We've moved! That is, this blog has moved. We started a WordPress blog, and find the interface much better in most ways. Please drop by our new blog and say hi! Let us know what you think. You'll notice that I imported this blog complete onto that one, though so far it's easier to read the Big Adventure in sequence here (I'll work on a fix for that if/when there's time, but meanwhile I've just put a link there to the sequential story here).
Do you like that new blog as well as this one? Do you find it easier to make Comments? Do you like the larger photos? Do you find it any easier to navigate there? Please post your answers to these questions, and any other Comments, THERE rather than here because I don't check this blog very often nowadays. Once we start taking new Adventure flights, you'll see stories and photos about them there on our new blog.
5/18/2010
3/11/2010
Time Flies
I get an image of flies buzzing around, as we sit in wait of weather. The title of this post though, is about how quickly things are moving since we bought Tripp! We've been futzing with lots of mostly cosmetic projects, and flying mostly short local flights getting to know her. The furthest we've gone so far was up to San Luis Obispo for a new backup battery in the Garmin 430 (what a nuisance that routine chore is!).
It's simply amazing to us how much difference 20hp makes! See, nearly all Cessna 172s have 160hp. We chose Tripp largely because the 172Q model has 180hp. When we flew 160hp Flash across and back in our Big Adventure last Fall, she struggled to reach 9,000 feet around Santa Fe. She pretty much levels off there, give or take 200 feet per minute. A few weeks ago we took Tripp up to 10,500 feet with a similar load, and she was still climbing at 850 feet per minute! I love my Q!
Since buying her we've flown in between storms, and got some magnificent aerial photos of the local (mostly temporary) waterfalls and other attractions between here and Oceano (see Photo Page). Having our very own Tripp waiting at the airport, it was relatively easy to pick a break in the clouds for a quick flight most days. But for the last few days it's been crazy windy! Every time we think it's calming down, the trees outside start wipping around and the house creaks (I even felt it move once!). At least whenever it stops blowing we might have exceptionally clear air for half a day before agro burning and LA smog conspire to replenish the haze. Of course, this time of year it could also change in a few hours to low clouds and fog. Guess before long we'll start flying further to get better weather, and maybe parking Tripp in Santa Ynez so we don't get grounded by low clouds.
We're starting to dream about longer trips, and tagging some new states for our collection too. Any ideas or suggestions?
It's simply amazing to us how much difference 20hp makes! See, nearly all Cessna 172s have 160hp. We chose Tripp largely because the 172Q model has 180hp. When we flew 160hp Flash across and back in our Big Adventure last Fall, she struggled to reach 9,000 feet around Santa Fe. She pretty much levels off there, give or take 200 feet per minute. A few weeks ago we took Tripp up to 10,500 feet with a similar load, and she was still climbing at 850 feet per minute! I love my Q!
Since buying her we've flown in between storms, and got some magnificent aerial photos of the local (mostly temporary) waterfalls and other attractions between here and Oceano (see Photo Page). Having our very own Tripp waiting at the airport, it was relatively easy to pick a break in the clouds for a quick flight most days. But for the last few days it's been crazy windy! Every time we think it's calming down, the trees outside start wipping around and the house creaks (I even felt it move once!). At least whenever it stops blowing we might have exceptionally clear air for half a day before agro burning and LA smog conspire to replenish the haze. Of course, this time of year it could also change in a few hours to low clouds and fog. Guess before long we'll start flying further to get better weather, and maybe parking Tripp in Santa Ynez so we don't get grounded by low clouds.
We're starting to dream about longer trips, and tagging some new states for our collection too. Any ideas or suggestions?
1/28/2010
Tripp
We have just joined a very small group. We heard recently that 0.2% of people have ever piloted an airplane. Few of those ever owned one. We just did something that until recently seemed impossible: we bought an airplane!
One way we bond to things we enjoy is by naming them, and since she's certainly no exception our 1983 Cessna 172Q is now named Tripp. If you'd like to guess how we came up with that name, post a Comment.
Soon we'll remove the ropes tying her wings to the ground, and the three of us will ride the skies together. We'll also sometimes bring one or two other people along (you're invited). Stay tuned for some new Adventures!
