Freedom Noises

The morning started too early, as mornings often do.  I was out at the airport shortly after 8 am, and I had rearranging to do.  I had to ge the 340 out, the T-6 out, the 340 back in.  By the time I did all that, I was completely drenched with sweat.  I asked Siri what the current humidity was, and she said 94%.  NINETY FOUR PERCENT HUMIDITY.   Ridiculous.

I met another T-6 checkout guy today, Brett.  He drove from Ft. Wayne to fly, said I'd come highly recommended, which is nice.  I was curious as to from whom, but I didn't ask.  I'd been since asked to do some formation flyovers with Larry in his T-6, so I asked Brett if he was okay with participating in that.  He said he was in, and that he'd done that for the CAF in the C-47.  Cool.  So I put him in the back for that, and had him fly from the back seat for the takeoff, and to get us to Noblesville.  He liked that, said he'd never flown from the back seat before, and asked how I saw anything.  Lol

We were early, so I had him do some maneuvers.  Slow flight, steep turns, and we climbed up and did some power off stalls.  I took over and maneuvered over Noblesville for a few minutes, then Larry took off in his T-6. Brett then said he'd never flown formation before, just done single ship flyovers, and he'd warn me if he saw rivets or anything too close.  As I was joining up with Larry, I warned Brett that we do get pretty close, and he said he was ready.  We did several passes at several places.  Morse Lake, Cicero, downtown Sheridan, Noblesville. I think they looked good except for one pass.  That'll probably be the one that gets photographed, but otherwise it went very well.  ;) And that's what I called making Freedom Noises.  Burning 100LL and some oil in a 600 hp radial engine over the top of parades.  Love that noise and smell. I should bottle that up and spritz it on for those days when I'm feeling less...feisty.

Then it was time to go home to OKK and get gas, have two bottles of water, sit in the shade and talk for a few minutes, before loading back up with him up front this time, to do a good hour of takeoffs and landings.  It was blistering hot by now, and I had to have the window mostly closed in order to hear.  That gets pretty tiring, as does an hour of pretty hard concentration from the back seat, for  those landings.  I was drained.  So was he though, I wore him out too, and he called it a day around 1:30 pm.  We had some really good flights, and get along well.  He said it was a pleasure flying with me, and I said the same, and it was true.  The good thing is that he's looking to keep coming back when he has time, and keep getting better and better in the T-6.  He loves the plane, and just wants to improve his skill set with something he enjoys.  Works for me!  He's coming back Monday for some more.

Kaylee went to a friend's party to watch fireworks, and then they are both coming back here to spend the night.  She mostly had the day off, and Steve and I mostly sweated to death at the airport.  We hung out with AE afterwards, went out to dinner, and came back home, where I watched "Independence Day" because, that seems right.  Great movie.  Then we sat outside and waited to watch the fireworks, which we used to see from our back yard.  But they've moved them, and we couldn't see them any more, and we were getting eaten alive by mosquitoes even though I sprayed myself, so it was time to head back in the for the air conditioning and just relax.

I do laundry about every day, because I am changing clothes multiple times a day.  Nasty out here...

Another interesting opportunity is coming up.  A local Stearman pilot would like to get current again in a T-6.  He'll trade me time and a checkout in a Stearman for time and currency in a T-6.  I've never flown a Stearman.  Well, I rode in the front seat of one one time at the BBQ Bash and flew it around in the air, but that does not count for anything legit.  So basically I've gone about this whole thing backwards, if you've noticed.  I flew in a Mustang first, though I never landed it, so that only partially counts, but still, it was first.  Then I got checked out in a T-6.  Then a PT-26.  Now I (assumedly) get to check out in a Stearman.  Then some day the C-45 (Twin Beech) is coming, *maybe* the TBM if it ever happens, and this year the C-47.   That's some exciting stuff for this ole girl.  :)  :)

Well, the 4th of July is coming to an end.  It always used to be one of my favorite holidays.  Probably still is.  I should celebrate it more again in the future.  In the meantime, Happy Independence Day...I hope you all enjoyed your own freedom noises today.