Route 66 Air Rally

[PhrogPhlyer]

1 hour ago, TomPenDragon said:

But on a positive note, my wife thanks you!

Glad to be of assistance.  

[ScottishMike]

“Turn that heater up!” The cold seemed to be seeping in through the fabric of the Airedale.

We had decided to test some more despite the conditions. It was below freezing at ground level only getting colder as we climbed to 5000':

Visibility not good so Suzanne was Pilot in Command, she had instrument and night rating, I had neither. We mainly wanted to test if using three weather reports: departure, mid point, and destination would give a more accurate flight plan.

The three reports were: Lansing 4690' 245@28 Kts, Bloomington: 4793' 276@31 Kts

Palmyra 4855' 290@30 Kts

Our no wind cruise 100 Kts – average 30KTS wind = Cruise 70 Kts Ground speed 90Kts Indicated Air Speed.

Climb to cruise 9 minutes covering 14 nm. Total distance 170 nm. - 14 nm. = 156 nm at 70 Kts = 2.22 hours = 2 hrs 14 min + 9 min (climb time) = 2 hrs 23 min

 

So target time = 2hrs 23min

What did we learn? Weather is a variable feast, the weather was accurate at time of departure but it can and does change within minutes, never mind hours. Bloomington was over an hour away, Zelmer over two hours away, weather had changed by the time we arrived.

Actual time was 2hrs. 22min. It looks good, but it was more by accident than planning. We missed Zelmer on first approach (it's not an easy airfield to spot) and had to do a go around. We had a 14 kts. crosswind and the second approach was difficult, we landed on the grass next to the runway.

I wonder if that is allowed in the rules?

[taoftedal]

This afternoon I decided to square things up with the FBO in case things get a little hectic tomorrow.  “Not to worry, Piper is picking up any hanger and ramp fees for you, and Shell has paid for the fuel.”

“Great, what time will someone be here in the morning?”

“Oh, by 5:30-6:00 for sure.  Coming to the breakfast and flyover?”

“I’ll be there, but if I don’t find you in the crowd, thanks for everything.”

“Our pleasure, and thanks again for the ‘Shell’ stickers.” (my sponsor’s must just love me). 

It’s time to fly!

 

[taoftedal]

5 hours ago, ViperPilot2 said:

Give me a Compass Heading and I'll get there, eventually. Will fly @ 2,000' AGL unless otherwise instructed by ATC.

 

 Can't go too far wrong with the K.I.S.S. principal ... 

[jgf]

Took a while to recall which plane had this.

Click on the E6b-

 

and use it (not me, I barely remember how to use a plain slide rule)

[taoftedal]

16 minutes ago, ScottishMike said:

... the second approach was difficult, we landed on the grass next to the runway.  I wonder if that is allowed in the rules?

 

Well ... I'd say if you gave it the old college try ... any landing you can walk away from ... (but I'm not on the committee).

[jgf]

21 minutes ago, ScottishMike said:

landed on the grass next to the runway

 

Just being thoughtful of other pilots waiting to land.

[Melo965]

Hope you don't mind a late entry for the flight Rally.

 

Hope I am not stretching the rules too much by flying my favorite aircraft in FSX.  Supermarine Spitfire Mk XI PL965.  The most advanced Photo Reconnaissance version of the aircraft while still using the Merlin engine.  Some later Spitfires of all types used the more powerful Griffon engine.  The Spitfire originally flew in 1936, and this particular aircraft was built in mid 1944.  Here are a few pictures of PL965 on the ramp at Lansing Municipal IL (KIGQ).

 

Best regards,

Melo

 

[TomPenDragon]

Chapter 1 – Going to Chicago

The two men embraced for longer than either would have been comfortable with had they been hugging other people. Both were surprised how familial their bond had become: Tom, who had shunned the notion of fatherhood when younger but who saw in his friend the fact that he might have been short-sighted in that decision, Rey, who wished to have had his friend’s vision and kindness in his life while he was growing up.

 

“How are you?” Tom spoke first, breathless and struggling to choose which of the million-and-one thoughts racing through his head to give voice to. “Wow, the beard… You look great, Rey!”

 

“Yes,” Rey said, bringing up a hand to self-consciously feel his face, “they’d never let me get away with one at the Prestige. To be honest… Sorry, that was one of the first things you taught me... To be frank, I started growing it at the beginning of the year because I didn’t have time to shave. But I’m doing great, Tom – what about you? Hey, is that Five-Four...”

 

“She most certainly is,” Tom said. “You remember I might have mentioned how I tracked down the plane I learned to fly in, just after the Keepers called it quits…”

 

“I remember you mentioning it every time you took me flying,” Rey smiled. “What I can’t remember is you ever being able to stop mentioning it…”

 

“’Her,’ please. I found her rotting on a ramp at a little airfield in east Texas, brought her to Mexico, had her measured and documented every which way she could be, then had her rebuilt rivet-by-rivet – only the serial number plate’s original. I re-registered her here… Picked her up for a song, too.”

 

Rey’s smile warped into a sly smirk. “Really? Come on now, how much did she cost you?”

 

“’A Whiter Shade of Pale,’ actually. She was such a basket case that her owner couldn’t bring himself to take money for her. He was a bassist and singer, though – not bad on the bass; spectacular voice, even stronger than mine in his range – so he said he’d give her to me if Tommy Merlin’d record a song with him. He was a deacon at his church, so I brought a portastudio and we set up around the organ, did three takes… Great acoustics in the church, too… People wandered in during the afternoon, but they were really cool about it – I think they were there more to see him than me. On the third take, a kid joined us on drums – he had never even heard of me!  How refreshing!  And this was back in 2000, when all the tabloids were speculating about nothing else besides, ‘Will the Royal Keepers ever get back together?’ ‘When’s the reunion tour?’ - that kind of crap, you know? Once we wrapped, those church folk invited me to dinner at a local restaurant… What a lovely way to spend an afternoon, I’ll tell you… And that’s how I got my plane, Rey. What do you think?”

 

“With all of the stories you’ve told me about – what is she now? ‘Hotel Juliet?’”

 

“Please! ‘Sierra Hotel.’ ‘Hotel Juliet,’ sounds like a nickname for a hooker.”

 

“I thought you liked rugby.”

 

“Hey, when’s the gas truck getting here, anyway?”

 

“They said that they’d be here around 9:00. Let me call them…”

 

“Before you do that, want to give me a hand? I filled the tires up before taking off this morning, but they already feel low.”

 

“They look low. Sure.”

 

Tom’s idea of, “helping.” consisted of the Young Buck pushing the aircraft back and forth and ducking under the wings and the engine to check the pressures, while the Elder Statesman stood back and pointed out all of the places on the plane marked, “Do Not Push.” He shook his head as Rey called out the readings.

 

“Thanks, Rey,” Tom said with a sigh as the young man stood. “When I saw them almost flat this morning, I thought I hadn’t checked them while I was getting the plane ready to be flown again. Now I think I probably did, and they’re just leaky. But if they’ve lost so much air in, what is it? An hour, maybe a little more? I don’t think she’s safe to fly like this.”

 

“Give me a minute,” Rey said as he took off jogging over the well-coiffed grass and to one of the other houses. The door opened and a slim, balding man with round glasses stepped out. The man spoke on his cellphone for a couple of moments, and then Rey came running back.

 

“Good news!” Rey said, annoyingly not out of breath after the exercise. “My neighbor Marco Hernández is an A&P mechanic – he used to be an investment banker, but he discovered that he likes to fix airplanes. He has a beautiful Baron, by the way. He has a shop at the airport in Toluca and they have a set of wheels for a late-’60’s Cherokee, with brand-new tires and tubes. They’re already on their way!”

 

Marco Hernández came back out of his house in a set of grease-stained coveralls. He sauntered over to where the two men stood in front of Sierra Hotel. Tom stepped forward and thrust out his hand.

 

“Hi, I’m Tom PenDragon,” he said with a smile. “Thanks so much for helping us out.”

 

“Tell me about aircraft,” Marco Hernández said, looking over Sierra Hotel and ignoring Tom’s hand. “Papers?”

 

Tom turned to unlatch Sierra Hotel’s door, shooting an, “I’m confused,” glance toward Rey, who shot back a, “just go with it,” look. “Probably the right strategy,” Tom nodded, knowing that Sierra Hotel was not going anywhere without new tires and that Rey’s neighbor was probably going to end up doing the job anyway – bringing another Aviation Maintenance Technician to an A&P’s field could be seen as tantamount to bringing your significant-other-on-the-side home to meet the spouse by some, even more so when said airfield was the A&P’s home and said A&P was your neighbor. Tom eventually would have decided against having someone else come and do the job simply because he wanted to get the job done; Rey was simply classier and wouldn’t cheat on his neighbor out of principle.

 

He handed Sierra Hotel’s logbooks to Marco Hernández, who snatched them impatiently and flipped through them without a word of acknowledgment. Marco looked up after reaching the last filled page of the Maintenance Log and asked Tom, “You ape?”

 

This truly took him aback. He was used to dealing with, “high-strung,” professional types with curt attitudes, but not to being insulted to his face. “I beg your pardon,” Tom said haughtily, hoping that the man would take the chance to fix his tone.

 

“I ask, are you APE?” Marco took a step forward and repeated the question in Tom’s face.

 

Tom was not a large man, but he still stood a head taller than Marco Hernández and outweighed him by at least 25 kilos. The fact that arthritis had left him unable to make a fist with either hand would have been not enough to keep him from turning Mr. Hernández into another greasy spot on his coveralls. “Repeat that,” Tom said, flexing his hands.

 

“Estupido gabacho, ¿te pregunté si tienes un certificado de mecánico A y P?”¹

 

“No y no. No estoy certificado como mecánico A y P. Y no soy gabacho, güey; soy mexicano.” Tom jammed a hand into his pocket, brought out his wallet, opened it, and shoved it into Marco’s face. “¿Ves, idiota? Mi credencial de elector dice mexicano. Mi licencia de conducir: mexicano. Mi licencia de piloto privado: mexicano. Yo nací in Oaxaca. Sí, mis papás eran extranjeros, ¿y qué? Esto no me hace menos mexicano que tú.”

 

Rey looked at the lawn on the other side of the runway and noticed the yellow and purple spots of wildflowers. The grass needed a trim.

 

“I’m sorry, sir,” Marco continued in Spanish. “I assumed that, since I heard you speaking in English, and you’re…”

 

“A whiter shade of pale?” Tom smiled. “Yeah, I get that a lot. You were asking if I had a mechanic’s certification?”

 

“It says in the maintenance logbook that you recently did an oil change and an inspection of this airplane.” Marco’s tone had changed completely, and was now quite cordial. “This should really be left to the professionals, sir.”

 

“I realize that,” Tom said. “I’ve learned to do some minor things on the aircraft, though, and I find that it helps me know her better. But I have to admit that the problem with the tires escaped me, so if your people have a little extra time, I’d like it if they went over her again. We’re going to be flying to Chicago as soon as we get new tires and some fuel.”

 

“We can do that, of course, I also noticed that the airplane hasn’t logged any flying time in several years, but you’ve kept up with its annuals. The inspections are signed off by a, ‘JTPD Aviation Services.’ I’ve never heard of them. Are you satisfied with them?”

 

“Very.”

 

“HernAviation can offer very competitive prices. Would you accept a bid from us for your next job?”

 

“Let’s see how you do this one.”

 

“Then let me get to work. Would you please roll the airplane into the hangar so that I can get started?”

 

Rey fished a control out of his pocket and clicked a button. As the hangar door began to rise, he and Tom went to the leading edge of opposite wings and began to push.

 

“Don’t you believe in towbars?” Marco asked. “It’s that long, red thing that’s strapped high up on the wall of the baggage compartment so that you can always find it.”

 

Rey looked up into the cabin at its back wall, and then at Tom. Tom did not even look up from the wing, knowing the annoyance that he’d find in his protege’s eyes.

 

Marco walked past the pair who were still pushing on the wings, went to the shop area at the back of the hangar, and fetched a pair of chocks that were hanging on a heavy-duty hook. Rey and Tom had Sierra Hotel to the middle of the floor by then, so he told them to stop and chocked the nosewheel. He walked to the front of the hangar, shut the door, and turned on the high-intensity worklights. “Like the King of Rome,” Tom muttered under his breath.

 

Marco took a small flashlight out of his breast pocket, opened the left fuel cap, and peered inside. The flashlight went dead after only a second. Marco fiddled with it to try to revive it. “Want a match?” Tom asked, but fortunately Marco was too preoccupied to hear.

 

The mechanic’s hand went to his left hip, where he pulled another flashlight out of his pocket. “I’ve only known him for a couple of minutes,” Tom said to Rey in English, “but I would’ve bet you that he was carrying a spare light – that kind of guy.”

 

“You know shops that will do a job quickly for you,” Rey answered. “You also know shops that will do the job well. Marco’s is one of the few that I know that does both.”

 

“He seems to know what he’s doing,” Tom said as the mechanic removed the engine cowlings.

 

“Oigan ustedes dos, ¡váyanse!” Marco yelled into the engine. “Me están poniendo nervioso.”²

 

Rey and Tom looked at each other, raised their eyebrows in unison, and left the hangar. As the person-sized side door closed behind them, Rey said, “I owe you an apology. I had never heard him speak in English before. I just assumed that he was fluent. He’s FAA-certified, too.”

 

“Really? How did he ever pass the language proficiency test?”

 

“Perhaps he’s better reading and writing than speaking.”

 

“Lot of people like that. Should we call the fuel truck again?”

 

“Now I think we need to wait until they finish with the wheels. They have to jack the plane, do they not? That seems easier with empty tanks.”

 

Before Tom had a chance to answer, Rey’s cellphone rang. He made a sign to Tom with his fingers asking for a moment, and then hurried forward.

 

“’And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon,’” Tom sang to himself quietly.

 

 

 

¹ “Stupid American, I asked if you had an A&P mechanic’s certification.”

 

“No and no. No, I am not certified as an A&P mechanic. And I am not American; I’m Mexican. See, idiot, my voting card says Mexican. My driver’s license: Mexican. My pilot’s license: Mexican. I was born in Oaxaca. Yes, my parents were foreigners; so what? That doesn’t make me any less Mexican than you are.”

 

²”Hey you two, get out of here! You’re making me nervous.”

[TomPenDragon]

For an E6B substitute, y'all might want to check out this:

https://e6bx.com/e6b/

4 hours ago, PhrogPhlyer said:

I see another article I need to write. E6B basics.

That said (or found, or posted, or whatever), I'd really like to see this article - this challenge in particular has piqued my interest in getting back to "As Real As It Gets".

[PhrogPhlyer]

37 minutes ago, TomPenDragon said:

That said (or found, or posted, or whatever), I'd really like to see this article - this challenge in particular has piqued my interest in getting back to "As Real As It Gets".

I'll table my article on the Boeing 314 circumnavigation for now, have not really had the time with the Rally preps. And I'll refocus onto flight planning and the use of the E6-B. I discussed some charts/plotter usage with the C-150 X-C article, and will build from there.

[PhrogPhlyer]

43 minutes ago, Sirrus said:

"1000 Miles from Nowhere"

Sounds like a great theme song for the low and slow gang.

[PhrogPhlyer]

1 hour ago, TomPenDragon said:

Marco took a small flashlight out of his breast pocket, opened the left fuel cap, and peered inside. The flashlight went dead after only a second. Marco fiddled with it to try to revive it. “Want a match?” Tom asked, but fortunately Marco was too preoccupied to hear.

Unfortunately, there's more than a grain of truth in this. Has happened with aircraft, tanker trucks, cars, and boats. Darwin grimaces in his grave with each event

[PhrogPhlyer]

2 hours ago, meloscanlon said:

Hope I am not stretching the rules too much by flying my favorite aircraft in FSX.

Quick read this thread on my broken not-so-smart phone as I stumbled back to the hanger after the Lancing VFW's beer-pong-hula-dancing-contest, they said it would get the pilot "primed" for the morning. Looked that the picture and said to myself, "Myself, that's a damm fine looking Miles Mohawk! Of course it can enter the rally." I immediately texted meloscanlon the good news.

 

Back at the hangar, after a 3 mile walk in the near freezing night air, and finishing the pot of coffee left over from this morning's breakfast, I looked at the pictures again. Much to my sobering eyes I see that it's NOT a Mohawk, but a Spitfire. Yikes!

 

Well... hmmm... it was built before the '70s, it is being flown as a civil aircraft, and he did fly all the way to Lancing... decisions, decisions. Heck! Darn! Drat!

 

I quick reached out to the highest authority I know, Mrs. Official Air Rally Official, and she said, "Why are you bothering me with that sim stuff!!?!? Just let him fly the stupid rally."

 

And with that, the decision was clear, meloscanlon is in the Rally! The Spitfire stays.

 

 

[PhrogPhlyer]

And now we are TEN!

[PhrogPhlyer]

4 hours ago, ScottishMike said:

We had a 14 kts. crosswind and the second approach was difficult, we landed on the grass next to the runway.

Looking up and counting snowflakes, You landed, isn't that all that matters?

[Airbasil_1]

So then… the Time has come…

It's the first of November 2023. Which means: "Let's hop in and let the Race begin!“

 

Here's my Flightplan / Roster for three days in a row: 

 

—————————

Day 1 (2 Legs) - as filed

KIGQ - KLBO (53min) / KLBO - KGCM (75min)

 

Slot availability: 

- ETD KIGQ: 18:00 UTC ETA KLBO: 19:00 UTC

- ETD KLBO: 19:30 UTC ETA KGCM: 20:45 UTC

 

DEP KIGQ: RWY18/36 (4002ft)   /   ARR KLBO: RWY18/36 (5000ft)  /  ARR KGCM: RWY17/35 (5200ft)

 

- Estimated Cruise Altitude as filed: FL220 to FL250

(Depending on Traffic in the Area)

 

- METAR: 

KIGQ 010435Z AUTO 32008KT 3SM -SN OVC008 00/M01 A3026 RMK AO2 P0002 T00021007 

KLBO 010435Z AUTO 31003KT 10SM CLR M03/M10 A3045 RMK AO2

KGCM 010435Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR M02/M07 A3051 RMK AO2 

 

- Fuel used: ~95 Gallons (~47 Gallons per Hour).

The 421 Golden Eagle is quite a thirsty Girl. 

—————————

Day 2 (2 Legs)

KGCM - KTDW / KTDW - KGUP 

 

(Will be updated as soon as filed)

—————————

Day 3 (3 Legs)

KGUP - KFLG / KFLG - KEED / KEED - KSMO

 

(Will be updated as soon as filed)

—————————

 

Mostly flying during the late afternoon / Early Evening Hours as there won't be too much traffic around in the Air which makes Communications with Air Traffic Control much more smooth and flying won't be stressfull at all… Also in the Morning till noon or even afternoon, Jason and I decided to visit friends along the route. 

 

NOTAM:

Set for a good start, wishing you all a good flight and lots of Fun! 

Empty Leg availability: KEED - KSMO You're welcome to hop in if you want to! 

 

[PhrogPhlyer]

9 minutes ago, Airbasil_1 said:

Off to a good start, wishing you all a good flight and lots of Fun! 

And the same to you!

On this side of the pond, heading to sleep and then ready to fly.

 

And all entrants remember that you need to time all 10 legs, even if doing several in a row.

Not time for a multi-leg flight.

Time on each leg is scored +/- from planned.

This is what equalizes all catagories of aircraft.

10 legs, 10 leg times, 10 variances from planned vs actual for that leg.

 

Best of luck Everyone as we get the Rally underway.

[ViperPilot2]

Got to Lansing this evening. Two day trip from CO. BRRRR.

 

May lay over tomorrow and warm up a bit before I start the Event.

 

Most of the trip resembled this...

 

 

Good Luck to Everyone!

 

C 'ya when I C 'ya!

[jgf]

2 hours ago, PhrogPhlyer said:

time all 10 legs, even if doing several in a row

 

How to balance times between those who land at each point vs those who land every second or third point?

[Airbasil_1]

27 minutes ago, jgf said:

 

How to balance times between those who land at each point vs those who land every second or third point?

 

That will be totally up to you.. i counted the Time i need vs. the time i have vs. the Arrival and Departure Slots i got. And so i decided to do the whole thing in three days. 

[ScottishMike]

Thanks to the Pen Dragon for the E6B link, may your ink never run dry. What is your ink consumption per leg?

Current Nov 1st. weather in Lansing:

Electronic E6B in use:

[PhrogPhlyer]

7 hours ago, jgf said:

How to balance times between those who land at each point vs those who land every second or third point?

This has been addressed a couple times above, I hope this clarifies for all.

1. You must either land or overfly each airport on the route.
2. For each of the 10 legs you will record your Actual time enroute (ATE) vs your Planned tine enroute (PTE).
3. Timing for each leg is from wheels/skids leave the ground until wheels/skids touh at the next airport or you overfly the center of the next airport,
4. At the end of each day, post the time difference for EACH leg. If you only flew leg 1 you might post (Leg 1 v3). If you flew 3 les you might post (leg 1 V2, Leg 2 V4, Leg 3 V0).
5. "V" or Variance is the number of minutes plus or minus that you Varied "V" from planned, So a leg early is just as bad as finishing the leg late.
6. I will record your posted times per leg on the Rally Board at the completion of each day.
7. You must record a "V" for each of the 10 legs. Even if the route were to be flown non-stop, you still would record a "V" for each of the 10 legs.
8. When all contestants complete all 10 legs, I will tally the Rally Board and list contestants in order of "V."
9. Whomever has the least total "V" will be declared the winner of the coveted Suc-a-Lux Trophy.

[PhrogPhlyer]

8 hours ago, ViperPilot2 said:

May lay over tomorrow and warm up a bit before I start the Event.

 

Most of the trip resembled this...

Quite prudent and THAT was a great vid!

[PhrogPhlyer]

2 hours ago, ScottishMike said:

Current Nov 1st. weather in Lansing:

Brrr, not a great day. Send out the solo student pilots first.