Thursday's Travels

Man.  I just learned this afternoon that D, the fellow from MBros I fly with, my student and friend, was involved in an accident last night.  He was driving his truck on the highway when a person stepped out in front of him to cross the highway.  D didn't see him at night, and hit him, and killed him.  Those trucks are tanks, and at highway speeds...I can't imagine how he is feeling right now, but I know he has a great support group, and a strong personal faith, and I hope he can find peace and comfort.  What a terrible thing.

I started the day with nothing official to do until a 3 pm flight.  Instead, Steve wanted to do paperwork, so he asked me to take his 10 am flight in the 172.  THEN they decided that we needed to get the Cherokee's cylinders up to a shop in LaPort, IN, for cleaning.  And he needed pictures from the Cherokee, which is currently in a hangar in Danville, IL.  So I took his 10 am guy and the guy's wife, and loaded up the Aerostar with the three of us and two heavy boxes of 4 cylinders, and flew to LaPort first.  I carried in one box from the ramp, he carried the other.  I had an easier time of it.  I enjoy being young(ish).  ;)

Next up was Danville. We get there, and find our hangar, and someone had locked the door on the Cherokee, so I couldn't get into it to get the pictures we spent time and money to go get for insurance.  I call Steve and I'm like WHY would someone lock the door of an airplane that 1) Is in a locked hangar, 2) Doesn't have an ENGINE on it so it's not going anywhere, and 3) Doesn't exactly have a G1000 panel someone might want to steal even if they could get into the locked hangar.  Sheesh.  I tried taking photos through the glass but it was dirty and reflective and I couldn't get a good shot. The main guy at the airport had a ring of generic keys.  I tried half of the big ring before I found one that worked.  Halleluiah.  Got the photos, headed back to Kokomo.

Dropped off the couple, and went into town to get a late lunch, get gas in my car, that kind of stuff, before coming back in time for my 3 pm flight.  We did a cross country to Frankfort and did some takeoffs and landings for practice too, and got back just as the sun was starting to be pretty.  :)   I didn't get done until about 5:30 pm, so a longer day than anticipated, but good stuff.

Kaylee asked if we could fly again.  Our Champ is down with gear issues, but I'll take her up in the Legend Cub tomorrow instead, and put her in the front where she should be able to reach the rudders better.  I wish the Champ was up.  I guess we could go to Glenndale's, and hand prop...

I feel like I'm forgetting something...

Me, Dave (Santa) & Ginny on the way to LaPort.