2025 Begins with a Gust

Tried to fly the C-45 with Morgan today to finish her off. We got the plane prepped and oiled and preflighted. It was windy, gusty, cold, spitting light snow, and grey today. Got the hangar opened, the Cheyenne pulled out, the 340 pulled out, BOB pulled out. Got in, and pushed on the rudder, and it made a loud popping noise, which surprised me. So I moved the ailerons and elevator, and the ailerons made a weird clanking noise. I'd never heard that before. But I don't know that I've fully moved the ailerons around before starting it up before, either. But it didn't sound right, I didn't have a good feeling. I called Steve and asked him if that sounded right to him. He wasn't sure either, so since we weren't sure, and it was a gusty, crosswindy day, and properly working ailerons are important, I scrubbed the flight.

We did still fire it up, taxi it out to the ramp, and do a run-up for maintenance purposes, and it was good for her to remember how to do the start up, taxi, all that good stuff anyway.

We then spent 40 minutes putting everything back away. BOB back in the corner, 340 in the front right, Cheyenne in the front left, put oil cans back on and plugs in and tugs plugged back in and locked up. 

After that, Morgan wasn't done, she wanted to go flying after all, so we took up the Champ. The winds were 280 20 gusting to 25, which was a 50 degree crosswind gusting to 25, which is about a 19-20 knot direct crosswind component, which is a lot in a Champ. It was entertaining. It took a few laps around before she got in the groove, and then she was good to go. So I spent the first day of the New Year doing a little back seat instructing on gusty crosswinds in the Champ. I loaded a takeoff on YouTube, which degraded the quality, but you can see how bumpy it is up there. Well, I'll try the original first and see if it's too big to go on here.

Then I got a text from A, who says he wants to go to Puerto Rico, gave me a pin of the place he's going, and suggested it might be better if I just stay there. So Feb. 15-19th, I'll be in San Juan. SO that'll be kind of cool, I think. :) Trying to find the right place to stay has been a little overwhelming but I've gotten lots of good advice and I'll dive in soon.

Tomorrow I go back to Marco to pick everyone up. Here's hoping it isn't as big of a cluster as it could be the day after New Year. In Florida. Freakin' Florida...

Us running up BOB to test some things

Me joking around about being scared back there. ;)