We flew for a good 1.3, and then he ended on a pretty good one, and the right strut dipped pretty far down on rollout, so we called it a day. I called for gas again, and this time pulled out the 340 too, as I have a trip to Olathe, Kansas in it tomorrow morning early. I'm putting things away on the T-6, and one line guy is fueling up the 340, when a mower comes racing by on the other side of the plane, and suddenly I feel it shudder. I went jogging over to the other wing, only to find the guy on the mower had swung around and slammed his roll bar into the wingtip of the T-6. I felt physically sick to my stomach, really. I walked over to the other line guy and said "Hey. He just ran into the T-6 with the mower." He went over and looked at it, and the phone calls and such began. The other guy was apologetic and all, but man. That plane has a lot going on right now. The plane hasn't had damage to it in the 10 years since restoration. And it really needs to not be down right now. And...just...ouch. :( I still feel a little icky about it. I didn't do it of course, or anything wrong, but I still feel icky that it's damaged. The guy thinks he might get fired for it. I don't know; I'd guess it depends on how much this costs the city, maybe. Stuff happens, but...ugh. Why would you go whipping under the wing of an airplane? Couldn't wait to mow that section? :(
I had to swap the planes around, put the Six in the back and the 340 in the front for tomorrow's trip. After lunch I met up with John and flew in the 421, and we did instrument approaches. Walked out of the plane with him and my next gal was waiting for me, and we did a cross country and some takeoffs and landings. She and I landed and the next guy was standing at the next plane waiting for me. I pushed this one back in the hangar and walked right over to him. 2-4, 4-6, 6-8 pm. We get done and I lock everything up, and around 8:30 we finally get away to dinner. I'm a melted, sweaty, messed up mess. My first flight of the day was in the T-6, so my hair is already a stringy mess, and then I had a salad with fruit on it for lunch, and then no food for 8.5 hours while I sweated in the humidity and heat all day. I didn't feel very human until I got some tea and food in me.
In the T-6 we were working on takeoffs and landings. There was a crosswind from the right of about 10 knots, not a lot, probably about 60 degrees off. So, not bad. But enough that you still had to do something about it. The guy was just getting more comfortable with the plane, and said so out loud, and the very next landing he didn't put in proper crosswind correction, and landed a little flat so on the mains, and the tail started to come down and that thing started to trot itself right squirrely, so to speak. I had to get on it, for only the second time in almost 5 hours of flight time with him, and save it. We pull off the runway, and he says "Well, She heard me say that I was getting comfortable and decided to teach me a lesson. Well, T-6, you have my undivided attention." Mine too. Always. and No Kidding. The next landing he was still flustered so he did a go-around on final, and then he came back in and made two more pretty good ones, that we ended on. That takes some concentration on both our parts. I was tired by noon. ;)
Kaylee stories. First, she went to church Sunday with a friend. She was a visitor, doesn't attend there. While she's there, the pastor wants to recognize the people going on the mission trip to Puerto Rico. Kaylee is the only student there who is going, and they had her come up front, and wanted her to say a few words. To a crowd of people she doesn't even know at a church that isn't hers. So she does, briefly, and then they want to pray for the people going. So she and the two adults are asked to kneel at the front of the church where a group of people come up and lay hands on her and pray. She said she wasn't sure if she was supposed to pray too or not, but all she could do was go "UMMMM" in her head. Talk about being a little out of your element. So much for being a quiet visitor to a new church! Ha.
She also purchased these glasses that "fix" your color blindness. She tried them on with some friends, and at first she didn't notice any difference, and she was disappointed. And then it started popping, and she could see pastels finally, and how bright the other colors really were. Purple, green, etc. She was pretty excited about that, to finally get to see colors in the world the way they're supposed to look.
Well, she's here with some friends and I'm needing to go to bed. Busy day tomorrow too...
Heh!
Also heh!
Sleepy Kaylee and me
The Flying Squirrels washing the Champ
Brett flying the T-6
The damaged wingtip. :(
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