I was able to engage in two Winter Flights<\/strong> in the last two weeks and decided to put them into one post. One flight was purposely short – the “Shakedown Flight”<\/strong> on 26 Jan 13. It was the “proof of reliability” after completing my engine and drive train re-build<\/strong>. The other was a Spur-Of-The-Moment Flight<\/strong> on 2 Feb 13. They were on\u00a0consecutive Saturdays and quite enjoyable.<\/p>\n I like the term “Shakedown Flight”<\/strong>. While basically a “Test Flight”,\u00a0 Shakedown<\/em><\/strong> is more evocative. If you meditate on the term, your mind will better focus on the task at hand. Sure, guys will do a “Shakedown Drive<\/strong>” to test out their car after changing the shocks or something but a “Shakedown Flight”<\/em><\/strong> is an order of magnitude more intense. If the work was not properly done AND preceded by two or three time,<\/em> close inspection, “walk-arounds”, one might just endure the literal “shaking down”<\/em> of parts during the test flight. Shedding parts in the air can be hazardous to a rear mounted propeller like the one I have on the Quicksilver<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Notwithstanding the best of pre-flight walk-arounds<\/strong>, it is still advisable to keep a Shakedown<\/em> short, to forgo wild, crankin’ and bankin’, to land after a few circuits of the area, to shut ‘er down<\/em> and then to engage in some careful look-see<\/em> to inventory that everything remained where it should be.<\/p>\n The actual Shakedown<\/em><\/strong> went fine with regard to the comparative\u00a0pre- and post- flight parts count<\/strong>. It was “The Southern Triangle”<\/strong> flight that testified to the importance of “Pre-Flighting”<\/strong>. I will discuss that later…<\/p>\n Visibility Excellent! That is Mulvane, Kansas<\/a> about 5 miles due East of my position just below the horizon on the left edge of the shot. I am at 600′ AGL.<\/p><\/div>\n Just after taking the picture of Mulvane I point the camera Southwest and we see the Kansas Star Casino.<\/p><\/div>\n Mainly the casino was gratuitous. I took the picture in that direction so you could see the major front coming in. It was moving fairly rapidly and I knew it would be over my area within a half hour to forty-five minutes from takeoff time.<\/p>\n Ducks on the Water<\/p><\/div>\n As I headed over to the West side of Mulvane, I saw this flock of ducks settled in the sandpit shown above. Moments later they all took to wing.<\/p>\n The E. 119th Street Bridge over the Ninnescah River<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n This photo has two purposes. Every few years the Ninnescah River<\/strong> fills up to the limit of its banks. As seen in the photo above, though, it is about as low as it gets. Things have been dry around here for the last two years and the river reflects that situation. I also shot this picture to show the bridge. It figured in a movie I produced in ’09 called “UFM2<\/a>“. A major segment of this documentary<\/strong> is a music video called “Lil Prop \/ Big Prop”<\/a><\/strong>. I positioned my buddy and cameraman Jeff Johnson<\/strong> on this bridge to catch some scenes of me bobbin’ and weavin’ low over the river in my Quicksilver<\/strong>. It looked really nice. I will be releasing “Lil Prop” on the web in the next few months and will announce to my mailing list.<\/p>\n The nearly dry Ninnescah looking North from 600′ AGL<\/p><\/div>\n A Farm A Mile West of the Ninnescah<\/p><\/div>\n Even though the scene is a bit bleak at the moment, I have always found the farm above attractive to look at. I think the “round top” silos have a lot to do with it. Over the last few years I have given the family that lives there a couple of 8 x 10 aerials of their place so they could see how it looks.<\/p>\n I have been meaning to try this out for DECADES but have never got around to it. Below you will see a series of photos of the “goin’-ist paintball range”<\/strong> around the area – maybe anywhere in the country<\/span>. Only about a mile from Selby Aerodrome<\/a>, I rarely have flown over “The Holler<\/strong>” when it isn’t Rockin’ and Rollin’<\/strong>. These guys are dedicated! I have seen teams hustling, maneuvering and crawling through the grass in 105 degree heat during the Summer. They have a little town, wooded areas, big tire areas, fortified positions, all that stuff. It is a major facility. I need<\/span> to try this.<\/p>\n Approaching Frog Holler Looking East – The Ninnescah is on its Eastern edge<\/p><\/div>\n Frog Holler from 500′ AGL still looking East<\/p><\/div>\n Passing outside the Southern Edge of The Holler from 600′ AGL<\/p><\/div>\n In the final shot of Frog Holler<\/strong> above, you can see three different teams gathered for planning or de-briefing.<\/p>\n 5 Minutes to Overcast – Looking South Southwest from 500′ AGL<\/p><\/div>\n Above you can see a picture of the approaching front about five minutes before I landed. It was a mild front with no wind or rain. The Shakedown Flight<\/strong> was complete and it was time to land anyway. I let gravity pull me gently back down to earth.<\/p>\n Pilot of Mystery – Photo Courtesy Don Forse<\/p><\/div>\n Smiling Eyes! – Photo Courtesy Don Forse<\/p><\/div>\n Just as I was entering the downwind leg my buddy Don Forse<\/strong> arrived and opened the hangar door. I taxied right in and killed the motor. Naturally I asked Don<\/strong> to document the occasion. He took the two photos above. We tried one with, and one without, the flash. I like both of them for different reasons and put them in here.<\/p>\n(Note:<\/strong> At the beginning of this post I alluded to a the wisdom of Pre-Flighting <\/strong>apropos The Southern Triangle Flight<\/strong>. Here is the gist of it.<\/address>\nBecause I had just completed a major engine and drive train overhaul<\/strong>, naturally the main area of the plane I examined before takeoff was (duhhhh) the engine and drive train area<\/span>. After doing that, I am proud to say, I did not neglect the rest of the pre-flight<\/strong>. In doing so, I noticed a bolt in the empennage that had worked its way loose<\/span>. This particular bolt was one of eight that face each other at the hinged area between the elevator and the horizontal stabilizer. It is remotely possible that one of these bolts “if<\/strong>” it slid far enough out could lock the elevator in a “hard up” position. I would have taken a picture but frankly when I saw it I stopped thinking about anything else, got my tools out of the hangar and tightened it up. I also checked the other 7 bolts and<\/span><\/strong> put thread locker on all of them before taking off. This bolt situation is a known issue and easy to discover but you won’t see it if you don’t look. Flying Quicksilvers since the 1980’s, this was the first time one of these bolts worked loose<\/span><\/span>. I will take a picture the next time I am at the field so you can see what I am talking about<\/strong>.)<\/address>\n As Noted above, I have shot some pix of the area of interest to show you. This should be of particular interest to Quicksilver pilots or those who know one.<\/p>\n From this wide shot of the empennage you can see the 2″ space between the horizontal stabilizer and the elevator.<\/p><\/div>\n This is looking from aft at the actual “frame” bolt that worked loose. As you can see I have tightened it down and applied torque seal to it. There are 4 like this on the elevator and 4 on the horizontal stabilizer.<\/p><\/div>\n This is the same area again shot from the port side but closer so you can see how one of the elevator frame bolts could slide forward and lock the elevator in a down position.<\/p><\/div>\n When I don’t have anywhere particular to go but want to fly the area, I have a circuit I call “The Southern Triangle”<\/strong>. It starts at my home field, Selby Aerodrome<\/strong>, and includes two legs: Cherokee Strip in Udall, Kansas<\/a><\/strong> and Alley Field in Douglass, Kansas<\/a><\/strong>. Whichever one I go to first is dependent on the prevailing wind at the moment of departure. On this particular day the wind above 300′ AGL was 15 mph from the Northwest. Since Cherokee Strip<\/strong> is Southeast of my field I elected to make that the first leg of the trip. I generally prefer to end a Fun Flight<\/strong> with a tailwind but having chosen The<\/strong> Southern Triangle<\/strong> as a route, that would not be possible. At least this way I would have a solid tailwind on one leg and a quartering headwind on the second leg. Not bad.<\/p>\n 2 “Ways”: K-15 Highway and The Ninnescah River(way)<\/p><\/div>\n To get to Cherokee Strip<\/strong> I cut across The Ultralight Corridor<\/strong> on the Northeast side of Mulvane, Kansas<\/a>. Doing this gives me almost a straight bead there from my field. I took the picture above because I liked the sunlight glinting off the water and also the interesting juxtaposition of the two “Ways”<\/strong> in the shot: A Highway on the left and a Waterway on the right.<\/p>\n Rick Gerrard and Buddy<\/p><\/div>\n Normally I make a pass at Cherokee Strip Residential Airfield<\/strong> to see if anyone is “out and about”<\/em> before I decide to land. I have a number of friends who either live at Cherokee<\/strong> or hangar their planes there. Sometimes, if I don’t see any action, I’ll land anyway and knock on the door to see if Tommy Randall<\/strong> is working in his shop. Tommy<\/strong> has Ranco Custom Products<\/strong> at the Northeast end of the field.<\/p>\n This day as I approached Cherokee<\/strong> I saw a vehicle stop on the east side access road. I could tell the driver was trying to figure who was circling the field. It looked like Rick Gerrard<\/strong>‘s truck. He then headed toward his home which is on the South end of the field. I continued in the pattern and landed. After taxiing up to Rick’s house I shut down and emerged from my Quicksilver<\/strong>. That’s when I met Buddy<\/strong>. Buddy<\/strong> is a Pit Bull.<\/strong> He loves<\/span> Rick<\/strong>. He did not much care for me. Trying to impress him that I was the famous Sky Surfer<\/strong> failed. Until Rick<\/strong> got closer and was able to introduce us, I stayed outside Buddy’s<\/strong> circle of influence (the chain radius). Even after our formal introduction Buddy<\/strong> remained suspicious of me. Rick<\/strong> told me that he had rescued Buddy<\/strong> after finding him abandoned by a renter who had moved away. I have two house dogs of which I am quite fond but they are in an entirely different league from Rick’s<\/strong> dog. Buddy<\/strong> is the kind of dog you want in a rural area, though. I appreciate the fact that he did not hold me in high esteem. It is his job to be suspicious<\/strong>. In his mind: Rick Good – Stranger Bad<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Rick Gerrard and his Apache Sport<\/p><\/div>\n I had never been in Rick’s hangar<\/strong> before so I asked Buddy’s<\/strong> permission to look inside. Buddy<\/strong> said OK. That’s when I spied the attractive yellow trike you see above. It is Rick’s North Wing Apache Sport<\/a><\/strong> – very nice! I had seen it a couple of years back when Rick<\/strong> landed at Selby Aerodrome<\/strong>.<\/p>\n HKS 700 and 4 Blade PowerFin<\/p><\/div>\n Of great significance is the HKS powerplant<\/strong><\/a> hung off the back of the Apache. The HKS<\/strong> is a 4 Stroke<\/strong> made in Japan. My most recent Sky Surfing<\/strong> post went into infinitesimal detail regarding the overhaul of my Rotax 2 Stroke Motor<\/strong><\/a>. Without going back into that, I would just offer you some relative comparisons <\/em>between the two powerplants. Namely the HKS 4 Stroke<\/strong> has over 3 times longer<\/span> TBO<\/strong> (Time Between Overhaul)<\/em> than the Rotax<\/strong> and for similar horsepower output<\/span> burns less than half as much fuel. And<\/span>, you don’t have to mix oil into the gas. It is a really sweet machine. It is slightly heavier than the Rotax <\/strong>and costs considerably more, though. Both Rick and I are believers in the PowerFin Propeller<\/a>. I have two blades and he uses four.<\/p>\n Gerrard’s Cherokee Strip Airport Home & Hangar<\/p><\/div>\n I had not taken an establishing photo when I arrived so on my way out I asked Rick<\/strong> to pose while I took the one seen above. Don’t let the “forced perspective” of the shot fool you. The brush to the left in the foreground is actually only about 12″ tall but since I was on the “down side” of the hill when I took the picture it appears huge. Rick keeps the yard well mowed.<\/p>\n The Sky Surfer Sporting Full Winter Regalia – Photo Courtesy Rick Gerrard<\/p><\/div>\n Naturally I can’t go anywhere without proving I was there. (When I worked in TV News, we used to say “If there are no pictures – it didn’t happen”.)<\/em> I got Rick<\/strong> to snap the one seen above. You can see I am dressed in my complete Winter Flying Apparel<\/strong>. It was a bit of an overkill<\/strong> because by the time I got to Udall<\/strong> the temperature had risen to the mid 40’s and was heading higher. That’s OK, though, because I MUCH<\/strong> rather be too warm when flying than too cold. It’s a drag to be up there shivering.<\/p>\n Pilot Pointe Estates, Kansas<\/p><\/div>\n As the crow flies, it is only 11.5 miles from Cherokee Strip<\/strong> to Alley Field<\/strong>. On the way, I always make a low pass down the runway of Pilot Pointe Estates<\/strong><\/a> which is another Kansas Residential Airstrip Community<\/strong>. After doing that, this time, I circled back to take the picture above. What is not apparent in the photo is the cliff at the bottom of the picture next to the railroad track. I remember a Fly-In here over 20 years ago. It was the longest flight I had taken at that time in my Quicksilver MX<\/a>. My Wife<\/strong> Debra<\/strong> drove out bringing my Daughter Bevin<\/strong> and Son Jack<\/strong>. I have pictures of them sitting in the shade under the wing of the MX<\/strong>. I won trophies for the Bomb Drop<\/strong> and Spot Landing<\/strong> contests that day. I remember every time I made a pass down the field I was a bit leery as the ground dropped suddenly at the end of the runway. That spot is not where you want to experience an engine failure. Back then, flying with a Cuyuna engine, dead-sticking was a very real possibility.<\/p>\n Alley Field – Next To The Water Tower<\/p><\/div>\n Just after taking the photo of Pilot Pointe<\/strong> I shot the one above. I was cruising at about 500′ looking North. You can see Highway 77<\/strong> which cuts through Douglass, Kansas<\/a> on the North\/South axis. Lawrence Alley’s Airfield<\/a> is on the East edge of town next to the water tower. It has “The Home of the Douglass Bulldogs”<\/em><\/strong> emblazoned on it.<\/p>\n A Motorcyclist Cruising South On Hwy 77<\/p><\/div>\n All pilots believe The Act of Flying<\/strong> is the most significant endeavor<\/span> in the Entire<\/strong> History of Mankind<\/strong>. Everything else pales by comparison<\/span>. The saying goes, “It’s not that flying is so important; it’s just that everything else is trivial in comparison to it.” <\/em><\/strong>Hold that concept in your mind…<\/p>\n For the last 40 years or more our culture has been bombarded with the myth that bikers are the “free spirits”<\/strong> of America. Every year we have to hear about two wheelers going to Sturgis, South Dakota<\/a>. Documentaries have been made comparing bikers to The Riders of The Old West<\/strong>. There was a movie with John Travolta<\/strong> and others called “Wild Hogs”<\/a> based on the phenomenon of YUPPIE<\/strong> Suburban Bikers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n I took the picture above because here is what my alter ego, The Sky Surfer, sees:<\/strong> He sees a two wheeled vehicle traversing the exact same path<\/span> as any number of “Soccer Moms”<\/strong> on their way to pick up kids after practice. He sees a vehicle chained<\/span> to a two dimensional plane<\/strong>, restricted to a narrow ribbon<\/strong> of hard surface material. If this material Shakedown<\/span><\/h4>\n
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<\/a>The Mighty Ninnescah<\/h4>\n
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<\/a>…Not Right Now<\/h4>\n
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<\/a>Attractive Homestead<\/h4>\n
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<\/a>Practical Tactical – “Frog Holler Paintball Field<\/a>“<\/h4>\n
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<\/a>Incoming Weather Front<\/h4>\n
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<\/a>Perfect Timing<\/h4>\n
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<\/a>Pre-Flight Vindication Photos<\/h4>\n
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<\/a>The Southern Triangle<\/span><\/h4>\n
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<\/a>Cherokee Strip Welcoming Committee<\/h4>\n
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<\/a>Not My Buddy (but that’s OK)<\/h4>\n
The Hangar<\/h4>\n
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<\/a>HKS!<\/h4>\n
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<\/a>Time To Go<\/h4>\n
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<\/a>Leg 2: Alley Field<\/h4>\n
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<\/a>Pilot Pointe<\/h4>\n
On To Alley Field<\/h4>\n
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<\/a>\u00a0What Is Fun?<\/h4>\n
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<\/a>Biker Schmiker (this is going to catch me some heat)<\/h4>\n