What did you fly this week

[DarkHelmet]

30 minutes in a quick flip from Klip to Blockhouse, bass lake and back!!! She is smoother than a baby's bottom!

[Junkie]

and its still k@k

getting square eyes staring at the screen. I think its ttime to neg. with the important half on buying me a kit to build or sumthin during the rainy season

[Cloud Warrior]

Got in 20 minutes dual and 30 mintues solo today at Saldanha before the wind picked up and it got nasty. Looks like I just might get to go to Vredendal in my own aerie!!!

[DarkHelmet]

2 hrs this morning, 1hr 20 minutes this afternoon! Thanks to demon for telling me that the windsock is not the master of destiny! Getting up at 04:15 again to pick up my office crew to take em flipping around the south!

SOOOO Nice to be back in the saddle!

[Morph]

07h00: Looked out the window this morning and it looked fine. snuggled in behind the wife for a few minutes for a cuddle. (this is Cape Town, the sun comes up later than the rest of the country :D
07h30 Heard the distinctive sound of precipitation on the roof.
08h00 Looked out again towards the airfield, blueskies, and some cloud.
Jumped in the car, Cloud and some blue skies
drove halfway there, cloud and f@#$all blueskies
Didn't even get there, RAIN
No airtime for 2 weeks now

[DarkHelmet]

Another 2 hours of flipping people around klippies! I am SO glad to be back in the air!

[Fairy Flycatcher]

Another 2 hours of flipping people around klippies! I am SO glad to be back in the air!

This morning the North wind was blowing about 10kt on the ground. It is an offshore wind, and when it blows, it is usually an indication that there is a cold front on the way. I decided to go fly before it gets really bad, reasoning that it should be OK so early in the morning, as the turbulence will only be only mechanical, and not yet thermic. Took off at about 08:30. Climbed like a bat out of hell . Rocking and rolling. Just a bit more height will be OK. Head for the coast. Maybe it is on-shore there. Realised the wind was blowing a bit more upstairs than I though, when I pointed at Ballito to drift in the direction of Durban . Descending at the coast, bad rotot turbulence at the dunes made me realise that the off-shore is still blowing. Climbed to 1200' to return to La Mercy. Not going forward. Looking at dogs on the beach overtaking me. People strolling overtaking me. Wondering what the burn rate of fuel is at full power, elbows over the bar to make headway. Rock and roll descending through 700'. Windsock now clearly showing 15-20kt, whipping through 90degrees plus directional changes. 250 m down the runway before I could line up for touch down.

"Light N becoming moderate NE" *&#$&!! Weather office




Nice to see you enjoyed some good flying though, DH. :D :D Seems the rest of the country's gone haywire. Any chance I can borrow your plane on Tuesday when I'm up there to get some flying in myself??

[velocity]

Could not pass up the opportunity yesterday to do a couple of jumps @ Brits from AeroComp's Turbine CompAir - fantastic machine. Saw a couple of other familiar looking planes there as well....





More pics @ http://photobucket.com/albums/a129/aerialfx/AeroComp/

Blue Skies

[krusty]

Was that Dirty Harry's Mooney you flew in? He sure can fly that plane :D

demon, affirm on that. He knows that plane backwards and sure can fly it... even if we did experience turbulence from hell

I managed to cut my head on the roof and he has bruises on both legs from the yoke....ouch!!!!!

[Bacardi]

.

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Could not pass up the opportunity yesterday to do a couple of jumps @ Brits from AeroComp's Turbine CompAir - fantastic machine. Saw a couple of other familiar looking planes there as well....
Blue Skies

This one is top of the wishlist.

[Wart]

Went up to Cato on Sunday morning to be greated by a strong (??knts) NE. Went up to experience the effects of wind on turning and keeping a track. Ended up flying sideways
Wind seemed to get worse higher up! Turned back to do low level passes over the field and hit some "rock and roll" over the N3. Very good experience in letting the wing fly itself with only minor adjustments when it threatened to get out of control!
Did one low level pass and when turning final on the second got tossed around like a leaf! Instructor took over and put us down; his comment "I have now earned my salary for the last 6 months"!
Had a great time and all I can say is that I have learnt to embrace turbulance and respect it.

[ACE]

Hi Wart,

I don't imagine that you had much fun on your last flight but this is very good experience for you at this early stage in your training. It'll stand you in good stead later.

Regards, & keep it up.

[Wart]

Ace

I have always had respect for turbulance and rough weather when flying but it has never put fear into me. Even on comm flights internationally, I have actually enjoyed the turbulance side of flying (landed in Miami once in the middle of a hurricane!). My instructor obviously knows and understands my limitations at this stage and as such left me in control until the vital point of putting us safely back on the ground.

Great experience but I couldn't find out which lessons this is covered in under the MPL? Must be up there at thje 50'somethings? :D

[Morph]

Sunday morning and again all looked well :D
Jumped into the car and raced across to the airfield only to discover a moderate easterly, 90deg across the runway . I could have taken off but there is a lot of rotor tubulance from the hangars on the eastern side of the field.
Stood around and chatted while one of the very experienced guys did a preflight and took off.
30 minutes later the wind turned northerly and dropped. Out came the plane, preflight, fuel :D
Wait whats that, the breeze is now a bit stronger, clouds gathering, wind now fresh northwesterly. Pack up the plane and go home.

It seems most people had a bad weekend for flying. Oh well managed to lay out my front garden instead and install an intercom system in the gate and.......