I drove down to Metro and met Nick at 10 am to check him out in the PT-26. We got organized, gas, a little ground, then flew until after 1 pm. Next up Dennis came out, and we did his annual check flight. It was gusty, and windy, over 20 knots, down the runway, but the gust factor was up there pretty good, it made the guys work for it a bit. We did the usual stuff, steep turns, slow flight, power off and on stalls, engine out, and all the takeoffs and landings, go-arounds, etc. The last landing, Dennis got hit with a gust that blew us straight up. He's leveling off, managing it, and poof, the wind was gone and the PT sank like a stone. My hand is there ready to pull, and he gets the job done before I have to, and that was pretty much split second timing. I told him he done good. He hadn't flown it in 2 years, any tailwheel, and these were challenging conditions. He said he wouldn't go up in a taildragger with 20 some knot winds on his own but was glad to do it with someone on board for the experience. It was my first time back seat in almost 2 years too. Looked the same. :)
Driving home was a disaster. Hwy 31 was down to one lane for construction on the way down, so on the way home I tried the back roads. That was even worse. By far. Construction, farm equipment, trucks going slow, it took me forever.
As soon as I got home, within about 20 minutes Steve and I drove down to Breeze Inn to meet up with folks for dinner. Had a good time visiting with folks before heading home.
I'm working on my CFI renewal right now. A message came up that said I first bought this program on 5/3/2001. So this is the 20th anniversary of me using this particular program. I used others before this one, but bought this one for $100 twenty years ago, and it's been well worth it. I'm halfway through the program now, and I've just done it a bit at a time as I watch TV the few hours I've been home.
Kaylee's first day of summer class was today and she said her prof bought everyone breakfast. Which is nice. She says she's mostly settling in to her new dorm room.
My Cheyenne currency is now supposed to go tomorrow at 10:30 am. Still dread it, still want it the heck over with. Weather is supposed to move in around 1 pm and he didn't want to come until 10:30 (ish, he said). Last time he said 10 and by noon he wasn't there, so... if weather moves in maybe I can just get him to fly a quick flight first, do ground second, and be done with this.
I did get a cool text today. JP said "We (C-47, C-45, T-6, and maybe a TBM) are planning on heading over next Friday morning to the TBM Reunion if you wanna go over with the group." Yes. Yes I do. That'll be so cool. It's great to have something fun to look forward to. :)
Me in the back of the PT
Dennis up front
Bearcat waiting to take off
Me & Nick
Me & Nick
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