Flying | FerrariChat

Flying

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by Bob Parks, Jun 15, 2010.

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  1. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
    Consultant

    Nov 29, 2003
    8,017
    Shoreline,Washington
    Full Name:
    Robert Parks
    All of my blabbering got me to thinking about the best times in the air. I flew a lot during the hot and humid days down there in Florida when the breeze was up and the cotton puffs were collecting to form the big CU's that wreaked havoc at the end of the day. The best times were when I got up at 0430 or 0500 and drove to Sarasota Airport before anyone was there and pulled out my favorite Stearman, a PT-17 with a Lycoming and a McCauley prop. Chocked and thoroughly checked, I primed it, pulled it through, cracked the throttle, and propped it off, untied the tail rope, pulled the chocks, and let it warm up. The sun wasn't quite up but the sky was light pink and the air was cool and still. Perfect flying time. Take off on the runway of choice, no traffic, and climb out to the Gulf and the beaches. There you could cruise along at 500 feet or climb to 2500 and watch the sun come up in a clear cool smooth sky. Then it was drop down to the beach and cruise the surf line at whatever altitude you chose, for miles. Not a bump in sight. Sun up. Turn around with a wing over and cruise the beach back to the point on which we lived and buzz the house and head for the airport to get the airplane back before operations start. The rest of the day was spent working at the airport performing the duties that gave me the privilege of an hour of the best of times. It was like eating dessert before dinner but I learned to like it. Oh yeah, it was terribly difficult.
     
  2. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
    Consultant

    Nov 29, 2003
    8,017
    Shoreline,Washington
    Full Name:
    Robert Parks
    We had several PT13,s and several PT-17's. My favorite was a PT-13 with an R-680.
     
  3. solofast

    solofast Formula 3

    Oct 8, 2007
    1,773
    Indianapolis
    After a bit of "altitude adjustment" the rest of the day was always easier to take.

    I used to work in Toledo and there, in the winter you might not see the sun for week or more at a time... Sometimes we would go out for a lunch hour "altitude adjustment". On one of thse dreary scuddy days we would stop an grab takeout burgers, get to the AP that was 10 minutes from work, take off and get a local clearance to VFR on top...

    We'd cruise around for a half an hour in the nice bright sunshine, enjoy lunch and then shoot the approach back down. Then we'd go back into work and mention to our secretary what a nice day it was outside... She'd say, "like where is it nice" and the retort would be, "it's always a nice day, you just got to go up high enough to find it" Great way to keep current and get some sunshine vitamin at the same time.
     

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