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Tag Archives: pilots
Dreams of Waco UPF-7s
A very long time ago, my best friend, Paul, rather jinxed me. He introduced me to one of the airplanes I have always wanted to fly, rebuild, own, and showcase: the Waco UPF-7. (Found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuRT7fstFxs.) The UPF-7 is a … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flying, Life in General, Personal
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Tagged 220 horsepower Continental radial engine, a loop, a training airplane, a wingover, airplanes, barnstormers, barrel roll, Dreams of Waco UPF-7s, flight training, flying, flying in the cooler air, friends, little wind, memories, my best friend, no turbulence, open cockpit biplanes, pilots, PT-14, rebuilding a classic airplane, the barnstorming era, The best time to fly, the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP), The Great Depression, The United States Army Air Corps, the Waco UPF-7, Waco Aircraft Company of Troy OH
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Low Levels
This week, one of the subjects for my commercial class was airspace and as always, I made mention of the military training routes on the sectional charts. When I was flying in the Navy, we routinely referred to the routes … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flying, Personal
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Tagged 910 feet per second, a couple of guys on a boat fishing, airspace, airspeed, almost as fast as a speeding bullet, altitude, Cedar Key, changing elevations, Corsair, discipline, Florida, flying, flying in the Navy, flying on VR-1002, Flying the routes at 150 to 200 feet, friends, inexperienced pilots, judgment, looked like deer staring into headlights, Low Levels, memories, military airplanes, military service, military training routes, mountains, Navy, nine miles a minute, out West, pilots, professional pilots, rock outcroppings, roll the jet upside down, sailors, speeds of 540 knots, Star Wars, the Gulf of Mexico, Weapons School
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The Luscombe
After the war, another little airplane that had quite the following was the Luscombe. It came in a variety of flavors; the 8A and 8F were very popular. When the airplane came out, it was powered by the typical engine … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flying, History
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Tagged airplanes, airspeed, altitude, flight training, flying, friends, inexperienced pilots, judgment, learning to fly, memories, pilots, professional pilots, student pilots, taildraggers, training aircraft, World War II
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3 Comments
Misconceptions About Landing
Wednesday, I wrote about a pilot flying a light twin who made a hot approach and floated down the runway. I think there are many pilots who carry misconceptions about flying into the cockpit with them when they learn how … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying
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Tagged aerodynamic control, airplanes, airspeed, altitude, Cessna 170, Cessna 182, Cessnas, crosswind landing, fast approach, final approach, flight training, floating down the runway, flying, flying landing approaches too fast, flying the approach and landing too fast, groundloops, gusty winds, inexperienced pilots, judgment, landings require precise speed control, learning to fly, Misconceptions About Landing, pilots, Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH), professional pilots, runway excursions, scraping fingernails on a blackboard, short field landing, soft field landing, static control, student pilots, taildraggers, the secret to landing, training aircraft, transition from flying to rolling, “whiteboards”
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1 Comment
100,000 Airplanes
Which aircraft manufacturing company first reached the milestone of 100,000 aircraft manufactured? What company was most likely to do this? Boeing, perhaps? Mooney? Lockheed? Piper? No. The company was Clyde’s. Clyde Cessna. Cessna was a Kansas farmer who was the … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Aviation History
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Tagged 100000 Airplanes, airplanes, Boeing, Cessna 140, Cessna 150, Cessna 170, Cessna 172, Cessna 180, Cessna 182, Cessna 185, Cessna 210, Cessna 320, Cessna 340, Cessna 402, Cessna 421, Cessna Model A, Cessnas, Clyde Cessna, first aircraft company to reach 100000 delivered, flight training, flying, inexperienced pilots, learning to fly, Lockheed, memories, Mooney, pilots, Piper, professional pilots, Sky King!, student pilots, taildraggers, training aircraft, US Flight Instructors Association, Wichita KS
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2 Comments
Crosswind Landings
We were leaving school about 6:30 in the evening. I was with my wife and one of our authors—they had been working on a book while I was teaching school and we agreed to give him a lift home afterward. … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying, Life in General
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Tagged airplanes, airspeed, altitude, bad landings, Cessnas, crosswind landings, crosswinds, discipline, drift, excessive speed, first solo, flight training, float, flying, incorrect crosswind landing technique, inexperienced pilots, instrument flying, judgment, landings and takeoffs, learning to fly, light twin on final, non-flyers, opposite rudder, pilots, Pilots’ Operating Handbook (POH), professional pilots, runway behind you, student pilots, taildraggers, the approach end of Runway 34, training aircraft, Trim the airplane, “aero-rudeness”
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3 Comments
The Cessna 180
One of the best planes Cessna developed was the Cessna 180. Powered by a 230 horsepower Continental engine, the 180 could carry four at speeds of about 135 knots. At the same time, she could carry a load of luggage … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flying
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Tagged 230 horsepower Continental engine, 80-gallon long-range tanks, airplanes, airspeed, Alaska, altitude, bush pilots, Canada, Cessna 182, Cessnas, flight training, floats, flying, Geraldine “Jerri” Mock, gross weight, low-end flying characteristics, normal tires, oversized tundra tires, pilots, professional pilots, ranchers, skis, standard tanks, taildraggers, the airplane of choice, The Cessna 180, the first solo woman aviator around the world, the high-wing Cessnas, “para-lift” flaps
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6 Comments
Airports & Cats
Jeff and I stand at the front of the hangar. As we watch student pilots practice their approaches and landings, we revel in the wonderful evening. The weather is perfect for perfecting landings–except for the westerly winds, which forces the … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flying, Life in General, Personal
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Tagged a bobcat, a very pretty evening, airplanes, Airports & Cats, airspeed, altitude, cats, Cessna 170, Cessnas, Florida, flying, friends, Gracie, judgment, learning to fly, perfect weather, pilots, professional pilots, right at sunset, student pilots, sunset, taildraggers, the airport cat, the hangar, watching from the side of the taxiway, westerly winds, when I saw him
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2 Comments
Airports&Cats
Jeff and I stand at the front of the hangar. As we watch student pilots practice their approaches and landings, we revel in the wonderful evening. The weather is perfect for perfecting landings–except for the westerly winds, which forces the … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flying, Life in General, Personal
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Tagged a bobcat, a very pretty evening, airplanes, Airports & Cats, airspeed, altitude, cats, Cessna 170, Cessnas, Florida, flying, friends, Gracie, judgment, learning to fly, perfect weather, pilots, professional pilots, right at sunset, student pilots, sunset, taildraggers, the airport cat, the hangar, watching from the side of the taxiway, westerly winds, when I saw him
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2 Comments
Raptor Rescue-Man
I have a friend, “Holly,” who is truly an amazing person. He is very well educated with college degrees, by trade credentials, and by serious self-education. He subscribes to my blog and not one grammatical or typographical error has slipped … Continue reading →
Posted in Life in General, Personal
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Tagged accolades of the onlookers, acrophobia, afraid of heights, campus security, Florida, free climbing, friends, grammatical errors, hawk lips, natural born adventurer, pilots, professional pilots, Raptor Rescue-Man, red-tailed hawks, safety gear, scratching my head, serious self-education, state wildlife officers, student pilots, typographical errors, “Holly”
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2 Comments
