Sport Pilot Talk

What a gorgeous day in N GA and E TN! My transponder was due for its biennial check, and the shop I used last time, Horizon Avionics, is at KTYS in Knoxville.

I had planned on working out some sort of bracket for my iPhone4, but did not get around to it. Its in an Otterbox case, and that let me just wedge it between the glareshield and the windshield. Downsides are that it's at about a 20º angle and it's shooting through the windshield, not exceptionally clean right now.

Anyway, returning home:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J2woLtdyc8

As I said, the camera's at a bit of an angle, so I'm not banked right throughout.

I've mentioned that I like high final approaches, but will often begin my roundout short of the runway, for minimal flare. This is a good example of that. I know it looks risky, but in over 6,000 hours I've only kicked up gravel once - its all in knowing what my friend Trip calls one's "energy state".

Thanks for sharing! From someone who is not a big fan of slips (yet)? I tip my hat to you!

Before being forced back to NJ I was a resident of Carterville, GA for 15yrs but never got to do any flying down there and I lived maybe 2 miles from the Cartersville Airport. One trip I've planned in my head to take the wife on will be from NJ to KGKT (Pigeon Forge) have you ever flown over there? We make the trip down a few times a year to camp @ Cades Cove/Elkmont it will be awesome to make that voyage slightly quicker than a 12hr drive lol.

Keep the videos coming!

I am sorry if you posted it before, but on the topic of videos: did you install a new nose gear?

1) I recently did fly over to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg - and here's the reason why:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o8v1uG00nU

If you're ever back in the area, c'mon over the mountain and say hi!

2) re: the nose gear...

...for those unfamiliar, in spite of gentle (usually), full stall landings, my Sky Arrow had a nose shimmy that was getting progressively worse, as seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUxuaz_WbJc

It was determined to be from excessive play in the nose gear bushing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIuFlZdyQ10

The factory in Italy said they could fix it for 200 euros, which seemed fair. Shipping was not cheap, and the total with shipping was about $700. No problems so far.

Now that I'm Experimental, if it happens again I can probably just seek out a local machine shop to press in new bushings.

BTW, 3i came out with a better damper arrangement, using a stack of cone washers instead of that mushy rubbery thing: