Oh for the days of square bales

timwinters

timwinters

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So, flying down to Russellville, AR yesterday to pick up some dogs includes quite a bit of flying over relatively hostile terrain. Most of it was pretty hostile actually; hills, trees, bluffs and creeks.

I've flown across this area often and have a LOT of good long fields along creeks loaded as user waypoints in my GPS. EM1, EM2, EM3, etc.

Unfortunately, yesterday, a majority of them were scattered with round bales of hay. And, you know what? A 4x5 round bale weighing about 800# might hurt just a tad at 40 to 60 mph.

Whereas a square bale might take a gear off but not be nearly as likely to kill you.

If only kids still knew how to work in hayfields. Oh well just hope the fan doesn't quit and keep on flying.
 
I was out there on Saturday. First time I ever had the thought "if this engine quits I just get to pick the best place to die"

Beautiful out there though

99995419712.jpg
 
I learned to fly in the Montana Rockies. Did a checkout in a 152 in Memphis and we did a simulated engine out. I thought I did pretty good with the cotton field I picked. CFI wasn't as happy. He explained that the cotton field was bumpy and the farm roads between them were smoother with no power lines. He asked..."what did your instructor teach you?" In sort of a condescending way. I replied "to land uphill and try to shear the wings off between two trees"

That instructor wound up crashing in the trees, without fuel, about 5 miles from my moms house. To which the local sheriff attributed to good luck because he might have caught on fire if he'd had fuel. :mad2:
 
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timwinters said:
So, flying down to Russellville, AR yesterday to pick up some dogs includes quite a bit of flying over relatively hostile terrain. Most of it was pretty hostile actually; hills, trees, bluffs and creeks.

I've flown across this area often and have a LOT of good long fields along creeks loaded as user waypoints in my GPS. EM1, EM2, EM3, etc.

Unfortunately, yesterday, a majority of them were scattered with round bales of hay. And, you know what? A 4x5 round bale weighing about 800# might hurt just a tad at 40 to 60 mph.

Whereas a square bale might take a gear off but not be nearly as likely to kill you.

If only kids still knew how to work in hayfields. Oh well just hope the fan doesn't quit and keep on flying.
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Now I thought those were for landing softly in a field :lol: .

You should have flown down an extra hour and said hey. :yes:
 
bartmc said:
I learned to fly in the Montana Rockies. Did a checkout in a 152 in Memphis and we did a simulated engine out. I thought I did pretty good with the cotton field I picked. CFI wasn't as happy. He explained that the cotton field was bumpy and the farm roads between them were smoother with no power lines. He asked..."what did your instructor teach you?" In sort of a condescending way. I replied "to land uphill and try to shear the wings off between two trees"

That instructor wound up crashing in the trees, without fuel, about 5 miles from my moms house. To which the local sheriff attributed to good luck because he might have caught on fire if he'd had fuel. :mad2:
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Did he survive?
 
bartmc said:
That instructor wound up crashing in the trees, without fuel, about 5 miles from my moms house. To which the local sheriff attributed to good luck because he might have caught on fire if he'd had fuel. :mad2:
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This isnt the one that just happened what maybe 2 years ago? And the guy walked out from the swamp and walked into Lackey's??
 
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He is very lucky! Forced landing in IMC would not be a good day to say the least. Strange thing is I dont remember that one. Usually when a plane goes down around here I start getting text from co workers asking me if Im alright. I dont rememeber that one all.
 
simtech said:
He is very lucky! Forced landing in IMC would not be a good day to say the least. Strange thing is I dont remember that one. Usually when a plane goes down around here I start getting text from co workers asking me if Im alright. I dont rememeber that one all.
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Another one in booneville around that time crashed in my aunts yard.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I was out there on Saturday. First time I ever had the thought "if this engine quits I just get to pick the best place to die"

Beautiful out there though

99995419712.jpg
Click to expand...

Nice soft fuzzy little hills.

Here's what we deal with out here:

IMG-20130623-00067-768x1024.jpg


Roger's Pass, BC. Been through there several times, most recently last summer. I didn't take this shot. Another pilot did.

It's a mile deep in there. Not many places to land other than a very busy, narrow, steep highway. A bit of video footage from another pilot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKQk6dJ-GBQ

Dan
 
Dan Thomas said:
Nice soft fuzzy little hills.

Here's what we deal with out here:

Dan
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Beautiful area. I've done a few canyons, but it gets old getting the snot stomped out of you TB wise when there was almost zero current approaching the entrance and what appeared to be low winds aloft at your altitude only to get a surprise once in it.
 
I'm not sure I'd want to hit even a rectangular HAY bale. Those things are massive enough.
Straw on the other hand...
 
Up on June 08, always look for an opening. The first area is where used to be the Topsham Air Force Station, later Navy Annex for NAS Brunswick. The baseball fields might be OK; now the new Middle School and gorgeous ORION Auditorium. Well, there's that patch of grass down there. KBXM is 3 or 4 miles away, Merrymeeting 08B 4 or 5 miles out, but when at 1250msl there wouldn't be too many options.
(and speaking of round bales of hay - - -)
HR
 

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As someone who handles hay, I don't miss the square bales. That said a lot of those crazy horse people who love doing everything by hand still use them.
 
I don't remember if I've posted this before, but this was the best line from a student when I pulled the engine for a simulated engine out. After slowing to best glide, I asked, "Do you have a good place to land?" He replied, "Yep! A nice open field right below. There's even a church at the end of it in case we don't make it."
 
There are times when having a parachute makes you feel better. Not invincible, but better. 2 CTs in BC.
 
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CT4ME said:
There are times when having a parachute makes you feel better. Not invincible, but better. 2 CTs in BC.
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Far too close to wickedly hostile terrain. The engine would only have to burp a bit to put you into big trouble. Unpredictable winds can come out of nowhere and cause real grief. Those guys are either really experienced, IMHO, or naive.

These mountains are full of airplanes that have disappeared into them. Some fall into the trees and are never seen again, some might hit a steep snow-covered slope and cause an avalanche that buries them deep and they become part of a glacier. ELTs are useless in such cases and only work half the time anyway. White airplanes are especially hard to spot even if they're out in the open. And airplanes are really tiny things compared to rocks like these. Some of that snow is fresh, very soft powder. Anyone who has skiied in such places knows how you sink out of sight if you take a tumble. There's no support.

Dan
 
cowman said:
As someone who handles hay, I don't miss the square bales. That said a lot of those crazy horse people who love doing everything by hand still use them.
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The first 3 or 4 bails aren't that bad, the rest aren't either.....if you're driving the truck.
 
bartmc said:
The first 3 or 4 bails aren't that bad, the rest aren't either.....if you're driving the truck.
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That was the problem when I was a kid, I was either loading or stacking, never driving! :dunno: We once bought some really nice alfalfa from up around Kingston GA, we had to use the field owners truck to pull the hay trailer, it was a late 50's maybe early 60's Mack. It was old and very fast in low gear, we were jogging to keep up!! And he didn't slip the clutch, so it was stop or 4 MPH, no in between! That was a long day! :mad2:
 
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