22 November 2007 00:28
picked up a quartering tailwind on my way home this morning and wound up doing 255mph groundspeed at fifteen thousand feet with two rotary atomizers and a three foot weather probe hanging off the wings. I haven't made those speeds since flying pupae with a clean airframe back in february/march. the last time I came up from florida was a 15.5 hour drive with my aunt. this time was 3:37 including fifteen minutes of taxiing around on the ground. I finished up my work before five and decided that the rest of the daylight and warm weather was too good to pass up (70+ in the valley today...forcast high of 45 thirty-six hours from now). I drove over to building five and pulled the cub out. one of the perks of my job is free use of a J-3 Cub. i'm talking scott free, no strings attached. i pulled it out and taxied out for a fifteen minute session in the pattern, just me and the sunset. no radios, no complication, no fuss. i put on a sweatshirt before i started and left the door open. it's been a while since i flew it solo and the thrust/weight ratio compared to flying with a passenger is superb. stick and rudder—let me tell you in choosing between groundspeeds over 200mph and puttering around at 60mph...this is the true joy of flying.
00:28 email me permalink / commentary (0)
