Stock foto from up North:
Took a few vids of the plane, awesome picture quality, I know! Weather was crap so we weren't even sure he would fly out until ten minutes before takeoff. All worked, tho. Not much talking, but "chit-chat" is not appropriate in this moment; we're concentrating on all the little things you have to think about before takeoff, so silence, please!
readying for santa inez
plotting trip; ignition
taxi, queue
takeoff
more idling
That's an impressive looking machine there. Your Dad is apparently a very smart and patient man. How's the head room in the cockpit? It looks a bit cramped from the first photo but I could be wrong. All the vids say "this is a private video. If it has been sent to you make sure you accept the friend request." or something to that effect.
ReplyDeleteoops, thanks for that, i guess the default's private with picasa. i think they're public now.
ReplyDeleteI watched them, that's got to be a crazy feeling watching your Dad fly away in his own little airplane. As I may have mentioned in my blog, I once wanted to build my own personal airplane and fly back to California from Wisconsin when I was age 6-9 or so.
ReplyDeleteThey've got Chevron at the air strip! That's the gas I've been using in the XR engine, and it seems like good fuel. With fuel system cleaning Techron, recommended by Click & Clack, the Tappet Brothers, of Car Talk! I run premium only in these engines and so should you!
crazier yet is actually being a passenger. it takes off in about 300 feet and then climbs something like 3,000' per minute.
ReplyDeleteChevron: yup the skeptic in me says "gas is gas" but i've always used chevron 92 in my thumpers. I think you could get away with Sterno in an XR tho...
There are always those gas stations that have the wierd, cheap-looking signage and toogood-to-be-true prices that keep me from resigning to the "gas is gas" philosophy. One thing I learned along the road though, is that my friend worked at a gas station where they bought from a local oil company, and had the option to put whatever additives they wanted in the batches that they bought. They opted for none, just straight gasoline. The customers reported increased fuel economy, and none of the ill effects of all the Ethanol were likely suffered by any of them. I wish it were easy to tell which gas stations had the same fuel buying practices.
ReplyDeleteSterno: Yeah, it would probably run, but did you see my old piston photos on ADVrider? I think it's in the XL60 thread. I used 89 most of the trip, that's probably the cause for the damage.
ReplyDeleteThanks for making the great photography. I'm still in LA -it's Wednesday- trying to get back north.
ReplyDelete