Author: The Flying Dutchman

I am a man who loves Christ, loves my wife, loves my family, loves my church, and loves aviation. In that order.

Wings are finished

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Rans S-6ES CoyoteLeave a comment

God gave us a glorious day here in central California.  Warm sunshine, some passing high clouds, and mild temperatures.  I volunteered at Oakdale Municipal Airport’s open house.  I was the cashier for our food stand.  On my breaks and after the event, I went over to my hanger and spent more time working on my wings.  Today I officially finished building the wings!  I still need to spray a clear coat to protect the fabric from the sun’s UV rays but other than that they are done!  I also need to paint a few small parts before I put the wings on.  I plan to do the painting this Friday.

We’re getting close!

Here’s a picture of the finished left hand wing:

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More wing work

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Rans S-6ES CoyoteLeave a comment

Worked on the wings a bit more this morning.  I cut the control rod exits into the skins for flaps and ailerons. I also cut holes for the aileron and flap hinge hardware and installed the hinges.

Here is a photo of the exit for the flap teleflex cable.  This operates the flaps.  Also shown is one of the installed flap hinge brackets.2010-09-24_08-01-10_551

This is a photo of the aileron push/pull tube exit.  I’ll put the tube in when I mount the wings.2010-09-24_08-01-50_139

Missing my friends

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Faith3 Comments

I had a quick Facebook chat today with one of my oldest friends.  Sometimes she drives me crazy but I love her like a sister.  I started thinking about how to best witness to her.  I’ve always tried to show her Christ’s love and kindness.  But to this day I’m still not sure where she stands with Christ; she changes the subject whenever religion comes up.  Maybe that’s the problem, I need to talk less religion and more Christ.  I’ll be seeing her this summer for the first time in about 5 years.  I could sure use prayers for my conversations with her.  I’ve known her for over 30 years, I’d sure love to know her for eternity.  My heart aches to think of all my friends who have turned from Christ but especially for Melody.

AWOL

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Opinion3 Comments

Mrs. Flying Deacon and I had a bit of a scare last night.  I went out to get a drink of water at about 11:30pm and noticed the front door was unlocked.  This is not an uncommon occurrence so I locked the door without thinking about it and headed back to the bedroom.  I poked my head into each kid’s room to check on them and noticed my son was missing.  Ah, he must be out on the front porch looking at his lizards.  I went back to the front door and quietly unlocked it and jumped out onto the front porch with my best “Ah-ha!” look.  But he wasn’t there.  I made a more careful search of the house but he wasn’t anywhere to be found.  By this time Mrs. Flying Deacon had gotten wind of the situation and was also looking.

Okay, time to go off the reservation and look around.  I got in my car and drove around the neighborhood checking his usual haunts but he was nowhere to be seen.  After I returned home we decided it was time to call the cops.  I called local police dispatch and explained the situation.  They had an office at my door within 15 minutes to their credit.  I explained to the officer that my son had apparently walked out the front door with no jacket and no shoes, wearing only a t-shirt and shorts and was now nowhere to be found.  She said she’d check the neighborhood and either return with him or call us and let us know what the next steps would be.  Ugh.  Sick feeling in the stomach.

She got back into her patrol car and went one direction while I went the other.  On a whim I turned toward the canal (which I had already checked).  I could see the patrol car in my rear view mirror.  Then much to my relief I saw my son across the street walking up the sidewalk apparently returning home from his night on the town.  I signaled the police cruiser behind me that I had located my wayward son.  I was relieved beyond belief to see him walking back so like any loving father I jumped out of the car, ran toward my son shouting “Hey!  You get over here right now young man!”

I first had him talk to the police officer who seemed somewhat in disbelief that he was just as we described him.  She couldn’t believe he left without his shoes.  So the first thing she said to him was, “Hey, are you alright?  Why did you leave without your shoes?”  I was thinking, Oh come on, handcuff him or something.  After she was satisfied that everything was okay I sent him to sit in the car while the officer and I concluded our business.  To my surprise she said, “Good job dad.  You found your son.  So many people just wouldn’t care.  They expect us to find them.  But you came out and looked for him and found him.”

I took him home and had a “brief discussion” with him on appropriate times to leave the house and what it means to be grounded.  Then we all went to bed but it still took Mrs. Flying Deacon and I some time to de-stress and sleep.  As upset as I was with him I had to admit to myself, I always will go out and look for him.  Always.

Riveting experience

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Rans S-6ES CoyoteLeave a comment

I started riveting the fabric onto my wings today.  I got the bottom of one wing down and started on the bottom of the other.

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Was one of those magical afternoons.  The weather was sunny and cool, Scotty was wandering around the airport enjoying the day, and I got a lot of work done.   Perfect end to a perfect day of worship and rest.

Still pulling wing skins

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Rans S-6ES CoyoteLeave a comment

Finally pulled the wing skin enough that I could fasten the top half to the root rib with screws.  I had to move carefully due to the thumb injury I sustained from a broken drill bit.  I’ll fasten the bottom half when I can flip the wing over.  This is all on the left wing.  I have not started the right wing yet.

Rans Coyote Update

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Rans S-6ES CoyoteLeave a comment

I admit that I have been terrible at updating this blog.  It has been a busy summer but that is no excuse.  I really will try to update more often.  The update on my Coyote is that I am covering the wings this weekend!  I was able to pull the wing covering about 3/4 of the way on.

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But then my buddy Dennis and his wife Kim and one of their workers happened along and were able to help me pull the wing skins on almost all the way…

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I’m going to a friend’s house tonight to have him help me fab up some fabric pullers to pull the skins the last 4 inches.

Then I’ll put the wings back on.

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Been a while

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Rans S-6ES CoyoteLeave a comment

I will start updating this blog again, I swear.  Right now I am finishing up the wings and getting my FAA paperwork ready.  I will begin updating the blog with my Coyote flying adventures very soon.  Stop back by in a couple of months!

Adopting Flight

On By The Flying DutchmanIn AviationLeave a comment

My pastor and his wife have been on a long, tiring journey to adopt a child from overseas.  Recently God, in one of His lighter moments, decided to bless my pastor with not one but TWO adoptions.  (It’s a long story)  I wanted to help them in some way but I don’t have much money or talent… but I can fly.  So when my pastor took the decision to hold an auction to raise money, I donated my skill in the way of a one hour site-seeing flight.

A woman bid and won the flight for her parents.  I took her parents on that flight this morning.  We flew over Milton and the Salt Springs Valley and just generally enjoyed the cold, crisp, still morning air.  My favorite part of the flight was when one of my passengers yelled to be heard over the engine noise; “IT’S SO PEACEFUL UP HERE!”  And she meant it! 🙂

So, thank you Tanya Cantrell for buying this flight for your parents, and thank you Kiana and Jerry Sommers for being my passengers this morning!

IMG00172

Build a realistic military cockpit for your flight simulator

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Aviation, Opinion1 Comment

Years ago I remember reading a response posted to rec.aviation.military in answer to a user asking how he could make his military flight simulator more realistic.  He wanted to build a realistic cockpit setup for his “misions.”  This is the response to the best of my memory:

Take two cynderblocks and place them together on the floor in front of your PC and monitor.  Find a piece of plywood and place it behind the cynderblocks and prop it against something sturdy like a wall.  Arrange the cynderblocks and plywood into a seat.  Stretch a thin piece of fabric over the cynderblocks.  This is your ejection seat.

Obtain either a heat lamp or an old doctor’s examining lamp.  Place it next to your ejector seat so that the lamp will be shining directly on your head.  This will simulate the sun.  Angle it toward your eyes for ultra-realism.

Take a backpack and fill it with old cloths, rope, and tools.  Pack it as tightly as possible.  Try to compress it so that it is as flat as possible.  Make sure something sharp is located right between the shoulder straps so that it presses into your back when worn.  Strap it to you as tightly as possible.  This will simulate your parachute.

Make a bologna sandwich and leave it out for a few hours.  Then gently wrap it in plastic and step on it.  Toss it in a small box with a badly bruised apple and a warm box juice drink.  Close the box.  Step on the box.  Place the box under the heat lamp in your “cockpit.”  This will simulate your box lunch for your mission.

For ultra-realism find a real military style helmet with oxygen mask.  Strap it on tightly.  Soak a rag in kerosene and let it dry.  Then place it in the tube connected to your oxygen mask.  This will simulate the on board oxygen system of your aircraft.

Now you are ready.  Turn on your heat lamp.  When the ejection seat feels warm go ahead and have a seat.  Turn on your PC and get your flight simulator software going.  Once your aircraft is loaded on your computer and ready go, sit there for an hour.  Go through the checklist while you are waiting.  After an hour under the heat lamp, begin your mission.  Make sure it takes at least 4 hours.  Do not under any circumstances leave your ejection seat during this time, that’s cheating.  Feel free to enjoy your lunch at any time.

For even more realism, have your wife wake you up in the middle of the night.  Put on your flight suit and helmet and run down to your simulator.  Put on your helmet and parachute while you are running to your “aircraft.”  Get in and fire up the PC.  Go through the checklist and then sit in your cockpit waiting for your launch orders.  After an hour have your wife come back and tell you to “stand down.”  Shut everything down, take off your gear, and go back to bed.  Have your wife do this a couple times per week and even a couple times per night at completely random intervals.

Congratulations!  You now have the most realistic flight simulator possible.

At least, that’s how I remember it.