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What did you do with your RV this weekend (10/12-13/2019)?

Spent the weekend at Petit Jean! Flew formation, popped balloons with my prop, ate great food, had a blast!
 
Jennifer spent the week working at Dynon in Seattle and had a reservation to fly home on the 6:30 Alaska Airlines flight. The plan was for me to pick her up at the Portland airport at 7:30 and then make the 3 1/2 hour drive to Sunriver in Bend OR for the weekend. I was dreading the Friday afternoon traffic in Portland when it dawned on me, I can actually fly to Seattle in the RV-10 faster than I can drive to the Portland Airport. We could then fly from Seattle direct to Sunriver and avoid the 3 1/2 hour drive and late night arrival.

I installed some new beta software in the EFIS screens that we needed to test and packed the RV-10 for the weekend. It was one of those spectacular fall afternoons in the northwest when Truman and I took off headed for Seattle to pick Jennifer up.

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It took us only an hour to fly from our home airfield OR40 to KPAE in Seattle. After landing at Paine field we traded a computer and Cessna 182 panel that needed to go to Dynon for Jennifer and headed for Sunriver.


Truman is concerned because something seems different in the RV-10 panel for this trip on his CoPilot side.
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The sun starting to set on Mt Rainier as we flew by.
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The moon rising over Mt Adams
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It is starting to get dark as we pass east of Mt hood
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Even on a clear night I let the Autopilot fly the RNAV 18 approach into Sunriver in total darkness. As we passed the lights of Bend and headed south to Sunriver it was really nice to have the Synthetic Vision showing all the mountains and airport runway.

We arrived in Sunriver around 7:15pm, about 4 hours earlier than our original plan.

Rob Hickman
N402RH RV-10
 
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Jennifer spent the week working at Dynon in Seattle and had a reservation to fly home on the 6:30 Alaska Airlines flight. The plan was for me to pick her up at the Portland airport at 7:30 and then make the 3 1/2 hour drive to Sunriver in Bend OR for the weekend. I was dreading the Friday afternoon traffic in Portland when it dawned on me, I can actually fly to Seattle in the RV-10 faster than I can drive to the Portland Airport. We could then fly from Seattle direct to Sunriver and avoid the 3 1/2 hour drive and late night arrival.

I installed some new beta software in the EFIS screens that we needed to test and packed the RV-10 for the weekend. It was one of those spectacular fall afternoons in the northwest when Truman and I took off headed for Seattle to pick Jennifer up.

48891767277_1f783f26a4_k.jpg


It took us only an hour to fly from our home airfield OR40 to KPAE in Seattle. After landing at Paine field we traded a computer and Cessna 182 panel that needed to go to Dynon for Jennifer and headed for Sunriver.


Truman is concerned because something seems different in the RV-10 panel for this trip on his CoPilot side.
48891528951_0eaee51c2e_k.jpg


The sun starting to set on Mt Rainier as we flew by.
48891533281_c2f3f5d922_k.jpg


48891714712_dd10cb54af_k.jpg


The moon rising over Mt Adams
48890992223_b641e64984_k.jpg


It is starting to get dark as we pass east of Mt hood
48891525476_6b638a300f_k.jpg


Even on a clear night I let the Autopilot fly the RNAV 18 approach into Sunriver in total darkness. As we passed the lights of Bend and headed south to Sunriver it was really nice to have the Synthetic Vision showing all the mountains and airport runway.

We arrived in Sunriver around 7:15pm, about 4 hours earlier than our original plan.

Rob Hickman
N402RH RV-10

Incredible photos, Rob! Thanks for sharing. :)
 
Took advantage of beautiful conditions on Friday and went up and got my night currency back. Don't have much night time in my plane and nothing since January. What a great time to fly. I'm going to have to fix up my panel lighting, the dimable led strip I have is useless, it flickers widely and the only thing it lights up well is the photocell on my Dynon HDX which makes the dimming change on that.
 
Did my very first trip to Petit Jean.

Friday I waited for the wind and ceilings to go away and then hopped up to KSWI for cheap gas.

KSWI-KMPJ was awesome!!! Made 260mph GS on the way with the awesome winds! Arrival in to MPJ was late, the airport was deserted! Not a soul in site when I arrived (they were all at the reception..) But it seemed like a disaster type movie... fires still going... stuff left behind.. not a person to be seen. Kind of cool.

Saturday I woke up early from the campsite and hopped over for some gas then joined scroll flight for a 4 ship (my FIRST ONE) back to MPJ.. which was awesome... if anyone has any pictures of us coming in to the break, PLEASE share them with me.... I got 2 streamers during the balloon pop, I vow to kill those little buggers next year!

Sunday, a solemn flight back to 52F by way of SWI... somewhere between MPJ and SWI I decided I needed to do some aileron rolls. So I did about... 5. :)

Was an INCREDIBLE time and exactly the reason I bought my RV-4. My only regret was not getting to really know anyone. Next time I will be going up on Thursday to give me more time to check out planes and meet folks!
 
I installed new brake linings because I discovered one was wearing unevenly. I think the slider pins were hanging up on that side. Didn?t want to replace one without doing all of them. At $35 for an entire set, it wasn?t worth saving $22.50 to have the overall wear out of sync with the rest of them.

Also installed a new Flyboy?s pneumatic tailwheel. Haven?t had a chance to fly it, but it sure looks pretty.
 
I had to work this weekend.

So, I flew to work in my RV-8.
1 hour and 5 minutes of bliss and I watched the cars crawling along the road en route :D
I'll fly home from work in a couple days. :D:D

Like a lot of people say, an RV is a time machine.
 
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Chile Flight

https://youtu.be/9VbM89yLkGA?t=4106
https://youtu.be/5NmzCNhSIHo?t=3779

Albuquerque's Chile Flight had a busy International Balloon Fiesta week, flying both Saturday opening ceremonies. During the week, FFI evaluations and check rides were administered to some of the members by Craig "2B" Wilcox (RV8) and Phillip "Ripper" Lamb (RV4)of KC Flight, both of whom joined us for the 12 Oct AIBF flyover. Chile members taking part in both Saturdays were "Vyking" Nystrom (RV3), "Zap" Rehburg (4); "Goat" Olsen (4), "Longbow" Jones (3), "Boo" Booher (8A), "Spanky" Farley (8), "Stogie" Otero (7) and "Goliath" Taylor (8).

Jon Farley
N518RT
KAEG
 
I got some painting done.... horizontal stabilizer is finished. I'll include the meme I made for facebook, in case you haven't seen it.

WOiCP6j7aiGKmSL174qg6aE1KfYolPOPNquknECpExyRXobR7yVTSEYJG9no3yN3VZxzut4XZ7qdQ7xvmZO8zyIh_W_PEw59QT3cbAuNMwmjU7S6LUeOEEaz23UP5VHCNUMV6lE7_CCzh9sMdbYQffRY8vL2Nm4BxWGfrHfpcpJQNNlloPs9js7OB0DdlkH1m9X8qkMNKO7njWa-HY10_V-aeUzFcKJ6YTE666HymxXpVj8Yh4KGEpUsv75mDKzEjitLfAneKMG6w84b2p-4qjhZxPJxLKCir_ik7Ni3t4ysQEpxrJbos1SqRMgFvQWx6iHMHuehl2X8mixAN6A0FjubUEpufxh--6hFNLo8pCSbGYQe6Vssq_mUZHGj66rvzS5c3hBL05HK0UwDW1utbvgIBaT77UcS9n9SWxkahB547cv8nxDiC4xOhztO91BNEhSRztOPGf9w7KxygWrjfoJapvwnjh62kyay_bxz78G7cVBtMi7S6J8dZv4Y3dq211-FhJf9s3zyaSXMncv4PuqjSQZt9PpXuWTNA5bRCflNh_fn0ObAmngTikJxlmD9dbicnudvFJcdYR9zbrCAO1zeUIVmFLD36YEt2bPd2sbrbecBS5RtIDImqI9WXwy8Fl56oKY4blEdRE0bkb0rr0ENBGC9iNE6dS4DI2_cdIV7yRJm1UW_vN0=w864-h720-no

dernd8orENKOc1K74Nwxg9mOjkSMoS3m4VqyktCvoI7SBXSl85dmZDiGdQUziYQig_O9BXsJ_30Yr2Hm2RB6m26SqQ_FrIPJDJR2dgmTb3JkZS4fpUt-2beTub-ORrZ7IdVVmn7qNXGqAiUmGrEUkemGwVY4GrGGsHXa4Oxjitwdiofm-PjBkQ3SSkM-q_46FHv9nbxHERkgnAMuw14vR1L3tqSf7K8Zt9NI0szcbtfJ5-n5v85BAqeTZ5rAbKDAn6WUcq5dk9NILIgY4U1dJ6D8EGpf6UythSVL_sXVWc7Vp2AYY3VQ4lTvMpbNPfyj4jWXMMFup8fG9Y-xAjAeLlGnp0H4JS6Kfjbzud27uZljdIDjGzcqdYUACvoHsgZsWdVgrUHJlF96Lg8gj0aNcuxeskmCGDciabyfP34vXgaEf1pW-uolTkTgVX3fBNg3Ll4aRdbqfqx9oxAaRR794w_P4woWTPiA1HENY_ub_OC5zG6yGPRdNWDBVgbboyyWDDFsJjq7IllUF0jpTMqcpuvBIF4hQvid4i5ksRrOF5l9i4cw_Ij1bexhfUbXKA2EH6PtvD2I18ja7uVd5-ou4Dquz9WXv9-dblbgGLssm_ovQZaAom90aPKS-nWKotMFFDKVqW8R9730zf3Usa8J15swKEnj0pUzfC6tT0lsIhU-z3ke9aW258I=w1350-h900-no


BTW Rob Hickman, that photo of the moon setting over Mt. Hood is nothing less than sensational. They were all beautiful... but the moon one is just incredible.
 
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Finished Phase 1 flight testing with the constant speed prop, got performance numbers. Nice to have digital data recording.

A very helpful FSS briefer suggested that yesterday morning's clouds would burn off -- they did -- so I got the flight test finished before the two days of rain started this morning.

Shot video to support loss of control research. The video will be part of next year's EAA Founder's Innovation Prize submission. Maybe the video will finally convince the judges that there's a whole lot of LOC that AOA gadgets won't detect, let alone help.
 
I'm really curious as to the LOC comments and forthcoming material. Please keep us informed!
 
I'm really curious as to the LOC comments and forthcoming material. Please keep us informed!

Hopefully I'm not breaking any rules with these links, as these are safety related and not offering anything for sale:

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-...04-08/inoculating-pilots-against-loss-control

https://www.planeandpilotmag.com/ar...edium=email&utm_campaign=whenisaspin_notaspin

At this point, I've got enough original material to teach a semester or two on aviation safety, loss of control (a nebulous term) and related topics. I'd love to get the word out... and since I'm getting up in years, I'd love to pass all this on to somebody else.

Ed
 
Both of those articles are well worth the read! Your work is both impressive and generous. I hope it continues. While I love to fly aerobatics and own an AOA system, I can see E3 as being an attractive and useful curriculum to any aviator. I’d love to see it adopted on a scalable level within the Cessna, Piper and Cirrus type of “drivers” who are more interested in transportation than g’s and spin training. I would think the chances of it making a large safety contribution there would be quite high.
 
Both of those articles are well worth the read! Your work is both impressive and generous. I hope it continues. While I love to fly aerobatics and own an AOA system, I can see E3 as being an attractive and useful curriculum to any aviator. I?d love to see it adopted on a scalable level within the Cessna, Piper and Cirrus type of ?drivers? who are more interested in transportation than g?s and spin training. I would think the chances of it making a large safety contribution there would be quite high.

Thanks! The judges at the EAA Founder's Innovation Prize have been sadly unimpressed -- of the two dozen finalists and honorable mentions over the years, I think mine is the one that wasn't a gadget. AOPA Pilot has declined to write anything about E3 or even try it out although ASF did fly some of it. Next time you're in the area, come fly E3 with me in the -9A. There's lots of cool things to be done at less than 2 g, believe it or not.
 
Great weekend!

As before my RV weekend started early and continues into Monday!:)

Thursday

I haven't been using my RV in competition due to canopy problems. My friend Shaun asked if I was going to the Rome contest next week (10/18-19). And I said I was going to volunteer but not fly. He made me an offer I couldn't refuse, "You wanna use my Extra?" "Well, sure!" The problem is that one doesn't just jump into a machine like that and expect to fly it safely in a contest, much less with any kind of precision. He must of seen the look on my face. Then came, "We'll get you a few training flights. You'll be good." Fortunately, IAC rules allow safety pilots to ride with contestants when the contestants aren't qualified in a particular aircraft. Per the FAA - I'm qualified, the insurance company - no, and me - big fat HECK NO!

Shaun's airplane is an Extra 330LX previously owned by Patty Wagstaff. So, Thursday, I flew my RV-8 up to Habersham Co. (AJR), 85 nm. We flew two 40 minute flights with a couple of very short 1-3 minute breaks during each flight. I was beat. Forget the wet noodle, I felt like a noodle that had been boiled for two hours and beginning to fall apart!

Thank you Shaun!

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Friday

The Bonanza's annual is finished and is ready for pick up. My friend Steve McDonald helped me by giving me a ride to Columbus, GA airport (CSG), 54 nm in his RV-8A. I remember when He finished it. I've known Steve now for over 10 years. Great guy, fellow Delta pilot, Falcon RV Squadron member, and FFI Wingman. After dropping me off, he went on to Macon to have lunch with his daughter. One problem... I left my headset in his baggage compartment.:( The good guys at Columbus Aero Service loaned me one to get me back home Falcon Field (FFC), got another one of my headsets from my RV, went back to CSG to return the headset I borrowed, then back to FFC. Probably would have been cheaper to overnight ship the headset.:rolleyes: But not as much fun!

Saturday

Big day today. Flew my RV back to AJR for Extra lesson #3. We only flew once today but we did a lot. We started working on snap rolls, in particular the Avalanche which is a loop with a snap on top. Sounds hard, and it is, but it is easier than many other types of snap roll situations. Again, I was whooped and one flight was all I could handle. Besides, I had more RV fun scheduled later that evening.

Our group at FFC, The Falcon Field RV Squadron, has grown considerably over the last few years. We have over 50 RVs on the field! And recently we have had much more interest and activity in formation. Thanks to Greg Reese, we’ve had quite a few of us become FFI leads and wingman. Our group is called upon regularly for fly-bys, missing man formations, etc.

One of the many fun things going on this past weekend was the Atlanta Air Show. The Canadian Snowbirds were the headline act. They were invited to the Line Creek Brewing Co for a meet and greet with other aviation types. A couple of the guys from our group are involved with the brewery. It was suggested that we perform a fly-by and mingle with the Snowbirds after we land. What a great idea! The Snowbirds were impressed by our performance. Pretty cool!


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Sunday

While today had really nothing to do with the RV. It was still a busy aviation day. My son Max a been taking glider lessons up in Chilhowee TN (92A). Mama wanted to go this time so we took the Bonanza. The IO-550 powered F33A makes quick work of the 112 nm.

Last month I reported that he had solo’d a glider for the first time. So we’re back up there getting him ready for his PPL-Glider. His instructor said he’s far ahead of the game. I have to think all of that stick time in the RV has helped.

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Monday

Today ended up being a huge day.

I had promised an Eagle Scout in my son’s troop a first flying lesson in the Bonanza. How’s that for your first lesson? In a 300 hp, constant speed prop, retractable gear airplane! His name is Elliott and he did remarkably well. I believe he has spent some quality time with a simulator.

I had previously given him an aerobatic ride in the RV and set the hook. He got his Aviation Merit Badge, flew a Young Eagle flight, and has completed a significant portion of the Sporty’s ground school enough to earn the voucher for a flight lesson. I told him to keep the voucher, “This one’s on me!” He had a great time and learned a lot. His mom, who does more than you can imagine for the troop, rode along in the back with us. She had a great time too and was impressed by her son’s skill.

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I had also arranged to fly the Extra with Shaun later in the day. So after a quick lunch at home, I ran back out to the airport and flew the RV back to Habersham for my Extra lesson, 85 nm each way. Just one flight today as Shaun was preparing for the contest as well. It was all I could handle anyway! Back to Falcon Field from Habersham. This was my 4th flight for day: the Bonanza lesson, the Extra lesson, and back and forth in the RV. You would think I was done for the day.

Nope. Earlier in the day, just before the Bonanza flight, my airline called and assigned me an unusual trip for the Airbus 330 for a very early Tuesday morning departure. It is a domestic military charter flight with an 0300 report! The military charters are fun because they’re unique and you get to visit some different airports and military bases. It’s not every day you get to visit base ops or the FBO as an airline pilot. Also, as a 20 year AF veteran myself I get the feeling I’m serving my country again. I’m sure I’ve carried the 10th Mountain division in the past while flying C-130’s and C-17’s and now I’m back at it again.

Ok, now let’s do the math. I get back from this trip Thursday afternoon with barely enough time to get to the contest. No time to go home. I better leave straight from Hartsfield. Luckily this contest is in Rome, GA and is within driving distance. Shaun will already have the Extra there. That means packing for my work trip and packing for the contest. I better get everything I need, contest paperwork, chute, etc. I better get some shut eye too.

Let’s see... in one 24 hour period, I gave a 1.3 hour lesson in the Bo, got a 0.6 lesson in the Extra, flew my RV on two 0.7 hour legs, and flew a 2 hour and a 3 hour leg in the Airbus. I have finally recovered enough in the hotel to compose this post!

Fun times. I hope everyone has a fantastic RV weekend next time.
 
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Partied with Aunt Willodean

Aunt Willodean just turned 95. Was able to hop in the RV and fly from Baton Rouge to Laurel, Ms in 1.2 hrs. Made her cry when she heard I was coming. So glad I went and that the RV made it easy. She loves to brag about her nephew that built his own plane and all the trips we made together in it. John
 
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