Leap Day 2-29-2008

I probably should have left the aircraft in the hanger, at least pushed it back in when I felt the wind gusting by me as I restrained the plane in preparation for starting. I checked the sock and it didn't appear that strong. It was 40 degrees out and the 29th of February and I was determined to fly today. After a couple of failed starts, I shut off the mags, open the throttle full forward, and pull the prop backward eight blades. Close the throttle, a shot of prime, mags to hot, and we're running . This time I'm fast enough to get back and give it that little extra quarter shot of prime as it tries to quit again. It is almost like I'm being told today is not a good day to fly. Let the engine warm for five minutes or so before removing the steel restraint cable from the lift handle at the rear of the fuselage, move the tail to the grass adjacent to the taxiway, and quickly enter the cabin to maintain control of the aircraft. Slowly advancing the throttle, I feel the wind weather vane me as we move forward past the hanger into the wind. I am conscious of the possibility a strong gusting tailwind might lift the tail if I keep the stick full aft while taxiing downwind, so I find a position slightly forward of center and insure I hold the speed under 5 mph. Mags check, carb heat check, fuel OK, controls free, 360 clearing turn I taxi slowly onto the runway and turn into the wind. I have the engine at 1500 rpm and am on the breaks as I move the stick forward only to realize the tail came up. Boy is this fun, I think, as I release the break and am airborne before I pass the second runway light. End of the runway coming up and I'm at 400 ft AGL. I turn crosswind inside the airport boundary and soon thereafter downwind. Really have a great ground speed while indicating 80 mph. Carb heat on, I retard the throttle to 1500 rpm opposite where I wanted to land and slow to 60 indicated. I extend my downwind several hundred feet more before turning base. Final approach was turned with 300 ft AGL and 1/4 mile from the runway. With the headwind I concentrate on holding 60 indicated and bring the power up to 1600 rpm. It was just like being in a helicopter as my ground speed was less than 20 and I slowly, gently settled to a spot at the approach end of 26. Touchdown with a wheel landing, we stop inside of one runway light with 3900 ft of runway left. That was great, but it is too gusty to enjoy this LEAP DAY. A smooth application of throttle and I'm airborne again, climb to 200 ft, carb heat on, retard the throttle, establish 60 mph, wheel land on the same runway with 800 ft to spare, I turn off as slowly as I first taxied out and head back to the hanger. A check of the newly repaired wind machine in the airport office showed the wind at 15-17kts with gusts to 21kts from 280 to 300.
Here are a couple of pictures from last Sunday's flight What a difference an hour can make as the morning sun arose to warm the snow ladened ground. It stayed socked in for three hours before we got a mile and a half visibility.

12 DEGREES

Well I had not flown in nearly a month and I was determined to take advantage of the one day we might have when the winds were not 20+ and gusting as high as 43 mph. This Saturday the 16th of February had the promise of clear skies and light winds. I found a ceramic space heater in the aviation section at the local Ace hardware for $26, opened the cowl on one side, placed the heater against one of the motor mount tubes, and, while I grabbed a cup of coffee, preheated the L2M.
It takes about two hours for the front cylinders to feel warm, they never get HOT, and then you unplug and remove the heater, button up the cowl, and you are ready to fly. Two shots of prime, pull the blade through eight times, mags hot, and she started on the second blade.
The takeoff roll was short to say the least. I thought someone had swaped out the A65 for a 180 hp. The only thing I fear about getting old is having to stop flying. A couple of passes over the old pond, where I snapped the picture you see, and I was headed back to the airport, when what to my eyes did appear but a park ranger parked near the lakeshore. I coulld not resist the opportunity to let him (I presume) view one of the finest aircraft ever made do a fly-by.
I'm at 500 AGL, carb heat on, retard the throttle to 1700 rpm and execute a descending left turn out over the lake extending a half mile north of the ranger's position. As I turn south doing 80 and at 100 AGL just off the shoreline I go screaming by. Time to quit the fun and head home; I advance the throttle only to hear the engine cough and view the prop slow to where I could count the revolutions. Oh (that word that always comes out our lips at a time like this) there is nothing but thin ice to land on. I'm too low to pull up and do a 180 to land in the park I just passed. I closed the throttle, heard the engine start to beat again, and ever so gently advanced the throttle until we were at 2200 rpm and climbing. A wheel landing at CQA and I'm here to fly another day.
We finished the day by flying with a couple of friends in a 172 to I69 and enjoying hot dogs at Sporty's