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Lynn Matteson
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan
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 Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 6:16 pm Post subject: Oshkosh Skiplane trip...off topic? |
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Trip to Oshkosh: Getting there
I left my home strip at about 8:30 AM, after having fueled up,
checked for secure caps, and pre-flight. I had attached a length of
SCAT hose to the right-side heater outlet by twist-on friction
only...didn't bother with a hose clamp, as this wasn't going to be a
permanent installation. Not 3 minutes into the flight, I felt good
heat coming from this hose, and decided to snake it over my console
and under my right leg so as to provide heat for my left foot which
had always become cold in previous flights. It didn't help much as
the "not permanent installation" became that...it had come off the
heater outlet, and there was no way to reattach in flight, so I
pulled it free and laid it on the seat. About 2 minutes after that,
the engine began to sputter...I was right over my flight instructors'
strip, and at about 1000' AGL, when I pulled on carb heat, gave a
twist of throttle, thinking of carb icing, then looked at the CLOSED
main fuel shutoff...my gyrations with the damned SCAT hose had caught
the fuel valve and pulled it closed. I opened it and the engine
caught, and I was flying under power again. The engine never did
stop, but was bitching about the amount of fuel it was getting and
with good reason. I thanked my lucky stars, and continued on. I
thought about circling my instructors' field, tossing out the hose,
and looking for it in the Spring, but I probably didn't need a door
opening incident at that time.
I had obtained the Chicago Terminal Area VFR Chart, and would use it
to follow the suggested route around the east side of Chicago,
keeping Lake Michigan on my right side. The ceiling was about 2500'
when I left, and got down to about 2000' the further west I went.
When I got near Michigan City Class D airspace, I radioed for
permission to cross their space at 1900' MSL, which they granted
after first asking me to ident on my transponder. By the time they
gave me permission, I was at 1600' because of the lower ceiling I was
getting into. I made it through ok, and shortly after, saw what WAS
Meigs Field...sad, stupid, day that was...my camera was in the wrong
place...about where John Denver's fuel valve was, and I didn't need
any more distractions at the time, so I took a mental picture and
continued on. I avoided a towered field to the north, and aimed left,
thinking I'd better land and de-coffee, and re-fuel, so I saw
Westosha (5K6), and figured that would do...the fuel symbol being the
key issue here.
I landed and taking what I thought was the right taxiway, found
myself on a dead-end street. I took a right turn across a snowy patch
of grass and parked near the pumps. Found nobody to man the pumps, so
I headed for the pilots lounge. Nobody inside, so I hung around for a
few minutes and a guy walked in, telling me that the fuel was for the
Flying Club's use only, and for the hangar renters. I was told that
Burlington (BUU) was just up the road, so I headed that way. Upon
taxiing out of Westosha, I saw that they had a turf strip covered in
snow, and thought I'd use that, since the wind was a toss-up. Turning
to back taxi down this strip, I got hung up on a ridge of snow left
by the snowplow. Power wouldn't get me off this ridge, so I got out
and pulled the plane back onto the main runway, after first
apologizing via radio to the guy who was sitting at the end of the
runway patiently waiting for this stupid rookie to get his plane the
hell off his field. He was nice and offered help, but I got it going
again and taxied down to where he was and eventually followed him
out. I got to Burlington, fueled up (after a fashion) and made my
required phone call to Pioneer Field to obtain the runway in use and
last minute instructions for landing there. When I say "after a
fashion" it was due to me not being familiar with the operation of
the pump, and it timed out on me. The next attempt was smoother and I
got my fuel and all was well...except for the worry that this pump
was going to dun my credit card for two shots at the $300 that they
hit your card with if you select "fill up" as the option. They
apparently immediately charge you $300 if you select fill up, then
reimburse you a few days later if you don't use up $300 worth of
fuel..."hey machine, I'm flying a Kitfox for God's sake!" ....oh
well, I'll sort that one out later. I left BUU and headed north, only
to run into snow about 1 mile out, and promptly returned to the field
for a 20 minute wait, then headed out again.
When I had made my requisite call to Pioneer Field, I told them I was
about an hour away, and how long was the event to last? About 2 more
hours. I followed the emailed diagrams and printed word descriptions
about dealing with the landing at Pioneer Field to the letter (a bit
more about those later on), and landed at the Mecca of Homebuilts
without incident...I was finally at Oshkosh via air....3 wheels and
skis, as opposed to 6 wheels on a motorhome. I got out and saw there
were only 3 other planes there, as the others had arrived way earlier
and had left. In retrospect, I could have landed on wheels as the
traffic had pretty much beat down the snow to a hardened pack. It was
still loose where I parked though, and my tennis shoes (yeah, I
forgot the B-17 boots that I should have had) didn't cut it in the
drifted snow. I went in, got some soup, and proceeded to relax. A guy
came up to me and asked if I was from Michigan, and I asked how he
knew. He said he met me back at Napoleon Field (3NP) when he flew his
Funk into there. He said that was when my plane was brand-new and I
had just got my solo done. He had been in Chicago on business, and he
drove up to Oshkosh for the day.
Someone mentioned that if I was going to spend the night, that I'd
better get an engine heater, or a heating service for the next
morning as it was going to be single digits overnight. I was told
that I could get this service at Basler or Orion on Wittman Field,
and that I would need to contact the tower prior to leaving Pioneer
Field for instructions on landing at OSH. I am still not an "endorsed
radio operator" but I'd testosteroned my way this far so what the
hell...I called and got the tower to lead me by the hand to a right-
hander onto 27 at Wittman Field, and taxi instructions to the Hilton.
In the HIlton I called Orion, and they didn't have warm-up service,
but they did have a nice warm hangar for $50 for the night and my
'fox would be safe alongside a Citation or some other big bird, so I
took it. Back down the entire length of taxiway Alpha, the little
"shopping cart" wheels on my skis revving up way beyond their red
lines, and my plane was soon safe from the ravages of a Wisconsin
night....and it was Budweiser time.
Next: the trip back...the long way around
Lynn
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_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM |
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Michel
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 966
Location: Norway
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| Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 1:47 pm Post subject: Oshkosh Skiplane trip...off topic? |
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On Jan 31, 2007, at 3:18 AM, Lynn Matteson wrote:
| Quote: | ..my gyrations with the damned SCAT hose had caught the fuel valve and
pulled it closed.
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Wow! Scary stuff, Lynn!
Michel
do not archive
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