WHEEEE … got to fly down to Highpoint airpark again … this time without my gyro-butha escort ( Kent!) …. A FW Kitfox on the wrong radio freq. tried landing right up my arse …I'd been calling my approach every minute from 5 miles out … as I could see the pattern was busy … I saw the 2 FW's a mile to the west as I was on final … one was coming right at me …setting up his landing … so I announced & broke away … THEN he saw me & circled out away … I did a tight turn back on final & set down nicely …. not quite as close to the park-area as I'd like … misjudged the headwind effect on my descent!

Had great day with good group of Ultralight & experimental fliers … good food & lots of interest on OZ'rora & my gyro-journey story!

Someone got a couple of good pics of my departure & TO.

That's great Chris... so happy for you

So, which part of your beautiful machine did the dip shit in the kitfox miss seeing? The beautiful, bright red tail? Or the big 24'plus rotating flashing things on top of your machine? I hope some people dragged him out of his puss bucket and flogged some sense into him when he landed??

Lucky you were watching.... that's why I had motorbike rear view mirrors on my last machine, with a little rudder you could see anything right behind

Looking at your pics Chris, has your nose wheel folded back a little or is it a camera illusion? Can you just check it please?

My eyes migh just need adjusting hopefully

Well Today was the ....much anticipated final local fly-in of the year!!!
Moler's Turning-Leaf fly-in!

Last evening I had a lovely - "post-trailering /post maintenance" fly-around to check everything out! .... while the rotors were still off I did a 50hr check & replacement ( although it really looked pretty good) ... of the pitch pivot bolt!
So did an extra good preflight after the trailer-beating ... & bundled up in my warmest winter flying gear & insulated suit .... the air was cold .... but my -oh-my how nice to get the old climb performance & thick air for the rotors & prop to bite ... I just can't believe how it wanted to climb - climb & cruised at the lowest throttle setting ... I've seen for months!
Started out with a couple of circuits in the pattern ... wind from 30-40 & using 36 .... about 9 kts .... kept my gear up & focused on cross control for the X-wind landing .... got in a couple of most respectable touch-downs ... so then just went for a random fly where my fancy led me!

I love the flight-track feature on my IFly! ..... no camera ... so my sqiggly etch-a-sketch track is my record!

Weather was iffy today ... nice clear skies... BUT BIG WINDS COMING ...& BLOODY COLD ... after the first hard freeze overnight!

I was still hopeful to fly-down this morning & back by mid afternoon ...... but listening to AWOS @ the hangar while I fitted my oil-cooler winter-strap ... I knew this was going to be a "drive-in" event ... the winds were 17 gusting to 25 & from 130 /140/ 150 ..... not nearly straight enough & too much gust - for my comfort level ... personal limits! ( AND IT WAS SO freaking COLD!!!)

So feeling good about my no-fly decision ... I swung by the store to pick up some goodies to take & just enjoyed a wonderful social time with the EAA group & warmed up around the fire-pit ... cooking awesome brats & sipping hot cider!
Kent was missed by many & I got some good-natured teasing about my sweep of the performance awards ( estimate distance of TO & spot landing !)... I managed to pull off in my first competition @ the annual Chap88 EAA fly-in ... the week-end before I went to see RON M for my test!

I told them next year I'd do the spot-landing under "gyro-rules" ... 300ft to idle ... no add throttle!!!! .... to make it "fair"!!!

A few good experienced pilots flew in heavier FW's ... no ultralights today!

Big winds here for a few more days ... then some rain ... hoping for a spot of Indian summer after that! .... I just got a bunch of fuel last night ... gotta get that burned off before the winter break! I told Doug & Sabrina ... i'd just fly down there to visit them anyway ... when the weather improved! ... it's a fun place to fly to!

i wonder if it is legal for us to launch flares when it appears no one is listening to us on the radio when we are making our approach.
I had one guy launch into me because he did not see a gyro spinning up his blades at the hold short line.
I asked him did the guy did not announce his intentions on the radio? ( i knew he did) The FW slacker said he didn't have his radio on. I held my arms out palms up and he still didn't seem to catch on. I told him to tun his radio on.
I would like something like this:

That is exactly why I am installing a smoker to my gyro....I have had airspace and landing incursions
more times then I'd like while training and there is no way I want to become a statistic.

Chris have u considered this safety item as a means to be seen when u need too be sure there is no chance anyone can say otherwise and have an excuse for doing something unsafe to threaten your safe flying?

A smoker in the air is a lot more visable than one spinning up his rotor blades on the ground.
A smoker on approach would be a very good idea!

I know a guy that make smoker kits....................

I'm trying to drum some business for you. Do I get a commission?

Yes, now you only have to pay double what everyone else does, instead of triple.... bargain!