Off To Oshkosh

Hubby is presently en route on a long awaited flight. Today, a little before 1:00 P.M., the weather improved to a point where he felt comfortable enough to begin the first leg of his journey to the Experimental Aircraft Associations mecca at Oshkosh,WI. A trip northeast to Marshalltown to meet up with a flying partner would determine if they would continue onward. Next stop Manchester,IA.,to Platteville,WI. Then a couple more stops possibly before getting into the flight pattern for ultra-lights on approach at the big airfield. Hubby's craft is considered a plane,but has clearance to land with his friend, who flies a World War II replica ultra-light. Time to test the air before making a decision to head out. OFF TO OSHKOSH!!!

Hubby's Weekend Plane Story...

When this happened... I was over the marsh Friday evening when the starter ring gear separated from the flywheel. The prop caught the bell housing parts as they flew off. I immediately shut down the engine and glided to the field just north of the runway. Ended up about a quarter mile away in the corn stubble. Normal engine out landing. No problem. Took the truck and pulled it home with Dianna and the neighbor's help. Took it apart Saturday. Only other damage not evident in the photo's is it chipped the rear main seal housing. I have another one. This happened because I was using the wrong flywheel. It couldn't absorb the harmonic resonance of the engine. I will try and find a replacement in a junk yard and have it balanced. The prop will be expensive. Don't know how much for the bell housing. I'm waiting for a response from the supplier. Obviously will not be flying to Columbia.Don't know about Gardner.Should be fixed by Oshkosh. C! Wife's Point of View : Oh Honey ! Are you alright?!? So, you were able to walk away from the plane... As a wife with a guy who will do what he wants to do. There could be some bumps, bruises, and broken bones along the way, as I've learned from a past experience. Hubby is working on getting the bugs out of the system. We are glad he was in the neighborhood when the parts decided to fly. Instead of on his way to one of the upcoming events... The kicker, he had only 48 more minutes until he would have been able to leave the 25 mile radius restriction. With changes to the plane he may have to start over at another 40 hours - to be determined after contacting the local FAA office to get their opinion. Sitting on pins and needles working on trying to get things all in order to be off into the wild blue yonder in the shortest amount of time possible once again...

Up Up and AWAY!!!!!!

The weather has brought out the birds of all kinds. Those that come by it naturally, and one that has decided to defy gravity with an engine, flaps, and rudder. This is the second flight of the year - originating from our home grass strip. The plane is my Hubby's concept creation taken from an actual WWI French Voisin Bomber.

The goal is for Hubby to finish flying off the required 40 hours within a 25 mile radius of the home base since he received his inspection by an agent of the FAA. He has 8 hours to go. There are some extended trips in the works after he proves the plane airworthy. Three destinations in fact. He would like to head to Columbia,MO. to an event called "Salute to Veterans 2008", in a little over a month from now, Memorial Day weekend. A friend from the"Kansas City Dawn Patrol" has submitted Hubby's plane for presentation, so of course he wants to be able to follow through. Then a trip to Gardener,KS. over the Father's Day weekend to the home base of "The Kansas City Dawn Patrol", and the last seriously considered , most important flight, off to the Experimental Aircraft Air Adventure 2008. If things work out for him he will point the plane in the direction of OshKosh, WI. the last week of July into August. All of his future plans depend on weather conditions, because he doesn't ever plan on taking the plane apart again to trailer it from place to place. For now he is watching the weather, and wind, trying to get in every minute he can to get those 8 hours put into the past...