Recent content by PilotAlan

Nailed me one town off (St Pete, FL instead of Tampa). Put my wife in Amarillo, TX (she's from a *very* small town northeast of Amarillo). Pretty impressive, especially as I've been gone from Tampa for 20 years, and her from TX for 30.

Yesterday, sharing the pattern with a Bald Eagle at 800AGL. Was flying parallel to the wingtip inside my turn, about 50ft away. Gorgeous.

In level flight, the elevator is generating lift through sufficient angle of attack to offset the force of gravity. So when you bank, a component of that lift is being directed horizontally to create a turn. If you put the aircraft into a zero G/zero AOA condition (like an arc, or straight...

The issue wasn't leakage, it was inability to prime. I've been nearly stuck twice with primers that either got stuck, or wouldn't develop a vacuum to push a charge to the primer nozzle. In one case, I could rotate the primer plunger and find a spot where I could get a fraction of a stroke...

Try starting an O-360 in a Cherokee 180 with the throttle. Doesn't work, especially when it's cold. And a really good way to start a fire. Again, for less than $5 and a couple cubic inches, I think it's a good investment. You're free to think otherwise.

Make sure the P-leads on on correctly. "L" on the switch may be grounding the left mag, rather than leaving it hot. Happens more often than you think.

I run up and pull the mixture so that the prop inertia runs the engine through several dozen revs with no fuel, so the chances of having a charged cylinder ready to bang and spin the prop during ground handling is lowered.

Yes, that's what I meant. Brain is not working well this week.

Yep. Concordes forever for me. I put in Leakguard tubes, to try to minimize chances of a problem on the road. Try to identify the common failures that will make you stuck. Battery, starter, alternator, tires/tubes, primer. If one of them starts acting up, replace them, and replace them...

You're right, of course. Brain cramp, FIFI's a B24. It was a B17, not Aluminum Overcast as it didn't come in until later. So I don't remember which one it was.

I have a PA-28-180. Carry a left mag (left mag with impulse coupling can be installed on the right, right can't go on the left) Carry a primer overhaul kit and the needed wrenches (it's some O-rings and fuel lube). Almost got stuck when the primer quit working at an unattended airport...

Only at Oshkosh.... On downwind to Rwy 27 on Saturday before, "Cherokee on downwind, you're clear to land behind the Mustang on short final. Short approach without delay for the B-17 on three mile final" (it was FIFI). Also at OSH, taking off after a Spitfire, with a B-24 coming in behind...

Source, please? I don't believe that is correct. Firearms are used defensively at least a 250,000 times a year, maybe as high as a million times a year. http://www.saf.org/lawreviews/smitht1.htm In 2010 there were a total of 8000 firearm homicides in the US, and the vast majority of those...

Then disregard my comment. If the understanding between you and the client was that you were time constrained, and this relatively straightforward job has become a time suck, then the comment is absolutely appropriate. No worries, always glad to help.

Website design hell: http://theoatmeal.com/comics/design_hell God bless you, I'd hurt people.....