Fly Me Friendly

I really enjoy reading aviation books (funny that) and especially (auto)biographies that give me an insight into the experiences of the times, from growing up to learning to fly and then on to surviving various aviation adventures. With that in mind, it was a pretty even bet that I’d probably enjoy reading The San Joaquin Siren, An American Ace in WWII’s CBI by William M Behrns & Kenneth Moore.

Not only did I enjoy the book, I loved it. It starts with a fascinating look into Bill’s life and his experiences learning to fly in the US Army Air Corps with speaking tubes & “follow my lead on the controls” methods. From there Bill progresses to more advanced training in faster, more complex machines before eventually attaining his goal of flying the P38 Lightning. Along the way he describes a number of adventures in the air and ground at various military institutions.

After some time flying patrols in the Pacific North, Bill is transferred out to the China/Burma/India theatre with a group of other pilots from around the USA who stand up a new squadron. The descriptions of the journey to the front line, conditions in India and the environment they find themselves in give a fantastic view of attempting to conduct a war in very challenging conditions.

The rest of the book covers Bill’s combat missions in the theatre, his rec-leave in India and his final return to the USA. We’re again treated to some amazing experiences and lessons that can be learned even by pilots in peace time personal flying.

A well written book that engages the reader & keeps things moving at just the right pace. A couple of minor typos were found in the eBook version I read but not enough to distract me from enjoying the story. The inclusion of a few photos helped round out the descriptions of aircraft, people & circumstances.

I definitely recommend reading this book.

This was my first flight with Pete Wright (my other instructor) and included a climb to 4,000′ AGL where we found ourselves above a thin layer of stratus, seeing our shadow on the cloud with a rainbow halo around the basket.

I was at Mildura as part of the Australian Ballooning Federation’s “The Lake 2010″ event

Here’s my notes from the flight:

• Intensity has stepped up as Pete’s working me towards a commercial level
• “Fun” intro is over – it’s time to get serious
• Pete has a different style to Paul so I’m changing to “step up”
• Pibal on launch & use of compass to compare goals to wind direction
• Pete’s “Top to Bottom” flow checklist / walkthrough
• Building a 3D view of environment & awareness of other balloons
• Setup & rigging of balloon & way to stand & hold ropes (plus getting them out of the way of pax)
• Also consideration of instrument positioning WRT pax
• My first inflation with Pete observing & guiding
  • Short burns
  • Position of flame
  • Wait & see how it reacts – let fan help
  • Watch for fabric stretching out
• Climb up to get winds
• “The voice” is still an issue but am pushing it back & focusing on the flight
• Getting used to working the valve & burners
• Descent & intermediate landing in a clearing
• Discussion on the ground about landing & considerations for take off
• Take off & ascent to about 4,000′ AGL to see what winds were doing above a thin layer of stratus cloud
• Got to see shadow of balloon on cloud below with a halo around the basket – wow
• Didn’t find the direction we wanted so came back down, skimmed trees & worked with what we had to get into a dirt patch between what seemed to be sown crops
• Terminal descent again – 1,000fpm at one point – even more wow!
• Getting the hang of descending towards that big, hard ground below is going to be “interesting” (& essential :)

Click here to view my log book entry at JetRecord.com

This was an afternoon flight where the light winds shifted dramatically part way through, making us reassess our route & target landing spot.

I was at Mildura as part of the Australian Ballooning Federation’s “The Lake 2010″ event

Here’s my notes from the flight:

• Set up @ Werrimal School oval – worked through rigging & prep with Paul
• Used hands on / hands off method to heat balloon & launch
• Up & over Werrimal but couldn’t keep constant height:
  • Would put heat in but the balloon would start to descend
  • Was it thermals?
  • Was it low pressure from a depleted tank?
  • Must learn to check burner pressures while flying
• Flew out over trees north of Werrimal & scraped through the top of one
• Pete Dutneal’s balloon had a valve “buldge” – went up to check him from above after he’d landed
• Stayed high & started drifting left (west) of where we thought we’d go
• Watched Andrew “Harry” Fewtrell land on a field – his layout indicated wind shift was at ground level too
• Also saw dust cloud from tractor working in a field to the north had shifted direction compared to when we had driven past on the way to the launch field
• Changed plans, targeted clear area near dirt-track road
• Winds moving us towards tree – called crew into crop field for a handling line
• Got to experience impact of handling lines – need to burn once crew grab line due to down force exerted as they stop/slow forward momentum
• Worked to keep us light but not too buoyant
• Touched down on side of dirt-track and deflated
• Dug up a massive mallee root for use on camp fire – very dense wood so it’s good for long burning
• Flights today have been fun & educational, great introductions to what is coming up & amazing to see the difference between perspectives of crew, pax & pilot roles
• Loving it! :)

Click here to view my log book entry at JetRecord.com

This was my first instructional flight in a hot air balloon.

I was at Mildura as part of the Australian Ballooning Federation’s “The Lake 2010″ event

Here’s my notes from the flight:

• Paul’s FICOM check process
• Cold, crisp conditions with steady light winds
• Inflated under Paul’s guidance & did a “3 Bounce” take off:
  • Stay on the ground line
  • Inflate & get lift
  • Let it return to the ground
  • Repeat 3 times
  • Launch on peak of next lift
  • Lets you identify false lift
• Went to about 2,000′ to check direction of winds aloft
• Wasn’t totally comfortable at altitude (“the voice”)
• Back down to low level again – skimming the ground was great fun
• Stand up landing in a field
• Got out and rode with the chase crew so Cynthia could get in & fly the second hop
• Elation to be flying at last
• So much to learn
• Paul’s “count the balloons” method for keeping track of others

Click here to view my log book entry at JetRecord.com

On Easter Monday this year, I was hanging out at home and looking at the beautiful blue skies when the phone rang. It was Nico asking if I wanted to go flying today. HAH! What a crazy question :) I grabbed my gear, picked him up and we headed off to the Royal Victorian Aero Club at Moorabbin Airport (YMMB). We had been contemplating flying their Seminole out over Phillip Island and back, just for some fun. Turns out that was booked out over the weekend for a run up to Queensland. Fortunately, the club’s Alpha was parked on the ramp and just itching to be taken out for some aerobatics. Woo hoo!
The Alpha is a two seat side-by-side fully aerobatic trainer from Alpha Aviation in New Zealand. The aircraft at RVAC (VH-VCF) is an R2160 model with a Lycoming O320D (160Hp) engine, bubble canopy and a sporty look to it. Originally made in France as the Robin 2160, the rights to the design and the construction jigs were purchased by Alpha Aviation when Robin went out of business. Sadly, Alpha went out of business in 2007, which is a shame as these are beautiful aircraft and a lot of fun to fly.
Nico is an aerobatics instructor and certified to fly the Alpha from the right seat, so I got to log the flight as an intro to aeros. W00t! Getting into the aircraft was easy with a step behind the wing then onto the wing itself. It’s then a simple matter to step in, sit down and start adjusting everything. I’m over 187cm tall and there was about 1cm between the top of my headset and the canopy when we closed it. I’d say it was a perfect fit but the stick kept hitting my right thigh on full deflection. With a bit of experimentation we found places I could arrange myself when not flying so Nico was comfortable with the controls. Still, even when I was on the controls I would whack my right thigh when rolling. Oh well…
	The cockpit is well laid out with the standard flight instruments on the left hand side, Garmin gear on the right (including a GPS) and engine temp/pressure gauges (and the G Meter :) along the bottom. The instructor has the joy of looking left to see all the instruments but hey, they’re used to that :)
After a quick preflight we fired up and taxied over to the run up bay to verify that everything was ready to go. There was a lot of movement on the ground and busy circuits aloft, as is typical at Moorabbin when the weather is beautiful and it’s a weekend or public holiday. We taxied out to the hold point for the runway and were cleared to go after a couple of landings and touch-n-go’s went before us. The aircraft was quickly off and into the air, heading out from Moorabbin over Frankston and then to the training area. The Alpha is quite responsive and the view is great everywhere except just below the wing. We reached 5,000′ about the time we arrived at the aerobatics part of the training area. It’s conveniently located above a line of high-tension power lines which help to mark the area AND give you something to align yourself with during manoeuvres.
After doing a few steep clearing turns and waiting for one aircraft to transit the area, we were ready to begin. We cinched down the harnesses, verified everything was stowed and started off with a simple barrel roll. Yeee haah! From there we did a loop and then another barrel roll. After that we progressed to a stall-turn at which point we confirmed that yes, I am much heavier than Nico as the aircraft wanted to break left instead of right as Nico wanted. A bit of effort on the rudder and it did as it was told. I’d been following through on the controls and so after another barrel roll we went through a loop and then it was my go to do it with Nico guiding and following me. Works well when the instructor is guiding you and nudging at the right time :)
We took it pretty easy through all this (+3G to -1G) but it’s been *ages* since I last had a hit of Vitamin G, so by now I had the fresh air vent blowing right on my face and was apparently going a little white. I was smiling and loving it but yeah, time to head for home. Oh well :) We headed back to the reporting point (over the GMH factory) and had just called in when another aircraft called that they too were at GMH and on the same altitude. Yikes! Visions of the recent mid-air collisions at Bankstown and here at Moorabbin flashed through my head as we both looked everywhere for the other aircraft (stupid, I know, but you can’t help it some days). We finally made out the other aircraft a very long way off from GMH so we relaxed a bit. It was annoying that they were calling in at the wrong spot but understandable as, thanks to an increase in houses and factories in the area, the GMH factory is no longer such an easy to spot landmark. After calling in and being acknowledged by the tower, we were cleared to make our way over Sandown race track where the Easter Nats car races were going on. From there, we were lined up on base for 17L and cleared in behind another aircraft that was already on final. The bubble canopy certainly made for a great view as we turned onto final and came in for a beautiful landing (yes, that was Nico – not me – there’s a reason I use the handle Falcon124 :) We taxied back to the RVAC ramp and shut down. A fun flight in a great little aircraft. Good for getting from A to B and also good for throwing around the sky. Ya gotta love that! I’ve loaded all the photos from the flight into a gallery on my site. Now to figure when I can next get chance to go fly with a friend once again as that seems to be the only way I’m getting off the ground lately…

I missed my flying lesson last Saturday because I was sick – and it was a beautiful morning to fly. So, I booked three, yes, that’s THREE (3), lessons for this Saturday. I had 8am, noon and 3pm.

So, sure enough, a big fat high pressure system settles over southern Victoria with variable 5-10kt winds and, as I feared, we’re fog bound. 8am comes and goes with almost zero vis at the airfield. Noon comes and goes with 5k vis and 500′ cloud ceiling. Comes 3pm and I’m out there with haze around but it’s good enough to fly. We do the run up, taxi all the way down the other end of the field and I make the “ready” call at the holding point for 35R, just in time to be told “Winds shifted, go to 17L”

DOH!!!!

Long taxi all the way back down the length of the field to the 17L holding point. I’m first in the queue with 3 behind me and we’re waiting for all the other aircraft in the circuit that have sorted themselves out and come back onto the new runway heading.

So, now we’re waiting for another aircraft or two for our clearance when the report comes over “Southerly winds bringing fog in off the bay – airport may close to VFR in 15 minutes.”

NNNNNOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

We’re cleared for circuits and we’re out, off and climbing. Sure enough, there’s the fog over there making its way to the airport. A few more aircraft join the circuit and we make our first touch & go (not a great one, but I’m getting there) then make our 500′ turn to cross wind early so we avoid flying into the fog – hmmmm.

It’s very hazy and the aircraft ahead of us is doing a wide circuit. ATC has a few goes to figure who’s who and gets the aircraft ahead of us to start their base leg ASAP ‘cos they’re so far out there. Yeah, we’re fine with this and we drop on his tail to come in on a full stop landing.

A few other aircraft waiting to take off are calling it a day and turning around so there’s a bit of a traffic jam down there near 17L – glad I’m not in ATC now :)

We’re on finals and get cleared to land – so much for an hour of circuits. Down, pull off the runway, clean up, ground clearance call and then head for the tie down spot. Suddenly it’s freezing on the ground and we can see our breath when we open the doors. Wow.

So far to go and so much to learn. I need to really get more study and rehearsal time in if I’m going to get this landing shit sorted out…