I've been very busy with my work on http://airball.aero/ (including data gathering flights with other folks) so -- ironically -- I've been too deeply embedded in the flying world to fly solo. Well that needs fixing. I went out solo today to just get some practice.
It was eventful.
First was the springus problem. The Rotax has two springs that go from the carbs to the rubber doohickeys that attach the manifold pressure equalization tube to the intake manifolds. It's not clear why they are there. But one was loose. The mechanics came over, said yeah, we have no idea why this thing is here either, but if it's there it oughta be on properly, and tightened the thing.
Next came the taxi debacle. KRHV is being resurfaced, so it was all orange cones and weird taxi instructions. At some point I ended up "lost" and asked for progressive instructions and was making U-turns all around the ramp. They were patient.
After that was the carb heat mystery. I added carb heat on runup but nothing happened, and the knob seemed surprisingly smooth. I taxied back and popped the cowl and the little mechanical things were indeed mechanicking, and the mechanics told me that if that's going on, then it's working. So I guess I just had a very low carb heat RPM drop day.
Off I launched. It was blowing 13 knots down the runway, so not much crosswind but bumpy. I bumped off to E16 and tried a landing, which went okay but was scary due to the bumps. I tried another one and decided to say screw it and go around.
I then came back to KRHV and had an uneventful landing.
All in all, my feeling is that I have allowed myself to get a bit rusty and therefore need quite a bit more serious training to get comfortable again.
It was eventful.
First was the springus problem. The Rotax has two springs that go from the carbs to the rubber doohickeys that attach the manifold pressure equalization tube to the intake manifolds. It's not clear why they are there. But one was loose. The mechanics came over, said yeah, we have no idea why this thing is here either, but if it's there it oughta be on properly, and tightened the thing.
Next came the taxi debacle. KRHV is being resurfaced, so it was all orange cones and weird taxi instructions. At some point I ended up "lost" and asked for progressive instructions and was making U-turns all around the ramp. They were patient.
After that was the carb heat mystery. I added carb heat on runup but nothing happened, and the knob seemed surprisingly smooth. I taxied back and popped the cowl and the little mechanical things were indeed mechanicking, and the mechanics told me that if that's going on, then it's working. So I guess I just had a very low carb heat RPM drop day.
Off I launched. It was blowing 13 knots down the runway, so not much crosswind but bumpy. I bumped off to E16 and tried a landing, which went okay but was scary due to the bumps. I tried another one and decided to say screw it and go around.
I then came back to KRHV and had an uneventful landing.
All in all, my feeling is that I have allowed myself to get a bit rusty and therefore need quite a bit more serious training to get comfortable again.
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