Hazy

Tonight I was on a (first) dual cross-country with a student in the 172 when the "low voltage" light came on.  I was explaining what that probably meant, what the maintenance guys would look into when we got back, how the engine wasn't going to quit/there wasn't a safety of flight issue, etc.  The student wasn't too thrilled, but we were 20 miles from home and headed there, and doing okay, when suddenly the student said "Do you smell that??"  I did indeed smell that, and I couldn't describe it, but I knew what it wasn't: hot oil, hot wiring, fuel, it wasn't anything like that.  It was hot something, but it smelled like a nasty factory or something.  Then it occurred to me what it was.  The windshield was just littered with giant bugs that kept splatting--enough that the windshield was a mess by the time we came in to land.  You could hear them peppering the airplane. After another one splatted right in front of me, I said "I bet it's bugs cooking on the engine."  THAT'S what it smelled like.  Hot, cooking bugs.  When we got down we looked in, and saw plenty of bugs in there.  I had to clean up part of the plane, couldn't leave it covered like that...it was gross.

I went Champ flying for 1.1 this afternoon, and it took until 2 p.m. before the fog burned off today.  It was really pretty scuddy still, but we just stayed in the pattern and worked on take offs and landings, so that worked fine...

Most of us are still having trouble getting up in the morning this week, dragging during the day, so at least it's not just me.  I haven't had the time/energy to hit photos yet, but soon. I think I'd like to sleep in on Saturday...