{"id":7056,"date":"2013-06-18T20:38:18","date_gmt":"2013-06-19T01:38:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fitzvideo.com\/sky_surfing\/?p=7056"},"modified":"2013-06-18T20:38:18","modified_gmt":"2013-06-19T01:38:18","slug":"ultralight-odyssey-a-flight-to-the-2013-national-biplane-fly-in-%e2%80%a2-brian-fitzgerald","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/2013\/06\/18\/ultralight-odyssey-a-flight-to-the-2013-national-biplane-fly-in-%e2%80%a2-brian-fitzgerald\/","title":{"rendered":"Ultralight Odyssey – a Flight to the 2013 National BiPlane Fly-In \u2022 Brian FitzGerald"},"content":{"rendered":"

It Was A Windy Day<\/h4>\n

Just as a fisherman<\/strong> or farmer<\/strong> or golfer<\/strong> is constantly aware of the weather, The Sky Surfer<\/strong> monitors it constantly during The Fun Flying Season<\/strong>. Most of the week prior to the 2013 National BiPlane Fly-In Weekend<\/strong>\u00a0in Junction City, Kansas<\/strong> was not optimal for Ultralight Flying<\/strong>.\u00a0With lots of rain and winds averaging at 15mph gusting as high as 46mph<\/a>, it wasn’t good for pretty much anything but staying inside…<\/em> Here in\u00a0Kansas<\/strong>, though, weather conditions change rapidly and that’s what happened<\/strong>. Without warning on Friday, 31 May<\/strong>, the winds dropped to nil and the sky cleared. The front was passing. This can mean “severe clear”<\/em> for a few days – or maybe not<\/strong>. Regardless, I saw it as a good omen<\/strong> and prepared for my Longest Ultralight Cross Country Flight<\/strong> to date – 112 miles out <\/strong>and 112 miles back<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

I have shot video at The BiPlane Fly-In<\/strong> for its First<\/strong> and Second<\/strong> year<\/strong> since it was established at\u00a0Freeman Field<\/strong><\/a> (Parts of this music video were shot there<\/a>). It is a great event<\/strong> and I had set my mind to fly there myself<\/strong> this year (2013)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Upon arriving at Selby Aerodrome<\/strong><\/a> before sunrise that Saturday<\/strong>, the atmospheric conditions<\/strong>\u00a0had deteriorated from the Waikiki-like<\/em> Friday<\/strong>. The air was\u00a0marginal <\/strong>but\u00a0The Sky Surfer <\/strong>would still try…<\/p>\n

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The scene under my left wing as I departed at 6:30am for Junction City, Kansas<\/a>. The highway is K-15<\/a>, which separates Derby, Kansas<\/a> from the Ninnescah River<\/a> at this point. This is looking due North<\/strong> from 800′ AGL<\/strong> (Above Ground Level)<\/em>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Wind Consistent<\/h4>\n

The whole day the wind was out of the North Northwest<\/strong>. Before Sunrise Saturday<\/strong> morning, its velocity was 10 to 12mph<\/strong>. I wanted to get as far North<\/strong> as I could while the wind stayed relatively slow because it usually gets\u00a0stronger<\/strong> as the day progresses. My plan was to stop at Marion, Kansas<\/strong><\/a> if the headwind was retarding my travel North<\/strong> too much. There I could re-fuel<\/strong>, take stock of the situation<\/strong> and decide to continue or turn back<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Detour<\/h4>\n

Junction City<\/strong> is North Northeast<\/strong> of Selby Aerodrome<\/strong><\/a>. Ultralights are not allowed to fly over “congested areas”<\/em>. While this FAA (Federal Aviation Administration)<\/em> definition is somewhat vague, for sure<\/span> it means do not fly over a city the size of Wichita<\/strong><\/a>. For that reason, even though “the crow’s path”<\/em> to Junction City<\/strong> would have taken me right over Wichita<\/strong>, I had to deviate from “the crow’s path”<\/em> around the city to the East<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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On the Southeast<\/strong> side of Derby, Kansas<\/a> this building is going up. I think it will be a Wal Mart<\/a>. I am over a wheat field. This was shot at 400′ AGL<\/strong> (Above Ground Level)<\/em> \u00a0looking North Northwest<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Preparing to cross Kellogg Avenue\/Hwy 50<\/strong> on the East Side<\/strong> of Wichita<\/strong>. In the distance you can see Beech Factory Airfield<\/strong><\/a>. This was shot from 1,000′ AGL<\/strong> looking West<\/strong>. My groundspeed was only 22 mph<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0Druthers<\/h4>\n

About the time I took the picture shown above I was wishing I had called TRACON<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0before launch. TRACON<\/strong> is the Radar Approach Control<\/strong> for Mid Continent Airport<\/strong>. I could have asked permission to fly up The Big Ditch<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>which is a shortcut North <\/strong>from Selby\u00a0<\/strong>(More about\u00a0TRACON<\/strong> and The Big Ditch<\/strong>\u00a0later in the report)<\/em>.\u00a0I “druther” flown up\u00a0The Big Ditch<\/strong>. I would have been able to fly much lower under the headwind plus<\/span> it is a shorter distance to cross the city.<\/p>\n

The headwind at 700′ to 1,000′<\/strong> was about 20 mph<\/strong>. That is quite significant to a plane with a top speed “straight and level” of only \u00a060 with the throttle “fire-walled”, water\/alcohol injection<\/a> up full, manifold pressure maxed, drop tanks away. OK…<\/em>\u00a0I’m not fooling you. I don’t really have all that stuff, but regardless, the headwind had me slowed to a crawl<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The East Side of Wichita<\/strong><\/a> is continually growing, so in addition to having to fly much higher, I have to “thread the needle”<\/em> to avoid flying over people’s houses. I was not happy with myself for not using\u00a0The Ditch Shortcut<\/strong> but as you will see later in the report, I made up for it in the afternoon.<\/p>\n

The Key<\/h4>\n

As I never get tired of explaining, the key<\/strong> to my Ultralight Cross-Country Adventures<\/strong> is to fly low into headwinds<\/strong> so as to take advantage of the “boundary layer”<\/em> of relatively slower air closer to the surface. After finally emerging from the relatively congested area of East Wichita<\/strong> and Andover<\/a><\/strong>, I broke out into the beautiful fields<\/strong> you see in the next series of shots. There I was able to descend to (Ultralight)<\/em>\u00a0Flight Level 75<\/strong>. Immediately my ground speed bumped to\u00a040 mph<\/strong>. Smokin’!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Here is some fine wheat. Notice the clear skies<\/em> – a hint of clouds on the horizon.<\/p><\/div>\n

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I think this is\u00a0Whitewater, Kansas<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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The sky was clear; the panorama beautiful. Note the small settlement ahead<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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I took a few pictures of this. I threw the rest away because this one was the best. It looks to me like they left an historic old stone building<\/strong>\u00a0in the middle of all the new construction. I like that.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Suddenly out of nowhere I encounter this well-kept\u00a0Golf Course<\/strong>. With no town around it must be privately owned. Hey! Farmers like golf, too!<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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Note the “rivulets”<\/strong> above and left of my shadow on the surface of the wheat. They represent the wind that was increasing in velocity from the Northwest<\/strong>\u00a0– a quartering headwind<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Marion, Kansas<\/strong> On The Horizon<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0Time To Land<\/h4>\n

Even though I had been flying “nap of the earth”<\/em>, the quartering headwind<\/strong> was still fairly strong at the surface. I had about one gallon<\/strong> of fuel left in the tank. I had chosen Marion, Kansas<\/strong><\/a> as the decision point for re-fueling if necessary whether I continued to Freeman Field<\/strong> OR returned to Selby Aerodrome<\/strong>. Even though the turbulence<\/strong> made it “both hands on the wheel”<\/em> flying, I decided after re-fueling I would “press on”<\/em> to Junction City<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Luxurious Wheat At Marion’s<\/strong> Southern Doorstep<\/p><\/div>\n

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Marion, Kansas<\/strong>\u00a0from 400′ AGL<\/strong> looking West Northwest<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Take A Look-See<\/h4>\n

I had set my GPS<\/strong> for Marion<\/strong> and it did well by pointing me directly\u00a0downtown<\/strong>. Marion Municipal Airport<\/strong> is 2 miles Southeast<\/strong> of town. I\u00a0climbed<\/strong> to visually acquire the airport and to enter its traffic pattern at a more proper altitude<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Marion, Kansas<\/strong> from 600′ AGL<\/strong> looking West<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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After climbing and turning East<\/strong>, Marion Municipal<\/strong> became obvious. It looked just like the satellite photo on Google Earth<\/strong><\/a>. This was taken at 900′ AGL<\/strong> looking East<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Maybe An Anchor?<\/h4>\n

As I approached the field the wind was 20+mph with gusts to 29 mph<\/strong>. I have a lot of flight time in my Quicksilver<\/strong><\/a>. I have flown it in winds of this nature many times<\/strong>. The airframe is solid. The controls are plenty adequate<\/strong> to meet the conditions – while airborne<\/span>. The challenge<\/strong> is being on the ground<\/strong> in windy conditions<\/strong>. Because an Ultralight<\/strong> is so “light”, the moment the pilot gets out of the seat, the gross weight<\/strong><\/a> of the machine decreases by about 40%. In the conditions described above, this will at least<\/em> cause the craft to spontaneously roll across the ground – at worst, the wind can lift up a wing – at very worst, it can turn it over<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Wind Shadows<\/h4>\n

When landing in the conditions described I have found it useful to employ “wind shadows”<\/em>. The picture below is a perfect example of “wind shadowing”<\/em>. At the top of the pole<\/strong> in the picture you are actually looking right through the airfield wind sock<\/strong>. It is standing straight out. That gives you an idea of the wind velocity<\/strong> and direction<\/strong>. Because you see the position of the airplane without yours truly in it<\/em>, you know the plane is in a wind shadow<\/strong>. Being thus shielded from the force of the wind, I could walk away from The<\/strong> Air Machine<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Fueling Procedure<\/h4>\n

At unattended airports such as Marion Muni<\/strong>, IF they have fuel at all, the procedure is generally to call the Mayor<\/strong>, City Manager<\/strong> or Police Department<\/strong>. Someone will come out to the field and unlock the gas pump<\/strong> and take your money. A few places have automated the process<\/strong> and have credit card swipes<\/strong> at the pump. Marion’s<\/strong> gas is padlocked. My wind contingency plan<\/strong> would be to implore<\/strong> whatever person was to come to the field to hold the tail<\/strong> of the MXL<\/strong> down while I poured a measured amount of\u00a0two stroke oil<\/strong> followed by four gallons of gas into the tank. Even better<\/span> would be if said person had a five gallon gas can<\/strong> so I could mix the oil and gas in it so as to leave the Quicksilver<\/strong> in the wind shadow<\/strong> and fuel it up in place<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Check the Wind Sock. It was very windy at the pump.<\/p><\/div>\n

Providence<\/h4>\n

Over the last few years I have been doing my best to resurrect<\/strong> into common use a term that was once commonplace. The word is\u00a0Providence<\/strong><\/a>. The adjective derived from it is\u00a0“providential”<\/strong>.\u00a0Providential<\/strong>\u00a0are events which are\u00a0“heaven-sent”<\/i>,\u00a0“divinely intervened”<\/i>,\u00a0“in God’s will”<\/i>\u00a0–\u00a0“a\u00a0manifestation\u00a0of\u00a0divine\u00a0care\u00a0or\u00a0direction”<\/em>\u00a0–\u00a0that sort of thing.\u00a0Providence<\/strong> is opposed<\/span><\/strong> to“luck”<\/em>.<\/p>\n

After pulling the plane into the Wind Shadow<\/strong>, the instant<\/strong><\/span> I reached for my cell phone to make the call to the Marion City Manager,<\/strong>\u00a0a Ford Pickup Truck<\/strong> entered the airfield property from the two lane highway. As the folks in the cab approached I saw a familiar face<\/strong> behind the wheel. It turned out to be Dick McClinden<\/strong> and his wife Patty<\/strong>. I had met Dick<\/strong> a couple of years earlier at Kingman’s Clyde Cessna Airfield<\/strong> (The Story is HERE<\/a><\/strong>)<\/em>. He works for Eagle Sky Patrol<\/a> and flies his Cessna Cardinal<\/a> to check pipelines. Not only did Dick<\/strong> have the key to the gas pump but he could also take the money<\/em> for the gas AND<\/strong> had a five gallon can<\/strong> for mixing gas and oil. To top it all off, he backed his pickup<\/strong> right to a spot perfect<\/strong> for me to stand on the tailgate to pour the gas in. Some call all that luck – To me it was\u00a0Clearly<\/strong>\u00a0Providential<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Dick<\/strong> and Patty<\/strong> were heading to a rehearsal for Symphony in the Flint Hills<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0when they saw my plane next to the hangar.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0New – Baxter Flight Center<\/h4>\n

After fueling up the plane, Dick<\/strong> opened the door to The Baxter Flight Center<\/strong> and we went inside to conduct business<\/strong> out of the wind. The look and feel of the place indicated it was brand new<\/strong>. Dick<\/strong> told me it was, and represented a significant donation by Pearl Baxter<\/strong> in her husband George’s<\/strong> memory. They had been members of The Flying Farmers<\/strong> for many years and after George<\/strong> died, Pearl<\/strong> wanted to do something for the aviation community<\/strong> she and George<\/strong> loved.<\/p>\n

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Artifacts have begun to arrive and will be organized within this display case soon.<\/p><\/div>\n

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George<\/strong> and Pearl Baxter<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0‘Til We Meet Again<\/h4>\n

We all had places to be, so I thanked Dick<\/strong> and Patty<\/strong> for their kindness and courtesy<\/strong>, fired up the bird<\/strong> and headed North<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Just after liftoff I took another picture of Marion, Kansas<\/strong>. This from 100′ AGL<\/strong> looking West<\/strong>.\u00a0Note the change in cloud cover<\/em>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Right after taking the picture of Marion<\/strong>, I kicked the tail right<\/strong> to shoot around it and get this departure shot<\/strong> of the Marion Municipal Runway<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Lincolnville, Kansas<\/h4>\n

My path took me along a\u00a0railroad track<\/strong>. Soon I saw a town next to it. It was Lincolnville<\/strong>. I stayed over the tracks and took these two pictures. Lincolnville<\/strong> had no one outside for The Sky Surfer<\/strong> to wave to…<\/p>\n

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Ten Miles North<\/strong> of Marion<\/strong> along the railroad track lies\u00a0Lincolnville, Kansas<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Downtown Lincolnville<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Sky Changes<\/h4>\n

On occassion I have seen the attractive atmospheric effect<\/strong>\u00a0I attempted to capture in the photo below. The upper cloud layer<\/strong> provides a dark background<\/strong> to the bright, white\u00a0cumulous clouds<\/a> in the fore. The photo does not<\/strong> give complete justice<\/strong> to this scene but still sufficient<\/strong> to give you the idea. Note the wind on the surface of the wheat<\/strong>. It was fairly turbulent<\/strong> at this time but not choppy<\/em> – Made to Order for The Sky Surfer<\/strong>. In spite of this quartering headwind, I was getting 35 to 40 mph ground speed<\/strong>. Perfect!<\/p>\n

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Herington, Kansas<\/h4>\n

For a number of years I had an advertising client in Manhattan, Kansas<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0for whom I produced and placed TV and Radio commercials<\/strong>. Over that time I can’t count how many times I drove up and down Highway 77<\/strong> which you can see cutting left to right in the photo below. For me, Herington, Kansas<\/strong><\/a> was a marker on the road. I knew once I passed through it how soon I would be in Manhattan<\/strong>. From the road, Herrington<\/strong> appeared to be just a gas station and convenience store on “77”<\/strong>. Now<\/strong> finally seeing it from the air<\/strong>, I can tell it is a good-sized, small town<\/strong>. It has an airport<\/a> 5 miles East<\/strong> of town and is on my\u00a0Future Fun Flights List<\/strong>. As soon as I get a chance to fly over there, you’ll be the first to know<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Herington, Kansas<\/strong> from 200′ AGL looking West.<\/p><\/div>\n

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The famous and omnipresent\u00a0Willie The PowerCat<\/a>\u00a0– The logo of Kansas State University<\/a>. The whole campus, alumni, their children, pets, cars and golf clubs are painted\u00a0Purple<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Ever-Changing Flint Hills<\/h4>\n

Continuing North<\/strong> over The Flint Hills<\/a>, Wheat Country<\/strong> gave way to Cattle Country<\/strong>\u00a0yet again.<\/p>\n

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Note: In the preceding 3 picture series<\/strong>, the sky has gone from mostly cloudy<\/strong> to complete overcast<\/strong>. In addition, the wind became more gusty<\/strong> and the temperature dropped<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0A Christian Summer Camp<\/h4>\n

Suddenly, right in my path, I saw a Camp<\/strong>. I swung\u00a0West<\/strong> in order to give proper space between me and them. I did not see a sign naming it. Even while writing this report I could not find it on Google Earth<\/a>\u00a0or any of the other tools on The Web<\/strong>. So, if anyone knows what this is, please let me know and I will add its name to the report.<\/p>\n

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Junction City In Sight!<\/h4>\n

Before taking the picture below I knew I was approaching Junction City<\/strong> because I could see the two towers<\/strong> from a good distance off. Flying very low to avoid headwinds, it is often surprising how close you can get to a town and not see it. The picture below does not reflect this phenomenon<\/strong> because it was taken while gaining altitude to cross the wooded band<\/strong> and the river<\/strong>. Doing that allowed me to see the buildings at the feet<\/strong> of the two towers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Crossing 1-70<\/strong> Looking North NorthEast<\/strong> At Junction City<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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While approaching Freeman Field<\/strong>, I took this picture of the\u00a0Northwest<\/strong> part of\u00a0Junction City<\/strong>. I was climbing to pattern altitude<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Looking North Northeast<\/strong>\u00a0from the same position, we see\u00a0Milford Lake<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>in the distance.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Approach Plan<\/h4>\n

Freeman Field<\/strong><\/a> is an “uncontrolled airport”<\/em>. To any non-pilots reading this, that\u00a0does not mean<\/span> “wild free-for-all”<\/em><\/strong>. It means there is no tower<\/strong>. There are still “controls”<\/em>. The general concept<\/strong> is called “See and Avoid<\/strong>“<\/em>. Pilots follow defined methods and patterns<\/strong> for entering the airspace<\/strong> of an airport<\/strong>. If you want to learn about it, HERE<\/strong><\/a> is an excellent explanation<\/strong> provided by the FAA<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

After taking this, I could not take any more pictures because I was swinging my head all around<\/strong> looking for traffic. Entering a traffic pattern<\/strong> is a time for total concentration<\/strong> on the task at hand.<\/p>\n

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Freeman Field Directly Ahead<\/strong>. In the distance, Marshall Army Airfield<\/strong><\/a> can be seen.<\/p><\/div>\n

The National BiPlane Fly-In 2013<\/a><\/h4>\n

The National BiPlane Fly-In<\/strong> is presented by EAA <\/strong>(Experimental Aircraft Association)<\/em> Chapter 1364<\/strong>. They do a top notch job. It was the first time in my Fun Flying Career<\/strong> a “Follow Me”<\/strong> vehicle escorted me to a tie down. Particularly interesting was that the driver of my\u00a0“Follow Me”<\/em> was Kent Foster<\/strong>. Kent<\/strong> owns a 1937 Fairchild 24 Classic Airplane<\/strong> and is one of the pilot\/airplane owners featured<\/strong> in my latest installment of “That They Might Fly Again”<\/strong>\u00a0(I would insert a link to the web page here but it is not finished yet)<\/em>. It was fairly windy<\/strong> on the surface of Freeman Field<\/strong> so I asked Kent<\/strong> if he could direct me to some tie downs<\/strong>. He did and for the next 3 hours<\/strong> I only once moved farther than 10 feet from my plane.<\/p>\n

One reason<\/strong> I stayed close to the plane was because of the wind<\/strong>. Even though securely tied down<\/strong>, the wind would randomly gust<\/strong> and the MXL<\/strong> would respond by starting to fly in its moorings<\/strong>. I needed to be there in case it broke loose.<\/p>\n

The main reason<\/strong> I stayed around the plane, though<\/strong>, was to answer questions<\/strong> from interested Fly-In Attendees<\/strong>. Most people had never seen an air machine so small and light<\/strong>. They were very curious. The Sky Surfer<\/strong> was in his element. He loves talking about Aviation<\/strong>, Ultralights<\/strong>, and the Quicksilver<\/strong>\u00a0MXL<\/strong>. The three Junction Citians<\/strong> shown below were the only folks I thought to take a picture of. But, there were many others I was happy to spend time with discussing The Sport<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Shirley Lee<\/strong>, Becky Lay<\/strong> and Christopher Coy<\/strong> were three of the folks interested in aviation and my Quicksilver<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Ed and Charlotte Doyle<\/h4>\n

I was also happy to finally meet Ed<\/strong> and Charlotte Doyle<\/strong>. Ed<\/strong> and Charlotte<\/strong> are active members of The Flint Hill Flyers<\/strong>. They were instrumental<\/strong> in leading me to Kent Foster<\/strong>.\u00a0A real bonus<\/strong> of our meeting that Saturday<\/strong> was to learn that they had recently acquired<\/strong> the Meyers OTW<\/a><\/strong> they are standing with below. We had been discussing that possibility for a couple of years on the phone and by email and now it had come to pass.<\/p>\n

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Ed<\/strong> and Charlotte Doyle<\/strong> with their Meyers OTW<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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N26466<\/strong> sports a Kinner R5 Motor<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

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Because of its 5 cylinder design<\/strong>, the Kinner<\/strong> has a very distinctive sound<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Ed took it up for a number of circuits around the field. It flies quite well and looks great in the air<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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This Agusta AW119 MKII<\/strong><\/a> is owned by Topeka Air Ambulance<\/a><\/strong> and is stationed at Freeman Field<\/strong>. Check out all the grass it blows into the air while hovering! A jumbo Weed Eater<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Real Fliers<\/h4>\n

It was great to see Jeff Edwards<\/strong>\u00a0at The BiPlane Fly-In<\/strong> with his Great Lakes<\/strong><\/a>. Jeff<\/strong> and his girlfriend Jennifer Jarvis<\/strong> flew out from Florida<\/strong> to be at the Fly-In<\/strong>. I met Jeff<\/strong> a couple of years ago at either (or both?)<\/em> The Blakesburg Fly-In<\/strong>\u00a0or The Waco Fly-In<\/strong> at Creve Coeur, Missouri<\/a><\/strong>. Jeff’s<\/strong> “day job”<\/em> is flying airliners<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Jeff,<\/strong>\u00a0Jennifer<\/strong> and The Great Lakes<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

A Few Of The Other BiPlanes That Were There<\/h4>\n
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Jim Clark’s 1939 Waco EGC-8<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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A 1941 UPF-7 Waco<\/strong> From Daytona<\/strong> Beach<\/strong>, Florida<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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A Waco ASO<\/strong> From Colorado<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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A 1942<\/strong> Stearman<\/strong> From Salina, Kansas<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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Dr. Larry Boehme<\/h4>\n

I was very happy to see Dr. Larry Boehme<\/strong> and his lovely wife Janice<\/strong> at the Fly-In<\/strong>. They are both active members of The Flint Hills Flyers<\/strong>. The Good Doctor<\/strong> was the first interviewee for my “That They Might Fly Again”<\/strong> series. At the time they owned a beautifully restored<\/strong> 1943 Stinson Reliant<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>which he describes in great detail in the documentary<\/strong>. They have since sold it but I am sure they will be flying another Classic<\/strong> before too long.<\/p>\n

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Dr. Larry Boehme<\/strong> and Brian FitzGerald<\/strong> (Check out that “Frankenstinian” ridge\/groove on my forehead. Could it be I’m wearing my goggles a little too tight?)<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Tailwind Wanes<\/h4>\n

Soon after we took the picture above I flew into action. Dr. Boehme<\/strong> informed me that someone had just told him the current weather report.<\/strong> Word was that my North Northwest Tailwind<\/strong> was moving over to the West<\/strong>. This was not the worst news one can hear but after flying into a headwind all morning to get to the Fly-In<\/strong>, I was hankering to\u00a0“ride the wave”<\/strong><\/em> back home.<\/p>\n

A Hero’s Exit<\/h4>\n

I was intending to leave in the next hour or so anyway but the news of the wind shift provided the motivation<\/strong>\u00a0to get in gear. I refueled, preflighted, released the tie downs and turned the plane tail-into-the-wind<\/strong> with Larry’s<\/strong> assistance. This activity drew a small crowd for the Pi\u00e8ce de r\u00e9sistance<\/b><\/i>: The Starting of the Motor<\/strong>. One thing Hollywood has taught the<\/strong> general public about aviation<\/strong>\u00a0is that “airplane engines are hard to start”<\/strong> (Jimmy Stewart in “Flight of the Phoenix<\/a>“)<\/em>. Frankly, many of them are<\/em><\/span> quirky and require an exceptionally detailed sequence of actions<\/strong> to “light the fire”<\/em>. There are also “hot starts” and “cold starts” to consider. Regardless of the motor being used, it is of great importance when measuring the stature<\/strong> of any aviator that he be able to start whatever it is –\u00a0AT WILL<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

I prefer a pull start<\/strong> rather than an electric<\/strong> one on my Rotax<\/strong> due to its lighter weight<\/strong> and reduced complexity<\/strong>. The goal<\/strong> when firing up a two stroke Rotax<\/strong> is a “One Pull Start”<\/strong>. Doing this guarantees “I’m Impressed”<\/strong> nods from any pilot<\/strong> within a hundred yards. A Two Pull Start<\/strong> can still elicit the same response. If it goes to Three Pulls<\/strong> your peers have begun averting their eyes – looking uncomfortable. Six or Seven pulls and even non-pilot onlookers<\/strong>\u00a0look concerned, in their minds questioning\u00a0the validity of the power plant and\/or the operator<\/strong>. Well… That’s pretty much what happened… At Eight Pulls<\/strong> I felt charisma draining from my body<\/strong> like Superman must feel when inadvertently landing in a field of Kryptonite<\/strong>. \u00a0I was so filled with dread at the possibility of a NON START I went into brain lock for what seemed an eternity… Finally I ran out of breath. This forced me to calm down and assess the situation. After all, people say a mark of insanity<\/strong> is doing the same thing over and over<\/strong> expecting a different result…<\/p>\n

Always Re-Learning The Same Things<\/h4>\n

It is a known “failure mode”<\/strong> to preflight an airplane while distracted<\/strong>. That dictum occurred to me. I pulled myself together and went into “high theater”<\/em> mode. Stepping back from the plane for effect, I nodding to onlookers in a confident manner so as to convey the idea that the previous exercise session had been a normal\u00a0“warm up”<\/strong>. With my demeanor I attempted to convey:\u00a0“Not To Worry, Folks…”\u00a0<\/em>“Everything Is Under Control”<\/em>. All the while my mind raced. I back-tracked through the starting procedure to see if I had missed anything. Of course you understand<\/em>, the Rotax 503 DCDI<\/strong> is not a Werner Von Braun Rocket Motor<\/strong>. The only think simpler is a rubber band. Only two things<\/em> will make it not start<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

1] No Gas<\/strong> – The tank was full – I checked the fuel valve and it was on.<\/p>\n

OR<\/p>\n

2] No Spark<\/strong> – Nice going, Brian<\/em>…<\/p>\n

I had forgotten to turn the Ignition Switches<\/strong> on. With a casual swipe of my hand (as if to brush a bit of dust from the area around the switches)<\/em>\u00a0I flipped the ignition switches on. Squaring my shoulders and nodding to myself and the crowd, I indicated with body language<\/strong> that my examination of the engine had proved “everything was in order”<\/strong>. I pulled the rope one more time. The Rotax exploded into life<\/strong>. A sense of relief spread through the crowd. People began nodding their heads<\/strong> to one another as my credibility quotient<\/strong>\u00a0slowly inched up in their minds. Knowing I had a good thing going, I strapped into the seat and reached up to flip the strobe light switches on<\/strong> (that always looks like “real pilot” action)<\/em>. Finally,\u00a0with a galant “thumbs up” to a grinning\u00a0Larry Boehme<\/strong>\u00a0(he wasn’t fooled for a minute),<\/em>\u00a0I taxied to the active. During that short roll to the runway, my mind was\u00a0desperate\u00a0that I not have forgotten anything that would require me to taxi back. My\u00a0“Hero’s Exit”<\/em>\u00a0had taken a beating and was on the verge of collapse…<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

After demonstrating the short field takeoff capability of the MXL<\/strong>, I loitered for a second to get this shot of the field and then “caught the wave”<\/em> heading South<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Junction City<\/strong> sits mostly on the North<\/strong> side of I-70<\/strong>. This was shot from\u00a01,000 feet AGL<\/strong> just South<\/strong> of I-70<\/strong> looking West<\/strong>. Not too far down the road is a huge wind generator<\/strong><\/a> field.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Back in Cattle Country<\/strong>, I see this interesting cow pond<\/strong> of triangular shape<\/strong>. Not one bovine noticed me pass by.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

I flew for about an hour when I noticed the sun peeking through the cloud cover<\/strong>. The air was cool enough that I could feel the warmth of the sun when it contacted my face, hands, windbreaker and pants.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Most roads<\/strong> in this region are so perfectly oriented North-South-East-West<\/strong>, you would think the map was painted on the earth<\/strong>. Because Highway 77<\/strong> made the rare curve here, its interesting sweep caught my attention<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

My airspeed was only 38 mph but I was moving about 65 mph<\/strong> across the ground. It was particularly\u00a0turbulent<\/strong>. I saw this stone building<\/strong> with a new roof. I love old stone buildings<\/strong> so I grabbed for the camera<\/strong>\u00a0and shot this as I passed by. I am at about 80′ AGL<\/strong> looking West<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Bypassing Marion This Time<\/h4>\n

On the way South<\/strong>, even though the tailwind<\/strong> was “quartering” from the Southwest<\/strong>, I was getting a great fuel saving and ground-speed-increasing boost<\/strong> from it. \u00a0As I approached Marion<\/strong> I determined I would have enough fuel to go all the way home. Slipping over the ground at 65 to 70 mph<\/strong> suddenly the “Big M”<\/strong> shown below appeared in front of me. I grabbed the camera and swung around in my seat to capture what you see below. It was like shooting out the back window<\/strong> of a car. You can see the top of my tire at the bottom of the frame.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Marion Warriors?<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Even though I had to use the telephoto and the sun was glaring into the lens<\/strong>, I wanted to get this scene. This homestead has a lot of what I find attractive for a farm or ranch. The red barns<\/strong> would have been sufficient but the large stone building<\/strong> pushed it over the top. I am at 150′ AGL<\/strong> looking West<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

I’m pretty sure this is Elbing, Kansas<\/strong><\/a>. I was at 75′ AGL<\/strong> shooting Northwest<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Sequential Object Lesson<\/h4>\n

The next three shots are a sequence. I want you to see how things continuously reveal themselves<\/strong> when approached at low altitude<\/strong>. It is a lesson in “mental acuity<\/a>” <\/em>more than anything.<\/p>\n

The first picture was taken to show the sky finally breaking open<\/strong>. The sun brought welcome warmth<\/strong> to what little I can call a cockpit. I was basically taking a “landscape photo”. While composing it, I noticed the series of little “blockhouses”<\/em> evenly spaced out across the ground. At that moment I decided they were some type of livestock pens<\/strong>. I banked right\u00a0(West)<\/em> in order not to buzz these “livestock pens”<\/em> and disturb the denizens.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Beautiful Sky – Little “Block Houses”<\/p><\/div>\n

Recognition Begins To Dawn…<\/h4>\n

Just as I shot the next picture (below)<\/em>, the place is suddenly looking familiar. I think I have been there before<\/strong> but can’t place it…<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Oh! Now I Remember!<\/h4>\n

\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Ark Valley Shooting Club<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

It’s The Ark Valley Shooting Club!<\/h4>\n

In the\u00a01990’s<\/strong>\u00a0I was a founding member of\u00a0The Kansas Second Amendment Society<\/strong>. We formed\u00a0The Society<\/strong>\u00a0to stand up for our\u00a0Constitutional Rights<\/strong>\u00a0against a concerted attack by a\u00a0Wichita Mayor<\/strong>\u00a0who has since completely disappeared from political life<\/strong>\u00a0(Amen)<\/em>.\u00a0I was the\u00a0Secretary<\/strong>\u00a0of the organization at that time.\u00a0One of our\u00a0“consciousness- and money-raising activities”<\/em>\u00a0was a\u00a0sponsored trap shoot<\/strong>\u00a0at this range.\u00a0Mostly I shoot\u00a0pistols<\/strong>\u00a0at indoor ranges or out in the country so the one time I have been to this\u00a0Skeet<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Trap<\/strong>\u00a0range<\/strong>\u00a0was that event. It never occurred to me to look for it.<\/p>\n

Fortunately,\u00a0because it was so windy<\/strong>\u00a0there were no shooters out on the range. If anyone HAD been out, I am pretty sure they would have stopped when they saw the\u00a0Nutcase in the<\/strong>\u00a0Ultralight<\/strong>\u00a0lollygagging downrange. Regardless, I won’t make that mistake again!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

In my previous article about Caldwell, Kansas<\/strong><\/a>, I rightfully extolled<\/strong> the virtues of their incredibly bountiful wheat crop<\/strong>. So as to give credit to other parts of the state, I shot this scene of the new wheat<\/strong> on the East<\/strong> side of I-135<\/strong> about 12 miles<\/strong> Northeast<\/strong> of Valley Center, Kansas<\/strong><\/a>. Nice, huh?<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Moler’s Home?<\/h4>\n

Solo flight in the Quicksilver<\/strong> gives me plenty of time to think. While floating over The Flint Hills<\/strong> on this return leg I changed my plan and decided I would drop in to\u00a0High Point<\/strong><\/a> to see if Doug and Sabrina Moler<\/strong><\/a> were back from their Alaskan Cruise<\/strong>. I have featured a number of reports on their Famous Fly-Ins<\/strong><\/a>. They had been gone\u00a0the previous two weeks<\/strong> and were to return some time<\/em> that weekend. After taking a break there, I decided I would take The Big Ditch Route<\/strong>\u00a0through Wichita<\/strong> to return to Selby Aerodrome<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Looking South<\/strong> from 1,000′ AGL<\/strong> crossing I-135<\/strong>. This is my favorite sky – Deep<\/strong>\u00a0Blue With Cumulus<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Something New<\/h4>\n

I have flown<\/strong> this general area many times<\/strong> and never seen this<\/strong> so I think it is new. At least<\/em>\u00a0it’s new to me…<\/em> I looked it up in the phone book. This is the Jeeps Cycle Club of Valley Center<\/strong><\/a>. Quite an “off-roading” complex.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Captain Doug Moler<\/h4>\n

I finally landed at High Point<\/strong>, an aviation community North<\/strong> of Wichita<\/strong> with homes backing up to a grass landing strip. Doug and Sabrina<\/strong> had returned from their cruise<\/strong> only 30 minutes before I arrived. Since I had to get home and they needed to unpack, I didn’t stay around very long. I did go next door with Doug to check out\u00a0Jimmy Wiebe’s<\/strong>\u00a0Cassutt Racer<\/strong><\/span><\/a>. He was checking it over after making some repairs. It is one of these little race planes that you “wear”. Quite a machine<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Big Ditch Route<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Before, I have explained that the FAA Rules<\/strong> prohibit Ultralights<\/strong> from flying over “congested areas”<\/em>. Frankly, even if there wasn’t a rule against it, I would have no interest in flying my two cycle engine powered<\/span> Ultralight<\/strong> over any city. Thus far my Rotax<\/strong> has been completely dependable<\/strong>, BUT, if<\/strong><\/em> it stopped running, it would be the challenge of a lifetime to land in a city. Most of the time<\/strong> I circle around the city to the West<\/strong> when traveling to High Point<\/strong>. Sometimes I go up The Big Ditch<\/strong><\/span><\/a> which is the flood control project<\/strong> that has tamed the Arkansas River<\/span><\/a><\/strong> on its path through town.<\/span><\/p>\n

TRACON (<\/em><\/span>Terminal Radar Approach Control Facilities)<\/em><\/h4>\n

The Big Ditch<\/strong> travels most of its length in proximity to Mid Continent Airport<\/strong><\/a>. At the North<\/strong> end its path crosses<\/span> the North<\/strong> end of an active runway<\/strong>. The FAA Controllers <\/strong>at TRACON<\/strong> are very obliging if you call them on the phone and ask to travel down The Ditch<\/strong>. They just tell you to stay under 200′ AGL <\/strong>and call back when you land. How cool is that?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Airline Pilot Navigation<\/span><\/h4>\n

For no particular reason I can surmise, most of the time I have flown The Big Ditch<\/strong>, I have gone South-to-North<\/strong>. Then when I return to home home base, I\u00a0circumnavigate Mid Continent <\/strong>to the West <\/strong>instead of traveling back down The Ditch<\/strong>. Today I wanted to go North-to-South <\/strong>down The Ditch<\/strong>. I called TRACON for permission and then asked Captain Doug Moler<\/strong> how to find the entry point for The Big Ditch<\/strong> on the North<\/strong> side.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moler<\/strong> has flown professionally all his adult life<\/strong> and retired as a Full Captain<\/strong> from Continental Airlines<\/strong> a few years ago. He stopped counting his flight time<\/strong> when it hit 35 thousand hours<\/strong>. I figure he is “The Man”<\/em> to give me pinpoint navigation advice for finding the North End<\/strong> of\u00a0The Big Ditch<\/strong> without crossing an airliner’s path and causing an “incident”<\/em>. “No Problem”<\/strong> says Doug, “Just head down to the Wal-Mart<\/strong> and then head South”<\/strong>. Really? That’s All He Gives Me?<\/em>\u00a0Hmmm… Apparently that’s the way they navigate Boeing 747’s<\/strong>. Okey doke…<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Captain Doug Moler\u00a0<\/strong>and the Quicksilver<\/strong> – Jim Wiebe<\/strong> with his Cassutt<\/strong> in the background.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0Airborne Again<\/h4>\n

After receiving the professional<\/strong>, precision departure and approach briefing<\/strong> from Captain Doug<\/strong>, I lept into the air with high confidence<\/strong> I would find the entry to The Big Ditch<\/strong> without being run over by a jumbo jet<\/strong>. Sure enough… Within minutes I located the\u00a0The Big Ditch\u00a0<\/strong>Inbound Marker<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Wal Mart Below – Ditch Must Be Ahead<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Nice Digs<\/h4>\n

Right after the Wal Mart<\/strong> and just before the entry to The Big Ditch<\/strong> I sighted off my Port Bow<\/strong>\u00a0a high profile, Wichita<\/strong> living area called The Moorings<\/a>. <\/strong>It is featured\u00a0<\/strong>in the next two shots.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Moorings<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Before making the entry to The Big Ditch Corridor<\/strong>, I snapped this shot just because the bridges, river and sand pits looked neat together<\/strong>. Simple as that.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0Wichita’s Big Ditch Flood Control Project<\/h4>\n

Basically The Big Ditch<\/strong> project amounts to forcing the Arkansas River<\/strong> to maintain its track through the West Side of Wichita<\/strong>\u00a0by the use of levees and occasional spillways. People fish down here and sometimes you see deer although hunting is not allowed. Before the advent of The Ditch<\/strong>, flooding of this part of town was a fairly common occurrence.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Big Ditch<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

In The Groove<\/h4>\n

Under orders of\u00a0TRACON<\/strong>\u00a0to stay below\u00a0200′ AGL<\/strong>, I drop down into the channel. Ahead I see a\u00a0Father<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Son<\/strong>\u00a0fishing<\/strong>\u00a0on the\u00a0bank of the river\u00a0this fine day. I wave as I pass them and they wave back. From the\u00a0tracks in the foreground<\/strong>, you can tell this place gets heavy\u00a04-wheeler action<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Fishing And Four Wheelers<\/p><\/div>\n

New Bridge<\/h4>\n

For some time I have heard talk of a new bridge<\/strong> being built by Wichita<\/strong> on this side of town. Since I don’t drive over here very often it has not been something I paid much attention to. Flying low up The Ditch<\/strong>, I saw very large cranes<\/strong> ahead. My\u00a0lightning-fast mind<\/strong> finally<\/span> realized this must be the bridge project<\/strong>. I decided to climb<\/strong> to get over them in case work was going on. The next two shots show the progress<\/strong> of the some-day-to-be-christened “13th Street Bridge<\/strong><\/a>“.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Construction work below. Toward the left on the horizon you can see the twin, parallel, main runways<\/strong> of Mid Continent Airport<\/strong>. These are the runways<\/strong> I am vectoring beneath<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

After climbing to avoid them, I discover\u00a0Bridge Workers<\/strong>\u00a0don’t work on Saturday\u00a0<\/strong> in Wichita<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

I am about 150′ ARL<\/strong> (Above River Level)<\/em> looking Southwest<\/strong>. This is the lesser used East Runway<\/strong>\u00a0of Mid Continent<\/strong>. I had to climb a bit so I wouldn’t buzz the cars crossing the Maple Street Bridge seen\u00a0<\/strong>in the foreground.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Just before crossing Kellogg\/Hwy 50<\/strong> I snapped this shot looking East<\/strong>. In the foreground is Town West Square<\/strong><\/a>. On the horizon to the left<\/strong> you can see the Wichita Downtown Skyline<\/strong>. My shadow is just this side of\u00a0I-235<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Moments later, through my right wing flying wires<\/strong>, we see one of Cessna Aircraft’s main facilities<\/strong>. It is on the Southeast<\/strong> quadrant<\/strong> of Mid Continent Airport<\/strong>\u00a0property bounded on the South<\/strong> by K-42 Highway. <\/strong>This was taken from 75′ ARL <\/strong>looking Northwest<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Egressing The Ditch<\/strong>. This is a shot that needs a Panoramic<\/strong> lens. Because I didn’t have that, I “split the difference”<\/em>. This is what I am trying to show. To the left<\/strong> is the North<\/strong> part of Haysville, Kansas<\/strong><\/a> and to the right<\/strong> is a large cornfield<\/strong> that I used for shooting a segment of a music video<\/strong> titled “Lil Prop \/ Big Prop”<\/strong>. We are looking South<\/strong> from about 150′ ARL<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

From the same position<\/strong> as the previous shot<\/strong>, I swiveled my camera mount Northeast<\/strong> to take this picture. In the distance, beyond the homes is Spirit Aero Systems<\/strong><\/a> and then\u00a0McConnell AFB<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

A Different Perspective<\/h4>\n

This was the first time<\/strong> I have approached Selby Aerodrome<\/strong> from the South<\/strong> on a trip. It took some concentration<\/strong> to locate the airfield. When I did, I saw a familiar sight. Hangar mate Don Forse<\/strong> was performing a run-up in his Titan Tornado<\/strong><\/a> in preparation to launch to the North<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

80% Of Photography Is Just\u00a0<\/span>Being There<\/span><\/h4>\n

The “photo composition wheels”<\/strong>\u00a0are always turning in\u00a0The Sky Surfer’s<\/strong>\u00a0head. He hoped that on approach<\/strong> a good position would manifest itself<\/strong> for a decent picture of\u00a0Don<\/strong>\u00a0taking off from The Aerodrome<\/strong> in his\u00a0Titan<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Yes!<\/h4>\n

As I slid into the\u00a0downwind leg<\/strong>\u00a0of the pattern and decided on a wide shot,\u00a0Don<\/strong>\u00a0broke ground and I\u00a0pulled the trigger<\/strong>. A fine ending to a\u00a0great adventure<\/strong>\u00a0that yielded\u00a0a<\/b>\u00a0total round trip airtime of\u00a0<\/strong>6 hours<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Don Forse<\/strong>\u00a0and his Titan Tornado<\/strong>\u00a0lift off for parts unknown.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The rising\u00a0hangar door<\/strong>\u00a0reveals the MXL –<\/strong> ready to rest in the stable after dancing the skies<\/strong> for the better part of a day.<\/p><\/div>\n

The 2013 Bi-Plane Fly-In<\/h4>\n

So ends my journey to The National Bi-Plane Fly-In 2013<\/strong>. It was my Longest Ultralight Journey<\/strong> to date – 112 miles each direction<\/strong>. The Flying Season<\/strong> is now in full swing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Stay tuned!<\/em> You’ll be the first to know where serendipity<\/strong> next leads The Sky Surfer on Safari<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Blue Skies & Tailwinds!\u2122<\/em><\/p>\n

Brian FitzGerald – Wichita<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It Was A Windy Day Just as a fisherman or farmer or golfer is constantly aware of the weather, The Sky Surfer monitors it constantly during The Fun Flying Season. Most of the week prior to the 2013 National BiPlane Fly-In Weekend\u00a0in Junction City, Kansas was not optimal for Ultralight Flying.\u00a0With lots of rain and […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,9,13,4,3,6,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-airshows","category-antique-or-classic","category-factory-built","category-fly-ins","category-fun-flights","category-show-an-airfield","category-uncategorized","category-17-id","category-9-id","category-13-id","category-4-id","category-3-id","category-6-id","category-1-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7056"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7056\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7217,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7056\/revisions\/7217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}