All Things Aviation Related

[bugstrider]

For a brief moment today, the Placerville Airport KPVF was “cool”.

This was sitting on the ramp, a gorgeous Waco flew in and taxied to a hangar, and a polished Beechcraft or Lockheed Electra did a high speed pass over the runway at 100’.

It was a good day

They even had their own oil catch can too.talk about airport edict.

Bravo!

Very late nite at work so I got to fly back into the sunrise. Was surprised to see the El Do County Fairgrounds packed. Did an orbit over it at took this pic.


Now I wonder if the Grumman had come in for the music festival.

[fanaudical]

Very cool. The Grumman Goose is my all time favorite aircraft. I have always dreamed of owning one but have never acted on that. Don't even have my pilots license. This is a great thread and has been inspiring me to look into going after at least my sport license. Any advice for somebody getting into flight "late in the game"?

[KNS]

^^

Head down to the local airport and meet with a flight instructor. You don’t want to go to a busy flight school because they’re concentrating on cranking out new pilots in the minimal amount of time. You’ll want to find an instructor who can work with you in your spare time, weekends, etc.

If you haven’t already take a Demo flight.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by bugstrider

For a brief moment today, the Placerville Airport KPVF was “cool”.

This was sitting on the ramp, a gorgeous Waco flew in and taxied to a hangar, and a polished Beechcraft Electra did a high speed pass over the runway at 100’.

It was a good day

More pics of the Waco and the ????

It's either a Lockheed Electra or a Beechcraft Model 18... they look similar, 2 engines, 2 tails.....

I've flown in a Grumman Albatross... the big brother of the Goose, Mallard, Widgeon...

[bugstrider]

Originally Posted by tcar

More pics of the Waco and the ????

It's either a Lockheed Electra or a Beechcraft Model 18... they look similar, 2 engines, 2 tails.....

I've flown in a Grumman Albatross... the big brother of the Goose, Mallard, Widgeon...

Ahhh, thank you for that, now I need to see it again to determine exactly what model it was. I corrected my original post to reflect one or the other since I have a 50/50 chance, lol. Unfortunately it was moving so fast I wasn’t prepared for the pic. When I heard the sound of the twin radials bouncing off of the hangars, I honestly thought it was the Grumman. I did give it an honest try to get the shot but it was gone and down range. I would have been an epic shot if I had a quality digital, especially since the sun was glinting off the wings as it was departing the area, just a little silver sliver. I was told it was flying through the region all day yesterday, so maybe it was giving rides.

Oh yeah, now that I know what hangar the Waco sleeps in, just call me “Johnny Stalker” operation sneaky pic is under way. It did park in a hangar that is owned by a lady that flys everything under the sun. She is a fairly new fixture here at the airport and with the RENO Air-Races approaching, I am sure I will see both more. She owns the all women’s jet team and runs a L-39 during RENO.

[bugstrider]

Originally Posted by fanaudical

Very cool. The Grumman Goose is my all time favorite aircraft. I have always dreamed of owning one but have never acted on that. Don't even have my pilots license. This is a great thread and has been inspiring me to look into going after at least my sport license. Any advice for somebody getting into flight "late in the game"?

Great! It’s “NEVER” to late, by the way.

There are several option but what you could check out would be your local EAA Chapter. Ours in Placerville and I know the one at the Auburn airport offers ground schools during the week at certain times of the year. Here at KPVF, they do not charge to take the course, but you will need to buy the material. They just want you using whatever material they will be using to teach. Sometimes there are CFI’s helping and you just might hit it off with one. There are online courses and study material from Sporty’s or King, and many others too.

Another option is to visit your nearest flight school. Many offer an introduction flight and a brief mini lesson in either a light sport or other platform, you know, to sink the hook.. You could make a good contact there as well. One thing to keep in mind regarding your actual flight lessons. To get the most out of it, you will need to find an instructor you mesh with. You could fly with the most knowledgeable flight instructor but if there isn’t chemistry between you two, your wasting your money and time.

You are spending your hard earned cash so you call the shots on who instructs you the way that works best for you. I know everyone on the forum has a story, good and bad regarding instruction. All I am sayin is just keep that in mind.

KNS said it best, stay small and local to meet your needs....Good luck and please keep us updated on your journey.

Cheers
Bugs


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[James Brown]

fun pics from work and play

[GH85Carrera]

[TimT]

To get the most out of it, you will need to find an instructor you mesh with. You could fly with the most knowledgeable flight instructor but if there isn’t chemistry between you two, your wasting your money and time.

The same words are spoken at Track Days/Driver Educations /HPDE sessions

If your don't mesh with the instructor.. ask for another.. Conversely I have had students in the left seat who I asked out on... One trip into a tire wall is all it took to enlighten me

[rattlsnak]

Bugstrider... Sent you a PM and an email!.. Have an important question to ask! Need details on the 911 patch.

[fanaudical]

Thanks for the great advice.

[Heel n Toe]

[dmcummins]

Originally Posted by fanaudical

Very cool. The Grumman Goose is my all time favorite aircraft. I have always dreamed of owning one but have never acted on that. Don't even have my pilots license. This is a great thread and has been inspiring me to look into going after at least my sport license. Any advice for somebody getting into flight "late in the game"?

I started at 55. I went down to the local airport and took a intro flight. Then I stopped in and checked out the two flight schools. Then I started right away. 5 months later I was a private pilot and plane owner.

[bugstrider]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

Thanks for posting this.

Was able to get mum n dad in to see her up close. A while back after the Capitol City Air Show in a secured hangar.











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[tcar]

Good view of the clockwise - counterclockwise props...

[bugstrider]

Originally Posted by tcar

Good view of the clockwise - counterclockwise props...

Thanks, here are some more.








It was well guarded by its hangar mates




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[Deschodt]

I envy you guys... Don't have the time to do it right at the moment. To me flying is like track days, do it regularly or not at all.
I've been binging "Ice pilots" on amazon prime (for the planes, not the fake drama) and this week end downloaded X-plane 11 with a Buffalo DC3 add-on and practiced landings all over the country. At least I can still fly (a sim)...

It's not all bad, this year I crossed an item off my bucket list and got a ride in a P40.. That was a thrill and a half. I cannot imagine what that would have been like in combat.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

I envy you guys... Don't have the time to do it right at the moment. To me flying is like track days, do it regularly or not at all.
I've been binging "Ice pilots" on amazon prime (for the planes, not the fake drama) and this week end downloaded X-plane 11 with a Buffalo DC3 add-on and practiced landings all over the country. At least I can still fly (a sim)...

It's not all bad, this year I crossed an item off my bucket list and got a ride in a P40.. That was a thrill and a half. I cannot imagine what that would have been like in combat.

Ahhh, my wife's father flew P-40s in China with Chenault.... WW2.
Then P-38's over the 'Hump', then N. Africa, then Italy, Germany.... came home and drank...

[bugstrider]

This makes me laugh every year I get my “County Property Tax Bill” on a POS wooden hangar that I “rent” from the County. It’s poorly maintained by the Airport and all of the improvements I have done. I can’t even get a lightbulb replaced, so my solution was to install numerous banks of 4’ T-12’s . Built in the 40’s and not single plumb wall or level floor in sight.

We don’t have any rentals but I am sure you that have rental property would like to be able to have your tenants pay your property taxes.


As I mentioned, it makes me laugh.


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[Adrian Thompson]

I figured this was the best place to ask this question.

Driving up North in Michigan on I75 this last weekend, you pass right by Gaylord regional airport. On the way up I could swear I saw an Air Tractor crop sprayer on floats, I assumed I was wrong, but on the way down, there it was still there. I'm sure it's an air tractor as they have such a distinctive shape. What's the point or use of a crop duster on floats?