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What did you do with your RV this Labor Day weekend (9/5/2020-9/7/2020)?

Flew in a 3-ship with Steve "Amazing" Grace (RV-8) and Roy "Jarhead" Geer (RV-8) down to Killeen, TX, for a funeral missing man formation. The family was grateful.

Weekend ain't over yet, but that's it so far.
 
Put on my pants..

SF fog kept me grounded the last few weeks, so it was time to finish up the last significant part of the build .. the infinite sanding and fitting of the wheel pants.

Got then aligned, fitted, filled, sanded, primed, and installed and did a speed test

75% power, 5500 ft
OAT 27 C
CHTs 347-358
FF 13.8
IAS 148 kt
TAS 169 kt

IAS change: +9 kts
CHT change: -20 F

Fantastic! 25 hours into Phase 1 and the plane continues to stoke the grin.
 

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Flew to SteinAir to p/u the panel for my S21 build.Headed from there to IA27 (Blakesburg Ia) for my first time at the Antique Aircraft Association flyin.
I highly recommend it,camp by your plane,totally low key,& awesome radials flying all day! A Staggerwing was there giving rides to anyone who wanted to go.
 
Great day for grandpa watching my son and grandkids!
 

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Pilots n Paws

Participated in moving a Husky from Houston, TX to New Jersey. I flew the second leg from Monroe, LA to Huntsville, AL. Interesting getting a 58 lb Husky to get back in the baggage area on an RV-7 . . . . .
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Participated in moving a Husky from Houston, TX to New Jersey. I flew the second leg from Monroe, LA to Huntsville, AL. Interesting getting a 58 lb Husky to get back in the baggage area on an RV-7 . . . . .

Good job Dan! I don't think we've ever flown a fur ball quite that big.
 
Participated in moving a Husky from Houston, TX to New Jersey. I flew the second leg from Monroe, LA to Huntsville, AL. Interesting getting a 58 lb Husky to get back in the baggage area on an RV-7 . . . . .
I did the Super Tracks mod to my 9 slider specifically for PetsnPaws. But getting a large/heavy dog in my baggage area is way too difficult. I’Ve had to limit the weight to 30’ish pounds.
 
Nothing

My gal and I hoped to escape the horrible smoke in the Sacramento Valley this morning, not to mention the heat... by the time we got to the airport, the visibility was down to around 4000 feet in heavy smoke and it was raining ash. Now sheltering in the kitchen (a bad thing, when the fridge is well-stocked) looking forward to better conditions.
 
Much like Lars.... the smoke is so heavy I'm marinating the project in smoke.

I'd like to spray some paint, and need a bit more humidity than the 14% we currently have, plus maybe a little less ash. After the upcoming storm, I suppose.

Dave
 
I thought about where I'm gonna fly next week, when the temperatures are 15 degrees cooler! It hit 120 degrees in Chino yesterday. :eek:
 
Participated in moving a Husky from Houston, TX to New Jersey. I flew the second leg from Monroe, LA to Huntsville, AL. Interesting getting a 58 lb Husky to get back in the baggage area on an RV-7 . . . . .

LOVE that photo. Wish I could convince my mutt to chill in the back.
 
Prepping bottom wing skins

Replaced crappy corrugated wire conduit (that I installed thinking it was ok then) with Rainbird irrigation conduit. MUCH better. Also brought out and dusted off the DRDT-2 to dimple the last few skins left. Should have these done tomorrow and ready for rivets!

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After upgrading my panel to glass IFR capable in the spring right before COVID hit, finally got up enough nerve to take an instructor in the plane with me and got signed off on my IPC. Now I just need to maintain proficiency.
 
We used the RV to make quick work out of a trip to Table Rock Lake, down on Thursday after a late afternoon kindergarten assessment and me back to work on Saturday afternoon. 4 hour drive versus my average 52 minute flight down and a 56 flight minute flight back. That's what it would've been without some slight detours.
I've gotten the use out of my car seat attachments in the baggage area, didn't know if I ever would. Pie and lil' dude call "backseat" like shotgun these days, I don't get it but whatever. Unlike the previous PNP pilots, my cargo passengers demand to load themselves.
We had just enough time to make a detour to KBBG, I heard my old college room-mate was showing "DOC" off and I thought we'd check it out. We were denied the parking spot next to DOC and sent to the FBO.

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I hadn't even gotten the kiddos out of the RV when the FBO van pulled up next to us and asked "Are you the college room-mate?" Soon we were posing for pictures and crawling all over the B-29.

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Kinda like in College one thing led to another and next thing you know we're crawling up a ladder for the Gunner seats.

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I've never done one of the rides like this before, It was Awesome. I sat in the top gunner's spot and had a 360 view of the top of the aircraft. Wearing headsets and listening to the crew run the checklist etc was engaging. They started #1 engine last, you could feel the pull on the electrical system as each large radial was started.

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Several pics flying around the Ozarks. I'ld equate the initial takeoff push in the seat similar to a 180 hp constant speed RV but lumbering after that. I couldn't even imagine what it would be loaded with fuel and ordinance at gross weight.

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The kiddos loved it as much as I did. We were free to crawl around the whole back of the aircraft and traded spots with the other "Gunners." The spookiest spot for sure was the tail gunner position, things were tight and shakin' back there!

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The kiddos opted to climb through the pressure tube to exit through the cockpit on the way out.

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Lil' dude's smile says it for all of us, it was a Great Ride!

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We had a great day boating around, in addition to his pilot's license lil' dude is pursuing his boating permit. Not to shabby for a 5 year old!

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Short stay but missed most of the bustle of the Holiday weekend boat traffic.

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Great Job, Dan!

Participated in moving a Husky from Houston, TX to New Jersey. I flew the second leg from Monroe, LA to Huntsville, AL. Interesting getting a 58 lb Husky to get back in the baggage area on an RV-7 . . . . .

If you need a First Officer/Animal Handler and/or a kennel for future flights, let me know. I’m thinking only a small kennel will fit your 7 but you’re welcome to try any that I have. Glad to see a new PnP pilot in north Alabama...especially one with an RV.
Congratulations!
 
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Flew over the Lake Oconee, Georgia Trump 2020 Boat Parade.
 

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grounded

I've been grounded since falling on my bicycle 3 weeks ago and shattering my collar bone & subsequent surgery last week. I've had my wife drive me to the airport a few times so I can at least sit here with my RV watching planes come and go.

Can't wait to get back in the air but that's several more weeks in the future. In the meantime, vansairforce.net has basically saved me as I can at least get some kind of RV fix this way.
 

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Lake Odell by RV-12

Had a great time this weekend at Lake Odell, Oregon, including flying from Portland to Crescent Lake and back.

When I left, the sky was overcast at 4000 feet, which did not allow for a direct flight; I had to fly the wrong way for a while, then up the Columbia River gorge to the sunny side of the state, past Mt Hood, then finally down to the lakes. Two and a half very scenic hours.

Lots of wildfire TFRs to dodge. The fire just east of Mt Jefferson was insane. The plume was bigger than the mountain. Especially during the flight back, it looked like someone had detonated a nuclear bomb. (Scroll down to the last 2 or 3 shots, in the next post).

Had lots of fun at the lakes with my wife’s family. I hadn’t water-skied in nearly 20 years but they persuaded me to give it a try. My brother-in-law drove the boat while his wife, their little kid, and their dog provided emotional support ;]

There is no fuel at the Crescent Lake airport, but there is a gas station just around the corner from the tie-downs. I have flown the RV-12 (and other Rotax-powered LSAs) using mogas, but this was the first time I actually bought gas at a gas station and put it in an airplane! Two trips with a 5-gallon jerry can full of ethanol-free premium gas, and I was ready to fly back home.

Most pictures here courtesy of my wife, who does occasionally see the advantages of having a husband who is a pilot ;]

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The image above and the one below are just a few minutes apart!

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Randall,

Wow! Sorry to hear about the bike accident. I hope the surgery went as expected and your recovery is fast with minimal discomfort.

v/r,dr



I've been grounded since falling on my bicycle 3 weeks ago and shattering my collar bone & subsequent surgery last week. I've had my wife drive me to the airport a few times so I can at least sit here with my RV watching planes come and go.

Can't wait to get back in the air but that's several more weeks in the future. In the meantime, vansairforce.net has basically saved me as I can at least get some kind of RV fix this way.
 
All I could do is use the RV as a workhorse. We are back East going full throttle to get out of our 17 year old big house after an unexpected contract to sell it. My son in College Park asked for some items to be exchanged over lunch in Annapolis, which we promptly forgot that day. So, on Friday, so as to avoid Labor Day beach traffic on the Bay Bridge, I was to fly those small items to him, as the RV is still in the hangar at Bay Bridge. Mom plussed up the load a bit with pillows and other items, enough to remove the passenger seat, I neglected to get the photo worthy of an OSH trip load!

It was nice to fly.
 
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MOM!

I hadn't been up to see mom for a couple months, so it was time to remedy that situation. She has some favorite pizzas that she can't get at her local grocery store, so a quick trip up to HEB in the morning and it was off with a load of frozen foods in the magic carpet.

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It's just shy of a 3-hour drive that is turned into an hour flight with no stress of I-35 traffic. I prefer to throttle back and sip fuel on these short trips and was very happy at 135 knots TAS at 6 gallons an hour.

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Saturday was the local EAA meeting, so I decided head to the airport to participate. Got to the airport around 9am and it was already pushing 100 degrees. My kids decided to go snorkling at La Jolla Cove at o'dark o'clock, so I took off and did the quick trip down to the Pacific Ocean. Only 88 degrees there at 1000'! Flew over the La Jolla Cove and beaches to see the Labor Day crowds. Turned around and headed back to Ramona Airport. Landed at 10am and it was pushing 106 degrees. Sweated it out for a couple of hours at the airport then went home to air conditioning. It hit 115 degrees that afternoon. Oh, and a big fire south of us had some major firefighting going on from Cal Fire all weekend. Not a good idea to be messing around at the airport with all of that activity. Got to see the big 747 and DC-10 tankers fly over our house several times. Sunday was only 111 degrees. Today was a balmy 100. Too much smoke in the air to really see anything. I can't wait for Fall temps, but in SoCal, that ends up being November or December!
 
Lake Placid, NY

Took the wife for her first trip in the painted plane. Spent the day in Lake Placid, NY
 

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Flew my RV-8 to First Flight

Saturday - Did a day trip from 3M5 to KFFA to see the Wright Brothers memorial. It is quite windy there! Crossed the Smoky Mountains, stopped in Knoxville TN98 for BBQ ribs with my brother.

Sunday - Did a flight review with a friend in his RV-12, always amazed at how nicely the 12 flies.

Monday - Another day trip, 3M5 to KJKA in the RV-9A to have lunch at Lulu's, land at Dauphin Island and fly over the USS Alabama.
 
Tested new smoke system (left side formation) installed by the genius Randy Richmond at 52F. Worked perfectly. Thanks. Randy
 

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Using my 75nm Radius Phase 1

Did my 1st cross-country with -9A to places within 75nm. (KMLB - KLAL - KCHN - KMLB)
Nice to know airports you never been before (like KCHN), and better than this is to know their 100LL price :cool:

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Went to work in the smoke.

Too hot and smokey for fun flying, but still a great way to commute.
 

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