Ordered new Tecnam P2010

[bluesideup]

Thanks! PM'd you.

Hi.
OK, I will PM them t you when I get back in the next couple of days.

 

[Salty]

Hi.
If you read his message you can understand that this was Not a planned first or even second stop. There are times, especially when dealing with ma nature when you have to accept what you can get.
If you fly long enough you will find that at times you have to make some choices that are not to your liking regardless on how hard you are trying.

I think you misunderstand me. I guess the "like that" wasn't highlighted enough.

If you're going to tie a plane down, do it so that plane won't get damaged if the tie-downs are actually needed. As shown, a lot of damage could still be done to the aircraft and worse, it might not be evident from the outside. At least if it weren't tied down at all, you'd know if it was damaged.

I don't understand why people tie their planes down loosely and without the front and rear tie downs at tension against one another. It really makes tying down mostly a waste of time.

 

[ApacheBob]

Congratulations on your new plane! I am happy that you are living the dream!

 

[bluesideup]

I don't understand why people tie their planes down loosely...

Hi.
I do Not want to side track this post but I suggest that you find out what the recommended procedure is to tie down an acft for High windy area.
Hint: The real tight procedure, with no slack is Not the best way.

 

[3393RP]

Wow what a day! Delayed getting out of Austin TX KEDC due to weather and finally a take off with 17 kt crosswind. I headed to Pecos Texas for fuel and brisket burrito and ran into significant headwind and cross wind.

Saw moisture in the air near Pecos KPEQ and as I neared there was light rain but still VFR. Tried to land but too large a cross wind not enough rudder so aborted and headed over to Winkler County Texas KINK landed without issues. 4.0 on the Hobbs and filled up the tanks (61 gallon usable tanks).

Ready to go and checked El Paso weather and it was IFR with 50 mph wind and dust storms in the area. Obviously a no go. No hotel or taxi in Winkler so short flight (.5) over to Monahans Texas E01 where I found an outstanding FBO and borrowed a crew car to a local hotel.

So tomorrow Tuesday 2/22 I hope to be off early to El Paso. Then to Chandler Arizona. TAF looks promising.

Photo of plane below is at Winkler...

Your first and second photos show the eastern drainage area of what we Texans call the "caprock", a geological feature that changes the elevation significantly as soon as its eastern boundary is encountered. The terrain rises further as one travels west.

The eastern edge of the caprock, whose underlying composition is caliche, or calcium carbonate, is the beginning, traveling westward, of the Llano Estacado, the 'staked plain'. In the sixteenth century, Spanish explorers heading north from what is now Mexico, drove stakes into the plains as markers for the path they traveled.

Further west, a trail that ran somewhat haphazardly from present day El Paso to Santa Fe and other points north, became known as the Jornada del Muerto, or the Death Journey. Once the waters of the Rio Grande near Las Cruces were left behind, travelers had to endure the brutal conditions of the high desert as they headed north. Passage to the next source of water took between eight and fifteen days, and many men and horses succumbed to the relentless heat before sustenance could be reached.

The caprock rises substantially from its eastern edge to the Sandia and Manzano Mountains. Pecos is at an elevation of 2,600' msl, and Amarillo is at 3,700'. Approaching the Sandia Mountains and Tijeras Canyon, Moriarty's elevation is 6,200', and just ten miles further west, the elevation at Edgewood is 6,700'.

One of the more well known Spanish explorers of that period is Francisco Vázquez de Coronado. He left the Spanish enclave of Compostela, the capital of Nueva Galicia (located along the northern Mexico Pacific coast) in early 1540, looking to find the Seven Cities of Cibola. Legend claimed the buildings in these cities were constructed with tons of gold, and were there for the taking by the Spanish exploration parties that could find them before others did.

Coronado didn't find his cities of gold. He and his entourage took shelter from the bitter winter of 1540-1541 on the banks of the Rio Grande river, at the present day location of Rio Rancho, just north of Albuquerque.

I learned all of the above as a sixth and seventh grade student attending Albuquerque public schools in the late 1960s. Back then, it was common for schools to explore the history of the area where the students lived. For example, children in New England learned about the settlers that crossed the Atlantic Ocean in the early years of the seventeenth century. For me, this meant learning about the earliest inhabitants of my state, the arrival of the Spanish in the sixteenth century, and the bitter wars between those two parties that climaxed in the 1680 Pueblo Revolt.

My Dad lives in Rio Rancho. Today, while visiting him, I cross the Rio Grande and see the historical marker that provides some detail about the winter of 1540-1541. It seems fantastic to realize that 480 years ago, explorers from another continent crossed the Atlantic Ocean in tiny ships, established colonies, and from there mounted expeditions which traveled on horseback across dangerous lands. They took shelter in a village built by indigenous peoples, and in what can only be characterized as incredible, I can go to that same village and walk among excavations which provide a window to history.

In some ways, these travels were no less dangerous and just as significant as man's journeys to the moon four centuries later.

 

[Salty]

Hi.
I do Not want to side track this post but I suggest that you find out what the recommended procedure is to tie down an acft for High windy area.
Hint: The real tight procedure, with no slack is Not the best way.

We will have to disagree. I’ve seen what happens when a microburst hits a plane tied down slack. It’s like a giant picked it up by the tail and slammed it down four or 5 times, but each time the ropes ripped the hell out of the wings when the slack let up. Slack is bad.

 

[FPK1]

So close...

Today was E01 to El Paso, TX.

Then ELP to Tucson, AZ.

From here I was going to Chandler, AZ, which leaves flying basically due West to get home. However, weather was approaching Los Angeles Orange Riverside San Bernardino counties headed toward Palm Springs so if I went to Chandler I could get stuck there due to that weather headed eastbound toward me.

I decided to go to Yuma as from there I can go north and then West after the storm... Or if the storm lingers I can go west and then follow the coast North all the way up to Orange County and then Fullerton airport KFUL. So TUS to Yuma, AZ.

It does look like the weather will pass pretty quickly but there is more behind it so I guess we see what tomorrow brings.

Pictures from today...

 

[Zeldman]

6500 feet.!!

You coulda run into my house.!!

 

[Groundpounder]

Is it me, or is ground speed not displayed on the MFD?

 

[Sierra_Hotel]

Top left of the center tab

 

[Groundpounder]

Top left of the center tab

Sorry, meant to say PFD. I see it on the MFD.

 

[asicer]

Is it me, or is ground speed not displayed on the MFDPFD?

Standard MO for a G1000

 

[FPK1]

Sorry, meant to say PFD. I see it on the MFD.

On MFD only.

 

[FPK1]

Well it looked like I could follow the I-8 from Yuma to San Diego area then over Gillespie Field then Montgomery hit the Pacific ocean and head north... Paying attn to the Bravo.

No such luck. Low clouds and rain caused me to divert over the Salton Sea to Palm Springs and I watched it snowimg 3 miles to my West. Upon seeing the Banning Pass I realized it too was socked in so landed at Palm Springs where I am now, and watching weather.

I'm comfortable leaving here 1630 local should the Banning Pass open up. Otherwise, another night and a little closer to home...

 

[exncsurfer]

Thanks for the updates, really enjoying this trip from the comfort of my chair.

PS:

 

[Rgbeard]

Thanks for the updates, really enjoying this trip from the comfort of my chair.

PS:
View attachment 104885

Some people just don't appreciate the California articles about freeways.

 

[IK04]

On MFD only.

That is dumb. Most glass systems have the GS shown where Garmin has that goofy wind indicator with both head- and crosswind.

 

[WDD]

Pictures of the plane from the outside? Any picts of you getting the keys?

 

[asicer]

That is dumb. Most glass systems have the GS shown where Garmin has that goofy wind indicator with both head- and crosswind.

Well, you have TAS and you have headwind component, so just math it.

 

[Salty]

That is dumb. Most glass systems have the GS shown where Garmin has that goofy wind indicator with both head- and crosswind.

i'ts configurable.

oops, I was thinking G3x, I dunno on that one.

 

[JEB]

Be careful with the Banning pass if there are stormy clouds. I have an ugly icing story that involves spending a night in Palm Springs because of weather and then deciding to "Go for it" the next day.

 

[Rgbeard]

It’s maddening to be so close to home with such weather preventing the trip.

My wife and I spent two days in El Paso because the ice-maker wouldn’t move from Arizona.

We left when it was “good” and still picked up a bit of ice anyway.

 

[FPK1]

Yes there was icing issues for others; at 4,500 ft there was below zero temperatures as we approached Palm springs. There was no way I was going to enter the Banning pass it was completely socked in.

But finally departed about 4:40 p.m. local and the Banning pass was tops at 5,000 and I was able to fly through the pass 4500 and come out at about Riverside with clear skies. From there pretty much a straight line to Fullerton airport with the sun in our eyes the whole way.

So, after more than 2000 miles I'm home at Fullerton KFUL!

I'll post some more pictures from this last leg now below and some stats and plane pictures, as requested, later.

Thanks for following me, the interaction and all the tips!

 

[Half Fast]

So are you planning to fly her back to Florida for SNF?

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

Inspiring for long cross-countries. Now I just wanna fly...but work, and other obligations.

When I was racing, this was true:

“RACING IS LIFE. ANYTHING BEFORE OR AFTER IS JUST WAITING.” – STEVE MCQUEEN

Now I replace “racing” with “flying”, and even though life has different meaning now than when younger, it still seems kinda true. I judge quality of life by Hobbs. That’s kinda not good, but...

Sorry to hijack. Enjoyed this thread tremendously. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Kitch]

Glad your trip went well. Thanks for taking us along !!! Congrats on the new airplane. Now if mine would just get out of annual so I could go fly....

 

[JEB]

Congratulations!

 

[Zeldman]

“RACING IS LIFE. ANYTHING BEFORE OR AFTER IS JUST WAITING.” – STEVE MCQUEEN

Lot of truth there. I gave up plenty just to make the next race. Almost the same with flying. I didn't fly for fun, I flew for $$$. Fortunately in aviation time off is required.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

Lot of truth there. I gave up plenty just to make the next race. Almost the same with flying. I didn't fly for fun, I flew for $$$. Fortunately in aviation time off is required.

Some of my fun memories were actually non-racing but prepping for races (or the “waiting” portion of life). They involved, on separate occasions, (1) a card-board forward firewall painted black and concocted because we ran out of time to fabricate a proper safe one (20 year old smarts), (2) a track funnel-cake for sale metal sign being used as a rear firewall (with duct tape and spare seatbelts) because the car was not legal (still picture the track safety professional’s sigh of exasperation), (3) dumping 2-3 quarts of oil on the garage floor in about 10 seconds to pull the car in the trailer because someone forgot the oil filter (high volume oil pump), and (4) handcuffs and booking (no bars) related to new engine break-in.

One of my favorite images was an article in the early 1990s in National Dragster where they interviewed Cruz Pedregon. He recalled a story of the family being packed into a truck, (Suburban) wife driving, and their father Frank working on the open trailer doing a head gasket repair on the dragster while they were in route to a race at 60 mph or thereabouts. In that case the whole family was involved and kids Cruz and Tony continued in the family business.

So waiting has its own memories...

 

[Zeldman]

Enclosed trailers made working on the car at 85mph a little easier...... just wish we had an enclosed trailer.

We got pulled over in east Texas one morning because the local Barney Fife just ''knew'' we had done something. Then no one there could understand race cars not having a title...until 8 hours later finally someone had a (possibly inbred) cousin that raced a local mud truck and he could explain why we did not have a title to the race car. Funny part was the skin of the race car came from a '78 Z28 we ''found'' burned and abandoned on the side of the road.

Yeah.... memories... My mom keeps telling me I should write a book, but then she would find out some of the things I did in my younger days...

 

[SoonerAviator]

. . . One of my favorite images was an article in the early 1990s in National Dragster where they interviewed Cruz Pedregon. He recalled a story of the family being packed into a truck, (Suburban) wife driving, and their father Frank working on the open trailer doing a head gasket repair on the dragster while they were in route to a race at 60 mph or thereabouts. In that case the whole family was involved and kids Cruz and Tony continued in the family business.

So waiting has its own memories...

My father told me a similar story about he and Court Granstaff (NCRA Sprint Car from 70's) driving down the highway doing repairs on an open trailer trying to make the next race.

 

[FPK1]

So to put a bow on this cross country...

No I didn't get a picture receiving the keys, wish I had thought of that though!

The plane was received at 5.9 hours, and we had 7.6 hours of training and local flying for familiarization before starting our journey.

The cross country was 2063 nm and 25.7 Hobbs hours. Nearly all of it was into the wind. And every day there were weather decisions to be made. The final route was not my initial planned route. I had planned four days of flying to get home it took five.

We were ready to leave a day early but weather got in the way so we waited it out overnight in Sebring.

Day 1 we departed late due to weather.

Day 2 because of headwinds we had to make an additional stop for fuel before our final destination for the day.

Day 3 we didn't make it to our destination for the day and actually backtracked due to weather landing at an airport better aligned with the crazy wind.

Day 4 we stopped shorter than we wanted to go due to weather.

And day 5 departed late due to weather and then only got 2/3 the way home and had to land to wait out weather; finally departing and making it home just before sunset.

Lots of great weather and planning related lessons learned. And it's funny, ATC really has never heard of Tecnam. I had to constantly tell them the type was TWEN which is FAA abbreviation and so they often thought I was a twin engine of some kind. I would tell them as I approached an airport I was a single engine to help them understand for speed and spacing.

At the end of the trip I now have 39.2 on the Hobbs and the engine took four quarts of mineral oil on the way out here.

Tomorrow my mechanic wants me to fly the pattern and get the oil hot and then bring it in for an oil change. He plans to put new mineral oil in it because he believes the longer you run mineral oil the better.

Thank you all for joining me and for all your advice and recommendations. I'm sure some questions will follow about maintenance since this is the first plane I've owned.

Scott
N144SE

 

[SoonerAviator]

Very cool journey and I'm sure it will be just the start of your adventures in the Tecnam. You appear to have made some good decisions regarding go/no-go along the way. Enjoy the ride!

 

[Half Fast]

Great plane, great trip, great story. WELL DONE!

 

[Todd82]

Do you have ballast or a whole bunch of stuff in the back? I keep noticing all the nose down trim when you show your panel pics. Are Tecnams just that tail heavy?

 

[Salty]

Do you have ballast or a whole bunch of stuff in the back? I keep noticing all the nose down trim when you show your panel pics. Are Tecnams just that nose heavy?

Wouldn’t that make it tail heavy?

 

[Todd82]

Wouldn’t that make it tail heavy?

Yes duh, fixed, thanks. Nose heavy is on my mind I was just looking at baby Beeches

 

[AKBill]

Nose heavy is on my mind I was just looking at baby Beeches

The baby Beeches are a bit nose heavy. Ask me how I know...

 

[Rock714]

Very nice

 

[3393RP]

Lot of truth there. I gave up plenty just to make the next race. Almost the same with flying. I didn't fly for fun, I flew for $$$. Fortunately in aviation time off is required.

My enduring memory of racing is money flying out of my bank account. Quickly.



Congratulations to Scott. That beautiful ship is finally home.