I was Supply Officer for the Battalion, and for once I was glad to be on the ground, not in the air.
When I got off active duty, I joined this Unit of the Army Reserve.......
Two companies and a Battalion HQ, 27 UH-1 "Hueys" split between them.
The Unit was based at a local civilian airport and was renting space in a civilian hangar.
The Federal Government, looking for ways to economize, found cheaper space for us at an Air Force Base 14 miles distant.
We had to move.
It was a big deal. Moving the aircraft, personnel, and all support services was a daunting task. The Boss, a Lieutenant Colonel, wanted to make an impression on everyone in the area to announce our arrival at our new home. His plan was to move the Battalion as a whole...... fly all the flyable aircraft in formation to the Air Force Base, do a "fly-by" low, down the runway, then break off and land individually at our new digs.
The Air Force refused his request for a fly-by......
"dangerous, and against regulations to perform an airshow demonstration", they said.
The Boss called me and the rest of his staff together to discuss it. We were irritated by the Air Force's inflexibility.
Moving day was gorgeous....... not a cloud in the sky. I was standing at our new hangar with much of the rest of the battalion, anxiously awaiting what we knew would be a beautiful sight: 24 of our 27 Hueys were flyable and would be in the coming formation........
8 Vee's with three Hueys in each Vee.
A single Huey makes a lotta noise. Two dozen of them in a close formation can approach the threshhold of pain. When the formation climbed above the treeline 14 miles away, we could hear 'em. Actually, you could feel the noise....... a pounding in your chest. The volume increased by the second. The 14 mile flight took just under ten minutes. We heard the formation for 6 full minutes before we caught our first glimpse of it.
I'm disappointed to report to you I didn't have a camera to record the event. It was glorious.
As a Charley Model Huey and Cobra Gunship pilot in Viet Nam, I gave support to many such formations- some even larger........
providing Gunship cover to large Infantry units being inserted in the field. But I had never been on the ground to actually experience such a flock flying by.
The Boss got everyone lined up on a two mile final approach.
All but a handful of the pilots in the formation were highly experienced Viet Nam veterans......
the formation was tight and disciplined.
All of us on the ground were transfixed, proud, and in awe.
That wonderful sound continued to grow.
I'm sure I had a wicked grin on my face as I watched this magnificent flight of Hueys continue down the runway at 15 feet of altitude.........
the "against regulation" fly-by!
I smiled, knowing EXACTLY what had happened.
We had discussed it in the Staff meeting and resolved the problem.
On short final, The Boss keyed his radio and spoke these words:
"XXXXX Tower, we have a little problem and will be performing a go-round."
And the tower's response?
"Roger that".
22 August 2006
21 August 2006
Fight? When?
I've written about the loss of our close friend to Cancer....... the Loretta Young look-alike.
She watched in denial as her breast changed shape and nipple inverted. Only when the discharge began did she seek medical attention.
Too late.
How long would you wait? What signs would move you to action?
There have been active Muslim riots in France and the Nordic countries.
Islamic fundamentalists run the operation in Iran, and are fomenting problems in Lebanon and Iraq. The Palestine situation is a festering sore. Syria is not helping matters.
Saudi Arabia teaches their schoolchildren that Western life and Westerners in general are evil.
Fundamentalist movements are active in the Philippines, Indonesia, France, Spain, the Nordic countries, and elsewhere.
In the face of threats of "a huge event" scheduled for 22 August, I'd like to relate a story I've heard:
If you throw a frog into a boiling cauldron, it will jump out.
If you put a frog into a cauldron filled with room temperature water and then build a fire beneath the vessel, the frog will remain in the water as the temperature slowly increases and it boils to death.
I'm frightened by attitudes our "Allies" have shown.
At what point do we realize we're in big trouble?
Will we begin to fight the Cancer while we still have a chance of winning?
I fear the temperature of the water around us is slowly increasing.
She watched in denial as her breast changed shape and nipple inverted. Only when the discharge began did she seek medical attention.
Too late.
How long would you wait? What signs would move you to action?
There have been active Muslim riots in France and the Nordic countries.
Islamic fundamentalists run the operation in Iran, and are fomenting problems in Lebanon and Iraq. The Palestine situation is a festering sore. Syria is not helping matters.
Saudi Arabia teaches their schoolchildren that Western life and Westerners in general are evil.
Fundamentalist movements are active in the Philippines, Indonesia, France, Spain, the Nordic countries, and elsewhere.
In the face of threats of "a huge event" scheduled for 22 August, I'd like to relate a story I've heard:
If you throw a frog into a boiling cauldron, it will jump out.
If you put a frog into a cauldron filled with room temperature water and then build a fire beneath the vessel, the frog will remain in the water as the temperature slowly increases and it boils to death.
I'm frightened by attitudes our "Allies" have shown.
At what point do we realize we're in big trouble?
Will we begin to fight the Cancer while we still have a chance of winning?
I fear the temperature of the water around us is slowly increasing.
Lurkers
My son calls 'em "lurkers". That's his moniker for those that come here and read, even like what they see enough to come back again and again, but never leave a comment.
I can't do that.
When I am moved by a post, I have to let the author know how they have touched me.
Knowing you wrote something that motivated someone to comment is a wonderful feeling.
Let me clue you in to something interesting:
Unless you are an AOL user, my sitemeter tells me much about you:
your computer ID, where your ISP is located, how long you stayed, and more.
(Location for an AOL user is simply "United States", but I still get the computer ID.)
I had a student a year or so ago. He needed a few hours to finish the requirements for his rating. I instructed him for that time, then recommended him for his checkride. He passed easily.
He's a great guy and a damned fine helicopter pilot. He works for a major corporation that has a highly recognizable name. The town where the company is headquartered is also widely recognized as their home base.
As an example, let's say he works for Hershey's Chocolate.
When I check my sitemeter information and I find someone reading my blog from Hershey, PA., on a computer based at Hershey's Chocolate, do you think I could pretty much bet that my former student is reading my blog? I have emailed him on a couple occasions and asked if there is anything interesting goin' on in his life, giving him the opportunity to say "hey, I love your blog!" But NO!............ no response.
I know he has to know it's me writing this stuff.......... yet he leaves no comments. Now I want him to know that I know he knows I know.
(Huh?!)
So "Hershey", I know it's you out there reading!
And thanks again for bringing the "Hershey's" promotional stuff when you last came to fly.
Fall is just around the corner, and that flannel vest will be mighty comfortable!
I can't do that.
When I am moved by a post, I have to let the author know how they have touched me.
Knowing you wrote something that motivated someone to comment is a wonderful feeling.
Let me clue you in to something interesting:
Unless you are an AOL user, my sitemeter tells me much about you:
your computer ID, where your ISP is located, how long you stayed, and more.
(Location for an AOL user is simply "United States", but I still get the computer ID.)
I had a student a year or so ago. He needed a few hours to finish the requirements for his rating. I instructed him for that time, then recommended him for his checkride. He passed easily.
He's a great guy and a damned fine helicopter pilot. He works for a major corporation that has a highly recognizable name. The town where the company is headquartered is also widely recognized as their home base.
As an example, let's say he works for Hershey's Chocolate.
When I check my sitemeter information and I find someone reading my blog from Hershey, PA., on a computer based at Hershey's Chocolate, do you think I could pretty much bet that my former student is reading my blog? I have emailed him on a couple occasions and asked if there is anything interesting goin' on in his life, giving him the opportunity to say "hey, I love your blog!" But NO!............ no response.
I know he has to know it's me writing this stuff.......... yet he leaves no comments. Now I want him to know that I know he knows I know.
(Huh?!)
So "Hershey", I know it's you out there reading!
And thanks again for bringing the "Hershey's" promotional stuff when you last came to fly.
Fall is just around the corner, and that flannel vest will be mighty comfortable!
17 August 2006
Lebanon = Hezbollah
I've been fascinated with the Hezbollah/Israeli conflict. I think it is a window to our coming conflict with Iran. Round one has gone to Hezbollah and their Iranian benefactors.
I'm no foreign policy expert, but I think this outcome benefits Israel in an odd way, and unfortunately that benefit leads to much more chaos in Lebanon:
Lebanon now IS Hezbollah.
Do any of you believe that diplomacy will work in this case;
that Hezbollah will abide by the U.N. resolutions, lay down their arms and live peacefully with their Jewish neighbors?
Nor do I.
So it's just a question of time until the fuze is once again lit. And when the shooting resumes, no one can honestly say that Hezbollah is just a faction of the Lebanese government and complain about "innocent" Lebanese lives being lost. By siding so heavily with Hezbollah, Lebanon has chosen the dark side of the force.......
And Israel will no longer be dealing with "innocents".
I'm no foreign policy expert, but I think this outcome benefits Israel in an odd way, and unfortunately that benefit leads to much more chaos in Lebanon:
Lebanon now IS Hezbollah.
Do any of you believe that diplomacy will work in this case;
that Hezbollah will abide by the U.N. resolutions, lay down their arms and live peacefully with their Jewish neighbors?
Nor do I.
So it's just a question of time until the fuze is once again lit. And when the shooting resumes, no one can honestly say that Hezbollah is just a faction of the Lebanese government and complain about "innocent" Lebanese lives being lost. By siding so heavily with Hezbollah, Lebanon has chosen the dark side of the force.......
And Israel will no longer be dealing with "innocents".
16 August 2006
Gyroscopic Precession
No, it's not a parade of Greek Sandwiches!
It is, however, the cause of some interesting things in our life, and is VERY important to helicopter pilots. It's also important to the answer of my earlier question about riding a bike.
Some years back, I went to a show put on by the Moody Bible Institute, relating modern day science to the Bible. It was an interesting show- two hours each over three nights, culminating with the host standing atop a 55 gallon drum holding a 2X4 in his hand....... the barrel was then energized with 50,000 volts of electricity, causing the board to sizzle, crack, then catch fire.
In another segment, the host walked to center stage with a large suitcase. He invited a member of the audience onstage with him, then asked him to move the suitcase to the rear of the stage......... a move which required turning with the suitcase. The audience member almost lost his balance as the suitcase would not cooperate with his attempts....... we later found out the suitcase contained a very large gyroscope which had been spun up to 25,000 r.p.m.! Moving it in a straight line was easy, but the gyro didn't want to be turned.
Airplane pilots will be aware of the phenomenon....... along with torque, it causes "P factors" on takeoff.
Did you go out and get on your bike and try my experiment? Were you surprised?
Once again, Jason had the correct answer. If you pull the right handlebar toward you, the bike will lean to, and move left.
Why?
Because of gyroscopic precession!
The theory is, when pressure is applied to a rotating body, that pressure becomes fully realized 90 degrees later in the direction of rotation.
Visualize with me:
Think of the wheels turning beneath you on the bike. If you pull the right handlebar back toward you, you are applying pressure to the right side of the front wheel at it's rearmost point, and to the left side at its most forward point. That pressure becomes most apparent 90 degrees later in the direction of rotation, which results in the wheel leaning to the left, causing the bike to "bank" to the left even though it was a right turn which was seemingly commanded. We never conciously think of what we are doing when we ride a bike, we do this naturally. When I ask students the question I asked you, most students will answer incorrectly. I always send them to find a bicycle!
In order to make the rotor of the helicopter lean in a certain direction, the force necessary to get that result must be applied 90 degrees beforehand. The control systems on a helicopter are rigged to do just that. Next time you are near a helicopter, take a look at the control system......
the control tubes that change the angle of attack of the rotors are mounted ahead of the rotors.
Physics.
Pretty neat stuff, huh?
It is, however, the cause of some interesting things in our life, and is VERY important to helicopter pilots. It's also important to the answer of my earlier question about riding a bike.
Some years back, I went to a show put on by the Moody Bible Institute, relating modern day science to the Bible. It was an interesting show- two hours each over three nights, culminating with the host standing atop a 55 gallon drum holding a 2X4 in his hand....... the barrel was then energized with 50,000 volts of electricity, causing the board to sizzle, crack, then catch fire.
In another segment, the host walked to center stage with a large suitcase. He invited a member of the audience onstage with him, then asked him to move the suitcase to the rear of the stage......... a move which required turning with the suitcase. The audience member almost lost his balance as the suitcase would not cooperate with his attempts....... we later found out the suitcase contained a very large gyroscope which had been spun up to 25,000 r.p.m.! Moving it in a straight line was easy, but the gyro didn't want to be turned.
Airplane pilots will be aware of the phenomenon....... along with torque, it causes "P factors" on takeoff.
Did you go out and get on your bike and try my experiment? Were you surprised?
Once again, Jason had the correct answer. If you pull the right handlebar toward you, the bike will lean to, and move left.
Why?
Because of gyroscopic precession!
The theory is, when pressure is applied to a rotating body, that pressure becomes fully realized 90 degrees later in the direction of rotation.
Visualize with me:
Think of the wheels turning beneath you on the bike. If you pull the right handlebar back toward you, you are applying pressure to the right side of the front wheel at it's rearmost point, and to the left side at its most forward point. That pressure becomes most apparent 90 degrees later in the direction of rotation, which results in the wheel leaning to the left, causing the bike to "bank" to the left even though it was a right turn which was seemingly commanded. We never conciously think of what we are doing when we ride a bike, we do this naturally. When I ask students the question I asked you, most students will answer incorrectly. I always send them to find a bicycle!
In order to make the rotor of the helicopter lean in a certain direction, the force necessary to get that result must be applied 90 degrees beforehand. The control systems on a helicopter are rigged to do just that. Next time you are near a helicopter, take a look at the control system......
the control tubes that change the angle of attack of the rotors are mounted ahead of the rotors.
Physics.
Pretty neat stuff, huh?
14 August 2006
After Action Report, 10-13 August, '06
How can I adequately describe this trip? Where do I start?
It's funny........ I really don't care much for travelling.
I don't sleep well the night before heading West to bring home one of these machines. There is stress from so many directions: Wanting to be sure I have all the proper equipment, handheld radio, charts, clothing, etc., to get the job done.......
Just getting to the airport from my front door takes nearly three hours. Add to that the time it takes to get a boarding pass and make it through security. That task was complicated this time by the news we were fortunate to receive before getting to the airport: we would not be allowed to take some items onboard in our hand-carry luggage: Deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo.........anything in liquid or gel form. My partner Don had prescription drugs in his bag that were divided into one of those Sunday-Saturday daily dosage thingies, and didn't have anything to indicate the drugs were his. We knew he would lose those if he tried to carry them aboard, so he had to check that bag.
Surprisingly, the chaos I expected at the Southwest Airlines terminal didn't materialize. We checked Don's bag, advanced through security, and were waiting for our airplane almost two hours before flight time.
Travel concerns aside, I love airports. It is SO entertaining to watch people........
The airplane we would use arrived from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Folks getting off that airplane were obviously dressed for warmer weather........ light tropical dress. They were tanned and happy. I was ready to buy a ticket for Ft. Lauderdale myself!
Four hours and change after takeoff we were in L.A..
Larry and Mary Kay met us after we got Don's bag and we drove in traffic that was lighter than I expected to our favorite Mexican restaurant. Bellies full, we headed to the motel near the Robinson Helicopter factory.
Up and at 'em on Friday morning, we arrived at RHC at 9 A.M..
It's been 15 years since Don has been at the factory, so he was amazed to see the changes in the operation since they moved from their old Crenshaw Boulevard location. Milly, Chief of sales, gave us a personal tour of the entire operation. I had not been through the newest addition to the factory, and I too was amazed at the technology they use to make the different parts of the helicopter. One new machine uses wire to cut metal parts, and can cut to tolerances of 50 millionth of an inch!
Unbelievable.
I have described the problem we had with the cylinder head temperature gauge. It is frustrating for me to be mentally prepared to depart on this 2,000 mile trip, only to have a problem abort the process. But we finally got under way, several hours later than I had hoped.
The difference between flying home in the R22 and the R44 can't be over-emphasized. The R22 is less stable, slower, and more cramped. It is a hard three day slog to get back to the Midwest in an R22, generally after about 20 hours flight time.
The R44 has a wider cockpit, is faster and more stable. You can put charts, etc. on the rear seats, freeing up all the space in the forward cockpit. Given an early start on day one, it would be feasible to make it home in two days in the 44 with a smile on your face, after 15 hours of flying.
We had hoped to spend Friday night in Roswell with Ole Prairie Dog, once again enjoying adult beverages on his beautiful patio. But the aforementioned thunderstorms and running out of daylight precluded that. We did make it to Roswell by Noon on Saturday and had a fine meal with Mr. and Mrs. O.P.D., then got both both of them airborne for a tour of Roswell and their home.
We flew through a gap in thunderstorms on the way to Plainview, Texas for fuel, then continued to Clinton, Oklahoma, to find the keys in the airport courtesy car. Checked into the motel, we purchased cold adult beverages and takeout from a local eaterie, then went back to the motel to catch the forecast and relax.
Sunday dawned crystal clear, but the old song, "OKLAHOMA, where the wind comes whistling down the plain" was proving true....... we started the big Lycoming in 20 knot winds, and the forecast was for them to increase to 30 knots in the afternoon. Time to head home!
The wind on this leg home was right on our butt...... our groundspeed was 141 knots: 162 m.p.h.!
We rotorheads seldom see a groundspeed like that, so Don and I both had smiles on our faces.
One interim stop was at an airport that had cold cuts, potato chips, and soft drinks for purchasers of avgas, and since we hadn't had breakfast, we were happy to partake of them.
We arrived home late in the afternoon after having flown 14.5 hours. The new 540 cubic inch Lycoming surprised us by burning only two quarts of oil while the parts were getting familiar with one another. The cylinder head temperature gauge continued to give us troubles off-and-on, so the probe for that gauge will be changed before delivery to the new owner.
Some afterthoughts:
Your formative years have such a profound effect on how you perceive the world! I was raised near Indianapolis, Indiana........ we called it "Naptown" for good reason. For it's size, Indy was a quiet, unthreatening place to grow up. Rolling hills prevailed, and the earth there is covered either with trees, crops, or water.
On this trip, we take off from an artificial oasis in the middle of the desert called Los Angeles.
It takes over an hour of flying at over 100 miles an hour to get away from that city; it is HUGE. The roads are ALWAYS full of cars and trucks.
As you fly farther and farther from the city, the ground gets brown, then kinda brown/gray. Vegetation gives way to rocks and mountains. For the next couple days, anytime you see green you know there is water involved, either natural or influenced by man. Obviously, there are folks that love the desert and want to live in that environment. They are uncomfortable when they cannot see 100 miles in every direction. I understand that feeling, but I can't identify with it. There are places along the route of this trip where you pray the machine continues to work as it should, because if it breaks, you'll be in a really desperate situation instantly.
It's an uncomfortable thought for this Midwestern soul.
Nevertheless, if things fall into place, I may be making the trip again soon........ this time in an R44 with an air-conditioner, a first time experience for me.
I look forward to including you in my experiences on that journey.
Thanks to those of you that sent your thoughts!
It's funny........ I really don't care much for travelling.
I don't sleep well the night before heading West to bring home one of these machines. There is stress from so many directions: Wanting to be sure I have all the proper equipment, handheld radio, charts, clothing, etc., to get the job done.......
Just getting to the airport from my front door takes nearly three hours. Add to that the time it takes to get a boarding pass and make it through security. That task was complicated this time by the news we were fortunate to receive before getting to the airport: we would not be allowed to take some items onboard in our hand-carry luggage: Deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo.........anything in liquid or gel form. My partner Don had prescription drugs in his bag that were divided into one of those Sunday-Saturday daily dosage thingies, and didn't have anything to indicate the drugs were his. We knew he would lose those if he tried to carry them aboard, so he had to check that bag.
Surprisingly, the chaos I expected at the Southwest Airlines terminal didn't materialize. We checked Don's bag, advanced through security, and were waiting for our airplane almost two hours before flight time.
Travel concerns aside, I love airports. It is SO entertaining to watch people........
The airplane we would use arrived from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Folks getting off that airplane were obviously dressed for warmer weather........ light tropical dress. They were tanned and happy. I was ready to buy a ticket for Ft. Lauderdale myself!
Four hours and change after takeoff we were in L.A..
Larry and Mary Kay met us after we got Don's bag and we drove in traffic that was lighter than I expected to our favorite Mexican restaurant. Bellies full, we headed to the motel near the Robinson Helicopter factory.
Up and at 'em on Friday morning, we arrived at RHC at 9 A.M..
It's been 15 years since Don has been at the factory, so he was amazed to see the changes in the operation since they moved from their old Crenshaw Boulevard location. Milly, Chief of sales, gave us a personal tour of the entire operation. I had not been through the newest addition to the factory, and I too was amazed at the technology they use to make the different parts of the helicopter. One new machine uses wire to cut metal parts, and can cut to tolerances of 50 millionth of an inch!
Unbelievable.
I have described the problem we had with the cylinder head temperature gauge. It is frustrating for me to be mentally prepared to depart on this 2,000 mile trip, only to have a problem abort the process. But we finally got under way, several hours later than I had hoped.
The difference between flying home in the R22 and the R44 can't be over-emphasized. The R22 is less stable, slower, and more cramped. It is a hard three day slog to get back to the Midwest in an R22, generally after about 20 hours flight time.
The R44 has a wider cockpit, is faster and more stable. You can put charts, etc. on the rear seats, freeing up all the space in the forward cockpit. Given an early start on day one, it would be feasible to make it home in two days in the 44 with a smile on your face, after 15 hours of flying.
We had hoped to spend Friday night in Roswell with Ole Prairie Dog, once again enjoying adult beverages on his beautiful patio. But the aforementioned thunderstorms and running out of daylight precluded that. We did make it to Roswell by Noon on Saturday and had a fine meal with Mr. and Mrs. O.P.D., then got both both of them airborne for a tour of Roswell and their home.
We flew through a gap in thunderstorms on the way to Plainview, Texas for fuel, then continued to Clinton, Oklahoma, to find the keys in the airport courtesy car. Checked into the motel, we purchased cold adult beverages and takeout from a local eaterie, then went back to the motel to catch the forecast and relax.
Sunday dawned crystal clear, but the old song, "OKLAHOMA, where the wind comes whistling down the plain" was proving true....... we started the big Lycoming in 20 knot winds, and the forecast was for them to increase to 30 knots in the afternoon. Time to head home!
The wind on this leg home was right on our butt...... our groundspeed was 141 knots: 162 m.p.h.!
We rotorheads seldom see a groundspeed like that, so Don and I both had smiles on our faces.
One interim stop was at an airport that had cold cuts, potato chips, and soft drinks for purchasers of avgas, and since we hadn't had breakfast, we were happy to partake of them.
We arrived home late in the afternoon after having flown 14.5 hours. The new 540 cubic inch Lycoming surprised us by burning only two quarts of oil while the parts were getting familiar with one another. The cylinder head temperature gauge continued to give us troubles off-and-on, so the probe for that gauge will be changed before delivery to the new owner.
Some afterthoughts:
Your formative years have such a profound effect on how you perceive the world! I was raised near Indianapolis, Indiana........ we called it "Naptown" for good reason. For it's size, Indy was a quiet, unthreatening place to grow up. Rolling hills prevailed, and the earth there is covered either with trees, crops, or water.
On this trip, we take off from an artificial oasis in the middle of the desert called Los Angeles.
It takes over an hour of flying at over 100 miles an hour to get away from that city; it is HUGE. The roads are ALWAYS full of cars and trucks.
As you fly farther and farther from the city, the ground gets brown, then kinda brown/gray. Vegetation gives way to rocks and mountains. For the next couple days, anytime you see green you know there is water involved, either natural or influenced by man. Obviously, there are folks that love the desert and want to live in that environment. They are uncomfortable when they cannot see 100 miles in every direction. I understand that feeling, but I can't identify with it. There are places along the route of this trip where you pray the machine continues to work as it should, because if it breaks, you'll be in a really desperate situation instantly.
It's an uncomfortable thought for this Midwestern soul.
Nevertheless, if things fall into place, I may be making the trip again soon........ this time in an R44 with an air-conditioner, a first time experience for me.
I look forward to including you in my experiences on that journey.
Thanks to those of you that sent your thoughts!
13 August 2006
Safely Home
After 14.5 hours of flight time, assisted with a boost from Mother Nature most of the way, we are safely home.
I'm still unwinding. Give me a bit to sort my thoughts, and I'll have a report for ya later.
It's great to be home in my own bed.
I'm still unwinding. Give me a bit to sort my thoughts, and I'll have a report for ya later.
It's great to be home in my own bed.
12 August 2006
The Best Laid Plans
We had a good plan. It lasted until the first problem appeared.
There was no "Plan B".
We arrived at the factory, got the paperwork covered, and preflighted the aircraft. All was well.
Charts at hand and my radio frequency cheat-sheet close by, we went through the pre-start checklist, then started the engine. After engine start, engine oil pressure should rise immediately. Then we wait for oil temperature to climb into the normal range. Finally, the cylinder head temperature should also rise into normal operating limits. When all engine instruments are "in the green", there are several tests that you run to insure the systems are working properly.......
Magnetos, carburetor heat, overrunning clutch, and low RPM warning system.
We waited for the cylinder head temperature to go into the green range.........
and waited........and waited. We finally realized we had a problem, shut the aircraft down, and went looking for a mechanic.
They were on their lunch break.
We finally resolved the problem and took off from Torrance at 1 P.M., several hours late.
The rest of the flight went normally. We landed at Blythe, CA., Casa Grande, AZ., then dodged thunderstorms on the way to landing at West Texas airport at El Paso, TX.. It was getting dark and I could see lightning flashes East of El Paso. Too many weak links in that chain: we were tired, darkness was approaching, weather was a factor, and we were over unfamiliar territory. It was time to quit flying for the night, still short of our intended landing at Roswell.
The motel advertised "High Speed Internet Access".
Upon investigation I found they wanted to charge extra for it. No problem.......I'll use an account I have with Earthlink and just use "dial-up". But I tried and tried two phone numbers for Earthlink to no avail. I couldn't access my email, and couldn't blog to bring you up to speed on our progress.
Arising this morning after a great night's sleep, we got on our way at about 10 A.M., and landed at Roswell in time to have lunch with Ole Prairie Dog and his Fair Bride. After lunch, I put O.P.D. in the pilot's seat and let him have the controls of the first helicopter he had flown in 23 years......... his wife in the back seat watching the fun. It took about 5 minutes for him to knock off the rust and settle down, but he shot the approach back into the airport and hovered the machine just fine, in spite of 10 to 18 knot winds. Good on ya, O.P.D.!
We faced afternoon thunderstorms when we left Roswell, and dodged them on the way to landing at Plainview, TX.. We dodged some more on our way to landing at Clinton, OK.. Clinton is a great place to overnight because they have courtesy cars waiting for transient pilots......
keys under the overhead visors! They'll get my business every time I can land here.
We are fed, watered, and relaxing while catching up on the news. All is well.
And the "Best Plan" is to realize that no matter how well you plan, the plan will change.
Be flexible, consider all alternatives, and choose your best options.
In other words: "Don't worry, be happy!"
There was no "Plan B".
We arrived at the factory, got the paperwork covered, and preflighted the aircraft. All was well.
Charts at hand and my radio frequency cheat-sheet close by, we went through the pre-start checklist, then started the engine. After engine start, engine oil pressure should rise immediately. Then we wait for oil temperature to climb into the normal range. Finally, the cylinder head temperature should also rise into normal operating limits. When all engine instruments are "in the green", there are several tests that you run to insure the systems are working properly.......
Magnetos, carburetor heat, overrunning clutch, and low RPM warning system.
We waited for the cylinder head temperature to go into the green range.........
and waited........and waited. We finally realized we had a problem, shut the aircraft down, and went looking for a mechanic.
They were on their lunch break.
We finally resolved the problem and took off from Torrance at 1 P.M., several hours late.
The rest of the flight went normally. We landed at Blythe, CA., Casa Grande, AZ., then dodged thunderstorms on the way to landing at West Texas airport at El Paso, TX.. It was getting dark and I could see lightning flashes East of El Paso. Too many weak links in that chain: we were tired, darkness was approaching, weather was a factor, and we were over unfamiliar territory. It was time to quit flying for the night, still short of our intended landing at Roswell.
The motel advertised "High Speed Internet Access".
Upon investigation I found they wanted to charge extra for it. No problem.......I'll use an account I have with Earthlink and just use "dial-up". But I tried and tried two phone numbers for Earthlink to no avail. I couldn't access my email, and couldn't blog to bring you up to speed on our progress.
Arising this morning after a great night's sleep, we got on our way at about 10 A.M., and landed at Roswell in time to have lunch with Ole Prairie Dog and his Fair Bride. After lunch, I put O.P.D. in the pilot's seat and let him have the controls of the first helicopter he had flown in 23 years......... his wife in the back seat watching the fun. It took about 5 minutes for him to knock off the rust and settle down, but he shot the approach back into the airport and hovered the machine just fine, in spite of 10 to 18 knot winds. Good on ya, O.P.D.!
We faced afternoon thunderstorms when we left Roswell, and dodged them on the way to landing at Plainview, TX.. We dodged some more on our way to landing at Clinton, OK.. Clinton is a great place to overnight because they have courtesy cars waiting for transient pilots......
keys under the overhead visors! They'll get my business every time I can land here.
We are fed, watered, and relaxing while catching up on the news. All is well.
And the "Best Plan" is to realize that no matter how well you plan, the plan will change.
Be flexible, consider all alternatives, and choose your best options.
In other words: "Don't worry, be happy!"
10 August 2006
Dateline: Torrance, California
My body thinks it is midnight. The clock says it is 10 P.M..
We are safely in the Ramada Inn in Torrance, CA., a block from where they assemble Robinson Helicopters. We're tired, but what could have been a horrible experience with the newly installed emergency screening measures turned out to be only a minor inconvenience. We checked the bag with our toothpaste and deodorant in it. TSA officers were more prevalent and did "spot checks" of ladies purses and some hand-carried baggage as we were in line to board the airplane, but it all went smoothly.
Larry and Mary Kay provided wheels to "El Zarape" for a wonderful Mexican dinner and great fellowship. Thank you both!
The money is in place. Weather permitting, with the paperwork completed in the morning, we'll be Eastbound along I-10 once again, with a new R44.
I'll keep ya posted.
We are safely in the Ramada Inn in Torrance, CA., a block from where they assemble Robinson Helicopters. We're tired, but what could have been a horrible experience with the newly installed emergency screening measures turned out to be only a minor inconvenience. We checked the bag with our toothpaste and deodorant in it. TSA officers were more prevalent and did "spot checks" of ladies purses and some hand-carried baggage as we were in line to board the airplane, but it all went smoothly.
Larry and Mary Kay provided wheels to "El Zarape" for a wonderful Mexican dinner and great fellowship. Thank you both!
The money is in place. Weather permitting, with the paperwork completed in the morning, we'll be Eastbound along I-10 once again, with a new R44.
I'll keep ya posted.
08 August 2006
Trip #18
No, I never tire of it.
The plan is to arrive LAX Thursday, late afternoon. A beloved friend, one of my Crew Chiefs from Viet Nam will come with his wife and provide wheels to dine at a great Mexican restaurant. It'll be nice to catch up on what has transpired since our last meeting, then rehash old lies we have told one another a dozen times.
Up bright and early Friday morning, if all goes well, we hope to spend Friday night with Mr. and Mrs. Ole Prairie Dog again. That is feasible, given the fact that we'll be flying an R44 this time, cruising at 120 knots. Please pray for a bit of a tailwind for the entire day on Friday!
Weather will be a factor...... there have been fires at Big Bear, and rain all along our route over the past couple weeks. Prayers/thoughts will be appreciated.
Again, I'll have my laptop along for the ride and will post about anything out of the ordinary that happens along the way.
I spoke earlier about the physics of flying and how now and then learning to fly will cause a "light bulb moment". Maybe I can give you one of those now?
Imagine you are riding a bicycle or motorcycle. You are cruising at an easy, comfortable pace. You take your hands off the handlebars and steer the machine momentarily by shifting your weight. Now, reach down with your right hand and pull the handlebar back towards you......... what happens to the machine? Why?
Do you have access to a bike? Go try!
(Again, helicopter pilots are excluded from this discussion!)
I'll have your answer, and an explanation, later.
C'mon smarties, show me your stuff!
The plan is to arrive LAX Thursday, late afternoon. A beloved friend, one of my Crew Chiefs from Viet Nam will come with his wife and provide wheels to dine at a great Mexican restaurant. It'll be nice to catch up on what has transpired since our last meeting, then rehash old lies we have told one another a dozen times.
Up bright and early Friday morning, if all goes well, we hope to spend Friday night with Mr. and Mrs. Ole Prairie Dog again. That is feasible, given the fact that we'll be flying an R44 this time, cruising at 120 knots. Please pray for a bit of a tailwind for the entire day on Friday!
Weather will be a factor...... there have been fires at Big Bear, and rain all along our route over the past couple weeks. Prayers/thoughts will be appreciated.
Again, I'll have my laptop along for the ride and will post about anything out of the ordinary that happens along the way.
I spoke earlier about the physics of flying and how now and then learning to fly will cause a "light bulb moment". Maybe I can give you one of those now?
Imagine you are riding a bicycle or motorcycle. You are cruising at an easy, comfortable pace. You take your hands off the handlebars and steer the machine momentarily by shifting your weight. Now, reach down with your right hand and pull the handlebar back towards you......... what happens to the machine? Why?
Do you have access to a bike? Go try!
(Again, helicopter pilots are excluded from this discussion!)
I'll have your answer, and an explanation, later.
C'mon smarties, show me your stuff!
07 August 2006
Hogwash
Hi!
Nothing much goin' on here.
My family is fine. Hope yours is too.
I was just thinking of you and wanted to drop you a line.
Email when you can.
Greybeard.
There!
I timed that note above. It took me 45 seconds to write it, and I'm no typist.
I got another one today......
One of those notes that begins, "Why I send Forwards".
I bet you've gotten this note too........
Some lame note about thinking about you and not having time to write.
My note took 45 seconds, and I would much prefer receiving it than some crappy lie about forwarding junk to me because the sender was thinking of me and didn't have time to write!
If you don't have the 45 seconds it takes to tell me all is well but there is nothing to say, do me a favor?
When you think about filling my mailbox with someone else's stupid thoughts......
JUST SAY NO!
(Okay, I feel better now!)
Nothing much goin' on here.
My family is fine. Hope yours is too.
I was just thinking of you and wanted to drop you a line.
Email when you can.
Greybeard.
There!
I timed that note above. It took me 45 seconds to write it, and I'm no typist.
I got another one today......
One of those notes that begins, "Why I send Forwards".
I bet you've gotten this note too........
Some lame note about thinking about you and not having time to write.
My note took 45 seconds, and I would much prefer receiving it than some crappy lie about forwarding junk to me because the sender was thinking of me and didn't have time to write!
If you don't have the 45 seconds it takes to tell me all is well but there is nothing to say, do me a favor?
When you think about filling my mailbox with someone else's stupid thoughts......
JUST SAY NO!
(Okay, I feel better now!)
04 August 2006
Misconceptions
There were six of us packed into a 1960 Ford Falcon........
a car only slightly larger than a VW Beetle.
Grandparents, Mom and Dad, Sis and I, mighty cozy with one another.
Grandpa at the wheel, it was raining cats and dogs outside the car.
I vividly remember him turning to me with a smile, saying, "The engine runs better in the rain."
Do you believe that? I always did.
And it's one of those things we believe that's dead wrong.
The only thing about rain that is good for an engine is that rain normally comes with a drop in air temperature. The temperature drop makes the air more dense, and denser air does make an internal combustion engine perform better.
But the rain doesn't help. Rain brings higher humidity. Higher humidity means water vapor in the air, and water vapor is made of two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen. The hydrogen molecules make the air less dense, which works against engine efficiency.
(It also impairs airfoil efficiency.)
Another misconception is wind.
My first instructor asked, "If you take off on a round trip flight with a 20 knot wind, does the tailwind on the return flight cancel out the headwind on the outbound flight?"
I answered "yes", and again was dead wrong.
To illustrate why, imagine I'm flying an aircraft that cruises at 100 miles per hour, and I'm flying to a heliport 50 miles away.
With no wind, the outbound and return legs will both be 30 minutes: 50 miles at 100 miles per hour = .5 hours, or 30 minutes. Therefore, with no wind the round trip flight will take one hour.
Now, let's assume a 50 m.p.h. headwind on the outbound leg. With this wind we'll cover the ground at 50 m.p.h. on the outbound leg, and 150 m.p.h. on the return flight. The outbound flight will take an hour: 50 miles at 50 m.p.h.. The return flight will take 20 minutes: 50 miles at 150 m.p.h. = 1/3rd of an hour, or 20 minutes. Total flight time with the wind: 1 hour 20 minutes. Any wind lengthens the overall flight-time. The wind has more time to impede the aircraft on the outbound leg than to assist the return flight. The stronger the wind, the worse the impact.
Learning to fly exposes you to a great deal of physics. I'm continually amazed at how many "light bulb" moments I have, where I realize I've known something all my life, and didn't know why what I knew was true. But there are a few things I have "known" all my life that simply aren't true. As I'm faced with those things in the future, I'll try to remember to bring them to your attention.
a car only slightly larger than a VW Beetle.
Grandparents, Mom and Dad, Sis and I, mighty cozy with one another.
Grandpa at the wheel, it was raining cats and dogs outside the car.
I vividly remember him turning to me with a smile, saying, "The engine runs better in the rain."
Do you believe that? I always did.
And it's one of those things we believe that's dead wrong.
The only thing about rain that is good for an engine is that rain normally comes with a drop in air temperature. The temperature drop makes the air more dense, and denser air does make an internal combustion engine perform better.
But the rain doesn't help. Rain brings higher humidity. Higher humidity means water vapor in the air, and water vapor is made of two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen. The hydrogen molecules make the air less dense, which works against engine efficiency.
(It also impairs airfoil efficiency.)
Another misconception is wind.
My first instructor asked, "If you take off on a round trip flight with a 20 knot wind, does the tailwind on the return flight cancel out the headwind on the outbound flight?"
I answered "yes", and again was dead wrong.
To illustrate why, imagine I'm flying an aircraft that cruises at 100 miles per hour, and I'm flying to a heliport 50 miles away.
With no wind, the outbound and return legs will both be 30 minutes: 50 miles at 100 miles per hour = .5 hours, or 30 minutes. Therefore, with no wind the round trip flight will take one hour.
Now, let's assume a 50 m.p.h. headwind on the outbound leg. With this wind we'll cover the ground at 50 m.p.h. on the outbound leg, and 150 m.p.h. on the return flight. The outbound flight will take an hour: 50 miles at 50 m.p.h.. The return flight will take 20 minutes: 50 miles at 150 m.p.h. = 1/3rd of an hour, or 20 minutes. Total flight time with the wind: 1 hour 20 minutes. Any wind lengthens the overall flight-time. The wind has more time to impede the aircraft on the outbound leg than to assist the return flight. The stronger the wind, the worse the impact.
Learning to fly exposes you to a great deal of physics. I'm continually amazed at how many "light bulb" moments I have, where I realize I've known something all my life, and didn't know why what I knew was true. But there are a few things I have "known" all my life that simply aren't true. As I'm faced with those things in the future, I'll try to remember to bring them to your attention.
29 July 2006
Greybeard, You S.O.B.!!
Just a little braggin' here.....
Regular readers know I've now been "pulling pitch" for over 38 years.
I've been teaching others the art of "Pitchpull" since 1969. Hovering, next to learning how to automatically say "yes dear", may have been the hardest thing I ever learned to do.
After learning to hover, landing a helicopter on sloping ground is one of the hardest tasks.
When I want to learn how comfortable a pilot is with his fling-wing machine, I'll put him on top of a steep slope and challenge him to put it on the ground.
Almost always, I'll do the first landing just to show it can be done. I'll land on a really steep surface, then move to a slightly less steep piece of Real Estate and ask the person sharing the cockpit to show me their stuff. Frequently their response is, "You (fill in your favorite affectionate obscenity here), you make it look SO easy!"
My response always is, "yeah, when you've been doing this for as long as I have, it'll be easy for you too!"
Are you comfortable driving your car?
Of course you are!
Consider that I'm in the pilot's seat of a helicopter longer than I am in the driver's seat of an automobile, and you can see why I feel that climbing into that seat is like putting on an old pair of slippers. As an instructor, I also get to practice the stuff that is important when things break. That's important, because when your car breaks, you pull to the side of the road and call the Auto Club. It can be a little more difficult if something breaks on a flying machine. Even then, I'm sure glad to be in a machine I can land in the parking lot right beneath me!
So where am I headed with this? If you are already a fixed-wing pilot, learning to fly a helicopter will make you a better fixed wing pilot. If you are like some of my students and have no interest in flying airplanes, but are fascinated by helicopters, put the money together and go buy an hour of instruction from a helicopter school. The stories you'll be able to tell after that hour alone will make the price of admission worthwhile!
(I recommend you find an instructor that's been doing it since before you were born!)
Regular readers know I've now been "pulling pitch" for over 38 years.
I've been teaching others the art of "Pitchpull" since 1969. Hovering, next to learning how to automatically say "yes dear", may have been the hardest thing I ever learned to do.
After learning to hover, landing a helicopter on sloping ground is one of the hardest tasks.
When I want to learn how comfortable a pilot is with his fling-wing machine, I'll put him on top of a steep slope and challenge him to put it on the ground.
Almost always, I'll do the first landing just to show it can be done. I'll land on a really steep surface, then move to a slightly less steep piece of Real Estate and ask the person sharing the cockpit to show me their stuff. Frequently their response is, "You (fill in your favorite affectionate obscenity here), you make it look SO easy!"
My response always is, "yeah, when you've been doing this for as long as I have, it'll be easy for you too!"
Are you comfortable driving your car?
Of course you are!
Consider that I'm in the pilot's seat of a helicopter longer than I am in the driver's seat of an automobile, and you can see why I feel that climbing into that seat is like putting on an old pair of slippers. As an instructor, I also get to practice the stuff that is important when things break. That's important, because when your car breaks, you pull to the side of the road and call the Auto Club. It can be a little more difficult if something breaks on a flying machine. Even then, I'm sure glad to be in a machine I can land in the parking lot right beneath me!
So where am I headed with this? If you are already a fixed-wing pilot, learning to fly a helicopter will make you a better fixed wing pilot. If you are like some of my students and have no interest in flying airplanes, but are fascinated by helicopters, put the money together and go buy an hour of instruction from a helicopter school. The stories you'll be able to tell after that hour alone will make the price of admission worthwhile!
(I recommend you find an instructor that's been doing it since before you were born!)
25 July 2006
Red State Secession
Okay, I'm ready to quit.
I'm tired of pulling more than my fair share.
I want to revert back to capitalism.
After the '04 election, there was a great deal of wailing by the Blue States about how terrible it was that they would be forced to live under the rule of "King George the W" for another 4 years.
(He got us into that war under false pretenses, ya know.......No WMD!)
Now the economy is plugging along at record levels....
Employment at record highs, unemployment at near record lows.
The Dow is once again hovering around 11 Grand in spite of high crude oil prices.
Yet Blue Staters still see the glass as half empty:
Those terrible rich folks like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett aren't doing their fair share, ya know!?
GWB's election elicited a great deal of talking about secession of the Blue States.
Well, if ya can't beat 'em, join 'em!
I'm gettin' on the "Secession Bandwagon" too!
53 Million folks voted for GWB.
Most of them are red meat eating, gun owning, country music lovin', hard working, "Red State Rubes" just like me.
Living space for that many Rubes will take a good-sized piece of property.
And of course we don't want to displace "Blues" that don't want to be ruled by the likes of King George the W, so we'll need to occupy "Red" territory.
Here's my suggestion:
"Rubes" can occupy the Southeast corner of what is now the U.S. of A. This corner will include Red States-
Indiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas, Lousiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. These 13 States can adopt the original "Betsy Ross" flag as their symbol!
(Fitting too, I think, that Red Staters will have the benefit the original 13 colonies had.....
the religious freedom to pray in our schools if we wish!)
These States will give Red Rubes a varied cross section of the country.........
mountains, seashore, good country for agriculture, coal, some oil, "The Pittsburgh of the South", and good ports to ship goods to Blue States and beyond.
Blue Staters can take the rest of the country and try to defend it against their enemies.
Sounds like Utopia to me....
No more lying about the best economy in years.
No more gun control arguments.
No more worrying about use of the phrase "Under God".
No more wailing about a lack of Federal help when disaster strikes........
given three days warning, "The United Red Rube States" (U.R.R.S.) will have heeded the warning and packed up and moved to higher ground. When the disaster no longer threatens, "Rubers" will grab generators and chain saws to put things right in a hurry.
There are a couple problems I can foresee popping up right away:
1. From their midst, how will Blue Staters find anyone willing to be part of an Army to defend them?
2. Unless we quickly build a fence, the U.R.R.S. will have a problem with illegals crossing our border.
Then I can start my campaign for "King of the World", (at least the Red State world), in earnest!
I'm tired of pulling more than my fair share.
I want to revert back to capitalism.
After the '04 election, there was a great deal of wailing by the Blue States about how terrible it was that they would be forced to live under the rule of "King George the W" for another 4 years.
(He got us into that war under false pretenses, ya know.......No WMD!)
Now the economy is plugging along at record levels....
Employment at record highs, unemployment at near record lows.
The Dow is once again hovering around 11 Grand in spite of high crude oil prices.
Yet Blue Staters still see the glass as half empty:
Those terrible rich folks like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett aren't doing their fair share, ya know!?
GWB's election elicited a great deal of talking about secession of the Blue States.
Well, if ya can't beat 'em, join 'em!
I'm gettin' on the "Secession Bandwagon" too!
53 Million folks voted for GWB.
Most of them are red meat eating, gun owning, country music lovin', hard working, "Red State Rubes" just like me.
Living space for that many Rubes will take a good-sized piece of property.
And of course we don't want to displace "Blues" that don't want to be ruled by the likes of King George the W, so we'll need to occupy "Red" territory.
Here's my suggestion:
"Rubes" can occupy the Southeast corner of what is now the U.S. of A. This corner will include Red States-
Indiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas, Lousiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. These 13 States can adopt the original "Betsy Ross" flag as their symbol!
(Fitting too, I think, that Red Staters will have the benefit the original 13 colonies had.....
the religious freedom to pray in our schools if we wish!)
These States will give Red Rubes a varied cross section of the country.........
mountains, seashore, good country for agriculture, coal, some oil, "The Pittsburgh of the South", and good ports to ship goods to Blue States and beyond.
Blue Staters can take the rest of the country and try to defend it against their enemies.
Sounds like Utopia to me....
No more lying about the best economy in years.
No more gun control arguments.
No more worrying about use of the phrase "Under God".
No more wailing about a lack of Federal help when disaster strikes........
given three days warning, "The United Red Rube States" (U.R.R.S.) will have heeded the warning and packed up and moved to higher ground. When the disaster no longer threatens, "Rubers" will grab generators and chain saws to put things right in a hurry.
There are a couple problems I can foresee popping up right away:
1. From their midst, how will Blue Staters find anyone willing to be part of an Army to defend them?
2. Unless we quickly build a fence, the U.R.R.S. will have a problem with illegals crossing our border.
Then I can start my campaign for "King of the World", (at least the Red State world), in earnest!
20 July 2006
A Thin Skin?
Acidman.
That one word will probably net "Pitchpull" several hits, just from his fans coming to see what I have to say about him. They'll be disappointed. I've read very little of his work.
Reaction to his death has been amazing.
Elvis is more popular than ever...... makes more money now than he ever did while drawing breath. Acidman may follow this path, if tributes to the man keep rolling in.
I'm sure I would have liked the guy. Intelligent, irreverent, opinionated, yet his feelings about his family showed a core that was caring and sentimental.
But I probably wouldn't have been comfortable around him for long........ and I flinch when I read his posts. Maybe I'm just naive, or maybe I'm too thin skinned.
I'm offended by casual use of "the F word".
If you really want to focus my attention on the words you speak, rather than the meaning you are trying to convey.........use "the F word". I'm instantly distracted. That's just a fact.
I'm amazed at how common it is to hear it in normal conversation these days.
It's spoken in public conversation loud enough to hear from across the room.
I have a flight nurse that can't speak two sentences without using it. She throws "Mother" in front of it now and then so she doesn't sound repetitive. She's a great gal and a good nurse.
I don't want to be around her any more than necessary. She frequently makes me cringe.
Rob....."Acidman", no doubt wrote some wonderful stuff, but I don't want to get down in the gutter with him. Don't take me wrong here...... if you loved him and his writing, good for you!
His language just made me uncomfortable.
Maybe when they come out with the version of his blog fit to be shown on network TV, I'll become his biggest fan!
That one word will probably net "Pitchpull" several hits, just from his fans coming to see what I have to say about him. They'll be disappointed. I've read very little of his work.
Reaction to his death has been amazing.
Elvis is more popular than ever...... makes more money now than he ever did while drawing breath. Acidman may follow this path, if tributes to the man keep rolling in.
I'm sure I would have liked the guy. Intelligent, irreverent, opinionated, yet his feelings about his family showed a core that was caring and sentimental.
But I probably wouldn't have been comfortable around him for long........ and I flinch when I read his posts. Maybe I'm just naive, or maybe I'm too thin skinned.
I'm offended by casual use of "the F word".
If you really want to focus my attention on the words you speak, rather than the meaning you are trying to convey.........use "the F word". I'm instantly distracted. That's just a fact.
I'm amazed at how common it is to hear it in normal conversation these days.
It's spoken in public conversation loud enough to hear from across the room.
I have a flight nurse that can't speak two sentences without using it. She throws "Mother" in front of it now and then so she doesn't sound repetitive. She's a great gal and a good nurse.
I don't want to be around her any more than necessary. She frequently makes me cringe.
Rob....."Acidman", no doubt wrote some wonderful stuff, but I don't want to get down in the gutter with him. Don't take me wrong here...... if you loved him and his writing, good for you!
His language just made me uncomfortable.
Maybe when they come out with the version of his blog fit to be shown on network TV, I'll become his biggest fan!
17 July 2006
Cheap! Who, Me?
Frugal?
Practical?
I have always been from the "use it up, wear it out" persuasion.
The new car that I earlier blogged about purchasing now has 200,569 miles on it. It still looks good, runs good, burns no oil, and gets 27 m.p.g. on the highway.
Sara Jean loves to talk about how "cheap" I am.
Listening to her talk, and watching some of my actions, neighbors must think we are in really dire straits economically.
A male acquaintance of ours has a toenail/sock problem. For some reason, his toenails cut through the perfectly good brand new socks he wears to run in.
He cannot stand to run in socks with holes in them, so he throws them out.
In wonderful "George Costanza" form, Sara Jean saw these socks in his trash can and inquired about them. Knowing that I would be perfectly happy to wear them, she started bringing them home. I now have 20 or so pairs of athletic socks in my drawer with one hole in them.......I simply put the hole over my small toe! If by chance the pair has two socks with the hole on the same side so that one hole will line up over my large toe no matter what, I simply turn one sock inside-out......problem resolved.
But there's another story that Sara Jean loves to tell about me:
I've worn a pair of Wellington boots since I was in High School. Once on, at first glance they look like an oxford shoe, yet they provide good protection for my ankles and lower calf.
A couple years ago I bought a new pair and after breaking them in, found the right one fit my foot tighter than the left one. It wasn't so bad that I couldn't wear the boots, but there was a noticeable difference in the tightness of the right boot. Because it was tighter, when the right boot was worn out, the left boot was still perfectly serviceable. I pitched the right boot and saved the left one.
Sara Jean had a fit!
"ARE YOU CRAZY?
When are you ever gonna use that one boot?"
The next pair I bought were virtually identical to the preceeding pair. After wearing them for a little over a year, the "pulls" that you use to pull on the boots failed on the left one...... came out by the roots.
But I had a spare!
Imagine my grin.......
Of course I immediately showed Sara Jean what had happened, and wore the "ALMOST" identical pair of boots for over a year until I wore them out.
As Sara Jean would say, "You couldn't tell the difference in the boots from a galloping horse."
She just thinks I'm cheap.
I'd define myself with a different word!
Practical?
I have always been from the "use it up, wear it out" persuasion.
The new car that I earlier blogged about purchasing now has 200,569 miles on it. It still looks good, runs good, burns no oil, and gets 27 m.p.g. on the highway.
Sara Jean loves to talk about how "cheap" I am.
Listening to her talk, and watching some of my actions, neighbors must think we are in really dire straits economically.
A male acquaintance of ours has a toenail/sock problem. For some reason, his toenails cut through the perfectly good brand new socks he wears to run in.
He cannot stand to run in socks with holes in them, so he throws them out.
In wonderful "George Costanza" form, Sara Jean saw these socks in his trash can and inquired about them. Knowing that I would be perfectly happy to wear them, she started bringing them home. I now have 20 or so pairs of athletic socks in my drawer with one hole in them.......I simply put the hole over my small toe! If by chance the pair has two socks with the hole on the same side so that one hole will line up over my large toe no matter what, I simply turn one sock inside-out......problem resolved.
But there's another story that Sara Jean loves to tell about me:
I've worn a pair of Wellington boots since I was in High School. Once on, at first glance they look like an oxford shoe, yet they provide good protection for my ankles and lower calf.
A couple years ago I bought a new pair and after breaking them in, found the right one fit my foot tighter than the left one. It wasn't so bad that I couldn't wear the boots, but there was a noticeable difference in the tightness of the right boot. Because it was tighter, when the right boot was worn out, the left boot was still perfectly serviceable. I pitched the right boot and saved the left one.
Sara Jean had a fit!
"ARE YOU CRAZY?
When are you ever gonna use that one boot?"
The next pair I bought were virtually identical to the preceeding pair. After wearing them for a little over a year, the "pulls" that you use to pull on the boots failed on the left one...... came out by the roots.
But I had a spare!
Imagine my grin.......
Of course I immediately showed Sara Jean what had happened, and wore the "ALMOST" identical pair of boots for over a year until I wore them out.
As Sara Jean would say, "You couldn't tell the difference in the boots from a galloping horse."
She just thinks I'm cheap.
I'd define myself with a different word!
12 July 2006
"Friends"
What's a real friend look/sound like?
I started to post the definition of friend here as a foundation, then decided against it.
In my gut, I know what a friend is.
I think you do too.
A friend is someone you can call at 3 A.M. and say, "I'm broken down at mile marker #888 on I-465 and I need help. Can you come and get me?"
Your friend may be irritated, but you know they'll show up.
And they know that if the shoe were on the other foot, they could depend on you, too.
There's a point here, and I'm gonna get to it......bear with me.
Sara Jean and I have lived in this little town for about 30 years, plus or minus.
When we decided to live together 26 years ago, we met our neighbors "Stan and Suzette".
Both are Sara Jean's age.
These two made Mr. and Mrs. Greybeard laugh.
We'd frequently socialize.......they'd come over for dinner and to play cards afterwards.
After an evening with them, our faces would hurt because we weren't accustomed to that much smiling in so short a time.
We loved them like family.....they played important roles in our wedding.
Sara Jean was a second mother to their daughter, 6 years old when we first met them.......
when the daughter reached adolescence and had "female troubles", she came to Sara Jean for help rather than discuss it with her Mother.
When Stan was faced with the prospect of making a decision to change his retirement investment plan, they came to me with their entire investment portfolio, trusting me to guide them in an area where they were unsure of themselves.
(They considered, then acted on my advice.)
You can see why I thought we were CLOSE friends.
They got a computer.
The next thing we knew, they were talking about the "friends" they had made online.
I was amazed.......they would come home, have their dinner, get on the computer and go to a chat room every night to visit with their "friends" from two States away!
Our card playing nights fell by the wayside almost instantly.
Then Stan and Suzette bought a second computer and got a second telephone line so they both could visit the chat room simultaneously!
We were hurt and dumbfounded.
These people........folks we truly considered friends, were more excited about chatting online than visiting with long-term neighbors that helped raise their daughter.
We finally gave up on the relationship.
Don't get me wrong here...... I love my laptop.
With it, I am better able to stay in touch with my family and friends.
I'll even admit to having a few "virtual" friends......but I emphasize the "Virtual" there. I am profoundly aware of the difference between virtual and real.
I think you can get addicted to these damned things.
Check that.......I KNOW you can get addicted to them.
Lately, I'm finding I spend more time than I would like sitting in front of this computer screen. Part of that is my love for the blogs........ once I found I could no longer trust the New York Times to print the facts, I started getting almost all my news via the computer and Blogs.
I started "Pitchpull" a little over a year ago.
I love where it has brought me....... I've had contact via email with fellow Bloggers and some readers, and that has been wonderful.
But are these people friends?
Hardly.
They certainly could BECOME friends......
but they will have to prove themselves over time......
a LONG time!
A "virtual" friend suggested I should open a "MySpace" account.
The reasoning was that I would then have access to MySpace profiles and photos. It's been educational, to say the least, (and oh my, the personal information many people make available there!)
One gal I checked out last week had "12,886 friends"!
An amazingly fortunate soul......right?
Riiiiiiiiiight!
I think "MySpace" is more than just a little weird.
Are we all spending too much time in front of a computer screen?
Is it an escape?
Is surfing the net and doing the chat room thing a way of avoiding the work required to cultivate and grow a relationship with real people?
Don't laugh.......
Stan and Suzette spent so much time chatting with "virtual" friends, they lost their relationship with Mr. and Mrs. Greybeard!
I'm concerned with what I perceive.......that it's happening more and more!
So here is my question:
At what point does spending time on the computer become abnormal?
Do you foresee long-term social effects/problems because of this behavior, and if so, what kind of problems?
I started to post the definition of friend here as a foundation, then decided against it.
In my gut, I know what a friend is.
I think you do too.
A friend is someone you can call at 3 A.M. and say, "I'm broken down at mile marker #888 on I-465 and I need help. Can you come and get me?"
Your friend may be irritated, but you know they'll show up.
And they know that if the shoe were on the other foot, they could depend on you, too.
There's a point here, and I'm gonna get to it......bear with me.
Sara Jean and I have lived in this little town for about 30 years, plus or minus.
When we decided to live together 26 years ago, we met our neighbors "Stan and Suzette".
Both are Sara Jean's age.
These two made Mr. and Mrs. Greybeard laugh.
We'd frequently socialize.......they'd come over for dinner and to play cards afterwards.
After an evening with them, our faces would hurt because we weren't accustomed to that much smiling in so short a time.
We loved them like family.....they played important roles in our wedding.
Sara Jean was a second mother to their daughter, 6 years old when we first met them.......
when the daughter reached adolescence and had "female troubles", she came to Sara Jean for help rather than discuss it with her Mother.
When Stan was faced with the prospect of making a decision to change his retirement investment plan, they came to me with their entire investment portfolio, trusting me to guide them in an area where they were unsure of themselves.
(They considered, then acted on my advice.)
You can see why I thought we were CLOSE friends.
They got a computer.
The next thing we knew, they were talking about the "friends" they had made online.
I was amazed.......they would come home, have their dinner, get on the computer and go to a chat room every night to visit with their "friends" from two States away!
Our card playing nights fell by the wayside almost instantly.
Then Stan and Suzette bought a second computer and got a second telephone line so they both could visit the chat room simultaneously!
We were hurt and dumbfounded.
These people........folks we truly considered friends, were more excited about chatting online than visiting with long-term neighbors that helped raise their daughter.
We finally gave up on the relationship.
Don't get me wrong here...... I love my laptop.
With it, I am better able to stay in touch with my family and friends.
I'll even admit to having a few "virtual" friends......but I emphasize the "Virtual" there. I am profoundly aware of the difference between virtual and real.
I think you can get addicted to these damned things.
Check that.......I KNOW you can get addicted to them.
Lately, I'm finding I spend more time than I would like sitting in front of this computer screen. Part of that is my love for the blogs........ once I found I could no longer trust the New York Times to print the facts, I started getting almost all my news via the computer and Blogs.
I started "Pitchpull" a little over a year ago.
I love where it has brought me....... I've had contact via email with fellow Bloggers and some readers, and that has been wonderful.
But are these people friends?
Hardly.
They certainly could BECOME friends......
but they will have to prove themselves over time......
a LONG time!
A "virtual" friend suggested I should open a "MySpace" account.
The reasoning was that I would then have access to MySpace profiles and photos. It's been educational, to say the least, (and oh my, the personal information many people make available there!)
One gal I checked out last week had "12,886 friends"!
An amazingly fortunate soul......right?
Riiiiiiiiiight!
I think "MySpace" is more than just a little weird.
Are we all spending too much time in front of a computer screen?
Is it an escape?
Is surfing the net and doing the chat room thing a way of avoiding the work required to cultivate and grow a relationship with real people?
Don't laugh.......
Stan and Suzette spent so much time chatting with "virtual" friends, they lost their relationship with Mr. and Mrs. Greybeard!
I'm concerned with what I perceive.......that it's happening more and more!
So here is my question:
At what point does spending time on the computer become abnormal?
Do you foresee long-term social effects/problems because of this behavior, and if so, what kind of problems?
09 July 2006
Burt, Benny, and Edward
We love movies in my household.......
Old or new, we are continually searching for movies that entertain, educate, and emotionally touch us.
Sara Jean tends toward big names and big productions.
I love to venture out a little and give a "quirky" movie a try.
Last night we watched "The World's Fastest Indian", with Anthony Hopkins.
I'm happy to recommend it without reservation.
We also watched "The Family Stone".
Ugh.
Ugh, ugh, ugh.
I've wanted to watch "Indian" since I first saw trailers for it on TV.
I think Anthony Hopkins, who plays Burt Munro, is wonderful, and my interest in motorcycles and going fast made it a "must see" for me. I've seen several independent flicks from New Zealand that I have enjoyed....."Whale Rider" comes to mind..... so the fact that "Indian" was produced in New Zealand was a plus.
For some reason, Sara Jean didn't want to watch it. Previous movies I have picked showed that all I had to do was push "play" and get her to watch the first few minutes, and she'd be hooked.
Although I think he personally is a wacko, I'm a big fan of Johnny Depp as an actor.
Years ago I brought home "Edward Scissorshands".
Here again, getting Sara Jean to sit down and start watching was like pulling teeth. One look at Johnny Depp on the cover with cutlery for hands turned her off. I started the movie and she was hypnotized. The next thing I knew, she was on the phone recommending it to a friend.
My interest in Depp, and a catchy tune (I'm gonna be [500 miles] by "The Proclaimers"), attracted me to "Benny and Joon".
Again, Sara Jean initially turned her nose up about watching it until she got sucked in by a good story and great performances.
The two Depp movies are obviously works of fiction.
I loved "Indian" partly because it is based on the true story of an eccentric man whose impossible dream comes to fruition because of his pluck and determination.
Back to "The Family Stone"........ a Sara Jean pick.
Craig T. Nelson, Diane Keaton, Sara Jessica Parker.......
Several other recognizable, good actors........ the movie trailer looked interesting enough. For me, the movie was never believable and I never got "invested" in the characters. Several times during the movie I found myself saying out loud, "well, THAT would never happen."
It's a shame......
The actors perform well. Slight changes in the screenplay could have made the story credible, but I could tell where the story was headed almost from the beginning and the characters end up doing some strange/questionable things to make the story progress.
At the end of the movie, Sara Jean and I looked at one another and asked, "what'd we pay to rent that?!"
A good movie has me interested in believeable characters from early on.
As outlandish as Edward Scissorshands was, we've all known good people that were misunderstood the same way he was, so we identify with him and root for him to succeed. Same with both "Benny and Joon" from that movie.
And if the movie is also based on a true story, all the better.
Want to recommend a personal favorite?
I'd love to hear your picks, and why they affected you.
Old or new, we are continually searching for movies that entertain, educate, and emotionally touch us.
Sara Jean tends toward big names and big productions.
I love to venture out a little and give a "quirky" movie a try.
Last night we watched "The World's Fastest Indian", with Anthony Hopkins.
I'm happy to recommend it without reservation.
We also watched "The Family Stone".
Ugh.
Ugh, ugh, ugh.
I've wanted to watch "Indian" since I first saw trailers for it on TV.
I think Anthony Hopkins, who plays Burt Munro, is wonderful, and my interest in motorcycles and going fast made it a "must see" for me. I've seen several independent flicks from New Zealand that I have enjoyed....."Whale Rider" comes to mind..... so the fact that "Indian" was produced in New Zealand was a plus.
For some reason, Sara Jean didn't want to watch it. Previous movies I have picked showed that all I had to do was push "play" and get her to watch the first few minutes, and she'd be hooked.
Although I think he personally is a wacko, I'm a big fan of Johnny Depp as an actor.
Years ago I brought home "Edward Scissorshands".
Here again, getting Sara Jean to sit down and start watching was like pulling teeth. One look at Johnny Depp on the cover with cutlery for hands turned her off. I started the movie and she was hypnotized. The next thing I knew, she was on the phone recommending it to a friend.
My interest in Depp, and a catchy tune (I'm gonna be [500 miles] by "The Proclaimers"), attracted me to "Benny and Joon".
Again, Sara Jean initially turned her nose up about watching it until she got sucked in by a good story and great performances.
The two Depp movies are obviously works of fiction.
I loved "Indian" partly because it is based on the true story of an eccentric man whose impossible dream comes to fruition because of his pluck and determination.
Back to "The Family Stone"........ a Sara Jean pick.
Craig T. Nelson, Diane Keaton, Sara Jessica Parker.......
Several other recognizable, good actors........ the movie trailer looked interesting enough. For me, the movie was never believable and I never got "invested" in the characters. Several times during the movie I found myself saying out loud, "well, THAT would never happen."
It's a shame......
The actors perform well. Slight changes in the screenplay could have made the story credible, but I could tell where the story was headed almost from the beginning and the characters end up doing some strange/questionable things to make the story progress.
At the end of the movie, Sara Jean and I looked at one another and asked, "what'd we pay to rent that?!"
A good movie has me interested in believeable characters from early on.
As outlandish as Edward Scissorshands was, we've all known good people that were misunderstood the same way he was, so we identify with him and root for him to succeed. Same with both "Benny and Joon" from that movie.
And if the movie is also based on a true story, all the better.
Want to recommend a personal favorite?
I'd love to hear your picks, and why they affected you.
08 July 2006
Little Tiny Hairs
I hate shaving.
I put it off as long as I possibly can. There are several problems in putting it off:
Sometime in the last few years my beard decided it was no longer gonna match the color of my eyebrows........ therefore my nom de plume.
I have a patchy beard that has gaping holes in it, so when my beard begins to show, there is NO way to say it is attractive........
even calling it "macho" is a stretch. Don Johnson I am not!
After three days growth, it begins to itch.
Ugly, patchy, itchy, and grey...... I finally give up and shave.
Bill Cosby had a comedy routine years ago where he wakes in the morning and looks in the mirror, then calls his wife to the bathroom:
"Wife, look at me! Little tiny hairs........growin' out my face!"
The other line I remember from that bit was: "Zip-Zap, self sacrifice!"
And that's also true with my face. When I go a few days without shaving, my face is unaccustomed to the rigors of a razor, so when I do shave, I inevitably end up looking as if I've been in a minor knife fight.
We've all heard the myriad suggestions about making the task easier and more efficient:
I started shaving when razors had one blade, felt the improvement when we went to two, and even thought the three bladed razor was a slight improvement, even though it no longer fits beneath my nose to shave the hairs closest to that protrusion........ I have a Bic two bladed razor that I reserve for that task.
Now, of course, we have four bladed razors. I have no experience with them.
I can't imagine one would make a dramatic improvement in this uncomfortable task.
I'll relate what I have found, over the years, that seems to work best for me when I do finally break down and drag a razor across my face:
First, I cannot use an electric razor. When I do, unruly hairs get turned around 180 degrees and start a journey back into my face. Ingrown hairs are painful and look like blemishes. I end up looking like a 60-ish zitty teenager. Only a blade shave will do.
The ladies have it right. We see pictures and videos of them shaving those lovely legs in the bath. I agree, shaving is best accomplished during the bath/shower. I once heard a report that compared hair to 18 gauge wire. Strong stuff. It is best cut after being softened during the bath/shower. I always wash my face, rinse, then lather the parts of my face I want to shave. For this task I use regular Zest soap because it is easy, cheap, and convenient. If I were truly looking for perfection, some of the shaving gels work best for me and better lubricate my face to keep it from being irritated. Shaving in the shower makes it easier to rinse the razor, AND my face.
Once out of the shower, I use Vaseline Intensive Care lotion as an after-shave. This comforts and moisturizes my face, and I suppose helps to keep the moisture gathered in the shower from drying out quickly. Anyway, it feels great.
This routine works for me, but I still hate the job. I'm open to ANY suggestion that will improve the shave or make the job easier or maybe less onerous.
Can you help?
I put it off as long as I possibly can. There are several problems in putting it off:
Sometime in the last few years my beard decided it was no longer gonna match the color of my eyebrows........ therefore my nom de plume.
I have a patchy beard that has gaping holes in it, so when my beard begins to show, there is NO way to say it is attractive........
even calling it "macho" is a stretch. Don Johnson I am not!
After three days growth, it begins to itch.
Ugly, patchy, itchy, and grey...... I finally give up and shave.
Bill Cosby had a comedy routine years ago where he wakes in the morning and looks in the mirror, then calls his wife to the bathroom:
"Wife, look at me! Little tiny hairs........growin' out my face!"
The other line I remember from that bit was: "Zip-Zap, self sacrifice!"
And that's also true with my face. When I go a few days without shaving, my face is unaccustomed to the rigors of a razor, so when I do shave, I inevitably end up looking as if I've been in a minor knife fight.
We've all heard the myriad suggestions about making the task easier and more efficient:
I started shaving when razors had one blade, felt the improvement when we went to two, and even thought the three bladed razor was a slight improvement, even though it no longer fits beneath my nose to shave the hairs closest to that protrusion........ I have a Bic two bladed razor that I reserve for that task.
Now, of course, we have four bladed razors. I have no experience with them.
I can't imagine one would make a dramatic improvement in this uncomfortable task.
I'll relate what I have found, over the years, that seems to work best for me when I do finally break down and drag a razor across my face:
First, I cannot use an electric razor. When I do, unruly hairs get turned around 180 degrees and start a journey back into my face. Ingrown hairs are painful and look like blemishes. I end up looking like a 60-ish zitty teenager. Only a blade shave will do.
The ladies have it right. We see pictures and videos of them shaving those lovely legs in the bath. I agree, shaving is best accomplished during the bath/shower. I once heard a report that compared hair to 18 gauge wire. Strong stuff. It is best cut after being softened during the bath/shower. I always wash my face, rinse, then lather the parts of my face I want to shave. For this task I use regular Zest soap because it is easy, cheap, and convenient. If I were truly looking for perfection, some of the shaving gels work best for me and better lubricate my face to keep it from being irritated. Shaving in the shower makes it easier to rinse the razor, AND my face.
Once out of the shower, I use Vaseline Intensive Care lotion as an after-shave. This comforts and moisturizes my face, and I suppose helps to keep the moisture gathered in the shower from drying out quickly. Anyway, it feels great.
This routine works for me, but I still hate the job. I'm open to ANY suggestion that will improve the shave or make the job easier or maybe less onerous.
Can you help?
03 July 2006
2006 Wild Goose Chase
I just finished our Annual "Goose Roundup" with the Dept. of Natural Resources folks.
Another safe roundup completed, thank goodness, and a great time was had by all but the geese, who weren't troubled for very long.
It was cooler than normal this year........in the low 80's most days. That's better for the birds, who we sometimes have to drive for long distances. Of course the cooler, thicker air is also better for helicopter performance.
A couple quick comments:
Canada Geese are monogamous. I asked one of the biologists what happens when a bird's mate is killed. His answer made me feel better........they pair up with a new mate in the Spring.
This year we tried using Jon boats and a little, (2' long), remote control boat in conjunction with the helicopter to move the birds in difficult situations. Surprisingly, the remote control boat had more affect on the geese than did the Jon boats. The Jon boats frighten them initially, but when they get close to shore the birds simply won't be turned by them anymore. They were spooked by the little remote control boat, so we used it as a block to help keep the birds moving the direction I wanted them to go. BUT........when it comes time to force them out of the water and onto the shore, the only thing that scares them enough to get that job done is the helicopter! But the little remote control boat gave me an idea: I have a former student, (who also reads Pitchpull), that is an excellent remote control helicopter pilot. How big does a helicopter have to be to get the bird's complete attention? I made the suggestion that we might try to use my former student and his R/C helicopter next year to help guide the birds. The DNR folks seemed amenable to that idea, so I asked my former student and he agreed to try it next year.
Something to look forward to next June!
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