I am too young to feel this old!

Doing an annual & engine change on a Cessna twin (414) is making me really wonder if I am in the right line of work anymore. At the tender young age of 61 getting into and out of the tight places ain't as easy as it used to be. I just don't fold up like I once did. ugh!

Oh well, I am grateful for the work! Seems a lot of folks don't have any, or are unwilling to do what there is to do. Maybe I am extreme, but perhaps we should place a total moratorium on any immigrant labor until all US citizens are employed in some form or the other. OK; that would mean some people may have to work the fields, packing plants and dig a few ditches. I did some of that, it did'nt kill me, and during the peach harvest in Grand Junction, picking peaches was a good way for a high school kid to pick up a good size wad of pocket cash before starting school! Worked for me!

In the meantime, I pull panels, seats, floorbords, get real grungy stripping down an engine for replacement and wishing I was 20 years younger (and 20 pounds lighter). This bird needs a lot of work. The onwer has the money, and I have the time.

Slowly getting Winston dialed in. As I said last post, I now have a working IFR GPS in the panel, now I need to re-learn how to do approaches with the dang thing. Getting from point A to point B is the easy part, figguring out how to access, input and fly a GPS instrument approach has been a challenge. I may still need to replace the fuel gauge senders, overhaul the Nose gear, Aquire a high effficiancy exhaust system and install an auxillury fuel tank. (Donations gratefully accepted). These plus a few other odds & ends and the old girl (12,800+ hours TTAF) will be ready for one last grand adventure.

Need to pick up a few more students. Have lots of work coming at me. I wish I could find a young eager "understudy" that I could teach the airplane business to. Not being blessed with children of my own, and no worthy heir, I feel a bit lost. Anyone out there wanting to adopt a "grandfather"?

Something new

Several new things here in Tehachapi.
1. "Winston" (our trusty Cessna 172) is getting used, and now has a working IFR GPS. In fact I just graduated a student who now has his instrument rating! One step closer to some more adventures flying.
2, I am now "credentialed" by the department of Homeland Security to instruct foreigne students! This is a new addition to the services oferd here at Mountain Hawk.
3. I am working on a new project, that is not aviation related so much.

About a week ago I watched a report on the flooding in Pakistan. It really got to me. The situation is pretty grim. Too much water, and none of it fit to even swim in, let alone drink, cook or maintain basic hygene. The disease factor due to this sea of contamination is horrific at best.

I recall in my USAF days, a simple "Solar Still" that was packed in aircrew survival kits, that could mak fresh water out of sea water. These were removed due to aging, but the concept came back to me.

What would it tke to make a simple, expendable solar water distillation device that could be either placed over a puddle or slow moving stream (or filled by a bucket), that could produce a couple of gallons a day out of even sewage? What would it be worth to the fatehr who could purify water so that his wife & children could get a safe drink, and cook their food without mud?

I have a few scetches, and an idea. I have no idea how much it could cost to develop and get into production. If there is anyone there that is interested to help, PLEASE contact me ASAP. It may be too little to late for this disaster, but who knows where or what the next one will be

Hot to Fly

Or perhaps too hot is a better description. A quick trip to Mojave for their monthly display day, and to play a bit with my new camera. The temps were over 100! the winds gusting up to 22 Kt. and the place was too quiet.

Oh well, the food is fairly good and those that do show up are pretty friendly. There were a couple of intersting homebuilts and a classic beech 18. Any donations and sales of goodies go to suppport the Mojave AIrpot musem, so it is for a good cause. they do a lot of work with the youth trying to get the interested in aerospace stuff.

Having a new camera is fun. I am trying to learn the world of digital photography. feel llike I betraying my old F-1 Cannon. Hopefully the photo results will be better once I learn all the tricks

Trona; HOT and windy!

Over the Memorial day weekend the fine folks a Trona Airport held a bit of an "Open House" and display day.

As it turned out, it was the first of it's kind there.

many moons ago I landed it trona and found it to be nearly dead. It seems some folks are trying to breath life back in the place, and I say more power to them!

We arrived on Monday AM, The flyer said Sunday & Monday, the 30th & 31st. But the big day was actually Saturday, when they gave rides to some kids and had a barbeque!

Why anyone would fly to Trona is a mystery, except the hospitality is fanastic! The people ther are real wing-nuts, and everyone was super freindly. The treated us to lunch cooked to order, and the hangar flying was the best I have enjoyed in years!

Getting there from KTSP meant shooting the dreaded "Trona gap", a narrow corridor between two restricted areas that are never "cold". and dealing with 85+ degree heat and sone pretty wicked winds. The runway at Trona is always a crosswind, and anything cooler than 80 is considerd freezing.

The place needs a bit of publicity so I offersd to set them up a blog site, you can find it at www.Trona-L72.blogspot.com Lee Phillips is the guy to contact.

Labor Day flying

On Memorial day weekend we did two flights, one to Catalina Island (KAVX) and one to "romantic" Trona (L72).

Flying to Catalina is always special. Not so much because of the overwater part, or the challenge of the odd runway. but rather,the bus ride to town and the great seafood!

A brief stop a Fullerton (KFUL) to pick up PAX (Brother-in-law & Girlfriend) and a quick check of W&B, I figured that with he fuel burned off on the way there from Tehachapi that I was about two pounds under gross! The box of chocolates smuggled aboard were not counted.

Wheels up, frequency change to Los alamitos and we were "feet wet" in ten minuets. I climbed to 4500' and aimed for Two Harbors, which is a good entry point as it sets you up for a good 45 to downwind, and everyone knows where you are when you report in. At this point the "horror stories" about landing at AVX start coming out. Ok lets check it out...

Landing on 22 will be Right Traffic. this puts the visual field in the hard to see side, and once you pass the touchdown zone (numbers) pretty much all the visual ques go out the window. The field is aver 1400' MSL on a plateau, and there are no over-runs, just drop offs at each end. You turn base and final over the water. The trick is to (1) get the altimeter setting off the AWOS, and once you pass the numbers, descend to 800' above runway elevation, then turn base, and descent to 500' above the runway. Now then, ignore what you think you see, and set yourself up on the numbers, cross checking the PAPI (if its working that day) and make a NORMAL "soft field" approach and landing. Ignore the illusion of the runway suddenly appearing very short, stay off the brakes, cuz your gonna crest the rise and discover another 2500' in front of you.

Once you are down and parked, proceed to the flight office upstairs and pay your landing fine, (er,, landing "fee") which at present is $25.00. You can also get your tram tickets to Avalon, which are also $25.00 per person. OK, the trip is setting us back $75.00 plus fuel etc. Now you see why we don't fly there every weekend.

The tram to Avalon is well worth the price and the ride is just short of an "E-ticket" experiance. The "road" is onlyone bus wide, with switchbacks that make you think the buss will have to tie itself in a knot to make the turns. The view is great, and with luck you may see some of the Buffalo the Island is famous for. (Which by the way they serve truly fantastic Buffalo Burgurs at the airport resturaunt).

Avalon is definatly a tourist trap of a village, but the food is always great, the there is generalysomething going on inthe summer. Jusp plan on dropping more than a few dollars. sort of re-defines the "$100.00 hamburger", If you make it the seafood combo, its $250.00+

Plane Crazy at Mojave and density altitude.

Once a month at Mojave "Spaceport" (KMHV) they have a day of static displays and events. Generaly the third Saturday, unless something comes upor the weather turns sour.
It is well worth attending, as there is always something interesting to see, people to meet and I have to say the resturant has improved greatly!
On the 30th there will be an airport day at Trona (L72) which I find interesting, as tghe last time I was at Trona, the place was dead as a dornail. Apperantly someone has put lif back into the place.

Summer is coming, and the issue of density altitude is once again a real thing. Some rules of thumb: deduct 5% of your horsepower for each 2000' either pressure or density altitude. For example, here at Tehachapi (KTSP) on a hot day, the density altitude can reach 7000'! This means that your non turbocharged engine is already down by 17 1/2 %, for a little Cessna 150, that means you have only 82 1/2 horsepower for take off, and that is if you lean it properly before you go.

Yes, at these conditions, it is a good idea to take the runway, go full power and then lean until you get either a RPM rise, or your EGT is close (maybe a tad higher) to where it normally is for a sea level take off with full rich.

And don't forget, the true airspeed will be higher, even though you are using the same indicated airspeeds. Airplanes are not to bright. All they know is true airspeed and density altitude. and you need to know them too, and you need to know how to deal with them, especially as t hings get hot.

A new quest!

What you see in the picture is poor ole "Winston", even before I touched up the paint a bit. A wee bit rough around the edges, but it has a good solid engine, and despite it's nearly 13,000 hours of flight experience, flies great!

A wise gentleman once said; "Some people make things happen, others watch things happen, and some wonder what happened". The past few years I feel that I have been in either the second or third category. Its time for a change. But I cannot do it alone. So I am crying out for help. The plan is ambitious to be sure. Perhaps even a bit "out there". No guts, no glory they say.... so.....
Lets fix up this critter and set a weird kind of record. A circumnavigation of the globe, but not laterally, but longitudinally. Yes.. a POLAR circumnavigation. That would defiantly qualify as an "Ultimate Off Road Adventure! One for the books!
I need sponsors, parts, avionics, flight handeling, diplomatic and airspace clearances and a support network, which means, money, and lots of it.
Anyone interested in helping, contact me. Lets set a record.

Back to work!

Spring has prung, well sort of, and between the cold snaps, rain and occasional snow, it has ben a time of work, gatting readyu for the summer flying and trying to keep the wolves from the door.

Two engine overhauls in the mill. and the usual annual inspections and customer stuff. After the long dry winter, it feels good to be busy.

Also need to work on "Winston" our faithful little Skyhawk. It does have to earn it's keep too, and suffers through no small number of student landings, poor engine management and training maneuvers. Also the IFR GPS died, and really needs replacing (any donations to a worthy cause gratefully accepted). As time and money permits I hope to upgrade a few things this summer.

Look for our next adventures. we are planning some flights from the highest to the lowest points in the USA, and trips to the coastal airports as well.

Folded wings

This has been a sad week, annother fellow aviatior and friend, his wings are forever folded. Scott Richmond, a pilot here at Tehachapi passed away Saturday the 13th. Truly tragic, as he was only 58, athletic and so very much full of life.

Pray for his family. All of us here who know him will deeply mis his friendship, zest for living and the happiness he always shared.

Weekly Report

Cold and snowy in tehachapi! Not much flying as Skyhawks are not set up for known icing.
Anyone flying into Tehachapi needs to be aware of the weather, as this place has it's own "micro climate" that is not always related to whats happening in either Bakersfield or Mojave. Some rules are:
1. Call the local AWOS number and get the current conditions. The phone number is (661) 823-0473. If flying in, dial up 120.025
2. Never assume runway 29 is in use.
3. Use your radio! CTAF is simple, 123.00 on your radio dial, and it could save a lot af grief, and maybe even a mid-air or two. (we have had some really close calls lately)
4. After you tie down look me up and say Hi!

Call me up for some mountain flying tips or my course sometime. It's a lot of fun, and you will get to see some really great country.