Morning Fun

tonycondon

tonycondon

Gastons CRO (Chief Dinner Reservation Officer)
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Mar 9, 2005
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Wichita, KS
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Tony
Got up early this morning and did an Air Sampling mission with my boss in the 421. Im getting really proficient in that airplane and it feels really good. I found an interesting perception during my time flying it. When i started out in it it seemed really really big. Now that I have mastered it it is pretty dang small. I suppose anything that seems intimidating is that way. Tail number is 42776, check flight aware to see my ugly turn about points in Lincoln, NE this morning.

When we got back I took a student out for a quick ILS. Ceilings were around 2000 with tops at 3000 so it was really fun. 99930 is the tail number on that one. My shortest IFR flight so far, Flight Aware only shows 11 minutes.

Now its homework until I cant stay awake...ugh
 
tonycondon said:
Got up early this morning and did an Air Sampling mission with my boss in the 421. Im getting really proficient in that airplane and it feels really good. I found an interesting perception during my time flying it. When i started out in it it seemed really really big. Now that I have mastered it it is pretty dang small.
Click to expand...

Cool! :yes:

How do you go about doing air sampling in an airplane that's belching fossil fuel exhaust? Also, who hires you to do such things?
 
Hey Tony,

I was up your way EARLY this morning. I got a right seat up to Des Moines and arrived there about 6:00 AM. Didn't even get out of the airplane before we headed back to KC and then home. Damn, it's cold up there.

flightaware link
 
Tony, three curious questions. How much time do you have in the 421? How long did it take for it to "seem small?" And, what's this air sampling you're doing?
 
i suppose im 40-50 hrs in 421, some of that about 10 hrs was dual given working instrument stuff. it has only became small in the last few flights. probably 20-30 hrs of being on controls. my "checkout" has been spread out over several years and been pretty relaxed though.

the air sampling takes air out of the nose baggage compartment i believe. it used to use the second pitot tube. NOAA uses it to see whats floating around between the surface and FL250

chip-you lucky dog! Piaggio would be a lot of fun!
 
gibbons said:
Hey Tony,

I was up your way EARLY this morning. I got a right seat up to Des Moines and arrived there about 6:00 AM. Didn't even get out of the airplane before we headed back to KC and then home. Damn, it's cold up there.

flightaware link
Click to expand...

That Piaggio is nice, eh? What's your impressions?
 
west of the airport about 10 miles. there's a tall cell tower, goes to about 3000 feet MSL. we do them around that tower. from FL250 down to 2000 MSL.
 
Cool! You didn't happen to stop at KLNK for fuel did ya?

I asked originally because your Flightaware track doesn't show you anywhere near Lincoln.

EDIT:

I was looking at the most recent track, I didn't realize there were two today. :D Looks like there were some turns about a point a little later in the day as well.

We had incident today at LNK. A trainer Cherokee from Crete, NE--student pilot I believe--bounced hard on landing and slid a couple hundred feet dragging the prop and a wing off runway 17 and into the grass. They had to shut down the runway and some taxiways for a couple of hours. I had to tow it once the FAA was done investigating (conveniently, they're located at LNK).
 
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Troy Whistman said:
That Piaggio is nice, eh? What's your impressions?
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I've never flown anything like it. FL410, very fast, very quiet. I'm just the radio operator and luggage monkey, but I do love to get to sit in the right seat.

If Doug is still hanging around the forums he can give you the low down on it.
 
gibbons said:
I've never flown anything like it. FL410, very fast, very quiet. I'm just the radio operator and luggage monkey, but I do love to get to sit in the right seat.

If Doug is still hanging around the forums he can give you the low down on it.
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I fuel the P.180's sometimes. They seem to be really great aircraft (besides the fact that they're the slowest fueling single-point airplane I've ever come across). I'm very fond of them... and enjoy flying them in X-Plane.

Are you flying with a charter company? What are the FAA requirements for sitting right seat and helping out with some things in a Part 135 operation? I've thought about asking at my FBO if those of us line guys that are interested in flying could sit right seat on some charter flights that don't require two type-rated pilots aboard.
 
bqmassey said:
Cool! You didn't happen to stop at KLNK for fuel did ya?

I asked originally because your Flightaware track doesn't show you anywhere near Lincoln.

EDIT:

I was looking at the most recent track, I didn't realize there were two today. :D Looks like there were some turns about a point a little later in the day as well.

We had incident today at LNK. A trainer Cherokee from Crete, NE--student pilot I believe--bounced hard on landing and slid a couple hundred feet dragging the prop and a wing off runway 17 and into the grass. They had to shut down the runway and some taxiways for a couple of hours. I had to tow it once the FAA was done investigating (conveniently, they're located at LNK).
Click to expand...

nope the trip is only about 3 hrs total so no need to stop for gas.
 
gibbons said:
I've never flown anything like it. FL410, very fast, very quiet. I'm just the radio operator and luggage monkey, but I do love to get to sit in the right seat.

If Doug is still hanging around the forums he can give you the low down on it.
Click to expand...

I use Chip as a contract pilot and would say he is more than a radio operator and luggage monkey for sure. Chip has some stick time in the Piaggio and does a dang fine job as a crew member. He was flying it Yest morning at about whoa dang early in the a.m. while I was setting in the other seat still trying get awake drinkng my coffee. I ****ed and moaned as we were climing out about how many days in a row I had flown and how early it was in the morning. Chip politely smacked me up side the head and said. "Remember the days we used to drag into the office this early, quit your whining". I did. HA!!

Fun plane, great performer for a turbo prop. Today we made it to our cruise 38.0 in 13 minutes. True @38.0 today 380kts. Optimal ALt is 31.0 for speed and you will see a honest 390 to 400kts depending on weight and speed. Unfortunately to go fast you go fast at all realms of flight. Approach speeds are faster than most turbo props and many jets. Average Ref book speed is 121 realistic is about 123 to 125 nothing less than 120 till the wheels touch the pavement at average weight or something will get bent. Chip can elaborate on the approach speeds as well. From 10 miles out to the airport happens very fast. Will do nice 250kt climbs to 10K out of terminal areas so you don't mess with jet traffic issues at lower altitudes. Yes it does fuel slow. In fact it fuels even slower when it is 10F and blowing snow on the ramp...

Take care
Doug
 
Country said:
and you will see a honest 390 to 400kts
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One of the few times I've seen an Avanti in person, I noticed that the tail number was N395KT. :rofl:

Thanks for the info, Doug... That's an airplane that very few of us will ever get to fly!
 
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