without even clicking the link and seeing what else is problematic, you have to wear a pressure suit at that altitude. if your pressurization fails, you are probably boned without it.

6/12/2019 2:30:41 AM

i can't imagine it making sense to climb all the way up to that altitude unless you've got a really long route (although depending on their claimed efficiencies maybe it changes the calculations)

6/12/2019 12:16:18 PM

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/07/mh370-malaysia-airlines/590653/

Great write up on MH370. Wasn’t sure where else to share it and thought some of you would appreciate it.

6/18/2019 11:31:41 PM

cool...i'll read it later.

Flew from FL up to Roxboro to visit Dad in Durham...then down to Erwin to visit Mom in Fuquay. Dad and I flew out to Kitty Hawk and back over the weekend. Brother and I flew out to Ocracoke and back today. Flying back to FL either tomorrow or Thursday.

Meeting my Bonanza partners at a local brewery on Thursday evening to drink beers and presumably have one of the guys buy the other three of us out of the partnership, settle up any other financial dealings between us, and hopefully start the wheels turning in earnest on the other three of us buying another airplane.

6/19/2019 12:40:41 AM

Well...that sweet S35 is gone.

Bought my share for $13k, flew 50 hours in 6 months, cashed out for $14.5k. Paid prob something like $2500 in fixed costs during that 6 months, but got pro-rated almost $600 of that back...so that was very close to a wash--I flew 50 hours and took a few trips for, in the end, the cost of gas and $20/hour towards an engine fun (so prob average of $70/hour or just a little more).

One of my remaining partners doesn't want to do that Mustang II because it's a tailwheel (which he'd have to learn), and because he's moving in about a year and is gonna be gone for much of the next 3 months. He said he's open to doing something like a Glasair RG, though, even if it's a little more money.

The other guy has plenty of money, but doesn't fly much (aside from his work) and finds it tougher to justify...Hopefully I can talk him into a different plane. He's all about fast and aerobatic...just don't know how far I can push him on price before he balks.

6/21/2019 12:14:25 AM

i've watched too many aviation videos and now facebook keeps showing me a facebook marketplace listing for a Cessna Skymaster that's for sale in the area

6/21/2019 8:37:45 AM

Struck a deal on an RV-4 last night. Money and airplane haven’t changed hands, but I think it’s just a formality now.

8/19/2019 5:22:25 PM

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1bLme5FY8a/
sjcspotter
Yesterday I witnessed @davidlesh ditch his A36 Bonanza into the Pacific Ocean. While on a photo mission in his newly purchased Bonanza, he experienced an engine failure and had to ditch just off the coast of Half Moon Bay. Watching this unfold in front of my very eyes was surreal, and frightening not knowing his condition until he called me on the phone from the water roughly ten minutes later. David did a great job keeping his composure and executed the ditching perfectly. This ordeal could not have had a better outcome, and we would like to give a shoutout to the Coast Guard for their efforts in this rescue. We will have a full video and write up of this event in the days to come.
Above is a video I shot of the ditching. The picture was taken by Chris Leipelt as the plane nosed over and sank into the Pacific Ocean.

My Friend Just Crashed His Plane Into the Ocean
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgQAiG3pQis

[Edited on August 21, 2019 at 12:55 PM. Reason : .]

8/21/2019 12:55:38 PM

Flew a 4.1 today.



In a glider.

8/24/2019 9:12:57 PM

^^That idiot sumped his fuel like 5 times and got particles in it and still did the flight. That is not normal, and especially reckless to fly three miles out to sea at low altitude where you can't get back to shore on a new and unfamiliar plane and you don't carry life jackets. Fucking idiot.

8/24/2019 9:55:27 PM

Ended up stranded in Half Moon Bay last year. Not a lot of outs around for landing and basically no services on the field. Had to get an Uber driver to bring oil from another airport.

Bet the guy's insurance is going to have a field day on the sumping but flew anyway comment. Never talk to the police or the media.

[Edited on August 25, 2019 at 3:17 AM. Reason : A]

8/25/2019 3:16:19 AM

Quote :

"That idiot sumped his fuel like 5 times and got particles in it and still did the flight. That is not normal, and especially reckless to fly three miles out to sea at low altitude where you can't get back to shore on a new and unfamiliar plane and you don't carry life jackets. Fucking idiot. "

Yeh.... I haven't flown in years, much less done a preflight... but dirty fuel in 5 sumps? That's like a no brainer to call it off.

8/26/2019 7:04:02 AM

apparently he also made some statements about not remembering where he got the fuel, so there's conjecture he just ran out of fuel (and that's why the plane took so long to sink, because the tanks were full of air)

8/26/2019 8:36:50 AM

Quote :

"https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/07/mh370-malaysia-airlines/590653/ Great write up on MH370. Wasn’t sure where else to share it and thought some of you would appreciate it."

Dude are you kidding me?

There is a dedicated thread in CC which hasn't had an update in a year now!

https://www.brentroad.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=641283

Wish you had posted there so I could have seen it... never mind, saw it now. (maybe my 2nd time ever coming to this thread... was curious, so I just clicked to see what's being discussed)

8/26/2019 12:32:39 PM

That's a sad read. Kill yourself if you must, fine. But don't take almost 300 people with you.

8/30/2019 11:23:28 AM

^^ don't get your boxers in a wad dude.

8/30/2019 7:12:51 PM

Buying a share of a Pitts S2b it looks like. Need to get back under 200 lbs to fit in it.

Starting in San Luis Obispo, flew to Santa Monica then flew to Idaho, then Moab, then Santa Monica last weekend--definitely better than flying to Salt Lake, driving 3.5 hours to Idaho, then 6 hours to Moab.

https://imgur.com/gallery/rYeOpJ8

9/8/2019 1:25:25 PM

Sweet! Yeah I had a great experience with shared ownership.

One of my previous Bonanza partners and I set up our LLC to own the RV-4. Hopefully we'll get the purchase completed and turn our A&P loose on it in the next week or two. No idea how long it'll be until it's really ready to fly or how much money we're about to spend on it, but for the price we got it for, I'm OK with that.

_____

flew a 2.1 in the glider yesterday. Roamed around half of a couple of counties in it...from Robertsdale AL, to Cantonment, FL, back over most of the way to Bay Minette, AL, then RTB.

[Edited on September 8, 2019 at 8:19 PM. Reason : ]

9/8/2019 8:17:12 PM

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/vintage-b-17-plane-crashes-erupts-flames-bradley-international-airport-n1061161

At least 5 killed in a B17 crash in Connecticut.

10/2/2019 4:02:32 PM

Officially signed the RV-4 over to my partner and me yesterday.

10/13/2019 10:30:04 PM

A Cherokee went down in Umstead
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N534Z/history/20191020/1945Z/KCSG/KRDU?fbclid=IwAR0egOwlef3oJLmWgCbLMC4ObbxCDqn3PMz08lt95OxPN_LdqFes-JfAqOQ

https://www.wral.com/william-b-umstead-state-park-closed-while-crews-search-for-missing-plane-pilot/18710966/

10/21/2019 9:19:28 AM

Quote :

" Harvey Partridge's radio transmissions with the tower are calm but make it clear he was having a hard time spotting the runway."

How is that possible. I thought there were all sorts of beacons and stuff.

10/21/2019 4:36:42 PM

His RNAV was out and he was going in on 32. That is the small side runway going over Umstead State Park. That only has a small number of lights around it and no real approach lights except for the VASI. Additionally Umstead is pure darkness at that time of night with no light. Probably never realized he was low enough to be in the trees until it was too late.

10/21/2019 9:14:00 PM

A Twin Otter jump plane went down in Umstead a 20 years ago after being unable to land in Louisburg. In that case it was IFR but no IFR rating.

https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20001212X21533&key=1

Quote :

"According to the statement of the passenger that was sitting in the co-pilot's seat, "...all we could see were city lights and darkness underneath us. We were in a right turn, when I saw the trees and subsequently hit it.""

[Edited on October 22, 2019 at 8:30 AM. Reason : A]

10/22/2019 8:28:36 AM

Low ceiling too, he should have refused 32 after he had trouble with visibility

10/22/2019 8:04:27 PM

Sold my car and bought the share of the Pitts. Now have two planes and no car

This is the Pitts I got: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2014/march/17/inverted-flat-spin-record-attempt

11/2/2019 10:02:54 AM

Awesome. My RV-4 partner and I have talked about expanding the partnership to 3-4 people and adding a 5-6 seat XC-machine to the mix (thinking either a Velocity XL-5 RG, an A36 Bonanza, or a Lance.) Not right away, of course--we haven't even really gotten started on getting the RV-4 airworthy.

At any rate, we (and a 3rd guy who might be interested in joining us after he returns from Japan in a couple of years) have all also entertained the idea of selling the RV at that point and getting something more focused. We don't really want a Pitts, because screw every landing being white-knuckle...but maybe a [Super?] Decathlon, or a Skybolt, or myriad other experimental aerobatic machines.

If you're down with the ground handling and unforgiving nature, I hear Pitts Specials are fun like nothing else, even if they've been surpassed as competition machines.

BTW, I've flown around El Centro and over the Salton Sea a number of times.

11/2/2019 6:44:36 PM

My brother-in-law flys. I’m looking to rent a small plane around Thanksgiving for him to take me and at least one of my kids up (if not 2 or all 3) for a short trip.

Don’t know this world very well. Is this as simple as a Google search and spending some money or are there things I should be aware of?

We’ll be at another one of my brother-in-law’s houses in Greensboro. Up for either just flying around Greensboro or maybe a short trip to Raleigh to stop for lunch or something like that if possible.

11/17/2019 9:02:58 PM

Insurance is the limiting factor in many cases. You have to do whatever is required by the insurance on whatever airplane you’re renting.

You should google the FBOs around the area you’re going to be (there will be one at most of the airports of any significant size). They will probably rent him an airplane, but unless he’s already “checked out” in one of their aircraft, he will have to fly with one of their instructors, probably for about an hour, before they’ll rent to him.

What does he normally fly?

[Edited on November 23, 2019 at 9:30 PM. Reason : ]

11/23/2019 9:30:01 PM

Yeah there’s nothing that’s easily available for rent that he’s already done a check ride on - I think this was a great idea that will just won’t happen this trip.

11/28/2019 8:31:36 AM

A&P got the engine of our RV-4 opened up--we wanted to borescope it since it had been sitting for a long time, even though it only has 250 hours. He said it looks almost like a new engine.

I think the plan is just to put it back together, change the oil, and run it on the ground for a while...maybe even 5-10 hours, just running on deck, taxiing around, high-power run-ups, etc...then change the oil again and send a sample off. If nothing looks terribly amiss, take it flying. Maybe stay overhead (or within gliding distance of) the airfield for the first few hours, and then do 25-hour oil changes with filter inspections and samples sent off for the first few intervals, before settling into normal 50-hour changes.

...but we bought the airplane priced for needing $30k worth of work, most of which would be engine. If we dodge that bullet, we're gonna come out with a screaming deal for the ages.

[Edited on December 1, 2019 at 11:53 PM. Reason : like possibly all-in cost in the mid/uoper teens, or maybe low 20s!]

12/1/2019 11:51:52 PM

https://youtu.be/B0pQfgi9ZqU

Wife and I were visiting our plane Sunday and on the way we were driving along the 101 and thought, "huh weather is fucking awful, if we would have been able to fly we wouldn't have."

Was super hazy, even in Van Nuys with under 3 viz. Usually clear there when it's socked in other places. Just got worse to the west.

1/28/2020 1:04:29 AM

I want to fly into Van Nuys.

1/28/2020 9:38:34 PM

https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/29/us/helicopter-crash-kobe-bryant-wednesday/index.html

Missed clearing the top of the hill by 20-30 feet.

Think it was mechanical or the pilot was playing Luke Skywalker in poor visibility?

1/29/2020 12:09:01 PM

Descent rate was 2,000 fpm according to that

1/29/2020 1:03:10 PM

I was wondering if he might have nosed down thinking that he'd already cleared the ridge.

1/29/2020 1:58:14 PM

I think it was CFIT, flying VFR in IMC.

1/29/2020 6:54:16 PM

5000 fpm, 160kts allegedly.

Half skydiving speeds, the 5000fpm would only 60ish mph. The 160 kts is problematic even including miracles.

In other news, insurance is allegedly going up this year for everyone between 30% to 100%. Anyone been effected yet?

1/31/2020 12:55:46 AM

Anyone ever flown a Cessna 210?

I'm in the nascent stages of expanding our partnership to add another member or two, plus a 6-seat hauler XC machine...something bigger than the S35 Bonanza was. We were thinking about a Velocity XL-5 RG, but it just doesn't have the gross weight capability.

I think the forerunner now is a 210, followed by maybe a Lance. (A36 Bonanza is probably just too expensive).

[Edited on February 2, 2020 at 2:12 PM. Reason : ]

2/2/2020 2:12:27 PM

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-02-08/nearly-two-weeks-into-kobe-bryant-crash-investigation-foggy-weather-a-leading-factor

Sounds like it wasn’t mechanical

2/8/2020 6:38:06 PM

^^^^ https://youtu.be/B1iM_UbmflE

2/8/2020 6:42:25 PM

Flew IFR right by Kobe's resting place and didn't die: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N58143

2/10/2020 9:46:22 AM

So I’m interested in learning to fly. What are the important things to look at in regards to flight schools. Note I’m in the Greenville SC area.

3/4/2020 12:33:33 AM

sober, alert instructor.

if there are multiple options available, I'd recommend taking a ride-along with several. Get to ask questions and maybe figure out who you think will work best for your style/personality/etc. Also, may help to know if ground school is self-taught, individual training, or group/class training. Also consider the fleet readily available to the school / instructor. You'd want high- and low-wing experience. Probably want to knock off high-performance and complex certs. If you're really interested after that, then multi-engine, IFR ratings come next, so that's another consideration (though at that point you could change instructors / schools).

I did small group (3 people) ground school (and we all knew each other) and individual flight training. Enjoyed it immensely. I definitely wouldn't prefer large group training with a bunch of strangers, but that's just me. And I don't know about typical flight schools, but it seems that students would just be carbon-copy parts running through a factory and be treated and trained as such. Maybe not. A really good instructor for individual training was awesome to have for me.

[Edited on March 4, 2020 at 7:24 AM. Reason : .]

3/4/2020 7:20:13 AM

My question, how does financing work for flight school? Pay as you go? Student loans? What's the ballpark on doing this? I've been enamored with aviation and flight since I was born and grew up around planes as dad and grandad are pilots. I finally am making decent money and would be interested, but can't write a check for $25-$30k on flight school.

[Edited on March 4, 2020 at 8:52 PM. Reason : ]

3/4/2020 8:52:16 PM

just your PPL won't cost that much. PPL + instrument rating would prob be at the lower end of that range.

I have always just paid as I went. No idea on financing. I think AOPA does a loan or something?

Also, I find I really enjoy both gliders and taildraggers. Highly recommend those...plus you'll need complex and high-performance for any half-serious traveling airplane (but those endorsements are cheap and easy).

[Edited on March 4, 2020 at 11:59 PM. Reason : gliders suck until you get decent at them and find some lift...then it's amazing]

3/4/2020 11:57:32 PM

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4fXn4VmYEkwYVuUv6

[Edited on March 5, 2020 at 9:14 PM. Reason : ER-2]

3/5/2020 9:13:57 PM

Quote :

"So I’m interested in learning to fly. What are the important things to look at in regards to flight schools. Note I’m in the Greenville SC area. "

Occasionally you can find career flight instructors that don't need the hours for the airlines or money. I'd recommend those immensely. They are doing it for the love of teaching and showing people flying. It's easy to get passed around a flight school as instructors leave for the airlines. Schools with tail draggers are probably a good bet.

Quote :

"My question, how does financing work for flight school? Pay as you go? Student loans? What's the ballpark on doing this? I've been enamored with aviation and flight since I was born and grew up around planes as dad and grandad are pilots. I finally am making decent money and would be interested, but can't write a check for $25-$30k on flight school."

I live in one of the most expensive areas for flight training and think I got my PPL for $12K. Would definitely not expense it or pay up front. Flight schools have a way of closing and vanishing. Prepaying in < $4k blocks may be safe if you're flying regularly. I also would not buy a plane and do your training unless you're inheriting it from a relative. It has severe tail risk--meaning you can be out $10s of thousands and months at a time. If everything goes ok its cheaper than renting, if not you're still not flying and taking a huge financial hit.

3/5/2020 9:32:44 PM

As stated way back in this thread somewhere, I have a plane. In my grandfathers shop with the wings off. It needs $texas to restore it to flying condition. Ideally I'd like to learn to fly and eventually fix up the PA-12 but realistically saving that kind of dough for a full restoration of a plane like that is going to cost probably $50k easily, so I think that would be later on. And I'd probably feel safer learning in a modern plane first. One I don't have to hand crank the prop.

3/5/2020 10:31:33 PM

old hand-propped stuff, in good mechanical/functional condition, is perfectly safe for training. Learning to fly tailwheel will make your stick & rudder skills dramatically better. I have probably 50 hours in a 70-something year old 7AC Champ with no electrical system.

That said, while you can get your license in it just fine, you really need to learn radio navigation (VORs, etc), and frankly, basic GPS usage nowadays. You need to be comfortably listening and talking on the radio. *unless you never intend to do any flying other than buzzing around BFE in a Champ or a Cub or Super Cruiser or whatever, just for fun, locally.

3/10/2020 7:50:33 PM