October Fly-in 8th – 9th KTRK

Details: We are holding our second FLY-IN the weekend of Oct 8-9.

Friday night if you choose to arrive on Friday you will camp at the glider port here in KTRK. Just let me know when your arriving and I will meet you there to get you set straight.

Saturday morning arrival: EAA pancake breakfast 730am
We will have a pre flight debrief for the North circuit at 830am (sharp if your flying in that morning) in front of the EAA building. Plan for 30-35 gallons of fuel (thats me burning 14 an hour). We can always re-fuel close by. Our first strips will be the bigger, cialis 40mg wider, find longer ones, etc., first.
Temps are getting much cooler and daylight a bit later so I figure an easy start on Saturday is good.

Saturday afternoon/night: We will re-group in Truckee after flying and gather our gear and refuel. We will then fly 20 minutes South East to our Saturday night camp site.

Sunday morning: Early AM sunrise launch to fly south circuit. We can stop in Minden or Bridgeport Sunday morning for breakfast if we choose or just eat prior to flying in camp that morning. After the days flying events we will re group and gather your own camp gear…and fly home.

This is all pretty straight forward. If you have any questions, please give me a call or send me an email to: 53skywagon@gmail.com

If you have a firearm, bring it as we can have a shoot out in the desert Saturday night. Weather is looking good for the weekend as on today (monday the 3rd). Our brief winter storm is passing through Tues/Wed and will gone by Thursday afternoon.

Nose draggers are welcome and will be fine to attend as we have lots of places for you to land.

Here is Saturday night camp site:

Here is landing at the “Chillkoot Ranch”.  http://vimeo.com/28732516

Photos from our last event:

https://picasaweb.google.com/115528061092467996033/1stAnnualTruckeeNorCalSierraFlyIn

The wind is going to blow

Needed to get out before the winds start screaming!

Made a quick trip up high as this could be one of the last times up here given we are supposed to have snow above 8000′ on tuesday. I dont think it will stick around long but wanted to get up high this am. Also hit a couple more that are fairly close. Found myself with 25 knt winds plus on the way back. That always makes for interesting landings given you can never count on it blowing straight down the runway in Truckee. You will also see here my buddies 57 180. Its REALLY REALLY clean! It could be a show plane. He also owns the blue cub here. The sad part is that both aircraft combined have only flown maybe 30 hours all year. Not certain why, but he needs to give me the cub! I will fly the wings off that thing! Its just needs some Bushwheels and the bigger gear. In closing here, I often refer to some flying as “water work”. This photo is not me but you will get the idea. Its a technique not to be practiced by the inexperienced. It is however a great way to get up on a beach that is short if need be. Its also a great way to find yourself upside down in the water if done improperly.  You can also utilize the technique for departing a short field but you MUST make certain you have airspeed and your tail in the air! Again, do not practice this without someone who knows how to do it!

All kinds of things…

Its been a little bit since my last post a week or so ago. Lots of ongoings since.

I witnessed another plane crash here in Truckee, ailment but will leave that up to you for details. There is a lot in the news and the NTSB will have a better report than I. Unfortunately, diagnosis I just had the chance to see it. Between that and Reno the same week…well, lets just say I dont need to see three!

I have joined the Civil Air Patrol. My real interest there is to act as a check pilot for many of the low time pilots and the cadets. Working with kids is something I really enjoy.

I put the little tires and skis on the plane to make it complex (they are hydraulic) and then took the skis off immediately after my commercial check ride to continue “big tire flying”. Oh yes, I passed my commercial check ride! I am officially an instrument rated commercial pilot. I should have my CFI by the new year. Thats the goal anyhow. Doing a commercial glider add on this week. I dont have any plans to work for an airline, but the rating is a good thing to have. Its just that much more experience to add to my 25 plus years of flying.  Wish I had done it sooner. Anyhow, my writing skills are not to be desired but I do like taking pictures. Before departing Nervino / Beckworth airport, I took a couple photos of my buddy Bob Marshal and his Kit Fox. Its a neat airplane. I am going to need to twist his arm to let me fly it! I then departed south bound and landed at the bumpy barn to see the family of barn owls. They are pretty cool to watch.  Next, I went to Stampede LZ #1 and had some fun with the water work needed to land. Fall is in the air as you will see here by the leaves changing color. We have snow in the forecast for Tuesday. Not certain I am ready!  If you do read this please let me know by leaving a comment or two. Happy flying  and safe landings! Thanks for stopping by!

My pops turned 67 today!

Today was a fun day with Dad! Took him to a couple of my favorite spots including the old mine and the dry lake bed I call “3 shot gun shells and a pair of shoes”.  Even had a visitor at the lake bed… “Thin Lizzy”. Thought about “High Boy Ridge” but given the time of day and temps outside, buy I figured its was best to just do a flyby.  After hitting a few on the south circuit I took him back to the north and made a hydro approach to another at one of the reservoirs. Anyhow, prostate had a great time as the air was still and perfect flying weather. Shit, its always perfect flying weather. I guess given the fact it was his birthday, it made for a great excuse to burn some low lead today. Here are a couple pics…

 

Two of my favorite places to land

The Island and the Goldmine. Both short and sweet!

And a cool thread about our recent fly in here. Check it out

http://www.backcountrypilot.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=8358&hilit=Nor+Cal&start=20

A very tough weekend in Reno

It was a very tough weekend in Reno.  Most of you have heard about the horrific crash of Jimmy Leewards plane, “The Galloping Ghost”.  My prayers go out to all of those involved. I am not much of a writer but I can tell you, I was about 1000′ from the crash and saw it in its entirety. Its something that you just do not ever want to see. I just hope, like many other pilots do as well, that this is not the end of the Reno Air Races. The folks that put the event on, from the FAA to the Air Racing Association all the way to the pilots themselves, do everything in their power for the safety of all of those involved.  Its crazy how when an airplane crashes you hear all about it however, when you hear about the massive car pile up on the local freeway they just put it off as a bad accident. Here an airplane lost control and ended up in the crowd unfortunately. Now they want to shut it down possibly. Really? Things that are beyond our control happen. Thats part of living in a free country. Its a real shame that people take the stand that this is a “crazy” sport. Its just not so. At and rate, here are a few photos from this weekends event with a link to the entire collection of photos that I took over the weekend. There are two shots here of the Ghost prior to its crash. One is from my dad who was also in attendance and the other, if you look closely, you can see the elevator trim tab missing on her left tail. That photo came from someone on the internet.

Here is the gallery of photos:

https://picasaweb.google.com/115528061092467996033/RenoAirRaces2011

Sacramento Capitol Air Show

As a pilot, how can one not like supersonic jets, loud high speed passes, fire and explosions. A really great show today in Sacramento at the California Capitol Air Show.
From the Supersonic F18 Super Hornet to the Japanese zero’s reenacting Tora Tora with lots of fire and explosions. Its a show that I can only recommend you see if you have a chance. Given it was September 11th, it was a great day to remember those that have passed and think about all those who serve and have served out great country.

Steve Hinton flew the P38, Patty Wagstaff did her dance along with the others really showing what they can do in an airplane.

Heres a couple photos but you need to go to the gallery I have posted here. Think I shot about 700 photos.

As a pilot, how can one not like supersonic jets, loud high speed passes, fire and explosions. A really great show today in Sacramento at the California Capitol Air Show.
From the Supersonic F18 Super Hornet to the Japanese zero’s reenacting Tora Tora with lots of fire and explosions. Its a show that I can only recommend you see if you have a chance. Given it was September 11th, it was a great day to remember those that have passed and think about all those who serve and have served out great country.

Steve Hinton flew the P38, Patty Wagstaff did her dance along with the others really showing what they can do in an airplane.

Heres a couple photos but you need to go to the gallery I have posted here. Think I shot about 700 photos.

And the rest of the photos are here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/115528061092467996033/SacramentoAirShowSept11

Reno Hot Air Ballons

How can one not like the hot air balloons in the dark over Reno. Went to see a few balloons then back up to Truckee for the EAA pancake breakfast this AM. Ended up taking a friend and his son out on the circuit just after and ended up having a great morning. Not to many photos today but here a couple from the balloon races. Going to the California Air Show in Sac tomorrow. Should be a awesome display of our military aircraft. Will post photos tomorrow night.

 

 

A quick trip today to the reservoir…

Just a quick trip to the reservoir. Have been waiting for this spot to open up as  the water needed to recede a bit. Got in here today utilizing about 200′ of water first. Hydroplaning is a great way to access short spots if the water and ramp onto the beach is smooth. Anyhow, if I had a camera outside of the plane today you would see the wheels dragging the water surface (hydroplane) up on to the beach. Hydroplaning is really not all that hard. It feels like ice actually. The important thing is keeping your airspeed a bit high and then pulling the power as you glide up to the beach edge. To go out and just practice over open water would be considered hazardous or reckless but in this case its needed to obtain the beach for landing. Departing is vertually the same. Run on the beach for about 300′, get your wheels light and then plane the water surface while gaining airspeed. Then simply pull back on the yoke and up you go. Contray to popular belief…you dont just sink or submerg when you hit the water. Tire size does play a part but its really not that hard. I think its more of a mind game than anything else. DO NOT PRACTICE THIS WITHOUT SOMEONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCE DOING THIS TECHNIQUE!!!

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