In Review

It's a beautiful morning and somehow I have time to catch up on a few things and not fly.  That's odd, but I appreciate the time!

Wednesday was a busy one; I accomplished outside the house things that needed done during the morning, had a quick lunch, then flew the Aerostar to Metro both to test it out with the GPS work Steve was doing on it and because I needed to go to Metro anyway to instruct in the PT-26.  I had a tailwheel guy who was used to the L-2 who needed to transition to the PT-26.  I had to save the first landing, and then after that he progressively got better, until I was able to sign him off after about 2 hours of air work and pattern work.  Most of flying the plane isn't in the air.  It's the short field and the no flaps landing and the go-around and the wheel landing and the 3-point landing and the engine-out landing and the crosswinds.  It's all pattern stuff where it gets tricky, not flying around in the air.  The PT was designed to force you to use a lot of right rudder on takeoff and climb-out, and all of our legs get tired doing repeated pattern work.  By the end he said "My leg isn't responding to me any more" which made me laugh, but fortunately we were done anyway.  He sent a nice email afterwards, that I'm only quoting it for my mom to get a smile out of, because moms like hearing nice things.  ;)  He said "I can’t thank you enough for a great afternoon of flying. You really are a good instructor - calm, clear, direct, never in doubt. I had fun during our two hours this afternoon, as well as learned a lot and got comfortable with the PT."   We finished up, and I flew the Aerostar back home, got it topped off and put away and almost ready for Friday, and my next guy was there waiting.  We needed to do tower controlled field operations.  So we did four or five practice takeoffs and landings, and then I got out and he did his three solo ones before picking me up.  First, my usual thing to do is go to Merk's restaurant on field and have a piece of pie and coffee while I wait.  They were CLOSED.  They used to be open until like 10 pm every night.  Now they close at 3 pm during the week.  That's a bad sign.  And a bummer for me.  So I just had to stand in the FBO and watch the whole time, which is not nearly as much fun.   When he got it done, he picked me back up, and wanted to do some wingovers at sunset on the way home.  So we did.  He got his medical renewed (special issuance so not an easy thing), got his solo towered ops done, got to try out his new ANR headset, and got to do wingovers, so all in all he had himself a very good day.  :)

We didn't land until almost 9 pm, and then it took me a good 30 minutes to get through Steak-n-Shake for dinner.  I hadn't eaten since a salad at noon, so I was a little hungry.  By the time I got back home, and ate, and did some paperwork that needed done, I was beat and it was time to hit the hay.

Rain sheeting down the window at Glenndale before the Big Lake Glenndale

And this is Lake Kokomo

Mark in the PT-26 entering downwind Runway 33 at Metro.

Me in the PT enjoying some sunshine.

Dan enjoying the sunset in the 172

All those bugs on a summer evening.

T-6 at Westfield.

I just enjoy the old school vibe out there.

Pilots, still looking up.  ;)

Justin getting the windshield temporarily wiped off.

AE tearing down at the end of the day.

You can't see this, but that is the Blue Angels off my wingtip, and a whole flightline row of tents and people who were watching as I came in to land at Terre Haute right in front of them over there.  lol

Airshow guy and smoke over the Blues

Mustang in the foreground, T-28 Trojans in the background. 

This pic of the PT and the T-6 at Glenndale during the BBQ Bash made it into the Terre Haute program.

Me on my way home from Terre Haute, on National Aviation Day.