Stewart from the sky

While I may not be flying myself much right now I'm glad to see others are enjoying the magic of Red Stewart Airfield. I've said for a long time that there just aren't many places like it anywhere. A little grass strip, full of taildraggers, owned by the same family for 70 years.

It's definitely the kind of place hangar flying and vintage aviation came to exist.

Hope you enjoy this great video someone captured of the airfield - it really gives you a true feeling what the place is all about.

To fly or not to die

Plane: Cessna 172 
Route: 40I, Local 
Weather: Broken clouds, 78 degrees, wind 180-240 degrees at 8-12 knots

Pardon the sensationalist headline; I promise I haven't been watching that much CNN lately. But this was one of those days that required a serious go / no-go decision. For those of you who aren't pilots, a) the title pays slight homage to the media's usual inability to cover anything aviation-related without resorting to sky is falling tactics (I'm sure doctors harbor similar thoughts when anchors wax poetic about viral outbreaks, teachers when they discuss standardized testing, etc.) and b) while departing today certainly would not have led to imminent death, it could have been a very bad first decision in an accident chain by the end of the weekend. Read on.

Ok, tangential discussion aside, back to the decision that did not involve LeBron. We were supposed to fly to Syracuse this weekend for Gina's cousins' graduation party. Flying was really the only option since it's a 10 hour drive or a 4 hour flight and Gina has to work Sunday afternoon (strike one - time and schedule pressure). I've been closely monitoring the forecasts; the trip went from seeming feasible earlier in the week to looking quite iffy by this morning (strike two - forecasts trending in the wrong direction). Nearing our planned departure time, it was obvious a Sunday return would not work due to forecast low ceilings and visibility, but I momentarily considered returning Saturday afternoon before further analysis of the forecast (strike three - VFR pilot flying 400 nm across a stationary front and possible embedded thunderstorms). So, in what I can only label a good no-go decision, we cancelled the trip.

But I was already at the airport. And - an isolated thunderstorm having passed by a half hour prior - the weather was currently quite conducive to flying. Good enough reason to at least putter around the pattern before heading back home.

I loaded far less baggage than lie under my hatchback's hatch into the 172 - just myself, my GPS logger, and my headset. N2814L had flown just prior to my arrival so the engine quickly roared to life with one small shot of primer. I taxied over to the fuel pump and topped off the tanks.

As you can see, the wind picked up at times

Gusty winds had come and gone throughout the day and remained in the forecast but it was rather calm when I first departed. The Skyhawk took to the sky without much fuss under the relatively light load. One of the jump planes on the field departed behind me with a load of meat missiles so I made sure to wait to turn crosswind until passing abeam the jump zone. Though the winds at this point were steady the heat kicked up some decent thermals and I was constantly adjusting the power on short final; I touched down rather smoothly just past the threshold.

The second lap was decent and the third was great - total greaser on the landing in spite of winds that now were a gusting, almost direct crosswind. I was tempted to call it quits right there but I wanted to keep flying. On the fourth time around, I pulled the power abeam the numbers on downwind and negotiated a mostly-successful power-off 180, slowly adding flaps until I had all 40 degrees out right before touchdown. I landed slightly long with a solid thump but it wasn't too bad given the conditions. My final lap was nearly as good as the third with a smooth rotation into a crab on takeoff, culminating in a smooth crosswind landing in the gusty winds.

It's always disappointing to cancel a trip, especially last-minute, but I sure as hell don't intend to be the kind of pilot who doesn't learn from his own past experience. Having discussed the trip with a few more experienced pilots (including Upstate NY local Chris) I'm honestly not even sure we would have launched if I had my instrument rating. But it wouldn't have been remotely logical to make a go of it as a VFR-only pilot. It's better to be down here wishing we were up there, than up there wishing we were down here, as the saying goes.

Hindsight

As you may expect, I couldn't help but check the conditions along our planned route numerous times throughout the weekend. While it may have been clear enough along the Lake Erie shoreline (in lieu of flying the direct, more inland route over western PA/NY) at times, the overall reality was marginal at best. To hit flyable conditions would likely have required near-psychic timing, too, as I saw much more IFR or very marginal VFR both days.

Saturday mid-afternoon radar

Saturday early evening lowest reported ceilings

Saturday early evening TAFs (red = below my minimums)

Even locally I never saw a break in the weather on Saturday (we ended up running errands and driving around the area all afternoon) that I think we would have easily made it home through, had we left earlier. So, now with the benefit of hindsight, initial no-go decision confirmed. Flying to NY was definitely the right thing not to do.

Flight Track: Google Earth KMZ File 
Today's Flight: 0.7 hours
Total Time: 328.5 hours

Cub vs Champ

As someone who has spent significant time behind the sticks of both Cubs and Champs, this video really piqued my interest. It's a great comparison of the two classic trainers, both of which qualify under the Light Sport category. If you're new to flying or simply haven't had the opportunity to fly an old taildragger this is a perfect, quick way to learn more about the venerable J-3 and 7AC.

From my own perspective, the differences between the two planes are most apparent on takeoff and landing. Champs love to float and you need to manage your airspeed to avoid scooting well down the runway in ground effect; the Cub's boxier fuselage seems to bleed airspeed more quickly. On takeoff, they're spot-on in the video about how fast you can bring the Cub's tail up with moderate forward stick. I think the Champ spins a tad easier, too, but that's not exactly a standard (intentional) maneuver for most pilots...

Apologies for the lack of, well, anything on here in quite some time. I've been on the road for work a ton - the better part of three weeks and over 17,000 miles via the airlines since I last flew the Cub myself in January! With the return of Daylight Savings Time this weekend I hope my schedule will again permit regular stick time soon.

Aviation: The Invisible Highway

This looks spectacular.

I absolutely love One Six Right, which was also produced by Brian J. Terwilliger. It certainly looks like he's created another epic aviation film.

Caesar Creek Soaring Club's Youth Camp

I just came across this and absolutely had to share it. It captures the magic of flight - and sharing it with kids in particular - in spectacular fashion. Just a damn fine video all-around.

Caesar Creek Soaring Club is only a few miles (by air, of course) from Stewart. I've landed there numerous times myself, including on my first-ever Cub lesson. If you're interested in glider flying, they're a great place to check out!

The real risk of general aviation

A certain USA Today article has been making the rounds of the aviation corners of the interwebs this week. I'll be the first to admit that I haven't read it myself. However, the consensus seems to be that the author made many false accusations and misuses statistics in an impressive manner.

Thus, I was pleased to read a very different take on the matter this afternoon. Jeff Schweitzer put together a superb - if not slightly wordy - piece that dissects the USA Today article piece by piece. Whether you're a pilot or not (especially if you're not and/or you believed that other article, actually!) I'd highly recommend taking the time to read it. He nailed it.

Unfit for Publication: How USA Today Got Everything Wrong

USA Today splashed across its June 18, 2014, front page the breathless headline, "Unfit for Flight" to dramatize the deadly enterprise of flying general aviation aircraft (small airplanes). We learn in bold print there have been 45,000 deaths attributed to small aircraft and dozens of multimillion-dollar verdicts that reveal lies and coverups.

There is only one problem: Nearly every inference about aviation in the article is wrong. Let's put this in perspective statistically. If a private pilot flew 10 hours per week, 52 weeks per year, for 30 years, it would take over five lifetimes to be involved in a fatal accident.

Continue reading the full article here: http://huff.to/1pjtWlE

I like this guy

I think I'm gonna have to practice a little harder this year...

...because the TP bar has definitely been raised!

Bob Hoover + GoPros? 'Nuff Said!

Forever and always the pilot's pilot.

...and while I'm on the topic of really cool aviation videos, here's an impressive visualization:

A Cub's Impossible Turn

This is glorious...

...and full of some always-good lessons!

Adjusting my Weight & Balance - Month 7

Two years ago today, I married my wonderful bride. Gina still puts up with - and participates in, without too much chagrin - my love of flying. She's quite the keeper. Love you babe!

Two years ago today, I was married to another, much less positive data point - my weight. It was nearly 40 lbs more than my scale reported this morning. I'm happy to have left that behind.

I'm now down over 30 lbs since April and weigh <5 lbs more than my all-time low, which was back in the summer of 2005 when I interned in Texas. That summer, I basically did nothing but work out (and also was not yet a consumer of good beer and wine...) and came home in tip-top shape. The next seven years consisted of a gradual but steady increase until I got my ass back in gear this spring.

So it's been a success. I've even started running over the past month. And I hate running. Come to discover, however, that losing 40 lbs puts a bit less strain on your legs! Biking is mostly out of the equation for the next few months since it's dark by the time I get home from work. So that leaves running - which is surprisingly not a bad cardio option - for the time being.

I've achieved the goal of "an hour of fuel" in weight loss in multiple aircraft. I can honestly say I have now gained an hour's worth via increased payload in the Champ, Cub, and 150. Don't think I can - or should - lose another 10 lbs to add the 172 to the list, though!

There aren't too many other numbers to update since last month. I know my waist and body fat are slightly smaller/less but I honestly haven't measured them in a while. It's an extremely hectic month between work, homework, and travel/holidays so that will have to wait a little longer.

As for flying, the aforementioned full plate hasn't left much time for airplanes. Plus we've reached the annual few months of long nights and short days; unless I leave work early or take a vacation day, weekends are really the only time I can fly. So it might be a little while before I make it down to Stewart again. Still, I'm hoping to hit 300 hours by December 31st...

P.S. For those of you who like to pick nits, yes, I realize my all-time low was many, many years ago. But I'm just counting my adult life, not my hefty <6 lbs at birth. ;-)

Adjusting my Weight & Balance - Month 6

I've gained an hour of flight time! What the heck am I talking about? Well, I'm down nearly 30 lbs since April - and just over 35 lbs from last summer, my all-time high - and most planes I fly burn around 6 gallons (36 lbs) of 100LL per hour. That also means I'm quite close to my original target weight, which was 150 lbs.

Since my last update in August, I've maintained a decent workout schedule. I've also spent a ton of time in the backyard landscaping and moving stone; that burns plenty of calories, too! Since I've been making steady progress I have allowed myself a few unhealthy meals here and there. Overall, I'm still monitoring my calories daily and sticking to an intake that should result in losing about one pound per week.

Biking is still my exercise of choice. I've ridden 422 miles in 2013 - most recently, 82 in August, 77 in September, and 32 so far in October. Gina and I sometimes ride down to a little ice cream shop in Springboro (about 10 miles roundtrip) and I do plenty of high-intensity riding on my own for pure calorie-burning.

The results certainly speak for themselves - since April, I've:

• Lost 11.4% body fat
• Gained 6.5% muscle mass
• Lost 4.75" around my waist
• Lost 3" around my hips
• Lost 1.25" around my neck

Now, I'm certainly not complaining about any of that. In fact, I'm quite happy with it as you can probably imagine. But it does bear noting the one major drag of all this - essentially none of my clothes fit. I already had to buy a few new pairs of pants a few months ago and now those are definitely too big! Since I still hope to lose another 5-10 lbs (though I expect to gain some back as I build more muscle) I'm hoping I can hold off on any major purchases until everything stabilizes.

So that's where things stand today. Lots of great progress that I'm definitely proud of. Hitch is installed on the car but I still haven't purchased the bike rack - might wait until spring at this point. Feeling much healthier and less lethargic. And in serious need of going clothes shopping!

Adjusting My Weight & Balance - Month 4*

Since I last checked in, I've managed to lose another 6-8 lbs. We've taken a couple trips (camping, Napa) where I've allowed myself the luxury of not following a strict diet. Not that I've fallen off the horse or anything - but I think I've earned a few days' pause here and there.

I've been flirting with crossing the 160 lb threshold for about a week now. The aforementioned trip to Napa certainly didn't help. Hopefully I'll cross it - for good - in the next week or so. All the travel has also kept me from exercising as much as I'd like - sometimes there are simply things you have to do around the house when you're home!

I'm less than 10 lbs from my target weight, though I'm not unhappy where I'm at. At this point I need to start more strength exercises (though I will certainly continue the cardio on my bike!) to help gain more muscle mass. I think that'll be the final step towards reaching the ultimate goal.

I've been making relatively steady progress all year long!

Beyond counting the pounds, there has been some other measurable progress. My waist is about 3" less than April - which is quite obvious. I already had to buy new pants and now the new pants are getting too loose. Not complaining but, as you can imagine, I've been holding off on buying too many clothes until things stabilize! I'm also down 8-10% body fat in the same time period.

The hitch for the car should be delivered soon as well. With that in hand - and the bike rack I still need to buy - it'll be much easier to ride the other trails in the region. I'm looking forward to it!

*If we're counting from when I restarted this whole process, it's been about 4 months, so that's going to be the datum point from here on out.

Adjusting My Weight & Balance - Month 27

So, about that whole weight-loss plan I first wrote about back in 2011. Uhh, whoops? Needless to say, I win zero awards for blog posting follow-through.

Since then we've gotten married, traveled a bit, and I've certainly done plenty of flying. What I haven't done - at least until recently - is stick to much of a workout schedule. Hopefully this post is the (second) first of many. I certainly don't want to go 27 months between updates again! Oof.

On a much more positive note, I have made real progress this year. I'm down over 15 lbs since I wrote that post two years ago; I've actually lost over 10 lbs since mid-April! That means I have another 15 lbs to go to reach my ultimate goal - but it's not too far off.

I'm not using the gym much now that the weather's nice. Instead, I've been riding my bike a ton more. Since I started tracking my rides last summer with Endomondo (it's an awesome, free service - totally recommend it!) I've logged over 300 miles. I rode 58 miles in April and managed 74 miles in May despite an insanely hectic schedule.

I've always hated running (plus I'm flat-footed, so it's not very comfy) but I love a good bike ride. Our house is relatively close to the area's absolutely awesome trail system. It's just over 10 miles round-trip to/from the closest point on the trail. From there, I can ride almost anywhere, though I usually go 5-10 miles further towards the nearest towns. My next step is to get a hitch/bike rack for my car so I can hop on the trails at other points.

Beyond the exercise, the biggest thing that's helped me is tracking my food intake. It's so obvious, yet always seemed like it would be a pain in the ass. Turns out it's really not that bad. I've been using MyFitnessPal, which has both an app for my phone and a web interface. Just like with personal finance and budgeting, awareness truly is key. Recording what I eat and keeping it in front of me on a daily basis has absolutely made a difference. MFP is another free service I can't recommend highly enough.

So that's where things currently stand. I presume nobody cares too much, since I didn't get any crap for the lack of updates after that initial post, but maybe I underestimate my readers... ;-)

Another "why we fly" video

Because, really, why not? You just can't top seeing the joy of someone the first time they take the controls of an airplane!

h/t - Victoria (via Facebook)

Why we fly

No further description required! ;)

Can a sim pilot fly a perfect pattern on their first try?

I had to share this. An airline pilot and fellow blogger (and author of two of the greatest aviation threads in internet history, on Two Plus Two and FlyerTalk) recently took part in an interesting experiment. Long story short, he met a guy with a ton of flight simulator experience who wanted to see if that experience would translate to success in a real airplane. On his first attempt. Ever.

So Tyler (sim pilot) went flying with Steve (airline pilot, not me - he's also a CFI) out in Las Vegas this past November. I won't spoil their experiment here. However, I will say that it's a cool little tale - and lots of fun! Click through to read the introductory Part One on Steve's blog, and then follow up with the flight itself in Part Two.

And so it begins...

Looks like I've got a bit of studying to do!

Needless to say, it's about time I get started on this year's goals.

Classic video of Bob Hoover flying the F-86 Sabre

If you know anything about aviation, you know about Bob Hoover. He's the ultimate aviator, to say the least. You'd be hard-pressed to find a smoother performance in an F-86 than this one from 1961 at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. This was posted years ago but I just ran across it today and thought I should share.

On a related note, there's what looks to be an awesome documentary in the works about his life. The teaser trailer for The Bob Hoover Project was released last month and work remains ongoing. Needless to say, I can't wait for it to be released!

Well this was a bit ridiculous

One could say this is not the expected sequence of events during - and following - a peaceful flight in your glider on a nice, sunny afternoon. Understatement of the year? One could say...

Pilots returned, one by one, to Bermuda High Soaring in Jefferson, S.C. By about 5 p.m. on July 26, 2012, the lift had died and everyone had returned to the gliderport—everyone except Robin Fleming. No one remembered hearing from Fleming since 1:30 or 2 p.m., and Jayne Ewing Reid, co-owner and chief tow pilot of the glider club and commercial operation, was worried. 

She called pilots who lived in the region and asked them to try to contact Fleming on their handheld radios. She flew the club’s Piper Pawnee in the direction of Fleming’s last known radio call, but found no evidence of the missing glider or its pilot. 

“This is when you get that feeling that something’s not right,” she said. Fleming always called if he landed out. Worried that something had happened to Fleming, an avid glider pilot and instructor at Bermuda High, Jayne Ewing Reid and business partner Frank Reid decided to file a missing airplane report. Neither suspected that Fleming was in trouble with the law. 

Fleming, 70, had been arrested for breach of peace after flying his Rolladen-Schneider LS8-18 sailplane noiselessly over the H.B. Robinson Nuclear Generating Station at an altitude of 1,518 feet msl - by his estimates, about 1,000 feet over the power plant’s dome - on his way to search for lift at nearby Lake Robinson.

Read the full article at AOPA Online.

Merry Christmas!

I hope you and your families are having a wonderful holiday season. Gina and I have been enjoying a good, if hectic, month and are thankful for finally having a few days to settle down with our own family. Here's to a great Christmas and New Year for all of you.

And now, a little aviation-themed holiday tale...

T'was the night before Christmas, and out on the ramp,
Not an airplane was stirring, not even a Champ.
The aircraft were fastened to tie downs with care,
In hopes that -- come morning -- they all would be there.

The fuel trucks were nestled, all snug in their spots,
With gusts from two-forty at 39 knots.
I slumped at the fuel desk, now finally caught up,
And settled down comfortably, resting my butt.

When the radio lit up with noise and with chatter,
I turned up the scanner to see what was the matter.
A voice clearly heard over static and snow,
Called for clearance to land at the airport below.

He barked his transmission so lively and quick,
I'd have sworn that the call sign he used was "St. Nick."
I ran to the panel to turn up the lights,
The better to welcome this magical flight.

He called his position, no room for denial,
"St. Nicholas One, turnin' left onto final."
And what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a Rutan-built sleigh, with eight Rotax Reindeer!

With vectors to final, down the glideslope he came,
As he passed all fixes, he called them by name:
"Now Ringo! Now Tolga! Now Trini and Bacun!
On Comet! On Cupid!" What pills was he takin'?

While controllers were sittin', and scratchin' their heads,
They phoned to my office, and I heard it with dread,
The message they left was both urgent and dour:
"When Santa pulls in, have him please call the tower."

He landed like silk, with the sled runners sparking,
Then I heard, "Left at Charlie," and "Taxi to parking."
He slowed to a taxi, turned off of three-oh,
And stopped on the ramp with a "Ho, ho-ho-ho..."

He stepped out of the sleigh, but before he could talk,
I ran out to meet him with my best set of chocks.
His red helmet and goggles were covered with frost,
And his beard was all blackened from Reindeer exhaust.

His breath smelled like peppermint, gone slightly stale,
And he puffed on a pipe, but he didn't inhale.
His cheeks were all rosy and jiggled like jelly,
His boots were as black as a cropduster's belly.

He was chubby and plump, in his suit of bright red,
And he asked me to "fill it, with hundred low-lead."
He came dashing in from the snow-covered pump,
I knew he was anxious for drainin' the sump.

I spoke not a word, but went straight to my work,
And I filled up the sleigh, but I spilled like a jerk.
He came out of the restroom, and sighed in relief,
Then he picked up a phone for a Flight Service brief.

And I thought as he silently scribed in his log,
These reindeer could land in an eighth-mile fog.
He completed his pre-flight, from the front to the rear,
Then he put on his headset, and I heard him yell, "Clear!"

And laying a finger on his push-to-talk,
He called up the tower for clearance and squawk.
"Take taxiway Charlie, the southbound direction,
Turn right three-two-zero at pilot's discretion"

He sped down the runway, the best of the best,
"Your traffic's a Grumman, inbound from the west."
Then I heard him proclaim, as he climbed through the night,
"Merry Christmas to all! I have traffic in sight."

- Author Unknown

Merry Christmas, everyone!