Nice video, edited and published by Neil showing he and I flying the Citabria last year, viewable here

Alan and Cirque land in Aussie

Dralion Australian tour dates:

Sydney – Opens July 16, 2008
Canberra – Opens October 23, 2008
Brisbane – Opens November 27, 2008
Perth – Opens January 28, 2009
Melbourne – Opens April 9, 2009

Lynne got a ride with Roger today, flying low and slow in his Piper Cub over the beautiful Pennsylvania countryside.

Flying with Jeff F today in his beautiful Piper Aztec Twin, to Sentimental Journey – the annual aviation pilgrimage of many Piper Owners to the factory, airport and museum where most of the Piper fleet was constructed, Lock Haven PA. Three aircraft departed New Garden; Jeff’s Aztec, a de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk and the Grumman FM-2 Wildcat.

Being escorted by the Wildcat was a unique aviation experience. The World War 2 fighter, in the hands of Everitt D, ensured our safe passage to KLHV, The William T. Piper Memorial Airport.

The Piper Museum at The William T. Piper Memorial Airport, and Everitt at the controls of the FM-2

This past week saw Spencer’s 15th birthday come and go. The chart on the wall in his vets office says he’s the equivalent of 101 human years old. The event passed without a telegram from Her Majesty but with much reminiscing on our part.

He joined us just two years after we’d moved to the US. We were still decorating, furnishing, discovering. He immediately added a lot to our daily lives, as he has done since – each and every day.

He’s now deaf and his sight is somewhat limited, his bodyline showing the lumps and bumps of his age. What he lacks in these areas he makes up in character and determination. He takes long walks everyday, always anxious to be part of the family team. Jackson (young’n) displays a good deal of respect and reverence for his mentor and very good friend. They are the best of chums, delighted to be in each others company – which says a lot for both.

We keep wondering, with increasing concern, if this is Spencer’s last summer with us. So far he hasn’t shown any interest in leaving us, quite the opposite. He and we have had a great time together, long may it last.

Lynne calls me at the airport. “Hi. Watcha doin’?”.

“…. watching Roger” is invariably my response.

There are certain places, and certain people that naturally draw others in. At our local airport we have both – the place is ‘The Ghetto Hangar’ and the person is the occupant – Roger.

After a flying trip, when the aircraft are hangared, wiped-down, pre-heats attached, cowling blankets placed, and log books are updated many pilot gravitate toward the Ghetto Hangar, and Roger.

He’s always working at something. One of a disappearing breed of aviators capable not only of displaying exceptional flying skills but also in the construction and maintenance of airplanes. A specialist in Piper Cub J3’s (flying and building) he has a number of projects underway. At the time of writing he’s repairing and re-covering the wings of a Piper Vagabond, circa 1940’s. The airplane is a metal tubular frame, with fabric covering the flying surfaces, the engine is a 65hp Continental. The expertise, skills and know-how to accomplish all this is hugely rare. And the quality in the work he turns out is just incredible.

Rogers additional accomplishment is in maintaining a pot of excellent coffee – available all-day, and some beers for sunset enjoyment. Dropping in to Watch Roger at work while enjoying his coffee you get to see this craftsman in action and learn a good deal from him and his stories and anecdotes (and dreadful jokes!). His stock of cold beers, accessible only when all flying is complete and all aircraft are hangared, is in-part replenished by his visitors (like me) who are happy to gather at the Ghetto Hangar, sitting amongst some of America’s aviation historic aircraft (Piper J3 Cub, Piper Vagabond, ErCoupe, Whitman Tailwind, Skybolt bi-plane) and recount the aviation accomplishments of the day.

A great end to the aviation day.

Recurrent Training Flight Rules Part 91 AC61-91C requires all pilots to undertake a bi-annual flight review. Objective – “A review of those maneuvers and procedures that, at the discretion of the person giving the review, are necessary for the pilot to demonstrate the safe exercise of the privileges of the pilot certificate”.

Took mine last weekend, with Captain Ron, my instructor.We completed all the exercises necessary for the evaluation and combined this with four instrument approaches, sufficient for an addition ’sign-off’, the Instrument Proficiency review. And we had fun doing it all.

With winds out of the north west (340d at 14mph, gusting 20) we selected Harrisburg International Airport (KMDT), Lancaster and home-base New Garden for the approaches, each having northwest oriented runways with instrument approaches of various types. Flying between these airports we completed the required evaluations for the flight review, including engine-out procedures (emergency landings), stalls (challenging in the Cirrus), slow flight etc.

Now flying ‘under-the-hood’ (that is, a view-limiting device fitted to my sunglasses that lets me see just the cockpit instruments, nothing outside the airplane, simulating ‘instrument’, in-cloud conditions) we were directed to the flight path at Harrisburg International by Air Traffic Control (ATC), placing us behind an inbound Cessna on the same approach. I flew the first ILS runway 31 approach using all the impressive technology available in the Cirrus SR22. The autopilot, correctly setup to the specifics of the approach I needed, flew the Cirrus down the flight path with me adjusting the speed and altitude, and setting the flaps. I took flight control at the 2-mile mark, disconnected all the technology and hand-flew the final leg down to the permitted minimums (height and visibility), and ended with a low-pass over the runway. We returned for a second approach flown by entirely hand and under-the hood, with me interpreting the indicators and aligning the aircraft appropriately down the glideslope. With both ILS approaches completed satisfactorily we departed Harrisburg, still under ATC, to Lancaster Regional Airport requesting the GPS Runway 8 approach. And in competing this satisfactorily we departed VFR to our home base at New Garden for the VOR Runway 24 approach.

My debrief with Captain Ron provided some areas for my future attention (optimum speed in engine-out circumstances, flap-settings etc). All very helpful.

Sailing at Club Colonna, Antigua – consolidating on American Sailing Association classes 101, 103 and taking the theory part of 104 (passed!).

The trips ashore and back to the boat during our recent BVI sojourn brought the most fun, the largest laughs, the wettest clothing – all as we dinghy-ed about the place. No trip went by without someone getting wet, and even the warm Caribbean waters at 80 degrees feels cold when you’re not expecting it, and resulted in shrieks and shouts as waves broke over the front or sides of our yellow Caribe . The windy days brought the most action and even careful control of the outboard failed to avoid some of the wave actions. Of course having eight in a dinghy made for six (we think) was a cause of much of the inflow. Add to this the trips we made at night, as we went ashore for dinner, dressed somewhat more formally than in the day, only to return in the dark to search out our boat having downed several Pain Killers, Dark & Stormy’s, or the equivalent didn’t exactly help keep the waves out of the Caribe. With the boat lights and a flashlight in-hand we giggled as we sought out Hakuna Matata amongst the moored boats, fending off what seemed like tsunami-like waves from our already wet bottoms.

And yet more entertainment was provided by our entry into and egress from the Caribe dinghy. In short, in the seven days we tried it we never really got it right. This despite several experiments involving lines (ropes), front-loading, side-loading, wrist-grabbing, in calm and in rough seas. All this resulting in much fun amongst we eight and to those that had the luck to be able to watch our antics from the safety of their neighbouring boats or restaurant seats.

Ashore, you could often tell those that had, like us, dinghy-ed ashore. Identified by their soggy bottoms and wet shoes, carrying plastic bags of valuables we all shared the camaraderie of the of the dinghy ride. Proud we were, of our damp patches.

But, and for the record, it has to be said that this years performance was an improvement over last year, when the same crew member took two (or maybe three) dunkings from the dinghy, much to the amusement of the drier crew members.

Still, a lot of fun! Well worth the soggy bottoms.

Annual excursion, sailing in the British Virgin Islands underway, with friends Keith (skipper) and Ann (skipper-ess), Peter and Ro, Pat and Diane.

The now traditional first-night dinner of Island Roti’s, washed down with equally traditional but substantially more potent Pain-Killers (made of rum, fruit juice, rum, fruit juice, rum etc) was a great start to the eight day trip for us all.

We’d made ourselves at home on the good ship Hakuna Makata (Swahili; No Worries), a Beneteau Oceanis 523, and slipped our berth at Nanny Cay the following afternoon, and motored to The Bight at Norman Island for our first overnight mooring of the trip.

After cooking aboard we spent a windy night and woke to a tropical rain shower, not an unusal combination for this area.

Still blowing the next morning we opted nonetheless to raise the sails for a challenging sail down Drakes Channel to Spanish Town at Virgin Gorda. The sailing was fabulous, with a heeling boat and variable wings at around 20 knots. We passed the Queen Mary enroute, an elegant and understated ship, unlike other cruise ships that reminded us of klingon vessels.

Spanish Town was a stop on the way to our most favourite place and one of the best places on earth – Bitter End, at Virgin Gorda. Unable to get a slip at Bitter End for the first night we moored offshore and dinghy-ed ashore for dinner. Eight of us in the inflatable was a squeeze and the hilarious antics of getting in/out and staying dry as best you can was the highlight on the night.

A three night stay at wonderful Bitter end was enjoyed by all, relaxing, dinghy-ing about and – just fun.

Sailing to Jost Van Dyke was planned but winds required us to a more sheltered mooring at the beautiful Cane Garden Bay at Tortola, with dinner ashore at Quitos. The next morning we dashed back across to Small JVD, to visit the Bubbling Pool – which wasn’t, due to low tide. Duh! Oh well, off to the Caves at Norman Island for some snorkeling.

We were back in Nanny Cay that afternoon, reluctantly ready for the flights home the next morning – another memorable trip!

Lynne at the helm, and our Crew of Eight

Bitter End, our boat in the slip, blue cover

Departing Miami International 8-Right – courtesy of USAir – after a couple of days in paradise, amongst company friends and colleagues. Nice trip, good to get some sun – if briefly.

Aviation Chapter fly-out south to Cambridge, Maryland today. Cold but good flying weather, as five aircraft flew down the very scenic Chesapeake Bay, across from Annapolis and Baltimore. Thirteen of us enjoyed a hearty breakfast at the airport amongst good company. Wonderful way to kick-off the weekend. Trip photographs (by Harv) here.

Strange effect from a speeding cab, at 7am, looking like Brooklyn Bridge has the wobbles. Cold but clear day in NYC.

We’ve had to have the Citabria engine rebuilt, and this after just 500 hours. Not fair. Expensive. Annoying.
The boys at New Garden found copper in the oil during the annual aircraft check, and suspected a pin keeping the piston aligned had worked loose. The cams had become worn too, not sure if for the same reason. And all of this after co-owner Steve and I both for some time have experienced increasing problems getting the thing started when it was hot. We planned to replace the magneto’s to hopefully cure that disconcerting trait. (yes, we know about vapour lock and fuel lines etc etc – wasn’t it). The new mags now sit on the rebuilt engine, and hopefully it will be a cure-all.

This beautiful and really-fun-to-drive airplane has come-in for some harsh words of late, from both Steve and I. But it will be good to get it back into the air. If all goes as we hope, with problems resolved and reliability restored, forgiveness will be in the air too.

(BTW – Citabria backwards; Airbatic)

We’re blessed with a strong population of foxes in the area, and with three in particular that have become so used to us and to the dogs that they sit and watch us, as we watch them. Rarely does a walk with the dogs go by that we don’t encounter at least one, and often at very close quarters. The three foxes we see regularly are very distinguishable, with different reds and varying combinations of black and white, enough that we can tell them apart. We often see them together play-fighting and chasing or just basking in the sun. But they hunt separately, their intensity and pace we’ve assumed is an indicator of their hunger level. They have found a good way of both relaxing and hunting at the same time, which they accomplish by hanging out at the burrow of a groundhog (a badger-like animal (but not as nice) that we also have lots of around the place), just waiting.

Three years ago we had a brood of foxes born in local gardens. Early mornings and late evenings would find them playing like kids on the lawn, chasing each other, staring at us as we watched their antics.

Fascinating to watch and hopefully keeping the local vermin in-check we think of these as good neighbours and friends and look forward to our encounters.