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.

Apollo 13 Training

On By The Flying DutchmanIn OpinionLeave a comment

Apollo 13We are implementing a new problem tracking process at my employer, McClatchy Newspapers. The process employs a software application offered by Computer Associates. This application makes extensive use of ITIL. ITIL stands for Information Technology Infrastructure Library and is a set of common terms and processes used to identify incidents and resolutions. To drive home the concept of ITIL they had us engage in an Apollo 13 mission. We had to use the concepts we had learned to help solve the problems the astronauts on Apollo 13 were experiencing. It may have been just a game but let me tell you it was intense. Despite the dry subject material this was probably the most clever and entertaining training session I have ever attended.

Hats off to CA and the Dutch inventor of the game (sorry my friend, can’t remember your name, Jan somethingorother). Great job guys!

PS.  Yes, we got the astronauts home alive!

What to do, what to do?

On By The Flying DutchmanIn RV-44 Comments

I’ve finally come up with a plan for my cracks. The factory which makes the kit ( Van’s Aircraft ) has said that I can stop drill the cracks and just watch to make sure they don’t spread (which they are not expecting to happen.) I’ve had other advice that I should remove the wing and drill that whole skin off and put a new skin on. The most sensable advice came from a friend who built a similar airplane. Aside from being a Godly man in his own right, he is a retired materials engineer. He agreed that the cracks on the wing skin didn’t pose any hazard to flight but that if it were him he just couldn’t stand looking at them. So I’m going to follow his advice which involves drilling out the rivets in the affected area from the fuel tank all the way back to the trailing spar. Then place a doubler skin on top of this that will cover the entire wing in the affected area. This will do two things; hide the cracks, and provide extra support for errant feet. Once painted over it will look like it was designed that way.

As for the cracks on the trailing edge of the elevator, well, I’m just going to rebuild both elevators. I’m looking at this as an opportunity to replace my manual trim system with electric trim. Just got to get this bird into painting shape!

A Prayer for Cristy

On By The Flying DutchmanIn PoetryLeave a comment

woman prayingO Holy and most Merciful Father,
Consider thy daughter.
Comfort her when she fears,
Reassure her when she doubts,
Watch over her while she sleeps,
Catch her when she stumbles,
Hold her when she weeps.
Never have I known a more Godly woman
Who seeks after You night and day.
She prays on my behalf without ceasing.
She prays over our children nightly.
She walks with You in the morning.
Lord, grant her many years on earth,
That we may enjoy her company,
And see Your love and light,
Radiated through her.
Your Spirit is in her.
She showers us with unconditional love.
Holy Father, you have blessed the work of her hands,
And those who dwell with her.
Merciful Father, grant my request;
May all her days be blessed,
May the fruits of her labors be abundant,
May Your Grace shower her and fill her,
All the days of her life.

Amen.

Follow up to skin cracks

On By The Flying DutchmanIn RV-4Leave a comment

Just got an email from the factory regarding some cracking in my wing skins.  The official word is no problemo.  I can just stop drill the cracks (making sure not to drill into the spar.)  I’ll have to ream out the elongated hole on my landing gear leg but it’s not critical at this point.  Big sigh of relief.

Upgrading WordPress

On By The Flying DutchmanIn OpinionLeave a comment

I just upgraded to WordPress 2.01.  It hasn’t been easy.  Probably because I can’t follow directions.  The site is finally back up 100% after 24 hours of “iffy” status.  I don’t think I’ll upgrade minor versions anymore.

More Cracks!

On By The Flying DutchmanIn RV-44 Comments

Drawing of cracking locations

Oh boy, talk about your crack pot! As I was giving rides to some church kids I noticed some more cracks on my plane. These were on the wing just outboard of the wing walk (where passengers step on the wing.) Not sure really what to do about this one. I’ve got an email in to the factory about this. I’ll enter an update once they advise me.

Lord Guard and Guide the Men Who Fly

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Aviation, Faith, PoetryLeave a comment

Lord guard and guide the men who fly
Through the great spaces of the sky;
Be with them traversing the air
In darkening storms or sunshine fair.

Thou who dost keep with tender might
The balanced birds in all their flight,
Thou of the tempered winds, be near,
That, having thee, they know no fear.

Aloft in solitudes of space,
Uphold them with thy saving grace.
O God, protect the men who fly
Thro’ lonely ways beneath the sky.

Amen

By Mary C.D. Hamilton

The joy of likemindedness

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Faith2 Comments

Hey TivoGuy!  🙂
Your family is welcome in my home ANY TIME!  They were such a joy and help to Mrs. Dutchman today.  I’ve been kind of bummed all day because of an airplane crash which killed an acquaintance of mine.  Seeing your big ol’ land yacht parked in my driveway and talking with your lovely and godly wife just lifted my spirits like you wouldn’t believe.  As far as the likemindedness, you know what that’s about and that helps more than I can adequately express.  I’m praying for all your situations, brother.  Thank you so much for all your hard work in the church.  Keep the faith!

Ordered my parts

On By The Flying DutchmanIn RV-4Leave a comment

Ran into one developing problem on my annual.  The cracks in the elevator.  So rather than look at this as a problem, I’m looking at it as an opportunity to correct some minor mistakes that were made when installing the elevators.  I’m also going to install an electric trim system in the elevator rather than the current manual system.  This will be far lighter and more controllable.   I ordered the parts today so they should be in sometime next week.  In the mean time I’m going to repair the current cracks with JB Weld.  Yes, they’ve already been stop-drilled.

Discouragement

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Faith6 Comments

Since I know that no one even reads this blog I think it’s safe to talk openly.  I am so discouraged.  Got a buddy from church yesterday who spent most of the day telling me how dirty and smelly my plane was.  This was discouraging.  He did help me time my magnetos which was helpful.  He also took off some inspection panels which is also helpful.  He also noticed some cracking in the trailing edge of my left hand elevator.  This was discouraging.  He got sick when I took him flying.  Also discouraging.  Not that his sickness was my fault but discouraging none the less. 

 On a personal note, most of my friends are non-believers.  This is discouraging.  Most of the good, Godly people I go to church with are not my friends.  This is discouraging.  The non-believers I hang with treat me better than the good, Godly people I go to church with.  This is discouraging.  Events have piled up this past week in such a way as to be discouraging to me.

My only hope: prayer.