Pick

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Posts posted by Pick

  2. Posted

    Yeah, it's been awhile since I stopped by. It's only been, um, 17 years (?!) since I did my first (only) tandem jump. Yes, I knew I was hooked and I also knew that I had two kids at home and way too much going on to allow myself to give in to the addiction.

    Fast forward to this weekend. My ex-wife's brother wanted to jump for his 40th birthday and managed to talk my ex, my son, and another friend to jump with him at Skydive Kentucky........so I went up to visit for the weekend and watch the jumps. They all did great and had a great time! The ex (and her tandem instructor) even made the landing standing up!

    My son is now trying to plan his budget around more jumps, his wife wants to go next time as well, and, you guessed it, I'm thinkin' I need to jump again too. I was getting a twitch just watching.

    My son and daughter-in-law live close enough to the DZ that they can see chutes from their back yard, so now that they "know", they'll have constant reminders and will be constantly looking skyward. And I have a sneakin' suspicion that they'll remind me as well.

    Anyway.........just thought I'd drop back in and share and say "hey" again.

  4. A small die grinder, dremel, or similar tool will be your easiest bet. Either use a cut-off disc or a small carbide burr and cut the nut.....don't worry about trying to save the bolt or stud 'cause it's already dead if it is rusted together that badly. Count on replacing all of the hardware.

    Be careful not to cut through the flange or the exhaust pipe itself, obviously. (go slowly and make sure you watch where you're cutting........cutting discs have a bad habit of getting into stuff you didn't intend for them to get into and they usually cut that stuff better than they cut what you intend for 'em to cut.)

    Oh........and one more word of caution.....sparks are hot and those tiny little shavings of metal that get flung off of carbide burrs will stick in your skin anywhere they find an opportunity........and you'd be shocked at how many places they'll find. Many of 'em are small enough that you can't get them out with tweezers but you can still feel them, especially when you get solvent or penetrating oil in 'em. It's like being attacked by razor sharp glitter.

    I hope some of that helps.

  6. Details....

    The Reno Air Races are held every year in September at Stead airport. (they're going on as we speak, or type) There are different classes of aircraft ranging from small Formula 1 air racers, bi-planes, T-6's, Jets, Sport racers, and Unlimiteds.

    The unlimiteds are mostly WW2 vintage piston-powered airplanes (P-51 Mustangs, Sea Furies, Bearcats, etc.), some of which have been modified to reach speeds approaching 500 mph.............50 to 100 feet off the deck.

    The sport class is catching up quickly though, they're kit-built airplanes (Lancair, NXT, Rocket, etc.) that are highly modified and tweaked and are now approaching the 400 mph mark.

    It isn't single-ship aerobatics through a closed course, it is side by side air racing down on the deck on a closed course. Close enough you can see it and FEEL it!

    See the RARA website for more details.

    http://www.airrace.org/indexJS.php

    I hope that helps.

  8. My first solo was 21 years ago....as a 17-year-old high school student.

    I managed to convince myself that the first approach wasn't quite "right", so I went around......did another trip around the pattern and decided things weren't right yet again.......it ended up being a rinse-lather-repeat kindof deal until I FINALLY got it right and landed on the 4th try.

    By the time I parked the airplane and began the long walk into the FBO and up the stairs to the flight training office, I was SURE every eye was glued on me and everyone was mumbling under their breath about the "idiot student pilot that couldn't land."

    Another instructor congratulated me on the first solo and commented that there wasn't any shame in going around if everything wasn't exactly like I wanted it........and said "good job".

    My instructor just smiled and said he was getting ready to get on the radio to ask if I wanted in-flight refueling or if I actually intended to land before I ran the thing out of gas.....

  11. Quote

    Quote

    HELL YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



    so would you know your way around a 7lvl screwdriver??? have a calibrated elbow? have the magic t.o. thatturns into whatever you need it to be anytime?....lol........



    Wow......it's been awhile since I've heard that......

    Congrats Adam, just remember to be kind to your crew chief!

  12. Quote

    yea, I'm wondering too.. why he got a first class with a student pilot ticket? 1st class is good only 6 months, 2nd class 1 year, 3rd class 3 years, or 2 years if over 40 years of age.. unless you hold a ATP rating you really don't need a first class medical..



    I think she made the right choice. It really sucks to get deep into your instrument/commercial training, and be up to your eyeballs in debt from doing so, only to fail your Class II medical.

    The money spent on the first medical is good insurance that you don't get bitten the same way.

    In my case, it would have been money saved.

  14. Quote


    There is a big gaping vacuum in aviation engines below 100 horse power......



    I dunno. Rotax (4 strokes) fall into the top end of that category. Jabiru does as well. My personal favorite, the Rotec radial ('cause it sounds "right") also falls into the top end of that category.

    You also have the option of using variations of the Continental or Lycoming 65-90 hp aircraft (or GPU)engines that have been around since the late 30's......without some of the limitations placed on you by FAR's that regulate their use in certificated airframes.

    When you're talking about aircraft engines, keep in mind that they spend all of their life running continuously at anywhere from 75-90% of their rated horsepower. Most automotive and motorcycle engines (especially Harleys?) never see continuous operation at that power range for any length of time.

    It's just a thought.

  19. The smell of Jet-A reminds me of F-4D Phantoms.....the flightline......JP-4........long hours and good friends.

    I don't know that I can explain the smell of racing gas exhaust at the first race of the season.........it is one of those "you have to be there" things I guess.

    The smell (and eyes burning, nose running) of methanol exhaust at the first sprint car or Indy car race of the season is allot like that.....once again, I can't explain it.

    The smell of baby powder reminds me that there is ALLOT more to life than anything I could've imagined before being a dad.

    The smell of a hospital reminds me that I almost missed the smell of baby powder.

  20. Quote

    Hope you don't lose respect for me:

    Quote

    You are Gonzo the Great. You love everyone, and still you get shot out of a cannon on a regular basis. Oh, and you are completely insane and have a strange fascination for chickens. ALSO KNOWN AS: The Great Gonzo, Gonzo the Great, Just Plain Weird SPECIES: Whatever HOBBIES: Tapdancing blindfolded on tapioca while balancing a piano on his nose, backwards, five times fast. FAVORITE MOVIE: "From Here to Eternity...with no brakes." FAVORITE TV SHOW: "Touched By An Anvil" QUOTE: "No parachute? Wow! This is so cool!"



    I've given up on my quest to be an airline pilot now.........you were once my hero, the image of what I longed to be........(OK, so being the captain of an RJ isn't quite what I had in mind.........but it was a step along the way.)

    Gonzo?! (this isn't helping your image.)

  21. I must have REALLY screwed up both college and the Air Force 'cause I never IM'ed anyone.........oh wait, did they even have IM then?

    I didn't.........and I'm not THAT old...........or so I think?.........yet I have the Styx album. (yes, in wax)

  23. Quote

    Oh an BTW HH is red - not green.



    All the art majors and such can probably help here, but it occurs to me that red is the dark value of green........(if you add more red pigment to green paint, you get a darker green.)

    Of course, I have no idea how that applies here.......but for some reason it seemed significant enough to post. (as if something requires significance for posting?)

  24. E-5.....1985-1991 F-4D and F-16 A&B crew chief in the Illinois Air National Guard........183rd TFG (it's a TFW now though.) (yes, you have probably heard of it.)

    I got out only because I didn't want to transition to a new job, with a new wife and a new son, in a new state, with a new airplane and (obviously) a new unit.