High Sierra Fly-In 2016

On October 30, 2016October 30, 2016 By The Flying DutchmanIn Aviation, Powered Paragliding, TravelLeave a comment

This past weekend I traveled to the High Sierra Fly-In as I have for the past several years. These last two years I have travelled by ground as I don’t have my airplane any more. This year I brought my airplane with me in the car. That the beauty of having a powered paraglider, you can take your aviation with you anywhere.

HSF 2016 was held in the same place as last year, Flanigan Playa a.k.a. Dead Cow Lake. It can be a challenge to drive there. The shortest ground route takes you over some majorly washboarded roads. There is however a much smoother route that can be driven at freeway speeds almost all the way to the lake’s edge but it is also much longer. I took the bumpy route going in, and the smooth route when I left. Actually getting there was quite an adventure this year. We entered the lakebed from the north side this year rather than the south side and the directions were a little terse causing me to make a wrong turn. I ended up on a two-wheel track that was deeply rutted and was surely not the kind of road my mini-van was designed for. As the road deteriorated I decided I must have made a wrong turn. I found a place to turn around and headed back, making sure to keep my speed up so I wouldn’t bog down in the soft playa dust. I finally found the road I should have turned on and all was well.

I found where my friends Rich and Hawk were camped and set up camp in the lee of their motorhome. The first order of business was to unpack and assemble my PPG. This took about 15 minutes. Then I set about rigging my mini-van for motorhome mode. I had already taken the seats out, I just needed to rearrange things to give me a place to sleep. It was too late in the day to fly so I just drove my PPG trike around enjoy the amused and slightly jealous looks of the other pilots.

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As evening rolled around some fellow PPG’ers wanted to go fly and invited me along. I was not certain I wanted to go with all the air traffic flying around. So after they took off and I was certain wake turbulence was not going to collapse their wings, I decided to set up and fly. I got to enjoy a very nice sunset flight around camp and out over the sagebrush. I didn’t take any pictures. Some moments were meant to just enjoy. Besides, all I had with me was a brand new cell phone and I wasn’t interested in dropping it. This was my first time taking off at this density altitude (about 4500 feet). It took more speed and time to get the wing to fly, and for the trike to leave the ground. In my head as a pilot I knew to expect this, but when it happened I was still somewhat surprised. At any rate I enjoyed my flight and landed just before sunset.

After sunset I headed over to the the nightly bonfire to catch up with old friends. I’ve noticed that the type of pilots showing up is slowly changing. The guys that have been around for years are their same friendly selves. But there are new pilots showing up who gather in clusters and aren’t really there to make new friends but only to impress each other. I guess HSF is what you make of it.

The next morning some of the PPC and PPG guys went flying but it was just too cold for me. I would not enjoy flying in 30 degree temperatures so I stayed on the ground. It was fun to watch the intrepid souls who did fly. Including this helmet cam footage of my friend Edward Ang who almost flew through a tent!

Later in the day we gathered for the STOL Drag Race. The idea is two place line up side by side at the start line. At the start signal they fly 3/4 mile and land just beyond a line and try to stop as quick as they can. Once stopped they are allowed to turn around take off and fly back to the starting line. The winner is the first to land and stop beyond the start line.

After the STOL drag I learned I was coming down with the flu. Dang. I relaxed as much as I could the rest of the day and waited for the evening bonfire, dinner, and fireworks. I busied myself with breaking down my Cruise Carbon Trike to get ready to pack it in the van in the morning. I had planned to enjoy the fireworks that evening, however all I could manage was dinner. I started getting the chills and headed back to my minivan to crawl into my sleeping bag to warm up. I tossed and turned fitfully as the fireworks and tannerite were set off. So, sadly I couldn’t enjoy this portion of the fly-in this year.

The next morning I packed my trike into the van and caravanned out with my buddy Joey. We took a different way out than we had come in and the roads were much smoother. But longer. It added an hour to the trip for me but that was fine. I wasn’t feeling up to washboard roads that morning. The rest of the trip home was uneventful.

If you are a pilot or just love airplanes and things aviation, this is a great event to attend. Just make sure you are set up for desert camping AND cold weather camping. Bring an RV if you can. Makes life much more bearable there. And THANK YOU Kevin Quinn for coming up with this event and moving mountains to make it happen.

Anderson Ultimate Hitch 2

On October 26, 2016February 12, 2019 By The Flying DutchmanIn RV LifeLeave a comment

I just received comment in my blog from Andersen Hitches. It seems they have improved the coupling device on their hitch by adding a funnel which guides the ball hitch into the coupler. This makes hitching up far more easy and gives a little room for “slop” when hitching up. I know that this feature will definitely be a benefit to me personally. 🙂

Here’s what the hitch comes with…

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You can see the new addition of the funnel and how cleverly designed it is. It just bolts on the receiver assembly which bolts to the kingpin of your coach.

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Not sure if owners of existing hitches can fit these to their units but it would appear you could add it easily. If the size of the aluminum billet hasn’t changed then this would be a no-brainer addition.

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You can see that once fitted on the kingpin of your coach, it will be much easier to hitch to your tow vehicle. You can be 3 inches off-center in any direction and still hitch up easily.

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Andersen seems to be an innovative company that keeps refining and enhancing their products. I think my mind is made up. I’m going Andersen Ultimate 2… too!

NOTE: I’ve received no promotion or incentive from anyone to write this article.

House Of Music

On October 16, 2016February 12, 2019 By The Flying DutchmanIn FaithLeave a comment

I’m blessed with two women who LOVE to play the piano. I met my wife when she was a pianist at our church. I sang in the choir, it seems to be a match made in Heaven. Now many years later, in fact exactly 29 years after I married her) we have this young lady who happens to be our daughter and also loves to play piano. Here is a cover she did of a Katy Perry song…

And another of “Be Thou My Vision”

The Outsourcing Of America

On October 15, 2016 By The Flying DutchmanIn Opinion, WorkLeave a comment

I don’t blame Hillary for this, I blame both political parties. Both are standing by and allowing this to happen. People who have worked and trained hard to get and hold their jobs are being forced to train much lower-paid replacements. I had to go through the same thing. What’s happening in America is shameful.

Read about it here: http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/10/15/exclusive-american-worker-forced-train-foreign-replacement-reveals-how-hillary-clinton-betrayed-him/

Project 2023

On October 14, 2016 By The Flying DutchmanIn RV LifeLeave a comment

So after looking at finances and life situations we have to change our timeline for retirement somewhat. There will be some financial penalties if I retire before the age of 59.5 so we have to push Project 2020 off until 2023. So the full-time RV life will have to wait just a bit longer. If you’ve noticed the countdown timer on the side of my webpage you’ll further notice that it has changed to reflect our change in timeline.

The Calm Before The Storm

On October 13, 2016October 14, 2016 By The Flying DutchmanIn Aviation, Powered ParaglidingLeave a comment

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Red sky at morning…

The west coast of the USA is about to get a one-two punch from a set of storms that are bearing down on us from the Pacific Ocean. We can really use the rain here in California where we have been in a 7 year drought. The winds were calm this morning so I decided to get in a quick flight before the storms this weekend.

I pulled into New Jerusalem Airport just before 0700 this morning. The air was completely calm with just a hint of frost on my breath. The airport windsock hung on it’s pole like a discarded rag. When I put my windsock up on top of my van it was in full agreement. Not even a hint of wind. I was grateful because this morning’s early Autumn air had a chill to it. I pulled my wing out of the van and dropped it on the ground. It landed with the sound of a laundry bag thumping down. There was just a hint of “dairy air” in my nose as I set up. Not an entirely pleasant smell.

I rolled my trike down off the trailer and primed the engine. It took a couple of tries to finally start it but once running it purred. After a full throttle run-up I shut the engine down and walked out to the runway to set up my wing. I glanced back over my shoulder at my windsock. It was just starting to show a southerly breeze, I was setting up to take off to the north. There would be a slight tailwind. Noted. I spread the wing out and untangled the lines. Satisfied that all was in order I walked back over to bring my trike over. I donned my helmet, jacket, and gloves and drove the trike over to the wing. Backed the trike in, connected the risers, one last look at the wing… alles goed.

I strapped myself in… legs first, then arm straps, chest strap, anti-torque strap, reserve parachute, throttle strapped to my left hand. Good to go. Strobe on. I call on the radio “New Jerusalem Traffic, powered paraglider, departing runway three zero, 2 minutes” Left brake handle in my left index and middle fingers, right brake handle in my right hand, press start on the throttle, the engine buzzes to life. “A” lines hooked under both my thumbs, one last look around, deep breath, squeeze the throttle half-way. The engine strains against the billowing wing behind me as it slowly climbs above me. I drop the “A”s and pull on the brakes to keep the wing from racing ahead of me. It settles just above and behind me. Alles goed. I squeeze the throttle all the way and start letting up on the brake lines. The front wheel starts getting light and then I feel the wing pull me up into the air by my suspenders.

The air is smooth and cool and crisp… and still smells slightly of cow. As I climb the air freshens, no more cow smell. The sky is grey to the north telegraphing the coming storm. The sun shines bright red in the southeast. Not high enough to warm me yet but high enough to hearten me. The air is still dead calm, my trike glides easily through the air. I head out over the San Joaquin river. There are wisps of fog here and there on the river and in the farm fields on either side. There is a man standing next to his truck parked along side the river, he is fishing. We’re both having a good morning. I pass over tractors slowly crawling along the fields. Farm trucks meander down the roads, early morning commuters scurry around them on their way into the Bay Area. I don’t share their sense of hurry suspended up here in the sky.

I take my hands off the brake lines and stow them. I let the torque of the engine take me in a slow lazy circle back to the airport. As I descend I feel the air getting cooler. I drop through 500 feet, 400 feet, 300… 200 feet, my airspeed of 25 mph never changes. I fly downwind, base, final. I pull the brake lines about 5 feet off the ground and lightly touch down. Still rolling I lightly squeeze the throttle to keep my speed up and keep my wing flying overhead. I steer towards where I parked and as I roll to a stop. I pull the brakes all the way down and my wing slowly crumples to the ground.

I sit for a moment and just listen to the metal in my motor make “tinking” sounds. I unclip my reserve parachute, anti-torque strap, chest strap, leg straps, chin strap on my helmet. I slowly shed the harness over my shoulders and stand up. I toss my helmet into the seat. Unclip the wing’s risers, and slowly coil the lines. I stuff the wing back into it’s back and toss it in the van. Load the trike back up on the trailer.

Sailors take warning.

I pause before driving away. Alles goed. Everything is still calm.

And now we await the storm.

RV Dreaming

On October 10, 2016 By The Flying DutchmanIn RV Life, TravelLeave a comment

The great thing about dreams is that you can dream whatever you want. Dreams don’t have to be grounded in reality. Sometimes though you can realize your dreams even if only for a short time. Cristy and I got to do just that for a few hours this past weekend. We traveled down to Pomona to visit the Best RV Show at the Pomona Fairplex. Or goal was to evaluate the two models of Grand Design 5th wheel coaches we had been considering. Then we experienced the first of two surprises this year at the show.

The first surprise was that Grand Design has introduced a new model and we fell in love with it. It’s Grand Design Solitude 300GK.

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We like the fact that it’s only 35 feet long, has a separate closet for the washer/dryer, and a telescoping TV that reveals a huge picture window when the TV is lowered. Which is where we’ll probably keep it. Our absolute favorite model is the new 360RL but at almost 40 feet long is just a little too long for us. Most state and national parks cap out at 35 feet so that’s what we’re trying to stick to.

The other surprise was that we found out that Winnebago has purchased Grand Design RV. We aren’t sure how to take this news yet. It could be very good depending on what the intentions of Winnebago are but it could also spell the end of Grand Design as we know it. Since we are a few years away from purchasing we have time to find out.

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As I read this press release the more I think that Thor was probably posturing for a hostile takeover of GD and they decided to ally with a name synonymous with the RV industry rather than get swallowed up by Thor. At any rate as I already said, time will tell.

Despite this news Cristy and I really enjoyed our time away. We got to be with each other and spend time talking or just being quiet and enjoying the passing scenery. Car travel has kind of become our refuge from the world. We load up our snacks, crank up our favorite tunes on Spotify and hit the road. It’s fun to dream about when this will be our reality. For now we get to live it in bits and pieces and that’s enough. For now.

Flexible J-Pole Antenna

On October 1, 2016February 12, 2019 By The Flying DutchmanIn HAMLeave a comment

I’ve been looking for a small powerful antenna for my Yaesu VX-6 and KK6ES recommended this to me…

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It’s basically a roll-up J-Pole antenna. I have a line with a weight on one end that I can toss up over a tree branch and just pull it up into a the tree and use that as a mast. I tried it out the other night and was able to get really good transmission and reception on a local repeater. It was marginal with the rubber ducky antenna that came with the radio.

Today I tried to come up with a portable mast. I have a telescoping windsock pole that I use when I fly my powered paraglider but it’s made of aluminum and the antenna is not as efficient when hung next to metal. So I bought some sections of PVC tubing and some slip couples and made a mast.

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However, it was too floppy. I had to use the tree to prop it up so that it wouldn’t flex too much. If I can come up with a way to stiffen the PVC pipes it will work nicely. Or… maybe the folks out there have better ideas?

Fuel Primer Repair – Part 3

On September 25, 2016 By The Flying DutchmanIn Aviation, Powered Paragliding, RepairLeave a comment

After measuring how much fuel primer line I would need I threaded it through the protective mesh webbing and added heat shrink tubing on both ends of the mesh.

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Then I heated the tubing ends up in boiling water to help them stretch and slide over the fittings on the carburetor more easily. I secured the carburetor end of the primer line and then slide the primer bulb ends of the tubing and mesh through the hole in the Rodeo Nirvana backshell. I had to file out the hole a little because the primer tubing was slightly thicker walled than the orginal tubing. I added some Gorilla Glue and then propped the motor up so that the glue wouldn’t run. A little tape around the hole in the backshell prevented (most of) the glue from running out the hole.

After the glue dried I cut the tubes to length and pushed them onto the primer bulb fittings. I put a dab of superglue on the tube ends to make sure they stayed on the primer bulb. I did not glue the primer bulb to the backshell but just left it snapped in place. If no leaks develop then I’ll glue it in.

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Fuel Primer Repair – Part 2

On September 21, 2016September 25, 2016 By The Flying DutchmanIn Aviation, Powered Paragliding, RepairLeave a comment

First of all it was a beautiful day here in California’s vast Central Valley. It was sunny and 100 degrees here a few days ago and this morning I woke up to 62 degrees and this…

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It’s a great way to usher in Autumn. But I know that it will get hot again in a few days. I’m just enjoying the cool weather until then.

Fuel Primer – Part 2

My workaround has been working great but it’s not a permanent fix. I started on the permanent fix today. This required removing the engine from the trike, removing the fuel tank, removing the workaround primer, and removing the old primer line.

After removing the old primer line I salvaged the sleeving used to protect it and ran the new primer ine through it. I still need to get some heat shrink tubing to protect the ends of the sleeving and to secure the fuel lines inside it.