Working as vendor is a double-edged sword. On one hand I do get to meet some really cool cats with some great stories. I also get to play a role as somewhat of an authority on flying (“Wow, you fly that?” Why yes, yes I do.) At the same time, sometimes I guess I wouldn’t mind just being a spectator.
The show was barely enjoyable for me based solely on the account of the weather for the weekend. It was hot, and humid enough for me to sweat in areas I didn’t know were anatomically possible. It felt like the sun was mere inches from my face at all times regardless of where I tried to seek refuge. Somehow I managed to escape without the traditional third-degree sunburn.
At the end of Sunday’s festivities there was a whole lot of hurry-up-and-wait going on. We had two airplanes (Cessna 172SP and the D(!)) that we couldn’t move until a fence came down. The show was over by 4 and we were told 6pm would be the earliest time we could move our stuff. I seized the opportunity.
Now, I don’t condone breaking rules. I don’t condone doing anything stupid at an airport. However, I am a big proponent of taking the occasional risk if opportunity waits on the other side. In this case “the other side” is quite literal in that I was eyeballing the performers hangar stocked with Tucker’s Wolfpitts, and Goulian’s Extra. Of course, several armed members of the Army prevented the General Public from accessing this illustrious spot of airport real estate. But, wait…I’m not general public! I’m a pilot. I’ve met each of those guys before. I belong over there.
I turned to our crew and announced that I was going to go do something stupid. I walked up to the guards, pretended I knew what the heck I was doing and meandered right on through to the hangar. No fuss, no muss. Next thing ya know I’m hanging out by Goulian’s Extra with David Kicklighter his ferry pilot and crew chief. Mike was there too but preoccupied with some official business. I asked Kicklighter point blank “how do I get into the airshow business.” His answer was profound with its simplicity. He knew I’m flying the D. His only real comment: “keep doing exactly what you’re doing. Get as much tailwheel experience you can and keep meeting as many people as you can.”
Well that felt pretty good.
Next up, I should be back in the saddle of the D again this week as long as the thunderstorms stop timing their arrival to coincide perfectly with my departure. I would say at this point that there is a 0% chance that I won’t be an airshow pilot.
Disclaimer: I didnt really break any rules or laws. I had been through the restricted area many time over the weekend but always in a group of people as we had to take care of some business with the Air Gaurd. As a spectator I would never cross any lines without authorization and neither should you!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
A Poem.
Twas the night before airshow
And all through the field
Every creature was stirring
With what tomorrow could yield
The plane had been down
For quite the long time
But now the repair was approaching
The end of the line
The engine was hung
The prop put in place
Fuel lines hooked up
Bolts turned in good haste
With a flick of the switch
And a yell to stay clear
The prop started turning
And I let out a big cheer
She is alive once more
The wait is now done
I can fly all day
So let's have some fun.
Can you tell I'm pretty happy? I resorted to iambic pentameter. Airplane is working. Back together. Alive and well. Woot.
And all through the field
Every creature was stirring
With what tomorrow could yield
The plane had been down
For quite the long time
But now the repair was approaching
The end of the line
The engine was hung
The prop put in place
Fuel lines hooked up
Bolts turned in good haste
With a flick of the switch
And a yell to stay clear
The prop started turning
And I let out a big cheer
She is alive once more
The wait is now done
I can fly all day
So let's have some fun.
Can you tell I'm pretty happy? I resorted to iambic pentameter. Airplane is working. Back together. Alive and well. Woot.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
A Hopeful Phoenix
We’re almost there folks. The engine has been rehung on the airplane and all the hoses and wires are connected. It has been over a month since I last flew the Decathlon and tomorrow could find me back in the air…with some style to boot.
Brian Shippee is one of the A&P’s over at PT Aero. He promised to have the D up by the airshow and it looks like its going to happen. The morning began with the engine and the airplane still separated. By the end of the day very little remained to be done. Prop, oil, fuel, electricity, it was all there.
Watching someone work on an airplane is like watching an artist paint a portrait. I see chunks of metal and wires. He sees a solution. Of course at the very end of the day there was a mad scramble to find 8 of the right size spark plugs. We joined forces. We found 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 REM40E spahk plugs.
Oh, and here is the whole reason this mess happened in the first place. Guilty as charged, the camshaft has some rather eroded lobes and it just wasn’t a good idea to have this spindly looking thing up in the engine.
So the big day is tomorrow. The only thing really left to do is fire it up and see what happens. If all goes well I will ferry the airplane down to Quonset Point for the 20th annual Rhode Island National Guard Airshow. I’m not flying in the airshow of course, the D is just going to be on display at the Horizon Aviation tent. Still, taxing in between Thunderbirds, F-18’s and Sean D. Tucker is one hell of a good way to spend a Friday.
Brian Shippee is one of the A&P’s over at PT Aero. He promised to have the D up by the airshow and it looks like its going to happen. The morning began with the engine and the airplane still separated. By the end of the day very little remained to be done. Prop, oil, fuel, electricity, it was all there.
Watching someone work on an airplane is like watching an artist paint a portrait. I see chunks of metal and wires. He sees a solution. Of course at the very end of the day there was a mad scramble to find 8 of the right size spark plugs. We joined forces. We found 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 REM40E spahk plugs.
Oh, and here is the whole reason this mess happened in the first place. Guilty as charged, the camshaft has some rather eroded lobes and it just wasn’t a good idea to have this spindly looking thing up in the engine.
So the big day is tomorrow. The only thing really left to do is fire it up and see what happens. If all goes well I will ferry the airplane down to Quonset Point for the 20th annual Rhode Island National Guard Airshow. I’m not flying in the airshow of course, the D is just going to be on display at the Horizon Aviation tent. Still, taxing in between Thunderbirds, F-18’s and Sean D. Tucker is one hell of a good way to spend a Friday.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Juxtaposed
In Jersey City, NJ watching the Red Bull Air Race. Our view is tremendous. We are 26 floors up in our own little perch, watching all the events pan out below.
We took dinner in down in Greenwich Village. Years ago, when I was surrounded by guitar amplifiers and drumsets instead of propellers and parachutes, the Village was mecca. I read books about Dylan, Hendrix, and anyone else that at some point set one foot on these streets on their way towards immortality. I built all these people up to be Gods. Flying hasn’t turned me off from their music but it has brought them down a peg or two.
Sitting on St. Marks, I’m watching people scroll past my window. It’s amazing. Every single person it seems, has spent years leading up to today deciding what image they want to portray. That guy is wearing all black; that girl is wearing a tutu, leather jacket, and feathers; those folks over there clearly worship The Ramones. Its cool. I get it. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t the same way quite often. In places like this your identity revolves largely around the image that you portray. You can back this up with clichéd arguments about expressing oneself…the “this is who I really am” speech. I’ve heard it a thousand times and after hearing it so often, I stopped believing it. It’s not who you are, its who you want to be. Strangely enough, this relates straight back to flying for me.
The airplane doesn’t care who you want to be, only who you are. It doesn’t care what you look like, what you are wearing, what your name is, what brand sunglasses you have on, what gender you are, what age you are, how many friends you have, what your GPA was, whether you have car, an iphone, or an ipad. It doesn’t matter if you’re married, single, gay, straight, loved, hated, missed, or worshipped. The only thing the airplane cares about, the only thing that matters at that given second when you are in the air is whether or not you can do it. Can you pull this turn through? Can you make this landing? Can you shoot this instrument approach? The airplane, even though we build them up giving them names and souls will only be a machine at the end of the day. It doesn’t know you nor does it care to know you. It just wants to know whether or not you can do it.
In this corner: Brutal honesty resulting in life or death. And in this corner: Ed Hardy t-shirts selling for $100. I’ll take the former.
We took dinner in down in Greenwich Village. Years ago, when I was surrounded by guitar amplifiers and drumsets instead of propellers and parachutes, the Village was mecca. I read books about Dylan, Hendrix, and anyone else that at some point set one foot on these streets on their way towards immortality. I built all these people up to be Gods. Flying hasn’t turned me off from their music but it has brought them down a peg or two.
Sitting on St. Marks, I’m watching people scroll past my window. It’s amazing. Every single person it seems, has spent years leading up to today deciding what image they want to portray. That guy is wearing all black; that girl is wearing a tutu, leather jacket, and feathers; those folks over there clearly worship The Ramones. Its cool. I get it. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t the same way quite often. In places like this your identity revolves largely around the image that you portray. You can back this up with clichéd arguments about expressing oneself…the “this is who I really am” speech. I’ve heard it a thousand times and after hearing it so often, I stopped believing it. It’s not who you are, its who you want to be. Strangely enough, this relates straight back to flying for me.
The airplane doesn’t care who you want to be, only who you are. It doesn’t care what you look like, what you are wearing, what your name is, what brand sunglasses you have on, what gender you are, what age you are, how many friends you have, what your GPA was, whether you have car, an iphone, or an ipad. It doesn’t matter if you’re married, single, gay, straight, loved, hated, missed, or worshipped. The only thing the airplane cares about, the only thing that matters at that given second when you are in the air is whether or not you can do it. Can you pull this turn through? Can you make this landing? Can you shoot this instrument approach? The airplane, even though we build them up giving them names and souls will only be a machine at the end of the day. It doesn’t know you nor does it care to know you. It just wants to know whether or not you can do it.
In this corner: Brutal honesty resulting in life or death. And in this corner: Ed Hardy t-shirts selling for $100. I’ll take the former.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
IwantIwantIwantIwantIwantIwant
The past two days have felt like marathon work days followed by marathon personal work nights. I’ve been pouring over my budget and trying to find a good balance between what I need, what I want, and what I can do.
The must haves: I need to fly and I need to compete. Anything else I do or buy is really just extra. If I don’t fly…what the heck is the point of this website? I know I have said that I am getting pessimistic about competing in July but I’m not counting myself out just yet. No, I haven’t flown in awhile. No, I haven’t flown all the figures. I still cant justify taking money away from that contest before I know for a fact whether or not I’m competing or not. So, Vermont in July and New Jersey in August. Each contest will most likely cost $1000 to attend (airplane, lodging, registration, food.) Before I can compete there is plenty of practicing to be done, as much as I can possibly afford but still have enough cash on hand to compete.
Did I mention I’m doing this on a cash basis? No credit cards.
What I want is better video capability and editing capability. That means at minimum a new computer to replace my antique Mac Powerbook. (which I love…don’t electrocute me while typing this. We cool? We cool? K, cool) New iMac = $1200. New Mac Mini = $700 when you factor in the extra stuff you have to buy along with it. The added ability and power of the iMac really tips the balance, especially when you start looking at the refurbished units that Apple has on their site. (just checked, 21 inch iMac 3.06ghz processor, 4gb of ram only $999….crap…I need to buy that)
Of course now we arrive at the "what I can do list." I can’t spend $1000 on a computer right now. I could, but then I couldn’t compete. So…that would be stupid and pointless. Immediately gratifying and then ultimately horribly regretful. The computer will have to come after the competition season is over. A camera could still git-r-done in the meantime. In a possibly creative and brilliant thought on the part of James Jones, an iPod touch could possibly get me inflight audio recording (I already have the video camera with the vholdr), and a camera at the same time. Hmmmmmmmmm. And I could finally join the 21st century.
Competition is king at the moment.
The must haves: I need to fly and I need to compete. Anything else I do or buy is really just extra. If I don’t fly…what the heck is the point of this website? I know I have said that I am getting pessimistic about competing in July but I’m not counting myself out just yet. No, I haven’t flown in awhile. No, I haven’t flown all the figures. I still cant justify taking money away from that contest before I know for a fact whether or not I’m competing or not. So, Vermont in July and New Jersey in August. Each contest will most likely cost $1000 to attend (airplane, lodging, registration, food.) Before I can compete there is plenty of practicing to be done, as much as I can possibly afford but still have enough cash on hand to compete.
Did I mention I’m doing this on a cash basis? No credit cards.
What I want is better video capability and editing capability. That means at minimum a new computer to replace my antique Mac Powerbook. (which I love…don’t electrocute me while typing this. We cool? We cool? K, cool) New iMac = $1200. New Mac Mini = $700 when you factor in the extra stuff you have to buy along with it. The added ability and power of the iMac really tips the balance, especially when you start looking at the refurbished units that Apple has on their site. (just checked, 21 inch iMac 3.06ghz processor, 4gb of ram only $999….crap…I need to buy that)
Of course now we arrive at the "what I can do list." I can’t spend $1000 on a computer right now. I could, but then I couldn’t compete. So…that would be stupid and pointless. Immediately gratifying and then ultimately horribly regretful. The computer will have to come after the competition season is over. A camera could still git-r-done in the meantime. In a possibly creative and brilliant thought on the part of James Jones, an iPod touch could possibly get me inflight audio recording (I already have the video camera with the vholdr), and a camera at the same time. Hmmmmmmmmm. And I could finally join the 21st century.
Competition is king at the moment.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Okay, maybe Osh afterall
Okay so maybe I will go to Osh. I’m getting more and more pessimistic about the July Vermont contest. I haven’t flown in weeks and I have only a few weeks more to go. I’ll still be headed up to VT regardless, even if I am just volunteering.
With one less contest on the Horizon I’ve got some cash that has been opened up. I decided to put a chunk into www.invertedjourney.com…the actual site. It should be up pretty soon, at least an early embryonic version of it.
My attention is also turned to upgrading my computing capability. I’m currently running a Mac Powerbook….they don’t even make these anymore! It is several years old and still gets 85% of the job done but that last 15% is pretty important. Namely video editing. I want this to be more of a vlog than a blog so I need the capability. I may pick up a second videocamera to get a second angle on my flights. Am I hemorrhaging cash? Yes and at a fairly steady rate. I consider this all an investment, at least that is what I tell myself so that I don’t wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat.
Logo, email, video, photo……all coming soon.
Oh crap…flights. That’s right. I still have to fly! With all this downtime and planning the site and moving money around it gets really easy to forget that without the flying side of things I might as well be selling tangerines or toothpicks or some equally arbitrary item. (No offense to the tangerine and toothpick population.) I’m not really selling anything I suppose. I’m not for sale.
I had a great injection of “good” this weekend. I went up to Nashua, NH to volunteer at a Young Eagles event. Young Eagles is a national program sponsored by EAA that introduces kids between the ages of 8 – 17 to flying. Imagine being a kid and going to the airport and getting a ride in an airplane for free? Had I known about this when I was a kid I would have been frothing at the mouth over it. We flew 36 kids before the rain arrived. 36 kids flew in an airplane for the first time. That, in a way, is the entire reason I want to fly airshows. Its not about ego or being a mini celebrity. When I was a kid I saw an airplane and I started dreaming about flying. It enveloped me completely. It all started at an airshow. If I can spark that flame in someone else, consider my job done. The Young Eagles rally was a taste of that and I plan on making that a regular part of my being.
With one less contest on the Horizon I’ve got some cash that has been opened up. I decided to put a chunk into www.invertedjourney.com…the actual site. It should be up pretty soon, at least an early embryonic version of it.
My attention is also turned to upgrading my computing capability. I’m currently running a Mac Powerbook….they don’t even make these anymore! It is several years old and still gets 85% of the job done but that last 15% is pretty important. Namely video editing. I want this to be more of a vlog than a blog so I need the capability. I may pick up a second videocamera to get a second angle on my flights. Am I hemorrhaging cash? Yes and at a fairly steady rate. I consider this all an investment, at least that is what I tell myself so that I don’t wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat.
Logo, email, video, photo……all coming soon.
Oh crap…flights. That’s right. I still have to fly! With all this downtime and planning the site and moving money around it gets really easy to forget that without the flying side of things I might as well be selling tangerines or toothpicks or some equally arbitrary item. (No offense to the tangerine and toothpick population.) I’m not really selling anything I suppose. I’m not for sale.
I had a great injection of “good” this weekend. I went up to Nashua, NH to volunteer at a Young Eagles event. Young Eagles is a national program sponsored by EAA that introduces kids between the ages of 8 – 17 to flying. Imagine being a kid and going to the airport and getting a ride in an airplane for free? Had I known about this when I was a kid I would have been frothing at the mouth over it. We flew 36 kids before the rain arrived. 36 kids flew in an airplane for the first time. That, in a way, is the entire reason I want to fly airshows. Its not about ego or being a mini celebrity. When I was a kid I saw an airplane and I started dreaming about flying. It enveloped me completely. It all started at an airshow. If I can spark that flame in someone else, consider my job done. The Young Eagles rally was a taste of that and I plan on making that a regular part of my being.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Hurry up and wait.
The new camshaft arrived today. A part that expensive should come in through the delivery with trumpets blairing, doves circling, and an official decree from a local politician. Instead it was just the UPS guy asking for a signature. Now we get to hurry up and wait for the engine to be reassembled, installed, and run.
In the meantime, I’ve taken some time to update all the plans for the summer contests. I’ve decided to forego my annual pilgrimage to Osh, spending the money instead on flying and practicing. I’m also putting some dollars into developing Inverted Journey as an actual website instead of a blogger site. Blogger has served me well but having IJ up in its own independent incarnation lends itself to credibility…and I can make it look…better. Do I know the first thing about web design? Surely you jest. I’m lucky that I can navigate through the latest facebook settings. I know some folks that are heavily involved in professional web development so I am tapping their resources. I didn’t pull the “hey can you build me a website?” This is something I am paying for and am happy to do so. The cost of the website will be the equivalent of several hours worth of flying, but I consider an investment.
Not to sound whiney, but I cant overstate what a heartbreak it is not going to Osh. Though in whining about this I cant help but hear the mom from “A Christmas Story” saying “There are starving people in China and you’re complaining that you’re not going on a trip?!?! Booo hooooooooo.” I’m still going to debate myself daily about whether or not I could still go, but I have to announce to the trip crew that I’m not going…making it official. Wish me luck in this endeavor…I may fail.
Yesterday I had a chance encounter with Pat Peters….retired USAF Test Pilot School Instructor from Edwards Air Force. Just so you know, Edwards is the epicenter of all things incredible that happen in research and development in aviation…always has been and always will be. Originally and lovingly called Muroc after Mr. Corum who originally owned the land, Edwards has seen the development of supersonic flight in the 40’s, the U-2, SR-71, all the x-plane programs in the 60’s, stealth technology and who knows what else. It is the epicenter, and Mr. Peters was at the center of the epicenter. Needless to say, this guy was cool. You never know who you’re going to meet hanging around the airport.
In the meantime, I’ve taken some time to update all the plans for the summer contests. I’ve decided to forego my annual pilgrimage to Osh, spending the money instead on flying and practicing. I’m also putting some dollars into developing Inverted Journey as an actual website instead of a blogger site. Blogger has served me well but having IJ up in its own independent incarnation lends itself to credibility…and I can make it look…better. Do I know the first thing about web design? Surely you jest. I’m lucky that I can navigate through the latest facebook settings. I know some folks that are heavily involved in professional web development so I am tapping their resources. I didn’t pull the “hey can you build me a website?” This is something I am paying for and am happy to do so. The cost of the website will be the equivalent of several hours worth of flying, but I consider an investment.
Not to sound whiney, but I cant overstate what a heartbreak it is not going to Osh. Though in whining about this I cant help but hear the mom from “A Christmas Story” saying “There are starving people in China and you’re complaining that you’re not going on a trip?!?! Booo hooooooooo.” I’m still going to debate myself daily about whether or not I could still go, but I have to announce to the trip crew that I’m not going…making it official. Wish me luck in this endeavor…I may fail.
Yesterday I had a chance encounter with Pat Peters….retired USAF Test Pilot School Instructor from Edwards Air Force. Just so you know, Edwards is the epicenter of all things incredible that happen in research and development in aviation…always has been and always will be. Originally and lovingly called Muroc after Mr. Corum who originally owned the land, Edwards has seen the development of supersonic flight in the 40’s, the U-2, SR-71, all the x-plane programs in the 60’s, stealth technology and who knows what else. It is the epicenter, and Mr. Peters was at the center of the epicenter. Needless to say, this guy was cool. You never know who you’re going to meet hanging around the airport.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Plane is still broke.
I wish I had more to report…but I don’t. Plane is still broke. Weather is getting better. Contest is going closer. Plane is still broke. Pockets aren’t getting any deeper. Plane is still broke.
The worst of it is that I have no control over this either. None. Zippo. Nada. I don’t think the camshaft has even been ordered yet. Its not a cheap fix so please don't take that as whining like an ingrate. Still, if you can find me a better way to take the sails out of something, I’m all ears.
I gave myself til the end of this week to wait until I seek an alternate option than wait-it-out. The question is still bogging me down: pay the $300/h for a Decathlon just to stay in it or fly my tail off once the plane is back up and running. There is of course one more option that I really don’t like.
I might have to skip the New England contest. Big might on this one but it is still a possibility. Here’s how I see this happening. If the part hasn’t been ordered yet then I will be looking at the end of next week at the earliest before I’ll be back in the air. That only leaves 4 weeks to prep and polish my flying. I’m competing to win, not embarrass myself.
The next opportunity to compete will be at the beginning of August in New Jersey at the Kathy Jaffe Challenge. This would give me another month to get prepped. I would also most likely skip Osh so that I can cram as much flying as I can in. Skipping Osh is a heartbreaker but I’m thinking that might have to happen this year. I would gain a week I would otherwise lose. Not just any week either, but the week right before the KJC.
The worst of it is that I have no control over this either. None. Zippo. Nada. I don’t think the camshaft has even been ordered yet. Its not a cheap fix so please don't take that as whining like an ingrate. Still, if you can find me a better way to take the sails out of something, I’m all ears.
I gave myself til the end of this week to wait until I seek an alternate option than wait-it-out. The question is still bogging me down: pay the $300/h for a Decathlon just to stay in it or fly my tail off once the plane is back up and running. There is of course one more option that I really don’t like.
I might have to skip the New England contest. Big might on this one but it is still a possibility. Here’s how I see this happening. If the part hasn’t been ordered yet then I will be looking at the end of next week at the earliest before I’ll be back in the air. That only leaves 4 weeks to prep and polish my flying. I’m competing to win, not embarrass myself.
The next opportunity to compete will be at the beginning of August in New Jersey at the Kathy Jaffe Challenge. This would give me another month to get prepped. I would also most likely skip Osh so that I can cram as much flying as I can in. Skipping Osh is a heartbreaker but I’m thinking that might have to happen this year. I would gain a week I would otherwise lose. Not just any week either, but the week right before the KJC.
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