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.