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What did you do with your RV this weekend? (10/9-10/2021)

Completed Condition Inspection and signed my RV off Friday so went for a Saturday morning flight. Mighty Mississippi River on the left.
 

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to tell the truth it was on Friday, so cheating here. On the other hand since retired no more week-end nor vacations for me ;)

Quick dash to Helgoland EDXH, exotic airfield located on a sand dunes. Friendly folks, seal colonies bathing and napping, and the cheapest tax free Avgas make the place a winner!
 

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Glass work…causing cleaning work in garage despite good filtration. Fixed a condition inspection casualty, and finally rigged my wheel pants and gear fairings properly to sort out the transition fairings properly. Hopefully I’ll gain a few knots for the work…my wheel pants were way off being rigged correctly.

Edit:
Work done...added some paint picts. Picked up a new HF gun on sale for $14.99 because my old one is just too gummed up after 10+ years of abuse. I also got the spectrum cup kit and adapter...really liking this!!! First coat of single-stage went on with only 1 small run...second coat went on great.

New led fan lights pumping out 24000 lumen helped a lot!
 

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Random Celebrity Sighting

I was at Santa Paula topping up the tanks in my RV6. There was a Bonanza in front of me and I helped the gentleman push it out some so he didn't blast me when he started up.

Now, I'm a bit of a race car junkie (raced in the SCCA for several years) and I've followed F1, Indycar, and IMSA since I was a teenager.

So anyway, this gentleman has a BRE Datsun 240Z shirt on and I said something like I remember reading about Peter Brock and John Morton dominating SCCA in the early 1970's with that 240Z.

Deadpan, he says yeah, that's me. I was floored. I was talking with John Morton, one of my driving heros. I remember watching him drive in the dominant Nissan 300ZX in IMSA in the 1990's.

I was wearing a Dan Gurney T shirt (another hero of mine) and a Road American ball cap and he commented on those, and chatted for 20 minutes about racing. He said nice to meet you and he got in the Bonanza and and took off for Torrance. What a nice guy.

And wouldn't you know it, I forgot my phone at the hanger so I wasn't able to get a picture. What a bummer, but it was an awesome random meeting.
 
Just flew around. Low clouds but still nice. Landed at RZR for some R&R and coffee.
 

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First snow of the season - didn't quite make it down to the ski resorts.
 

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Loaded up 32 gallons of fuel and did a bit of sight seeing. Heart Mountain in this pic.
 

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A couple of pilots at my airport Essex Skypark had a little fly-in party for family and friends. Although the weather wasn't ideal, the flying was fun; a great aviation day. One of my passengers was an A-10 pilot who had fun duplicating the A-10 ground attack profile with my RV which included heading downhill at a 45 degree angle followed by a hard G pull-up. Photos by Bruce Raymond.
 

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Milestone

Woo Hoo mounted the engine. And bled the brakes. Left brake is still spongy but right brake is solid as a rock.
Hard work but such a good feeling to have the engine on. Now I can make engine noises, well I work. Lol

RD
 
Behold. The majesty that is a sliding canopy frame with all bending and unbending and re-bending and re-unbending completed.
 

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CH to NL via FR and DE - less than 3 hours

Quick hop up to NL to see daughter #1. Thanks to lots of good tips, advice, and training from my CH RV brothers on this forum, I'm starting to take advantage of the capabilities of these amazing flying machines.

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Stayed in touch with the controllers in the 4 countries along the way, they were all very busy and more than helpful.
 
Thomasville Fly In

Saw quite a few RVs on the line after Day 1 (Friday) being a wash out for many.
 

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An 18 minutes tool around the local (the fancy houses by the lake) Monday morning (just under the weekend wire).

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Flew to CCR yesterday with an average 10 knot headwind. Flew home today with an average 40 knot tailwind. That never happens…!
 
I plan on a trip to the Petit Jean fly in every year. Two years ago I was heading to the fly in and my alternator crapped out... low volts. After a landing to rule out something easy to fix, I flew back home with the master off. At that time I changed out to an automotive alternator to eliminate much of the cost, down time due to waiting for a new one, and availability at nearly any auto parts store, even on a Sunday!
Fast forward to last Saturday. After a weather delay I was on my happy way to the fly in. About 15 miles this side of Pine Bluff alarms started going off. High voltage. Alternator reset would solve the problem for a minute of so but volts were fluctuating considerably. Then high voltage alarm again. Knowing what had to be done, I shut it down and landed at Pine Bluff. This is where the world of Aviation and the people in it shine beyond measure. After locating a new alternator at the local O'Reillys aircraft supply store, an elderly gentleman generously offered to take me. A Vietnam era veteran, his story was interesting! With a new alternator in hand we returned to the airport. Every time I've gone cross country, I learn something. This trips lesson was glaring right in my face. Having most of the tools one needs to do a job is just as useless as having none. Another gentleman loaned me the tools needed. Unfortunately it took longer than I expected and was now late evening. I decided not to press on to Petit Jean. Didn't make sense to arrive to spend only one night. James, The FBO attendant at Pine Bluff hooked me up with a crew car for supper and allowed me to sleep in the pilots lounge. The next morning I headed out to Marion Indiana which was my hometown. Since building the RV it had always been on my bucket list to get a picture on the ramp where I took my first airplane ride 57 years ago.
I stayed in Marion for three days then headed back to South Alabama. The next day I took the removed alternator back to the local O'Rilleys to get the core charge refund. They informed that it had a lifetime warranty and refunded the entire amount for the new alternator. Gosh... I love experimental aviation. I was so sorry to miss PJ this year as it looked like a fantastic time. Maybe next year!
 
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Alternator failures.

After three automotive alternator failures in 10 years. I installed a B & C Alternator & Regulator. 300 hours & zero failures.
 
Way to go Paul. When things like that happen and the great picture of lifting the next line captain to have a look at the cockpit... well your paying it forward and in the process you make us all look good!
 
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