Picture from flying the Aztec

Ted

Ted

The pilot formerly known as Twin Engine Ted
Joined
Oct 9, 2007
Messages
29,907
Display Name
Display name:
iFlyNothing
Last night I had another Animal Rescue Flight, this time for two dogs out of Youngstown, Ohio over to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Most of the flights are relays, but this was a one-legged flight that worked out well. We took the Aztec as a good excuse for me to build some time in it, and get some good learning experiences. Ended up with some good actual IMC and shot the ILS into Youngstown. We had reports of braking action good, although it was fair by the time we landed. With the two passengers loaded up (they would not have fit very well in the Mooney) we were on our way to Lancaster. About half way there the skies cleared up and it was a beautiful VFR night flight the rest of the way to drop off the dogs and then home. It doesn't get much better than a clear, VFR night flight in a piston twin.

On the way out to Youngstown, I took the below picture, which I thought was particularly gorgeous, hope you all like it too.

event_6879114.jpeg
 
"What's that white thing doing in the way?".... oh,.. it's the engine in the wrong place :rofl:

Glad to hear you had a good flight. Sure was a nice afternoon/evening in SE PA yesterday. Have an inch of snow here this morning, more on the way they say.

Thanks for sharing the pic.
 
Hmm... clearly we need to get you a ride in this, Rob, then you will come to understand that the wings are where the engineS (plural) belong!
 
I'm just used to the finely chopped bug guts smashing the windscreen :D
I'm around anytime you're stopping by this side of the state... just give a call.
 
Great picture Ted! What a cool use of an airplane, too!
 
Thanks, Kate! It's a lot of fun. You all should take some dogs in the Navajo on dead legs. ;)
 
Well, it was dark out and the dogs were not being especially cooperative, so this is the only shot of the dogs:

DSC_0006.JPG



But for some better pictures:

DSC_0034.JPG


DSC_0048.JPG


LynetteTed.jpeg


PennyMooney.JPG


Just a few pics from some of the ARF flights I've done... hopefully getting another one done this weekend!
 
So I know there are several pilots on this board that do these "dog rescue" flights. Tell me more... what is the situation that exists that requires flying the dogs around? (Not being flippant, I really want to know more!)
 
Not sure I'd want a dog crappin' in the Matrix.....:yikes:
 
TangoWhiskey said:
So I know there are several pilots on this board that do these "dog rescue" flights. Tell me more... what is the situation that exists that requires flying the dogs around? (Not being flippant, I really want to know more!)
Click to expand...

The primary situation that exists (at least for my organization) is a large number of dogs in kill shelters that need transportation to get to rescues or new homes. The dogs we transport are on "death row" for having been born into a situation where they were unwanted. We fill the transportation need. Sometimes it's tax deductible, sometimes it's not. Today will be the 6th transport I've done, and if you include today, 4 out or 6 are tax deductible.

We do medical transports as well, although those are pretty rare. Most medical problems dogs have seem to be handled local, andgenerally does whatever medical work is necessary on the dogs at the I know my vet SPCA. At least, last I checked they did.
 
flyersfan31 said:
Not sure I'd want a dog crappin' in the Matrix.....:yikes:
Click to expand...

Generally, the dogs in cages. In fact they're always offered, I just sometimes choose to decline. With the nicer interior in the Aztec, I tend to not decline. :)

I've never had them crap in the plane. They have puked and peed, but they're normally put in the cages with a pad of some sort, so it just gets on the pad. The one time something actually got in the plane was when I had a dog laying in the back seat of the Mooney, and she puked on the blanket I put over the seats right after landing.

Depending on how you look at it, generally a Matrix/Aztec is overkill. They size the loads so they'll fit in your standard Cherokee/172 just fine (although the load above had cages a bit large, and wouldn't have done so well in the Mooney). However, what I want to do once I get a little better established with the Aztec is move towards doing some larger transports where we have a larger number of dogs that need to go from one general place to another, especially for the winter trips where it becomes very easy for long trips to get canceled due to less than ideal weather somewhere along the route that is a problem for a Cherokee/172, but doesn't present an issue for a plane with more capabilities.
 
Nice PIX.
During twilight, you might try to get a shot of a twin's nacelle showing a red-hot turbocharger shining through, but still light enough for a sunset or other scenery in the background. Could be a cool PIX.
 
If I ever see the turbo glowing on that plane, there is probably something drastically wrong... since it's naturally aspirated. :)

But yes, that would be a really cool shot. On my instructor's Navajo, when you fly at twilight or at night you see the exhaust glowing through the shark fins on the engine nacelles. That's just really, really cool.
 
TangoWhiskey said:
So I know there are several pilots on this board that do these "dog rescue" flights. Tell me more... what is the situation that exists that requires flying the dogs around? (Not being flippant, I really want to know more!)
Click to expand...

Pilots N Paws http://pilotsnpaws.org/ has a board where pilots can arrange a leg for dogs that need a flight.

Animal Rescue Flights http://www.animalrescueflights.org/ also has a board, but they take a hand in coordinating the flights. They try to handle longer multi-leg flights. As a result, they have a need for ground (coordinators) volunteers, too.

Unlike Angel Flight and others involved in transporting humans, the pilot requirements are less restrictive. You only need to be willing and able.

Law enforcement around the country is working to rescue animals in puppy mills. As a result, there are a large number of mothers with pups going to rescue shelters. Now, there is a need for puppy food and blankets at one of the shelters. A fly-in was planned for 1-17 to bring supplies. Another is planned for 1-24.
The Anderson County [South Carolina] Animal Shelter is in dire need of puppy food! The shelter has already taken close to 150 puppies already since the beginning of the year and its NOT puppy season. The shelter does not have a puppy food supply and they are scrambling to feed all these pups on a very limited budget. They are looking for any kind of dry puppy food...they aren't picky...it's just got to be dry puppy food.

The shelter is also in need of blankets for moms/pups so they don't have to be on the concrete floors while nursing. This shelter is 501c3, so all donations are tax deductable.

If you are local and can foster, it would be greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...
1) Almost $500 was donated from pilots across the nation today, from as far away as California and New York. This certainly delivers the message that people across the country care about the animals in South Carolina

2) A reporter from the local paper showed up. We told him that we are rescheduling the fly-in for 1/24 and he said he would be there with a photographer. This is a great opportunity to get the word out to the citizens of Anderson that 1) their local shelter needs help, 2) the importance of spaying/neutering and adopting shelter animals

3) We were able to line up FREE lunch for the fly-in next week. FBO FOODS caters for NetJets, FlexJets and others and we thank them for their generosity. As we all know, pilots love to eat so we are hoping free food gets more pilots there (with their bags of puppy food and blankets)
Click to expand...
If you want to help, check in here: http://aviation.meetup.com/95/calendar/9545419/
 
AuntPeggy said:
Law enforcement around the country is working to rescue animals in puppy mills. As a result, there are a large number of mothers with pups going to rescue shelters. Now, there is a need for puppy food and blankets at one of the shelters. A fly-in was planned for 1-17 to bring supplies. Another is planned for 1-24.
If you want to help, check in here: http://aviation.meetup.com/95/calendar/9545419/
Click to expand...
I hear it went very well.
0125puppy2_t600.JPG
 
Now that's a picture I hadn't seen! Law flew his Travel Air down to South Carolina, packed full of supplies, and then on the way back transported 10 dogs. Julia and I went to the other fly-in that weekend that ARF sponsored at N14 in New Jersey, with her Warrior packed full of supplies. Obviously, the Travel Air packed full carries a bit more. :)

Both were very successful.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top