Took delivery, now what?

[Richard]

Finally was able to take delivery of my plane this morning. Lots of delays for various reasons but today it actually happened. So what was the problem today? The comm radio went kaput. I spent about :45 minutes troubleshooting and reading the manual, all for naught. She wouldn't even blink on. Fld elev is 5150 msl and the day is heating up so I was eager to launch. My scheduled dep was 0700 but it wasn't until 0930 I was wheels up. And this was the 2nd flight after annual and over forested mountainous terrain. By the time I left the DA was up to 83 and climbing. My Vx initial climb melted away to 200 fpm within the first 1,000'.

I called the Class D destination aprt to coordinate my arrival. The twr supervisor and I discussed my arrival. Quite simple but that involved everything working as planned. At 10 out I was to squawk 7600 and call him on my cell phone.

Most everything did work as planned except I kept dropping the phone tucked under my headset and we lost reception several times resulting in a dropped call once when I was on 3 mile final. I have a headset adaptor for the phone but I didn't even think to bring it with me to the aprt. And the handheld I bought still has yet to arrive. I actually found my destination in the brown terrain in the brown haze without a problem. When I reported in I was exactly where the twr wanted me for a long straight in. I love it when a plan comes together however the much anticipated light gun signals were not needed. Rats!

The reason for this flight was to deliver the plane straight to the avionics shop. But they just had one guy make a suprise announcment that he was retiring and another guy go in for emergency by pass surgery. That leaves one on deck and he's **** and elbows and booked out 5 weeks already.

So I guess I'll be going to my man in CA for the new panel. But I did get to fly today and it was wonderful! Onward and upward!

BTW; my day started at 0330 to arrive at the aprt by 06. That was accomplished and my sister and I even saw a missile lift off from what I guess was White Sands way to the east of us. At least we were pointed in the right direction for our viewing pleasure. My sister, one of the unknowing general public, even thought it might be a Korean job. Oy.

 

[Michael]

Congrats Richard. It gets better...sometimes...
Bring her down to Havasu before you leave. I want to check it out!

 

[Richard]

10-4, Ellenor. Congrats on the IR flight today. It sounded like you did great.

 

[ScottM]

Yeah the first stuff to break really stinks but stuff always breaks. just keep on top of it and ou will be all right. Eventually you will get to have the plane just the way you want it.

 

[Richard]

Roger that, Scott. Yea! I just got off the phone with my avionics guy in CA. We are on for my panel. He said--and I believe him--he can get it all done in one week. That's after he gets everything acquired, of course.

I believe him because he is without a doubt one of the most upstanding men I have ever met. His integrity and character are unquestionable and his skill is beyond measure. And his pricing is way down



here.



I've even told him he should raise his prices. I'm really encouraged now.

 

[SkyHog]

That is great that you got 'er in, but did they really tell you to call them from the air?

 

[Richard]

That is great that you got 'er in, but did they really tell you to call them from the air?

Yes, indeed. Even more a wonderment is the dropped call and the otherwise spotty reception when close in. You'd think 2500 would be enough for good reception. So I found another hole in my coverage. Mostly like it was my rattletrap causing interference.

 

[AirBaker]

Yes, indeed. Even more a wonderment is the dropped call and the otherwise spotty reception when close in. You'd think 2500 would be enough for good reception. So I found another hole in my coverage. Mostly like it was my rattletrap causing interference.

I doubt it was the lack of signal that was causing the issue.

 

[ScottM]

Yes, indeed. Even more a wonderment is the dropped call and the otherwise spotty reception when close in. You'd think 2500 would be enough for good reception. So I found another hole in my coverage. Mostly like it was my rattletrap causing interference.

It was most likely too much coverage. Cell tower antennas are downtilted to mitigate interference from adjacent cell per their frequency or PN reuse plan.

At 2500MSL you probably had a lot of signal with many of the signals interfering with each other. So the call was unable to maintain an adequate Eb/No, the frame error rate increased to levels that resulted in a drop call situation.

 

[Richard]

It was most likely too much coverage. Cell tower antennas are downtilted to mitigate interference from adjacent cell per their frequency or PN reuse plan.

At 2500MSL you probably had a lot of signal with many of the signals interfering with each other. So the call was unable to maintain an adequate Eb/No, the frame error rate increased to levels that resulted in a drop call situation.

Oooh, I just love it when you talk like that. What else you got?

 

[JavelinJet2008]

...At 10 out I was to squawk 7600 and call him on my cell phone....

...Most everything did work as planned except I kept dropping the phone tucked under my headset and we lost reception several times resulting in a dropped call once when I was on 3 mile final.

Very interesting Richard - very interesting indeed.

I can recall the FBI reporting after 911 and several media outlets, that in fact, several people were able to make personal cell phone calls from much higher altitudes and much faster air speeds than you were most likely performing at on your way home. In fact, this was part of the official storyline from the FBI. It was one of the primary pieces of circumstantial evidence that indeed, commercial aircraft had been skyjacked by terrorists.

I've always wondered about that. At more than 400 to 500 kts (in some cases) and altitudes ranging from FL250 down to several thousand feet AGL, I've always wondered how personal cell phone usage was maintainable, sustainable and/or even possible to initiate through the handshake phase between the cell phone itself and the network transporting the data. The only possible scenarios that I could come up with, were personal cell phones onboard the aircraft with little to zero signal and many failed ETE connections between source and target due to the air speeds, altitudes and physical locations between the transmitting arrays maintained by the service providers themselves.

So, on the one hand, I am not surprised that you had problems at slower speeds and much lower altitudes, but your post just reminded me of how much more difficult this "should" have been for passengers onboard those flights on that very sad day on 911.

It just makes me wonder, that's all.

I'm glad your landing was smooth, however!

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

That's great Richard, I guess you rigged something up to get your plane out of the hangar then. BTW: Please send me my 3 weeks severance pay from when you unceremoniously dismissed all of us working on requested designs for a system to get your plane in & out of the hangar last winter. Thank You.

Finally was able to take delivery of my plane this morning. Lots of delays for various reasons but today it actually happened. So what was the problem today? The comm radio went kaput. I spent about :45 minutes troubleshooting and reading the manual, all for naught. She wouldn't even blink on. Fld elev is 5150 msl and the day is heating up so I was eager to launch. My scheduled dep was 0700 but it wasn't until 0930 I was wheels up. And this was the 2nd flight after annual and over forested mountainous terrain. By the time I left the DA was up to 83 and climbing. My Vx initial climb melted away to 200 fpm within the first 1,000'.

I called the Class D destination aprt to coordinate my arrival. The twr supervisor and I discussed my arrival. Quite simple but that involved everything working as planned. At 10 out I was to squawk 7600 and call him on my cell phone.

Most everything did work as planned except I kept dropping the phone tucked under my headset and we lost reception several times resulting in a dropped call once when I was on 3 mile final. I have a headset adaptor for the phone but I didn't even think to bring it with me to the aprt. And the handheld I bought still has yet to arrive. I actually found my destination in the brown terrain in the brown haze without a problem. When I reported in I was exactly where the twr wanted me for a long straight in. I love it when a plan comes together however the much anticipated light gun signals were not needed. Rats!

The reason for this flight was to deliver the plane straight to the avionics shop. But they just had one guy make a suprise announcment that he was retiring and another guy go in for emergency by pass surgery. That leaves one on deck and he's **** and elbows and booked out 5 weeks already.

So I guess I'll be going to my man in CA for the new panel. But I did get to fly today and it was wonderful! Onward and upward!

BTW; my day started at 0330 to arrive at the aprt by 06. That was accomplished and my sister and I even saw a missile lift off from what I guess was White Sands way to the east of us. At least we were pointed in the right direction for our viewing pleasure. My sister, one of the unknowing general public, even thought it might be a Korean job. Oy.

 

[Richard]

Dave, ya, I rigged something up alright. It's called a Bill of Sale.

Don't feel bad, I uncerimoniously dismiss lots of people. Do what you're good at and all that.

I'll make you a deal, drop the request for severance and you will get three great opportunities for me to kill you during some dual instruction in your area.

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

I'll make you a deal, drop the request for severance and you will get three great opportunities for me to kill you during some dual instruction in your area.

Sweeeeet... What weapon would you fly?