take off again. Love that Remos! And the trusty Rotax engine that keeps me out of trouble.
That was our full stop and it was pretty smooth.
Sherman took a guy up studying for Sport Pilot CFI out for his first ride in an LSA. I studied for my test, and when Sherman came back, we worked on pilotage and cross-country flight planning. Celestial Navigation on sailboats has really paid off!
Then I went to the other flight school next door and they set me up for my written test. The FAA has a bank of 520+ questions, they randomly select 40 and give you two hours to do it. It's done through a contractor named CATS and the security stuff is wild! After they took away all my stuff, no wallet, phone or other stuff. They sit you in front of a computer with video surveillance and you work the test. I missed 5 questions and got an 88%. Passing is 70%, but I was hoping for 100%
The test score sheet has to be given to the Pilot Examiner for your check ride. It is stamped, embossed and one-of-a-kind. No copies acceptable. I guess a lot of guys will cheat on the tests if you let them. I think I've flown with some that used something other than intelligence to get past their tests!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Buzzards!
Today we started out with light to medium rain in the area, so we scooted up north to a grass strip (48X) named Manatee. I like landing on grass and tight little strips with trees and shrubs. The buildings, shrubs and stuff give me a much better feel for the ground than 150-foot wide runways. I had a couple of nice passes and touch and go's, so we made a full stop and taxied back. One thing about even a good grass strip is that it adds drag under the wheels, the little Remos wheels aren't any bigger than a lawnmower, so it takes higher power to start it rolling. Manatee looks like the kind of place where a bunch of old airplane nuts spend all their time fixing up home-built airplanes and lying to each other. I'll need someplace like that one day.
The second flight today was back down to Venice for touch and go's (landing practice) Sherman says I had three good landings today. Since I logged six, that's 50-50! I enjoy the challenge of landing. Takeoffs in crosswinds are also fun in a very light airplane, but working the pattern and figuring out the landing is where the money is.
Everybody was very well behaved today down at Venice, but we still had a little excitement. An older guy in a Beech Baron took off with a window open and wanted to do an immediate return to base. First thing is, unless the window is different from standard production, it just opens inward by the pilot's left side. Okay, reach up and close the hole! And even a Baron isn't wide enough that you couldn't reach a window on the copilot side too! But we weren't in the airplane with all that noise and wind. What caused us the problem was when he reported that he was mid-field on the downwind leg for Runway 22. You see, WE were mid-field on the downwind leg for Runway 22! And we could not see him. I held altitude and heading and we sorted out that he had not climbed back to pattern altitude of 1000 feet, but was scooting under us at 500 feet. No problem! We just extended out and did a 360 degree right turn to let him land and clear.
The area off the approach end of Runway 22 has some very nice golf-course homes with ponds all over it. By now the sun was out and the puffy little cloudlets were at 1200 feet along with buzzards riding the thermals over that golf course subdivision. We flew under five, over several and did an F-16 imitation to avoid a pair circling. Those are big birds! Sherman says that's what the prop is for, but I'd rather use it for getting around. It's wooden composite, strong and light, but 8 pounds of carrion-eater would not be good for it! And the mess on the windshield would be nauseating. I took some video with the Flip camera, but the homemade bean bag mount was aimed too low and I got nearly three hours of instrument panel and shoulders.
Tomorrow, I fly twice and then take my written exam. Another day of fun mistakes that just seem to work themselves out.
The second flight today was back down to Venice for touch and go's (landing practice) Sherman says I had three good landings today. Since I logged six, that's 50-50! I enjoy the challenge of landing. Takeoffs in crosswinds are also fun in a very light airplane, but working the pattern and figuring out the landing is where the money is.
Everybody was very well behaved today down at Venice, but we still had a little excitement. An older guy in a Beech Baron took off with a window open and wanted to do an immediate return to base. First thing is, unless the window is different from standard production, it just opens inward by the pilot's left side. Okay, reach up and close the hole! And even a Baron isn't wide enough that you couldn't reach a window on the copilot side too! But we weren't in the airplane with all that noise and wind. What caused us the problem was when he reported that he was mid-field on the downwind leg for Runway 22. You see, WE were mid-field on the downwind leg for Runway 22! And we could not see him. I held altitude and heading and we sorted out that he had not climbed back to pattern altitude of 1000 feet, but was scooting under us at 500 feet. No problem! We just extended out and did a 360 degree right turn to let him land and clear.
The area off the approach end of Runway 22 has some very nice golf-course homes with ponds all over it. By now the sun was out and the puffy little cloudlets were at 1200 feet along with buzzards riding the thermals over that golf course subdivision. We flew under five, over several and did an F-16 imitation to avoid a pair circling. Those are big birds! Sherman says that's what the prop is for, but I'd rather use it for getting around. It's wooden composite, strong and light, but 8 pounds of carrion-eater would not be good for it! And the mess on the windshield would be nauseating. I took some video with the Flip camera, but the homemade bean bag mount was aimed too low and I got nearly three hours of instrument panel and shoulders.
Tomorrow, I fly twice and then take my written exam. Another day of fun mistakes that just seem to work themselves out.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
First Flights as a Student Pilot!
After all the drama with the Prius and the passport yesterday, I was glad to get started with the complex, but known problem of flight instruction. Sherman Bilbo met me about half-hour early at 0930 and we got airborne by 1000. In the meantime he taught me how to pre-flight, start the engine, and taxi.
It is way cool being in the LEFT seat for a change.
I was too intimidated by the whole process to bring the camera on the first flight. We taxied out to the runway, and took off to the north until cleared for a turn to 090 (East) to get out to the practice area. Sherman did most of the flying, but I shadowed him on the controls.
The Remos G3/600 is very responsive, if not a mite twitchy! You don't grab the stick and muscle anything. It flys with fingertip pressure and when the wind rocks it around you react with minute, precision inputs. Sherman makes it look easy.
I was rock-steady. If those rocks are in an earthquake! After about 10 minutes of very wobbly, uncoordinated flying, we toured the practice area and started working on climbs, glides, and turns. I was very impressed with the Remos in glider mode. We had total control of everything but up! No motor equals no climb, ever. From the point you go to idle, you are constantly going down. You just choose how far down, how fast, and where the intersection of glide and dirt is!
After making circles around a curiously pink house at 1000 feet, I flew us back to Sarasota and Sherman demonstrated the landing.
A few hours later, the skies were overcast at 3500-4000 feet and the haze was bad, but the air was stable if windy. I got to taxi and actually take off with Sherman shadowing me on the stick. We turned south down the beach for Venice. Needless to say I was happy!
At Venice we got to see all the bad behavior pilots pull at uncontrolled airfields (like Daniel in Augusta). Some slob in a Citation Jet didn't talk to any of us piston pukes in the pattern. He just pulled out on the active and took off. Nevermind that we were going in the opposite direction at pattern height. Everybody on the ground and in the pattern started talking about him! And they weren't complimentary! Later a Hispanic student just ran straight in for the runway without bothering about the pattern. We were on a converging course and saw him just as he shot maybe 300 feet below us. Sherman let him know real quick, about that one.
All through this I'm doing slow flight and working the pattern. Learning what too low or high looks like. We had a bit of a crosswind and with the trees so close to the runway, the wind speed and direction changed in the last ten feet. What Sherman wanted was for me to fly the aircraft 2-3 feet off the runway and control the drift and crab. After the second wobbly, out-of-shape trip down runway 31, Sherman had me climb out and we went down the beach at 500 feet doing the same slow flight. I got a much better handle on it and we back to the pattern. The next pass was much better, and the fourth pass was going to be really cool, until Sherman started talking me into actually setting it down! We smacked a little hard and bounced right up. I made a better show of the second bounce, then Sherman showed me how easy it really was.
A few more swipes at it and then we went back to Sarasota (SRQ). I got pretty good at holding heading and altitude and set us up for a good approach. It wasn't a great landing, but it was a personal best! Taxied back in and shut down. I got 3.2 hours of flight instruction in today and am learning rapidly.
I really like Sherman. Even though the owner had locked the doors and left at 1700, Sherman was in no real hurry to rush the debrief and discuss what we did. He answered my questions and laid out a plan for tomorrow before we locked up and left. I knew he had guests at home and after flying four times with three different students that I know of, he was still loving flying!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Chapter IV- A New Adventure!
Sorry about the blatant play on the original "Star Wars" title, but a little heroic theme music seems appropriate.
I got to see and touch the airplane that I'll train in. Remos G3/600 sn 199 N199RE is a beauty! Sure it's flight school workhorse and it shows it. The aircraft has been used. The paint is no longer as glossy as new and the seats have been squashed by other heavy butts before me. But it looks great!
My Flight Instructor (CFI) is Sherman Bilbo, a soft spoken middle-aged black man with a wonderfully clear voice and a very apparent love of flying. He describes himself as an "airport bum" and says that he basically grew up at the airport where he works now. He's worked the line pumping fuel and just about every other job for just about every company on the field, some he worked for twice. He's old enough to be a calming influence. And he's been flying since 1975. That's 35 years for the math impaired.
We hit it off immediately. A standard complaint about flight instructors is that they are young guys just building up flight time to get an airline or corporate job. Makes them impatient and disinterested at times. I know I won't have that problem with Sherman.
I also got to see several other light sport aircraft (LSA). Met a veteran Navy P2V Neptune crewman named Phil crossing sport pilot off his bucket list in a big way. Today he passed the oral portion of his final checkride. The wind messed up something with the practical portion, but that's no big deal. A sizeable portion of students fail their first checkride. What Phil's done right is to buy a Jabiru before he even finished the license. That's style!
What went wrong today was centered around identification. The Trasportation Security Administration is rightfully concerned with ensuring that people with acccess to the flight line, like student pilots, are who they say they are. What Jim Julius forgot to send me was a letter with the documentation requirements before my first flight. Now I'm one of the most identified guys on the planet. I've got government files from birth, including security investigations, radio licenses, passports and military ID's. But the TSA wants the flight school to see a birth certificate or passport. I didn't pack either one with me. I will have my passport on every trip in the future!
So....My much ill-used neighbor, George, had to break into my house again and get the passport to Fedex for overnight. Like I said, good neighbors are good to have, but great neighbors are priceless.
More tomorrow after the two first flights.
I got to see and touch the airplane that I'll train in. Remos G3/600 sn 199 N199RE is a beauty! Sure it's flight school workhorse and it shows it. The aircraft has been used. The paint is no longer as glossy as new and the seats have been squashed by other heavy butts before me. But it looks great!
My Flight Instructor (CFI) is Sherman Bilbo, a soft spoken middle-aged black man with a wonderfully clear voice and a very apparent love of flying. He describes himself as an "airport bum" and says that he basically grew up at the airport where he works now. He's worked the line pumping fuel and just about every other job for just about every company on the field, some he worked for twice. He's old enough to be a calming influence. And he's been flying since 1975. That's 35 years for the math impaired.
We hit it off immediately. A standard complaint about flight instructors is that they are young guys just building up flight time to get an airline or corporate job. Makes them impatient and disinterested at times. I know I won't have that problem with Sherman.
I also got to see several other light sport aircraft (LSA). Met a veteran Navy P2V Neptune crewman named Phil crossing sport pilot off his bucket list in a big way. Today he passed the oral portion of his final checkride. The wind messed up something with the practical portion, but that's no big deal. A sizeable portion of students fail their first checkride. What Phil's done right is to buy a Jabiru before he even finished the license. That's style!
What went wrong today was centered around identification. The Trasportation Security Administration is rightfully concerned with ensuring that people with acccess to the flight line, like student pilots, are who they say they are. What Jim Julius forgot to send me was a letter with the documentation requirements before my first flight. Now I'm one of the most identified guys on the planet. I've got government files from birth, including security investigations, radio licenses, passports and military ID's. But the TSA wants the flight school to see a birth certificate or passport. I didn't pack either one with me. I will have my passport on every trip in the future!
So....My much ill-used neighbor, George, had to break into my house again and get the passport to Fedex for overnight. Like I said, good neighbors are good to have, but great neighbors are priceless.
More tomorrow after the two first flights.
The Randomness of Bad, Human Bit-flipping
My sister, Robyn, has lung cancer. Some part of that diagnosis is related to randomness. I have diabetes, there's some randomness mixed in there. My Prius had a computer problem, once again some randomness. The truth is that in each case there's a proximate cause, but the actual resulting problem doesn't happen each time.
In the case of my sister and I, our behavior made us more susceptible to disease, but randomly some people are never afflicted with the disease. It's never "fair" or "undeserved" or a "shame", it just is. Knowing that despite my behavior, my disease is not the hand of some malevolent god working to try my essence is very reassuring and empowering. Now I don't have to worry about any "moral" component, just the treatment. Same with my sister's cancer, behavior set it up, but randomness selected her for the disease. She was never justified in believing that despite evidence and science, she was immune to the effects, but the observed randomness of the effect, lured her in.
The problem with the Prius was apparently the corruption of the core memory of one of the computers that run the engine. Several unrelated error codes caused the computers that monitor the other computers to go into protective shutdown. The memory scan logged the fault codes, but the errors were not verified physically.
The question is, "What corrupted the memory chip?" Everything from static electricity to nearby lightning to some radio frequencies have been shown to cause "bit-flipping". Engineers have found solutions for all those, that's why computers can be trusted to handle delicate life-threatening tasks like launching the Space Shuttle.
What they haven't fixed yet is the random high-energy particle or cosmic ray that zaps a bit two. We haven't figured it out with people yet either, but of all the systems we've devised to fill in the gaps, science has worked the best. Over the decades, science has eliminated causes from demonic possession to the evil eye, but people still cling to explanations that blame them for a random process.
That's just another service that superstition and religion provide. They set us up to believe that since we feel guilty about bad things happening, maybe we can somehow ingratiate ourselves with the univers and avoid bad things. It has never worked.
Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, all the Pope's except one, Adolf Hitler, Jesus,and my sweet innocuous Aunt Ruby all died. No negotiations possible.
And that is not the grim, existential death sentence that it seems to be. It relieves us of responsibility for the random portion. The rest of the behavior we can understand and cope with.
In the case of my sister and I, our behavior made us more susceptible to disease, but randomly some people are never afflicted with the disease. It's never "fair" or "undeserved" or a "shame", it just is. Knowing that despite my behavior, my disease is not the hand of some malevolent god working to try my essence is very reassuring and empowering. Now I don't have to worry about any "moral" component, just the treatment. Same with my sister's cancer, behavior set it up, but randomness selected her for the disease. She was never justified in believing that despite evidence and science, she was immune to the effects, but the observed randomness of the effect, lured her in.
The problem with the Prius was apparently the corruption of the core memory of one of the computers that run the engine. Several unrelated error codes caused the computers that monitor the other computers to go into protective shutdown. The memory scan logged the fault codes, but the errors were not verified physically.
The question is, "What corrupted the memory chip?" Everything from static electricity to nearby lightning to some radio frequencies have been shown to cause "bit-flipping". Engineers have found solutions for all those, that's why computers can be trusted to handle delicate life-threatening tasks like launching the Space Shuttle.
What they haven't fixed yet is the random high-energy particle or cosmic ray that zaps a bit two. We haven't figured it out with people yet either, but of all the systems we've devised to fill in the gaps, science has worked the best. Over the decades, science has eliminated causes from demonic possession to the evil eye, but people still cling to explanations that blame them for a random process.
That's just another service that superstition and religion provide. They set us up to believe that since we feel guilty about bad things happening, maybe we can somehow ingratiate ourselves with the univers and avoid bad things. It has never worked.
Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, all the Pope's except one, Adolf Hitler, Jesus,and my sweet innocuous Aunt Ruby all died. No negotiations possible.
And that is not the grim, existential death sentence that it seems to be. It relieves us of responsibility for the random portion. The rest of the behavior we can understand and cope with.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
The Prius died!
We got up very early this morning and cleared the King George RV Resort gate before 0800. Had a fantastic drive down to Sarasota. The motorhome literally hummed right along without a hitch. Had a fierce quartering headwind (10 knots gusting to 20 knots) Stopped about 40 miles short of Bradenton for diesel at a Flying J.
Had to go to the "Big Boy's" pumps since the RV side was full right up. The pumps for the over-the-road trucks are rigged with high-volume delivery and a satellite pump to let you fill both saddle tanks as fast as possible. I don't use the double pump method, but I do open both fuel fill tubes to prevent an airlock and get the tank filled. The high volume and satellite pumps are the good side. The bad side is that the credit card reader asks a couple of questions I wasn't prepared for. I didn't know my "Unit" number and guess the "Hubometer" is the odometer you see in the wheels a semi's trailer. Had to ask the RV'er next door.
Back to the main story; after we got to the resort and settled in, we took the toys off the Prius and went exploring. About two miles from here is a big Walmart with a very nice parking lot. We needed the lot to push the Prius into a space. The car showed a big red warning symbol along with several others and literally went into limp mode until we got to the parking lot. And when we stopped to back into a spot (makes it easier to tow) that was all it had. No reverse, no more drive, neutral only and then IT WOULDN'T SHUT OFF!
To recap, we're in Bradenton, Florida on a clear, windy, Sunday afternoon, on the first day of a 5-week trip, and the Prius died!
Toyota Customer Service very helpfully offered to tow it to the nearest dealer for $55.00 cash only or $100.00 credit! They have no record of the extended warranty I bought along with the car. Declined the offer and called the Good Sam Club. They got a roll-back wrecker to us in 23 minutes. Kyle, with "Top Gun", put the Prius back on our camping spot and will be back to get us in the morning.
Here's the big takeaway information from this adventure. Always have an emergency road service. Good Sam will take care of any vehicle we own or borrow at any time, including the motorhome. Always carry a copy of any after-market warranty you purchase in the vehicle!
I called my great neighbor, George, and had him get into the files and find the warranty information. That make twice that he has had to get a document for us. Good neighbors are really a necessity of life!
In fact we have another pair of neighbors that we just met here! The folks on the spot next to us volunteered to take us to get a rental car. Ken and Bonnie are driving a very nice Winnie from Lancaster, PA.
The kicker is that after about 10 minutes in the Walmart parking lot, I was able to shut down and restart the Prius. Still has a "check engine" light on, but moves in drive and reverse, so maybe the repairs won't be too bad.
I'm still a backer of Toyota. This has been a great car. I've had it for five years and 71,000 miles with only very minor problems. If this one is fatally wounded, I want another Toyota Prius. Hopefully, this one will last until I can get a plug-in or fuel-cell version, but if not, a new gold 2010 will do!
Had to go to the "Big Boy's" pumps since the RV side was full right up. The pumps for the over-the-road trucks are rigged with high-volume delivery and a satellite pump to let you fill both saddle tanks as fast as possible. I don't use the double pump method, but I do open both fuel fill tubes to prevent an airlock and get the tank filled. The high volume and satellite pumps are the good side. The bad side is that the credit card reader asks a couple of questions I wasn't prepared for. I didn't know my "Unit" number and guess the "Hubometer" is the odometer you see in the wheels a semi's trailer. Had to ask the RV'er next door.
Back to the main story; after we got to the resort and settled in, we took the toys off the Prius and went exploring. About two miles from here is a big Walmart with a very nice parking lot. We needed the lot to push the Prius into a space. The car showed a big red warning symbol along with several others and literally went into limp mode until we got to the parking lot. And when we stopped to back into a spot (makes it easier to tow) that was all it had. No reverse, no more drive, neutral only and then IT WOULDN'T SHUT OFF!
To recap, we're in Bradenton, Florida on a clear, windy, Sunday afternoon, on the first day of a 5-week trip, and the Prius died!
Toyota Customer Service very helpfully offered to tow it to the nearest dealer for $55.00 cash only or $100.00 credit! They have no record of the extended warranty I bought along with the car. Declined the offer and called the Good Sam Club. They got a roll-back wrecker to us in 23 minutes. Kyle, with "Top Gun", put the Prius back on our camping spot and will be back to get us in the morning.
Here's the big takeaway information from this adventure. Always have an emergency road service. Good Sam will take care of any vehicle we own or borrow at any time, including the motorhome. Always carry a copy of any after-market warranty you purchase in the vehicle!
I called my great neighbor, George, and had him get into the files and find the warranty information. That make twice that he has had to get a document for us. Good neighbors are really a necessity of life!
In fact we have another pair of neighbors that we just met here! The folks on the spot next to us volunteered to take us to get a rental car. Ken and Bonnie are driving a very nice Winnie from Lancaster, PA.
The kicker is that after about 10 minutes in the Walmart parking lot, I was able to shut down and restart the Prius. Still has a "check engine" light on, but moves in drive and reverse, so maybe the repairs won't be too bad.
I'm still a backer of Toyota. This has been a great car. I've had it for five years and 71,000 miles with only very minor problems. If this one is fatally wounded, I want another Toyota Prius. Hopefully, this one will last until I can get a plug-in or fuel-cell version, but if not, a new gold 2010 will do!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
On the Road, Again! and very happy!
Except for the part where I slid through the red light on the Statesboro bypass! They apparently have the light rigged so that any yahoo pulling up from a side street triggers a sensor and causes the absolutely shortest yellow light I've ever seen!
I DO NOT RUN YELLOW LIGHTS WHEN DRIVING 14 TONS OF FUN! So I got down hard on the brakes when the light changed. The road was wet, the ABS was working its computer-controlled gluteus off, and we're sliding through the now-red light. The dual air horns scared the bejesus out of the lady stopped on the side street and she didn't even twitch until we were clear. It won't work out that way every time. I think I'll change the policy about red lights on 55 MPH bypasses. At least it'll make for a more spectacular demise of any compact driver no patience! I just hope it's some pimpled up puke in a "tuner" with the loud muffler and non-functional three-wing spoiler on the back. It'd be nice to cross his eyes right in mid-beat of a 130 decibel rendition of "Let the bodies hit the floor!" by "the Drowning Pool"!
Back to the happy part. This Holiday Rambler is wonderful! We pulled a full load towing the Prius on the dolly with two kayaks, two bicycles, my Segway and all the other techno-heroin it takes to keep me from terminal ennui and got an honest 9.6 miles per gallon of diesel. I've had cars that wouldn't do that!
And it is comfortable, quiet and easy handling.
One of the reasons I have no concerns about my health and reactions to stress is that I can drive this rig through the construction mess on I-95. At one point I had a semi-truck passing me with concrete barriers snugged up tight on both white lines and a flashing sign warning of narrow lanes. Micky was not a quiet participant!
Oh, and did I mention the 20 knots of gusting crosswinds and rain? Yeehaa!
I think we'll go home up I-75!
I am so jacked up about Sport Pilot, I'm about to wet myself! The FAA (Federal Administration Administration) says there are only 3238 Sport Pilots total (not counting Private Pilots flying only as sport pilot) and 542 instructors. That means if I succeed, I'll get a historically low numbered ticket. Think what it means to have one of the first 5000 or so. Cool!
We're at a nice RV park in Woodbine, Georgia called the King George. We're using our discounted rates as members of RPI (Resort Parks International) and paying $10 a night! Clean, if soggy grounds and a nice fast Wi-Fi. Hey, I've paid more for a connection alone at a motel! If you plan on using your RV/motorhome/camper more than just a weekend or two you really need to calculate the deals at http://campgroundmembershipoutlet.com/ we've already made our annual fees back with three weeks free in Orlando and now this.
Tomorrow, we drift down to Winter Quarters Manatee River RV Resort down in Bradenton for the next two weeks.
I told Micky that if asked say we're travelling on business. "What business?" "We're retired, and professional about it!"
I DO NOT RUN YELLOW LIGHTS WHEN DRIVING 14 TONS OF FUN! So I got down hard on the brakes when the light changed. The road was wet, the ABS was working its computer-controlled gluteus off, and we're sliding through the now-red light. The dual air horns scared the bejesus out of the lady stopped on the side street and she didn't even twitch until we were clear. It won't work out that way every time. I think I'll change the policy about red lights on 55 MPH bypasses. At least it'll make for a more spectacular demise of any compact driver no patience! I just hope it's some pimpled up puke in a "tuner" with the loud muffler and non-functional three-wing spoiler on the back. It'd be nice to cross his eyes right in mid-beat of a 130 decibel rendition of "Let the bodies hit the floor!" by "the Drowning Pool"!
Back to the happy part. This Holiday Rambler is wonderful! We pulled a full load towing the Prius on the dolly with two kayaks, two bicycles, my Segway and all the other techno-heroin it takes to keep me from terminal ennui and got an honest 9.6 miles per gallon of diesel. I've had cars that wouldn't do that!
And it is comfortable, quiet and easy handling.
One of the reasons I have no concerns about my health and reactions to stress is that I can drive this rig through the construction mess on I-95. At one point I had a semi-truck passing me with concrete barriers snugged up tight on both white lines and a flashing sign warning of narrow lanes. Micky was not a quiet participant!
Oh, and did I mention the 20 knots of gusting crosswinds and rain? Yeehaa!
I think we'll go home up I-75!
I am so jacked up about Sport Pilot, I'm about to wet myself! The FAA (Federal Administration Administration) says there are only 3238 Sport Pilots total (not counting Private Pilots flying only as sport pilot) and 542 instructors. That means if I succeed, I'll get a historically low numbered ticket. Think what it means to have one of the first 5000 or so. Cool!
We're at a nice RV park in Woodbine, Georgia called the King George. We're using our discounted rates as members of RPI (Resort Parks International) and paying $10 a night! Clean, if soggy grounds and a nice fast Wi-Fi. Hey, I've paid more for a connection alone at a motel! If you plan on using your RV/motorhome/camper more than just a weekend or two you really need to calculate the deals at http://campgroundmembershipoutlet.com/ we've already made our annual fees back with three weeks free in Orlando and now this.
Tomorrow, we drift down to Winter Quarters Manatee River RV Resort down in Bradenton for the next two weeks.
I told Micky that if asked say we're travelling on business. "What business?" "We're retired, and professional about it!"
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
This blog is going hot!
Well, the shoulder surgery went well and now it's time to get busy and resume the blog! And traveling!
We're leaving the house in the tender care of Micky's mom, the neighbors, and Rex, Micky's brother. It's nice not to leave the house empty!
We've published an itinerary in detail so our friends can find us. Basically, we're going to the Gulf Coast of Florida and then mess around.
The big reason for the trip is that I'm finally going to get a Pilot's License and fly as Pilot-in-command. I've been in aviation for over 40 years, broke Mach in a Phantom, operated Intruders all over the world including off the Coral Sea and Midway. Even though I've got nearly 2000 hours flying in corporate jets while kneeling between the cockpit seats (Don't even think it!), I've never had a license!
First I was too poor, then too busy, then the FAA would not have liked my blood pressure medicines.
In 2004 they changed the rules and established the Sport Pilot license and Light Sport Aircraft category of planes. But the aircraft in 2004 were pitiful. A 65-horsepower J3 Cub is a classic airplane, but totally impractical, loud and uncomfortable for any usefull trip. That coupled with a $5k training load and no place to rent a plane even close meant the dream was a selfish one.
So I built the world's greatest home-built flight simulator cockpit in the spare bedroom and toured the upper reaches of the ether electronically. Made me very happy.
Then the Germans built a great little folding-wing carbon-fiber cutie named the Remos.
I whined and sulked around while my shoulder healed and did my research. Money and time are very persuasive. I've got both to spend on this project! And both my wife and my girlfriend support me in my madness.
Called Jim Julius in Sarasota and lay bare my soul along with the numbers on a VISA card.
Now I have the big flight bag full of goodies and skadoodles of study materials. Just for fun I set up a practice test. Passed with 90%. Tried it again and was lucky to get credit for spelling my name right. I know most of the material, but the gaps (stuff I never needed to learn) are glaring. And althoughh I'm very comfortable in the cockpit, the sight picture for determining elevation on approach and all the other "square-jawed hero pilot shit" was replaced by my swagger and attitude.
Watch the blog for my bloopers.
We're leaving the house in the tender care of Micky's mom, the neighbors, and Rex, Micky's brother. It's nice not to leave the house empty!
We've published an itinerary in detail so our friends can find us. Basically, we're going to the Gulf Coast of Florida and then mess around.
The big reason for the trip is that I'm finally going to get a Pilot's License and fly as Pilot-in-command. I've been in aviation for over 40 years, broke Mach in a Phantom, operated Intruders all over the world including off the Coral Sea and Midway. Even though I've got nearly 2000 hours flying in corporate jets while kneeling between the cockpit seats (Don't even think it!), I've never had a license!
First I was too poor, then too busy, then the FAA would not have liked my blood pressure medicines.
In 2004 they changed the rules and established the Sport Pilot license and Light Sport Aircraft category of planes. But the aircraft in 2004 were pitiful. A 65-horsepower J3 Cub is a classic airplane, but totally impractical, loud and uncomfortable for any usefull trip. That coupled with a $5k training load and no place to rent a plane even close meant the dream was a selfish one.
So I built the world's greatest home-built flight simulator cockpit in the spare bedroom and toured the upper reaches of the ether electronically. Made me very happy.
Then the Germans built a great little folding-wing carbon-fiber cutie named the Remos.
I whined and sulked around while my shoulder healed and did my research. Money and time are very persuasive. I've got both to spend on this project! And both my wife and my girlfriend support me in my madness.
Called Jim Julius in Sarasota and lay bare my soul along with the numbers on a VISA card.
Now I have the big flight bag full of goodies and skadoodles of study materials. Just for fun I set up a practice test. Passed with 90%. Tried it again and was lucky to get credit for spelling my name right. I know most of the material, but the gaps (stuff I never needed to learn) are glaring. And althoughh I'm very comfortable in the cockpit, the sight picture for determining elevation on approach and all the other "square-jawed hero pilot shit" was replaced by my swagger and attitude.
Watch the blog for my bloopers.
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