Anyway.
I was supposed to get up at 7 am, but instead I woke up at 5:30 am, and gave up and got up at 6 am. It was a little IFR in between here and Terre Haute, so I took the 172RG and filed IFR and flew down to the Huff (KHUF, Terre Haute), shooting an RNAV 23 because of the scattered layer of clouds, and landing just in time. I met Mark N. there, and we spent a little over an hour on the ground going over the BT-13 and its specifics. Then I did my first flight from the front seat, for about an hour. We did steep turns, which I always do nicely because I do so many of them on rides. :D Then clean power off stalls, and it was docile. So a power on stall in a turn, also fairly docile. I put the flaps down and did a more aggressive dirty stall, and got it to break, but not bad. The book says spins more than 3 turns are prohibited but the TCDS says intentional spins at all are prohibited. So we talked about spins but didn't do them. Something tells me Doug R would have made me do one anyway. lol Then I came in for landings, did three points and wheel landings, all went fine. Did a go-around, did a partial flap landing, all went fine. So we landed and went to lunch at Culvers, came back and it was time for me in the back seat. The struts are way up on the plane, so it sits way nose high at an awkward angle. The back seat checkout, I was a little worried about, because it's been awhile since I did the actual flying from the back seat of something like that, not just saving a landing. But it wasn't bad at all. In fact, he did the first two landings, to let me see the sight picture, and then I did it from there, and it went pretty well. We were done pretty quickly, he said he was comfortable with my flying and had no problem signing me off for the plane, as a pilot and as an instructor. So, that's cool. I actually like the airplane, it's got the same wingspan as a T-6, it's a lot like a T-6, except it has weird flaps that you have to crank manually, and it doesn't have retract gear, and the gear is wide. So basically what I'm saying here is that it's a Junior T-6, with a good percentage of the fun and a whole lot less of the tension or stress especially on takeoff or landing. It's a lot more docile and forgiving than the Six, and would be (was, I'm sure) a great trainer for the T-6. I went about this all backwards, you know. Seriously, I hit these trainers after I'd already learned the big boys. Kinda funny, because now I can see how handy it would have been to flown a Primary or Basic trainer before going into the Advanced Trainer. But hey...I made it.
After me was another guy to get checked out, so I took the RG and came on home. I'm actually pretty worn out, and I have a lot going on, so I was glad to get home relatively early today. Early enough to download all the pictures I've gotten so far from Marion (just a handful, but I like them), and catch up my logbook from the last two days, and catch up on Facebook and my email, and get dinner, and just...chill.
I'm going to go take care of Ann, then I'll put the pictures I got so far on up here. Stand by one.
The only picture I took during the BT thing--me in the back seat checkout. I don't really have a good photo of the plane.
This was a young lady thinking of taking flying lessons. They said she was super pumped when she got out. Look at her face sideways there. :)
I was watching the B-17 taxi and half smiling. You can even see my new piercing in it. In another month I'm going to put a hoop there. But I like that I look relaxed and pleased and am enjoying the day.
Yeah, that B-17. Isn't she a beauty?
A Yak just did a fly-by, with smoke, so that's the background, which I thought turned out kind of cool. The other funny part is that Nathan is in the back seat. We are bugging out of there to beat the weather. I'm on takeoff roll and the tail is up, and he's not even looking. I'm ALWAYS looking no matter who is flying, but he apparently trusts me enough to not even pay attention.
Another rider
About to touch down
Another cool shot!
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