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John Bickham
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 170
Location: St. Francisville, LA
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 Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 9:54 am Post subject: John B back from Great Adventure Thursday! |
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I think I let everyone know that I made it home, but just in case....
Made it home after 16 great days. Landed Nauga Field about 3:30 pm on Thursday. We would have been home sooner but John H and I waited for more favorable weather. We tucked in behind a front and followed it all the way. John H caught up to it in Missouri and should be getting home this afternoon. I had tailwinds all the way!
Can't put into words how much fun I had and the great folks I had the pleasure of spending time with. Too many to thank right now and I don't want to insult anyone by leaving them out.
Trip Stats:
Total Trip Miles = 4569 sm
Moving average speed = 79.5 mph
Total average speed = 76.8 mph
Fuel used = 258.5 gallons
Avg Fuel burn = 4.24 GPH
Total Tach time = 61.0 hours
Lowest price for 100LL was at SWI (at) $2.75
Highest price for 100LL was at GUP (at) $4.45
Just a few things I learned:
1) You can read, talk, and type about flying at altitude, but until you've nursed a plane off a high, hot runway, you haven't got a clue!
2) The extra 20 hp of the 912S is a great advantage flying at the high altitudes and it shows up quickly in these conditions. I have the 912UL (80hp).
3) I thought I had prepared myself for high wind conditions prior to the flight. What I did was good but not enough. Need to add tailwind landings to the prep list. Waiting on light winds would leave you stranded for months out west.
4) Winds in some places out west change speed and/or direction in an instant. You have to be on your toes when close to the ground.
5) There are almost unlimited places of natural beauty and wonderful people spread out across this great nation. Take ten lifetimes to see and meet them all.
6) Larry C needs a new "calibrated" wind meter! 
7) I had more fun than I deserve!
I've got chores to catch up on having been gone so long. I have a few good pics (nothing of the quality of Mike M's). When I get time, I'll figure out a way to share those for those that are interested. I'm want to look at putting them on Google Maps along our route. That would put them in sequence and at the proper location. I'll let you know. Stay tuned!
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Thanks too much,
John Bickham
Mark III-C w/ 912UL
St. Francisville, LA
I know many pilots and a few true aviators. There is a distinct difference that I have the greatest respect for. |
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JetPilot
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1246
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| Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 12:20 pm Post subject: Re: John B back from Great Adventure Thursday! |
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I really enjoyed reading your Blog John, even though it was short the pictures were great and I checked your progress every day. A trip like that looks like more fun than any super expensive vacation that anyone could ever take. I hope to do the same one day ! Thanks for posting and letting us share in your adventure.
Mike
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"NO FEAR" - If you have no fear you did not go as fast as you could have !!!
Kolb MK-III Xtra, 912-S |
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lucien
Joined: 03 Jun 2007
Posts: 721
Location: santa fe, NM
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| Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 7:11 am Post subject: Re: John B back from Great Adventure Thursday! |
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| John Bickham wrote: |
Just a few things I learned:
1) You can read, talk, and type about flying at altitude, but until you've nursed a plane off a high, hot runway, you haven't got a clue!
2) The extra 20 hp of the 912S is a great advantage flying at the high altitudes and it shows up quickly in these conditions. I have the 912UL (80hp).
3) I thought I had prepared myself for high wind conditions prior to the flight. What I did was good but not enough. Need to add tailwind landings to the prep list. Waiting on light winds would leave you stranded for months out west.
4) Winds in some places out west change speed and/or direction in an instant. You have to be on your toes when close to the ground.
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Just FWIW, now that I live out in the wild west I'm starting to get a general idea of the meteorology here,
The winds aren't hideous all the time if you can believe it. Spring and summer are the very worst seasons for wind and convective activity pretty much everywhere but especially in the south and southwest.
In fact, even when I lived in TX, the flying season ended in spring rather than started, at least for more cautious with the equipment folks like me. Basically end of Feb through end of Aug I pretty much just try to find different hobbies and get the routine maint. done on the plane.
Come sept. I start planning and taking trips again as the plane had been maintained to within an inch of its life by then and it's all ready to go.
Never figured out why all the neat flyins were scheduled in the spring where the weather is the worst?
As for the southwest, fall and winter are best times to fly as there's lots of superb weather, even here in the southern Rockies. Got to bundle up and get out the tape for the radiators tho.
Hopefully Dennis and I will get to do some of our planned trips later in the summer as things start to calm down some.
Also hopefully I'll get my vacation act together so we can make MV next year, spring weather be damned......
Just some musings worth what ya paid for it,
LS
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LS
Titan II SS |
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