Tracks of the StoneBear Copyright - MMX ALL Rights reserved
ITW = Into The West Journey
ITW Journey... PLANES,... Greybull, Wyoming, Sat June 26 Thermopolis Wyoming, .... and many airports on this Journey through the West & Rockies
The affection of airplanes goes back a long way. Planes are aerodynamic wonders and jewels that have defined a lifetime of interest. Grampa Wood taught me to fly his 182 when I was 12. .... That was 50 years ago. Grampa taught me for 5 more years 'til he died in '68.... ... right when I needed him the most. I was learning a lot fast then. ... and I missed him dearly. Several years later got the FAA pilots license not just for the love of flying,.. partly to honor Grampa Wood.
There is not an airport or small airfield passed that I don't look for the wind sock... direction of the prevailing winds, runways, unicom / tower, hangars, or tie downs. Planes in the pattern doing touch-n-goes. ...or a plane doing a runup on the apron. .... or on short final. Maybe just to see a Base Leg & if there are 20* flaps down turning Final. Maybe and engine start-up. Maybe taking off. I just want to see all of it. every plane. every airport
I've flown over 35 years as a licensed VFR pilot . ... but my flying days as left seat P I C are pretty well past. ...Left back in the era of the fly by the seat of your pants style. Grampa Wood was a Barnstormer. During the depression he flew US Mail on the 1st routes of aviation. He often did NOT follow the rules. .... And he taught me to fly.... same seat of the pants style... I followed the FAA regs much better than he did. ... and still occasionally get a little right seat time w/ buddies
The ITW journey went by many small town airfields / airports & seeing the general aviation was a treat. I still love flying and planes as much as the day Grampa put my hand on the throttle and let me push it to the firewall to takeoff... run up those Rpms and thunder down the runway. It's a good day when you get to enjoy some Airplanes. Thank you Grampa Wood for the gift of enthusiasm for flight through a Lifetime.
Rule #57. Live Life.
From Landing my plane on desolate, isolated, secluded, pristine beachs in Florida/Bahamas, coming in w/ full flaps --down 30+ degrees, descending at 150 ft/min w/ inclining angle of attack, windows open to sense the real speed/handling of the air like Grampa Wood showed me, ocean crosswind blowing inland at 12+ knots, L/R slipping as needed, you can feel the thickness of sea/gulf-stream salt air & smell the stench of dead beach crustations& rotted seaweed,..... stall warnings sqwaking/creaking from low airspeed, power about 18-1,850rpms for maneuverability in case I had to power up & go around,.... or go down the beach another 500 yards...
.... and in those 1 minute final approaches,..... looking for the right sand/beach to land safely on, .... I lived more in those precious moments than most people lived while working 30 years in a Cubicle for a corporation.
Live life. -- This is the kind of flying that is not taught in military or private flight schools. Grampa Wood was a barnstormer during the depression & I got some of his genes. If you could get a motor & propeller on a washing machine;..... I'm pretty sure I could fly it & land it. ****
Tracks of the StoneBear Copyright - MMX ALL Rights reserved
ITW = Into The West Journey
ITW Journey... PLANES,... Greybull, Wyoming, Sat June 26 Thermopolis Wyoming, .... and many airports on this Journey through the West & Rockies
The affection of airplanes goes back a long way. Planes are aerodynamic wonders and jewels that have defined a lifetime of interest. Grampa Wood taught me to fly his 182 when I was 12. .... That was 50 years ago. Grampa taught me for 5 more years 'til he died in '68.... ... right when I needed him the most. I was learning a lot fast then. ... and I missed him dearly. Several years later got the FAA pilots license not just for the love of flying,.. partly to honor Grampa Wood.
There is not an airport or small airfield passed that I don't look for the wind sock... direction of the prevailing winds, runways, unicom / tower, hangars, or tie downs. Planes in the pattern doing touch-n-goes. ...or a plane doing a runup on the apron. .... or on short final. Maybe just to see a Base Leg & if there are 20* flaps down turning Final. Maybe and engine start-up. Maybe taking off. I just want to see all of it. every plane. every airport
I've flown over 35 years as a licensed VFR pilot . ... but my flying days as left seat P I C are pretty well past. ...Left back in the era of the fly by the seat of your pants style. Grampa Wood was a Barnstormer. During the depression he flew US Mail on the 1st routes of aviation. He often did NOT follow the rules. .... And he taught me to fly.... same seat of the pants style... I followed the FAA regs much better than he did. ... and still occasionally get a little right seat time w/ buddies
******************* From my list of Life Rules concerning flying...
Rule #57. Live Life.
From Landing my plane on desolate, isolated, secluded, pristine beachs in Florida/Bahamas, coming in w/ full flaps --down 30+ degrees, descending at 150 ft/min w/ inclining angle of attack, windows open to sense the real speed/handling of the air like Grampa Wood showed me, ocean crosswind blowing inland at 12+ knots, L/R slipping as needed, you can feel the thickness of sea/gulf-stream salt air & smell the stinch of dead beach crustations& rotted seaweed,..... stall warnings sqwaking/creaking from low airspeed, power about 18-1,850rpms for maneuverability in case I had to power up & go around,.... or go down the beach another 500 yards...
.... and in those 1 minute final approaches,..... looking for the right sand/beach to land safely on, .... I lived more in those precious moments than most people lived while working 30 years in a Cubicle for a corporation.
Live life. -- This is the kind of flying that is not taught in military or private flight schools. Grampa Wood was a barnstormer during the depression & I got some of his genes. If you could get a motor & propeller on a washing machine;..... I'm pretty sure I could fly it & land it. ****
The ITW journey went by many small town airfields / airports & seeing the general aviation was a treat. I still love flying and planes as much as the day Grampa put my hand on the throttle and let me push it to the firewall to takeoff... run up those Rpms and thunder down the runway. It's a good day when you get to enjoy some Airplanes. Thank you Grampa Wood for the gift of enthusiasm for flight through a Lifetime.
Rule #57. Live Life.
From Landing my plane on desolate, isolated, secluded, pristine beachs in Florida/Bahamas, coming in w/ full flaps --down 30+ degrees, descending at 150 ft/min w/ inclining angle of attack, windows open to sense the real speed/handling of the air like Grampa Wood showed me, ocean crosswind blowing inland at 12+ knots, L/R slipping as needed, you can feel the thickness of sea/gulf-stream salt air & smell the stinch of dead beach crustations& rotted seaweed,..... stall warnings sqwaking/creaking from low airspeed, power about 18-1,850rpms for maneuverability in case I had to power up & go around,.... or go down the beach another 500 yards...
.... and in those 1 minute final approaches,..... looking for the right sand/beach to land safely on, .... I lived more in those precious moments than most people lived while working 30 years in a Cubicle for a corporation.
Live life. -- This is the kind of flying that is not taught in military or private flight schools. Grampa Wood was a barnstormer during the depression & I got some of his genes. If you could get a motor & propeller on a washing machine;..... I'm pretty sure I could fly it & land it. ****
