Niss' Aviation and Such

I go through flight instructors faster than Britney Spears goes through husbands.

2008-07-22T18:08:00.000-07:00

Well I got a new instructor, but thats old news as he didn't quite work out. Unfortunately he wasn't comfortable flying a cherokee or into my airport so after one flight he suggested I fly with another pilot who had more experience in cherokees.
Unfortunately this new instructor is more expensive but it looks like he is worth every penny. He is a class 1 instructor with tons of cherokee time.
First flight with him was ok but given the new instructor I was really nervous and didn't put on my 'A Game'. It is really awkward flying with someone new, especially with a differant personality type than what you are used to. Differant people have different expectations and that makes for a very intimidating environment.
Today being my second flight (I was supposed to fly Friday but we had to cancel due to weather) was much more relaxed and comfortable. It is amazing the different perspective another person could provide. Runway 07 at springwater has always sort of been the bane of my existence. No matter what I did I could not beat this landing into submission. Today after a few circuits and plenty of pointers things started making sense. I was no longer hacking away at the controls trying to slam the airplane in the ground in some sort of controlled method, but am now planning a head and keeping everything tighter. My new instructor seems to be overall happy with my general level of skill but is pushing me for more.
Now please don't think that this was any inadequacy on my old instructors part, he provided a solid foundation to build on and I do look to him as a mentor of sorts. He recently got hired at Porter airlines and will be back in Southern Ontario more frequently. Hopefully I will get to fly with him again.
I am really excited about my new instructor. It seems like I will finally finish off my license, I am getting ready to write my TC exam, I re-wrote my PSTAR (my old one expired with my medical) and I have my medical exam scheduled for tomorrow. I just have to get all my ducks in a row and I can see the finish line a head of me.
I have flights scheduled every Tuesday and Friday and will schedule more as frequently I can. I dont want to jinx it, but I may actually be able to finish this damn thing!
I will try to update this more often. Stay tuned!
Niss "I Got My Fingers Crossed!" Feiner

Annual Inspection.....OOOOOHHHHH SKEERY!

2008-06-23T12:59:00.000-07:00

Well it is time to outline the plight of our aviator/aircraft owner. C-FUBC is out of annual and ready to soar with the eagles!

Keeping in spirit of my blog I will post what work was done on UBC just as a snippet of information for the would be aircraft owner.

This has not been the most expensive annual and has not been my cheapest. It has certainly been the most enlightening. This time round was far more comprehensive with my mechanic as he took the time to go over everything and give me his opinion of what needed to be done, what I can do, and what can be deffered.

Work Report for Piper Cherokee 130 S/N: 28-21375 C-FUBC

Airframe: Tach Time: 2370.77 Hobs time 2404.4 TTSN 5728.8

Engine: TSN: 4768.6 TSO: 1954.8

Propeller: TSN: 1141.2 TSO: 0.0

Total Time Since New Hours 5728.8 hrs.
Emergency locator transmitter Model found installed. AC Model E-01 S/N 030496 Next recertification is due May 2009. replace Battery: Due May 2010*
External ELT location placard installed.
All required placards per the Type Certificate TData Sheets and Pilots Operating Handbook found installed.
Researched Airworthiness Directives to date from Transport Canada (CAWIS) Dated May 16, 2008 up to AD2006-03-08.
Compass Swing Record: (*On Actual sheet but removed from this post)
Tachometer Accuracy (A/C Tach. Eng: 1700 / 2000, Master Digital Tach. 1710/2000).
Fire Extuingisher installed. Flag model. ABC-025 S/N 118053C Recertified.
First Aid Kit found installed that conforms to CARS 602.60 AWMs 624.39.
100 Hour inspection / Annual inspection of the complete airplane is maintained in accordance with CAR’s 625, Appendix B, Part 1 and Appndix C as applicable. Piper Inspection Sheet is Used as A guide only.

Airframe Work Completed

Found vertical play in engine throttle. Found throttle cable loose at dash. Tightened nut.
Serviced landing gear oleos.
Lubricated landing gear and all components.
Topped up air in tires: 24psi.
Battery Box had corrosion in it. Removed all and painted with battery box black paint.
Cabin Door Pins loose. Installed new door pins. P/N MS20492-3C13 X2
Red Oil Stain from parking brake. Found to be old. System is not leaking.
Cabin Vent Bracket at pilot feet broken. Repaired with new rivets. P/N CR32123-4-1 X2
Vacuum and Regulator filters replaced. P/N RAD9-18-1 X1, P/N RAB3-5-1 X1.
Some rust on nut of antenna in tail. Removed rust.
Bracket that holds brake line on right side is loose. Tightened bolt.
Small play in right aileron rod end bearing. Checked serviceable. Need to check at next annual.
Removed dead bird in tail section.
Rudder horn rust forming on it. Removed all rust and painted with epoxy primer gray.
Trim drum for elevator has loose bushing. Replaced. P/N 450-413 X1.
Lubricate all cables and pulleys and pivoting points.
Cleande electric pump screen.
Cleaned fuel bowl. Installed new gasket. P/N 462.049 X1.
Drained Carb and found no water. Lockwired plug back in.

Engine Specific Work Completed

Oil leak from rocker cover #3. Replaced new gasket.
Installed new engine air filter. P/N BA3 X1.
Removed engine oil and oil screen. Checked for metal. None found. Put 7 quarts of W100 in. Owner supplied 5. Oil W100 X7.
Couple of teeth on ring gear in rough shape. Filed sharp edges off.
Missing fastener on engine baffle. Installed new bolt.
Checked mag timing. All is ok.
Upper Exhaust clamp is close to rudder rod for steering. Adjusted clamp so it isn’t near steering rod.
Rocker covers removed for 400hrs inspection. Reccomended by piper and because engine is going “on condition”. All checked and new gaskets installed. P/N SL75906 X4.
Put Lycoming engine additive in.
Compression test cold #1 75/80 #2 72/80 #3 75/80 #4 72/80.
Vacuum pump bolt a little loose. Tightened as required.
Mag timing checked ok.
Engine hoses checked ok at this point in time.

Propeller Specific Work Completed

Prop sent to Leavens for 5 year corrosion inspection. Installed propeller. Torqued to specs in MM and lockwired bolts. Work Order #81-0113.

Recurring Airworthiness Directive Compliance Work Completed

AD69-22-02 Failure of control wheel – c/w using AD. No defects found. Next inspection due June 2009.

AD70-16-05 Cracks in muffler – C/w using AD. No Defects found. Next inspection due June 2009.

AD95-26-13R1A Oil Cooler Hose Ruptures – C/W using AD. No defects found. Next Inspection June 2009.

AD CP90-03R2 Exhaust type cabin heater –C/W using AD. No defects found. Next inspection Due June 2000.

Lycoming O-320-E2AS/N L-15941-27A is “ON CONDITION”

- Compression test needs to be done every 25 hrs.

- Run Engine to see if pulls full RPM every 25 hrs.

- Oil and filter needs to be changed every 50 hrs.

- Pilots need to notify mechanics on oil consumption.

- Oil analysis done yearly. Start of the year and at end of the year to see if there is much difference.

I have not received the detailed invoice yet but will certainly update you with the costs of this annual.

A few things I wanted to mention with this one. This time round my mechanic made me a snag list that we went through. He started by asking how I wanted the annual conducted; in accordance with Transport Canada’s requirements or in accordance with Piper’s recommendations. As the manufacturers list is much more involved and detailed it is substantially more money to perform. That said I certainly want a safe and well running airplane. So I informed him that I would like TC’s requirement as the minimum and I would like to see Piper’s recommendations. The idea being that we can keep an eye on what piper recommends and replace it little by little.

Par example: Piper recommends that the oil hoses be replaced every 5 years whether physically required or not. Well my hoses are considerably older then the 5 year recommendation but are still quite serviceable. There for we decided that we would note Pipers recommendation and consider replacing the hoses next year. I still have a safe a/c but can anticipate replacing said hoses.

Another issue is the overall time of the engine. TBO (Time Before Overhaul) on my engine is 2000 hrs and at 1954.8hrs it is getting close. The term “On Condition” only really applies to commercial aircraft in Canada but it is prudent to run my Private engine through the same gauntlet. Keeping an eye on it is not only a safe thing to do, but is important to protecting your investment. A factory overhaul is ~$25,000.00. Yikes!

I also change the oil every 25hrs, which is more frequently then recommended.

There is also the issue of corrosion. The paint is flaking off in some areas and I need to get out to the airport sometime to give it a touch up. The skin is Aluminum so oxidization on that isn’t so much the concern. However there are a few steel parts that attach to the aluminum (ie. Brackets, step, etc.). These need to be properly protected against the elements. I anticipate bringing the camera with me and document my beautification process.

Worth noting in this blog is the issue coming up in February regarding the ELTs. I am tired from typing everything so I think I will add this in another entry soon.

All in all I am looking at about $3100.00 for this annual between my partner and myself. Not too bad. Atleast it wasn’t a surprise!

On a very happy note.....I FINALLY WENT FLYING! After over a year of being on the ground with my eyes aimed skywart I finally got to punch a hole in the sky! I went up with a pilot buddy of mine. We got some gas at CNB9 (Lake Simcoe regional) and did a lap there. He flew us there, I flew 1 circuit, and home. I came in a high and hot but the oleos didn't shoot through the top of the wing and I am typing so it wasnt too bad. Trust me there is much more to come! Awesomeniss.

BRAINS! BRAINS! BRAINS! Thats right, I am back from the dead!

2008-04-10T07:28:00.000-07:00

Well if anyone actually reads this thing I am sure you guys missed me! I am back!

Why the haiatus you ask? Well remember my last post where it says I got a moped? Well that one didnt pan out so I bought another one. And subsequently I crashed it resulting in a snapped Ulna & Radius which resulted in open reduction surugry, which resulted in 3 months of recovery. Yay! So after 2 stainless steel plates, 11 screws, countless months of screwing the pooch in the ways of finding a flight isntructor after being screwed over by my last one (the one who stood me up for 4 flights in a row, not the good one before him) I finally have another instructor! Hells Yeah! And if it goes well I might even remember how to fly an airplane. So assuming this pans out ladies and gentlemen I will have more content up for those who want to learn how to fly or own an airplane. Soon I will take to the skies. At the moment I am sitting at 36.5 hrs total time 4.7 of which is PIC time. Mid to end of next month UBC will be in the hanger for her annual and hopefully I will get some time on the tools.

So please ensure that your tray table is up and your seats are in their upright and locked position.

Yours Truely,

Capt. Niss

Yet another cancelled flight......

2007-06-07T05:46:00.000-07:00

My instructor got down from another flight about an hour late so no joy yesterday. This is incredibly frusterating, being between instructors then getting one and missing the first three flights! Damn TC and Damn The CARS, I have half a mind to say F*ck it and just go flying myself.... of course I wont but Jeezus! Oh well whats new and interesting? On Saturday I got to go down to MEC (YAY!) and on the way I saw a panhandler with the greatest sign I ever seen! I asked him if I could take a pic, and he said but aslong as I put some good $ in his cup. I gave him a $5 and took the pic. Read his sign. It was well worth it!

Yesterday when I was waiting around for my instructor I decided to evict some unwanted tennants from the back of my A/C. I found a birds nest in the tail cone and the horizontal stabilizer was coverd in bird crap. Off went the tailcone and got what I could of the nest out till I saw this:

In this pic you will se a nest of (dead) baby birds. The grosest part for me was that it looks like they were still waiting for the mom to bring them food. So now I get to pop off the bottom tailcone too and scoop them out with a coat hanger. The joys and thrills of owning an aircraft. Maybe I can get my partner to do it? I better get it done before it starts to fill the cabin with an unpleasant smell. Not a job I am looking forward to. Imagine, not only am I pissed off that I am not flying but now I know I have to deal with dead rotting baby birds in the back of my plane.

On a bright note I got a motorcycle, oh yea a big chopper with a nice deep rumble and a suicide shift.......actually its a moped and it barely runs yet. For some info on what is required for it to be a moped click here http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/vehicle/emerging/index.html#motor. I am learning as I go along small engine mechanics, but still need pleanty of help. It looks like even though he completely bastardized the ignition system (Used to come with a 4 point genorator, and replaced it with a magneto from a chainsaw) I managed to clean the contacts reset the timing and get a good spark. My bike is a 1979 Jawa Babetta. This Czechoslovakian beauty set me back $100.00 and what ever it costs to get her running to a good point. So far this is my list of things I need:

-New Carburetor(ordered Delloroto 14/12)

-New Brake Shoes (Need to find 85mm Brake Shoes)

-Twist grip throttle

-Connect Brake Cable and Decompressor Cable

-New Muffler

-I may need to adjust the clutch so it connects at a lower RPM for easier starting.

-Move Gas Tank or replace with nicer or original.

Unfortunatly since the fall of the USSR Jawa parts have been hard to come by and are a little pricy. So Ill just get what I can and force the rest to fit! :D

Heres a link to my facebook gallery: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=25912&l=5ed00&id=550560216

Ill write more later about the problems I encountered and my solutions. If anyone has any moped advice or anything like that I would love to hear from you!

Adios,

Niss

No Flight Today....GRRRR....

2007-05-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

Well I got myself a new instructor and we were scheduled to fly today. Unfortunately he had to be called away to some other pressing business, but even more unfortunately, I neglected to give him my cell number so I sat around the airport for a bit snapping pics of some pretty airplanes waiting for my lesson to start. No big loss, I found out soon enough and I spent some time looking over UBC and the journey log. In my last entry I listed the parts that went on UBC during the annual and didnt really know what they were. Fortunately in the Journey there is an entry by my mechanic that addresses where the parts went and what they were.

AIRFRAME WORK COMPLETED
-Found main tires to be in bad shape. Installed new main tires and tubes. (Tire 6.00X6X6TT Air Hawk QTY 2, Tube 6.00X6 Tube QTY 2)
-Installed new instrument and vacuum filters. (Instrument RA-D9-18-1 QTY 1, Vacuum RA-B3-5-1 QTY 1)
-Brake linings worn. Installed new linings. (Brake lining RA-66-106 QTY 4, Rivet RA105-00200 QTY 8)
-Nut on nose landing gear in poor shape. Replaced with new. (Nut 404 101 QTY 1)
-Cowl screws all rusted and stripped. Installed new ones. (Screw AN32R10 QTY 45)

ENGINE SPECIFIC WORK COMPLETED
-Engine compression test, hot: #1 70/80, #2 75/80, #3 70/80 #4 72/80.
-Removed Oil Filter and checked for metal contaminates. Non found, installed new filter (Filter CH48103-1 QTY 1)
-Drained engine oil and replentished with 7 U.S. Quarts of Aeroshell W100.
-Altenator belt in bad shape replaced with new. (Belt 37B19774-341 QTY 1)
-Spark plugs in bad shape. Replaced all with new. (Spark Plug REM40E QTY 8)
-Found rocker cover gaskets leaking. Installed all new ones. (Gasket SL75906 QTY 4)
- All Engine hoses checked and are servicable until next inspection.

Every annual (and now every 25hrs) the cylinders get checked for compression. The best I understand (and anyone can correct me on this) is that they fill the cylinders with 80 pounds of air and see how much it will hold within a set amount of time. So from what I understand the #3 cylinder leaked 10pounds of air, but that is still quite good. The reason we need to do a compression test every 25 hours is because the engine is "on condition" this term realistically from a legal standpoint only extends to commercial operation but on a private level just means that the engine should be watched after extra hard. The Lycoming engines go on condition after the TBO (Time before overhaul) in this case 2000 hrs, or 12 years after manufacture. These engines are known to run easily run into the 3000 hrs and are done quite often, but its just Lycomings way of telling you if you dont overhaul the engine they have nothing to do with it if your plane falls out of the sky. Now everyone should baby the engine anyway but when on condition you have to be extra careful. Think of it as your grandma. Your grandma may be one of those extreme fit ladies who are still jogging and going crazy at her old age, but she still better go in for more frequent check ups to make sure that hip isn't gunning to snap on her.

On my annual report it says: Lycoming O-320-E2A S/N :-15941-27A is going "ON CONDITION" as of this annual. -Compression test needs to be done every 25 hrs. -Run engine to see if it pulls full rpm, every 25 hrs. -Oil and filter needs to be changed every 50 hrs. -Pilots need to notify mechanics on oil consumption.

So you can see that the mechanic is reccomending increased inspections to ensure proper care of the engine and that way if anything starts to go we can catch it before it becomes a catastrophic failure. I allready do regular oil changes every 25 hours, but during that I do not change the filter. The reason being is that it isn't like a regular car filter cartridge. On this particular engine it is a filter screen in the oil sump area. You have to be a licensed mechanic to pull this. So I plan on doing my oil change every 25hrs and every 50hrs have the mechanic pull the screen while I have it drained.

On the annual they also go through Airworthiness Directives (ADs) that get issued by the manufacturer. Basically these are reocurring potential problems that are checked at each Annual (or 100hr) inspection to make sure that it isn't just waiting to fail.

From my inspection report
RECURRING AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE COMPLIANCE WORK COMPLETED

-AD 69-22-02 Failure of control wheel - C/W using AD. No defects found. Next inspection due April 08 or at 5824.2.
-AD 70-16-05 Cracks in muffler -C/W using AD. No defects found. Next inspection due April 08 or at 5824.2
-AD 95-26-13R1A Oil cooler hose ruptures - C/W using AD. No defects found. Next inspection due April 08 or at 5824.2.
-AD CF90-03R2 Exhaust type cabin heater - C/W using AD. No defects found. Next inspection due April 08 or at 5824.2.

The last one and the second is an important point. Many GA cabin heaters are a heat exchanger shroudes that go around the muffler. When the cabin heat vent is opened, air goes through the heat exchanger shroud heating up the air with the heat from the muffler and going into the cabain. Quite an effective and efficient way of heating the cabin. Unfortunately these systems are known to crack and introduce CO (Carbon Monoxide) into the cockpit. CO being a colourless, odourless, poisonus gas is quite dangerous and is created by incomplete combustion. This gas will cause drowsiness, eratic behaviour, eventually loss of conciousness, and eventually death. Many a pilot has succomed to CO and fallen asleep with the a/c making its way to Terra Firma. This is exactly why we have littl CO detectors in the aircraft. These CO detectors are to be replaced every 18 months, but I think I will do it every annual, just to be sure.

Well that ends this entry. I apologise for the length but I thought if anyone actually cares they might find this interesting.

Untill next time, keep on rocking in the free world.

Niss

Cha Muther&*$#ing Ching!

2007-05-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Well my partner and I budgeted for roughly $2500 - $3000 for our annual. Our annual in May of 06 set us back $2000. This time I asked for new tires and to replace the gaskets on the rocker covers as they were leacking a little oil. Well at the end of the annual I was stairing down the business end of a $4600 bill. Aint flying grand? Well close to 5 grand actually.

Just to run you through the work that was done on my a/c.

7 qts of Aeroshell 100 - 48.65

45 Misc bolts - 63.00

1 Nut - 3.15

1 Pneumatic Filter - 29.50

1 more Pneumatic Filter - 12.15

8 Spark Plugs - 385.20

2 Main Tires - 263.88

2 Main Tire Tubes - 206.92

4 Rocker Cover Gaskets 14.95

4 Break Pads - 49.28

8 Brake Rivets - 1.70

1 Belt - 63.05

1 Plate (?) - 105.96

ELT Battery & Recertification & S/H - 289.00

48 hrs of labour @ 65.00/hr = 3120.00

Now I am grateful that my mechanic takes such good care of me, he has been very honest with me in the past, and looks out for my best interest (I used to work for him). As you may have noticed a few of these items were not exactly part of my snag list (I requested tires, tubes and gaskets) but were done anyway. I am happy to have fresh plugs and breaks but unfortunately this was an unexpected installation. As far as I could remember the plane started and stopped ok, but new is better than old in many cases.

The way they found out I needed new plugs is by using a spark plug tester like this one. What it does is when connected to electricity and compressed air it will simulate spark in the cylinder. You can adjust the simulated RPM by increasing the pressure and moniture the spark. My spark plugs performed fine at Idle (800-1000RPM) but when taken above that the spark weakens and eventually disappears. What this means is that I am not burning the fuel air mixture in the cylinders the best I could. This means that I may not be getting the best power, it may lead to spark plug fouling, etc. Its best to have a good spark. So I now have 8 new spark plugs in my plane. For those of you whom arent in the know my PA28-140 has a Lycoming O-320-E2A producing 150hp, it means that my engine is horizontally opposed as indicated by the 'O' and 320 cubic inches. The E2A is simply a model number that would change depending on the accessories on the engine. My engine is 4 cylinders but we have 8 plugs run off magnetos for a few reasons:

1) More complete combustion, cleaner burning, more power, etc.

2) Saftey in redundancy, there are 2 magnetos each running 4 plugs, should the electrical system fail, the engine keeps spinning because of the magneto, should one magneto go, I can still fly the sucker.

When they got to the breaks apparantly they were worn down quite a bit, so we got new pads to keep me from going off the end of the runway.

I do not mind my mechanics intrest in my safety and my a/c at all however I do wish in the future that they ask me for authorization to perform such replacements. This was an extra $1500 that I was not expecting. Atleast I could have talked to my partner about it and decided if we wanted to go through with it. Obviously its better to have fresh stuff on the plane but it started and stopped just fine before the annual. We probably could have gone another few months or even a whole year. Oh well live and learn.

On a whole I am very happy with the work my mechanic has done, I have no complaint about the price or quality of the work. I just wish in the future I could have had more warning. Next annual I hope to be able to help with it so I can get a more intimate look at my airplane and also have to let my mechanic know I want to be contacted before new parts go in the a/c.

Tomorrow I have a flight with my new instructor, Ill report on how it went.

Adios Amigos!

I can't even open a popcan because of this nail biting experience.

2007-04-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

Its annual inspection time..........booourns. For those of you who arent in the know an Annual Inspection is just that, its an inspection carried out once a year on the entire aircraft to make sure that if for somereason you plummet from the sky, its more or less your fault as the pilot then the aircrafts fault.

Generally speaking an annual inspection isn't described in hours or work done, it's described in money. For instance. My last annual didnt take 50 man hours to complete, it took $1300 to complete. Annuals are a scary time for owners as they bring about the unknown. $1300 is good as that coveres the labour and some material (gasket & seat rail, fluids, etc.), so UBC is basically a healthy little airplane. However the reason the annual inspection is so nerve wrecking for most owners is because this brings out the unknown issues, along with their unknown costs. Planes arent like cars, they cant usually be safely operated with an "Ill get to it later attitude", sometimes things need your attention and your wallet right away. The Annual Inspection is carried out in accordance with CARS 625 and takes (if all goes well) about a week and around $1000 - $1500. Fortunately I have a partnership, so my partner and I bear the costs equally.

This season we are putting new tires on it as they are getting quite worn, and have a few cracks. I would rather spend the $300 - $500 on replacing the tires, then replacing what ever needs to be replaced because they blew on landing.

Ill keep you posted on how the annual goes, and hopefully tomorrow I will take some more pictures of the naked interior.

Oh, and it should be worth noting that this isnt a cost that I choose to do, this isnt an upgrade or anything, this is a simple cost of operation, the annual must be done, whether the aircraft flew or not.

Cheers,

Niss "I cant scratch anymore" Feiner

Nothing To See Here People! Except Some Pretty Pictures!

2007-04-02T13:11:00.000-07:00

Not much to post. I finally flew again. Nothing too exiting, just a reintro flight, stalls, steep turns, slow flight, spiral dives, etc. I am going to suppliment this lame post with some aviation porn.

Unfortunatley I still have yet to get myself a regular instructor. My friend Mike who was my instructor here in Barrie, got a job up north, leaving me wanting for another.

Jaki was kind enough to get me a flight with Canadian Flyers at

Lake Simcoe Regional, in the hopes that I would gain a connection with an instructor. Thats why she is great. She knows exactly what I need.

I am trying to avoid the flight school as I really do not want to pay that much and have my instructor get so little. Mike and I had a mutually beneficial agreement, and I would like a freelance instructor who would benefit as much from me as I would from them. If anyone knows anyone who is a Class 3 instructor and looking to do some more teaching on the side please let me know.

As it is nearing the beginning of the flying season I would like to wish everyone a happy and safe time. Airplanes are fun, I like watching them, fly.....stay alive so I can watch airplanes fly.

Cheers,

Niss

2007-03-19T07:14:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post, I know.....but not much new has happened. I cant remember the last time I flew, but dont you worry your pretty little heads. I will get back up real soon! Many AvCanada members have been asking me about purchasing an aircraft. So instead of writing each one one at a time I decided to post it on Avcanada for all to read. Here is the link to the thread: http://www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewtopic.php?t=28813. I hope this has helped anyone who is concidering to purchase an aircraft. I originally posted the whole thing in the blog but it went all crazy on me. Cheers, Niss

New Flying Pants and Lotsa Digging

2006-12-10T14:24:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I bought a new pair of flying pants. This may not seem like such a big deal but I have been looking for these forever and have finally found a pair in terrific shape. Basically I wanted the bottom of a flight suit. I wanted the functunality of a flight suit but one would look too hokey, so I just wanted the pockets, clip etc. I was in Angie's Outdoor yesterday where I used to work and Sebastien came up to me and said I needed to see these. (I told him on many occasions that I was looking for these) and I bought them on the spot. They are awesome, they have a clips on the left leg for a map or a paper, as well as a side pocket, on the inside left thigh there is a pocket I keep my leatherman in (I always fly with my Leatherman) There is another zippered pocket on the right side with a notepad holder/viewer, and two pockets at the bottom of the legs. It's also got the standard hand and butt pockets as well as an expander zipper on the legs. They fit amazingly well and are very combfortable. Another neat fact is that they are a wool /polyester blend and are warm/fire resistant. They are extremely functunal and can really help with cockpit management/orginization as well as keeping vital equipment handy (read: survival kit). Today I was out at the airport digging out my airplane. Thats one of the drawbacks of owning an aircraft in the snowbelt I guess. We right between Lake Superior and Lake Ontario, so we get some great big moist air masses coming off the lakes and hits the cold air over our area causing.....yep...you guessed it....a ridiculous amount of snow. Barrie almost seems to have its own climate for that reason. What that basically amounts to is if I want to fly, I need to shovel. And shovel I did. I managed to pull out my plane, put her on the ramp and Mike (My instructor) is going to plow my tie down so there will be little problem in the future. I was supposed to do an Oil change today but I never got around to it. Later this week it will be done. I also gave my instructor Mike his tip/christmas bonus. I got him a Leatherman Kick engraved with his name and a little message. He is doing more and more diverse flying so I figured that a multi tool would be of great use. I really wanted to show my appreciation for everything he has done. He has been really great and given me a hell of a deal for his instruction time. If any of you students out there are reading this, get your instructor a gift or something like that. It's an awesome way to show your appreciation, instructing isn't exactly a glorious proffesion in the aviation world and they get paid SFA for it. Thats about it.....the weather has been crap recently and as it is winter it gets dark early. I'll get a couple of hours of instrumental time during the week @ night but most of my flying will have to be during the weekend. It's pretty depressing to look back on the past month and see that the most exciting part of my flying career recently was my new pants......sigh. Oh well soon the weather will cooperate and I will be up again. I am hoping for my license by my birthday of March 13. Heres hoping.

Pains and Gains

2006-10-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

I apologise to my loyal readers (you know who you are!) for not posting in almost a month. I would like to say I have been very busy but it was more out of lazyness..... Time to catch you up. Oct 5th was my last flight, it was my first solo straight from the chalks and with it came some excitement, apprehension and genuine fear. Everything was going well except I was coming in on 07 and always coming in too high or too hot. It got so bad infact that I floated halfway down the runway. Once I actually didnt realise how far I floated and tried to put her down. It was then I realised I had to make the decision weather I was going to mash on the power or on the break....A few seconds later I realised I didnt have distance to hit the power and I was hoping to God I had enough distance to stop. I layed into the breaks as hard as I could and pulled back hoping to put even more weight on the tires.....after much heavy breathing and cursing I got it stopped with a little bit of runway to spair (just enough to turn around on). One thing I noticed that day is that my left oleo kept compressing as indicated by the ball moving to the left and the earth sloping to the right. Another thing I noticed was my breaking was garbage on the left one. I figured that the mush on my left oleo was fine (it did it before and I just assumed it was sticking) but I knew something was wrong with the breaks. I checked the resovoir to see my fluid quantity, there was half so it was enough. I checked the breaklines thinking there might be a leak and the left line was soaked in fluid. I called my mechanic over to have a look and he said it was hydraulic fluid from the oleo. That is how I found the first major snag on my aircraft. This was not a "first" I was looking forward to. The next day I went out to taxi UBC over to the mechanics hanger and the oleo blead out over night, it was fully compressed! She limped over hesitantly and entered the Drs Office. To make a long story short, UBC is better, I am poorer, and I am still on the bloody ground because of the friggin October weather. But on the bright side some neat stuff happened in the mean time. I am in the process of making an engine heating system that attaches to one of my camping stoves and blows hot air in to the cowl, I got an Ipod and I build a robot. I will post pics of him soon. I dont think there is anything else I can remember, but if I can I will let you know. Cheers and Beers, Niss

FIRST SOLO!

2006-09-27T05:46:00.000-07:00

It finally happened....I busted my aviation cherry! Yesterday evening I logged .2 under the PIC column of my logbook. For those of you who do not understand what PIC is, it stands for Pilot In Command. This means that the PIC has the ultimate responsibility to ensure the safety and security of the aircraft. I was in complete control of my ship and it was my responsibility to get it back on the ground safely and with no ones help. We left my home airport CNA3 (Springwater Airpark) and headed to CNB9 (Lake Simcoe Regional) to take on fuel. We decided to stay in the circuit and practice some touch and goes, stop and goes etc. After a couple of decent ones we did one more and while turning final i was about to call out "Simcoe Traffic, Uniform Bravo Charlie is turning final for 28 touch and go, Simcoe Traffic" Mike (my instructor) told me to make it a full stop. So I made the appropriate call ("Simcoe Traffic, Uniform Bravo Charlie is turning final for 28 Full Stop, Simcoe Traffic") and landed. I personally thought I came in a bit hot but I still put her smoothly on the runway. I started backtracking 28 and asked Mike if he wanted me to taxi to position on 28 (I thought we were going to practice a short field, or a soft field take off, but instead he said something to the effect of "Actually I was thinking you should make this one solo." He asked me how I felt, and I kind of studdered something, then he assured me and said I was making all of my landing great, it was a perfect day to do it, and that if anything went wrong, if it didnt look good, what ever I could just go around....so I dropped him off at the north ramp where he gave me an enthusiastic grin and a thumbs up, and I gave him an aprehensive thumbs up back. I turned around and started to taxi to the runway when I heard on the radio that there was a Helicopter (Hydro 1 I believe) on a 1 mile-final, so I declaired my intention of taxiing to position, he gave me an advisory, I looked, told him I saw him and all was well. That may seem like the most mundane of details but it's amazing how you feel even keeping and eye out for traffic when there is no one else there to do it for you. I made my call "Simcoe Traffic, Cherokee Uniform Bravo Charlie taxiing to position on 28 for the circuit" I decided to do a short field take off, instead of a rolling take off (I was used to it as CNA3 25/07 is 2100'). I called that I was rolling and bam! I was taking off on my own! It's a very interesting thing to be doing all this with out an instructor! Funny thing is that I remembered all my checklists, at 1300' I checked guages green and pulled up my flaps, I called my crosswind and turned left at 1600' levelled off at circuit altitiude 2000' (airport elivation 968') called and turned downwind, did my downwind checks, somehow lost 150' (but whos counting?), called and turned base, then called and turned final, unfortunatly I did go through the center line a little bit but I got back on no problem. Final approach was awesome, it's weird seeing a little speck on the side of the runway and realizing that speck is your instructor, which means hes not in here, which means your the one landing the plane. Well I realise that me crashing the plane into the ground, or landing so hard the struts shot through the gas tanks would make a more interesting story, but I am happy to say it was un eventful, I gently put her on the ground, stopped, and turned around. When I got back to the end of 28 Jim (They owner of a yellow stintson from CNA3 was in the area and asked me if that was a solo flight, I replied yes and he congratulated me on the radio. I was in shock/disbelief! I did all that by my self, up till now the only time I was in my a/c by myself was cleaing, or preflighting, or just chilling out (yes I know I am an aeronerd) but this time I was moving it, flying it, and landing it. I was at a certain skill level that I could be trusted with my airplane to not kill anyone or hurt anything! IT WAS AWESOME! I taxiied(sp?) back to the north ramp to pick up Mike where I got my congrats and handshake. Unfortunatly neither of us brought a camera so the picture will be taken this afternoon. I will post it when I get it. This seems to be one of my longer posts but there really isn't enough I can say about it! This, as I understand is a major milestone in aviation, this is a moment nobody ever forgets. I know I wont. At the risk of sounding too cliché I will leave on this.

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earthAnd danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air. Up, up the long delirious, burning blue, I've topped the wind swept heights with easy grace Where never lark, or even eagle flew -And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod The high untresspassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand and touched the face of God. Pilot Officer Gillespie MageeNo 412 squadron, RCAFKilled 11 December 1941

Is that a rocket in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

2006-09-25T06:03:00.000-07:00

I got it! Yay! Yet another frivilous purchase! I decided for a while that I wanted a nice ultralight backpacking stove. Make no mistake I absolutly love my Optimus Nova but when I go backpacking especially when I try to go UL it is a bit too heavy and complicated to go along, especially since we are only trying to boil water usually. For those who care I should be getting a brand new Nova soon as there was a little issue with the bottom bolt shearing off and they are replacing the whole unit under warranty. I was humming and hawwing the past few weeks, and looking for good light stoves online. One kept popping up. The MSR Pocket Rocket. I looked on ebay and everything and was actually about to make a purchase, untill I realised that once I factor in the shipping and conversion rate, I could get one here in Barrie for maybe at the most $5 more, and atleast I would have one right now. So I hopped into the van and made my way to Coast Mountain Sports in the Georgian Mall. It seemed at the moment that they only had one left and it was the display model. I was going to take it as it looked to be in great condition (it was fired once but nothing more) and they were going to offer 10% off. I was ready to pay when they realised they couldnt find the case! Uh Oh. when they went through the store in an effort to find a case for my 10% off stove they found a brand new one. I was a little dissapointed that I ended up paying full price but what can you do. When I got home and opened the package I decided to snap a little pic. This is an impressive little unit, it packs into the little red triangular prism, and the legs just extend out from the main burner, very little in the way of moving parts. This sucker is extrodinarily light! 3oz. All you need is some Isobutane, a match, and some 3/4" copper pipe to braze. This thing is a blowtorch and clearly earns it's title as the Pocket Rocket! Its rated at high output for roughly 9000btu/hr. This little jet boiled a cup of water in about a minute outside on my front porch. Wowzers! I love this little thing. I can not wait to see how this puppy performes on the trail. One thing about it is unfortunatly it does only burn the isobutane cartriges, and as these are pressurised and contain fuel they are not allowed on aircraft. There are ways to get around the fuel issue when travelling (purchasing some when at destination, mailing some ahead, etc.) but it seems easier to tough out the extra weight and take the nova along empty and at the very worst case scenario fill it with gasoline or deisel. Another place my Nova tops out is in the winter, as it cools down the cartridge will loose pressure. That is why white gas stoves are the very best for cold weather use. My PR will never replace my Nova completely, that was never the purpose of its creation, but there are many times I will pick up my PR over my Nova, and there are just as many times that I will pick up my Nova over my PR. I will keep all informed once this little baby gets some trail time. Cheers.

I cant see Sh*t! You Need Plexus!

2006-09-19T17:55:00.000-07:00

Today I went up in UBC, what a fantastic flight! Everything went great, we practiced short and soft field take offs and landings. My soft field landing was awesome! Just kissed the runway ever so gently. One problem I found that I am getting better on is that I need to remember to keep my eyes moving down the runway. Sometimes I get focused on the numbers and lose it completely. I have shown conciderable improvement and conciderable consistancy, could solo be around the corner? Maybe. Another thing that was new today was my new best friend......Plexus! If you own an aircraft you probably allready heard about it, otherwise listen up! If you have anything that uses plexi glass for windows you need this! The problem with plexi glass is you cant use standard glass cleaners on it, and it scratches easily and is a pain to see through. Plexus fills the scratches and smoothens out the windscreen. It gets completely clean and absolutly clear! It was phenominal, it gets bugs off like nobodys business! I love it, unbelivably clear! Sorry for the dissapointing post today but other than my wicked awesome flight and my Plexus purchase there is nothing else to get excited about. Ill make sure to keep you posted as tomorrow weather permitting I have a flight to Kitchener to pick up my PSTAR temp. Peace and love bro! Niss

Hiked on the Bruce Trail Today!

2006-09-16T13:26:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to go up to the Niagara Escarpment for a nice hike on the Bruce Trail for those of you who are either, ignorant, uninformed, or un-interested here is a run down of what the Niagara Escarpment is. Now that you are familiar with what it is here are some important facts: 1) The Niagara Escarpment is awesome for Hiking! 2) The Niagara Escarpment is awesome for Climbing! 3) The Niagara Escarpment is awesome for Caving! The escarpment provides a terrific view as you can see in the pic above, its cliffs provide great climbing, and in the winter terrific skiing. Blue Mountain is a popular area people visit to ski, it may not look like much if your from BC, but we dont care....your opinion dosnt matter anyway cause your not from Ontario. Todays hike lasted 5 hours and I travelled a little bit less than 20Km. Click on the Map below to see where I went (if you ever want to go here you can print out the map, but this is a free sample, for more purchase the map guide and help keep the trail clean!) I started off at 6.4Km and went all the way down to the 1st line East at the bottom right corner The trail requires basic hiking gear (boots, appropriate clothing, water, etc) but depending on where you go I would also reccomend a hiking pole. Also do not cheap out on your boots! A good quality can make all the differance when you have to go across a rock field, and trust me the trail is full of them! I have a pair of Danner Agitator 45GTX they are great because they are light weight and tough as hell! Also the waterproof Gore-Tex liner really helps! Be careful when you are up there as there is alot of rock you can easily slip on, twisting your ankle is the best case scenario, you could slam your head off a flat rock, tear open your body on a sharp rock, or plummet to your death from a high rock, and again, there is plenty of rock! The trail is free to use but they ask you join the club and help support everyone helps maintain it (they are all volunteers). You can camp on it but only in designated areas, there is a strict code of ethics for the trail. It is imperative that it be sticked to as to protect all the inhabitants of this delicate ecosystem. It was a tiring hike but it felt good to be out there again, I carried with me my Hydration Bladder (2L) and 2 sugar free chocolate bars (Im on atkins). It has been a bit of time since I had been on the Bruce but I definatly plan on going back, actually me and my buddy were planning on trying to do a throuh hike of the Blue Mountain Section in less than 24 hours. I think it will be a difficult challenge (I am in a fair bit of pain from this hike) gut I think we can do it. Another great place to go on the trail is the Duncan Caves, I can not remember who does it but they conduct rock climbing lessons there and there are great caves to explore. If you decide to go caving please wear appropriate safety gear (especially a climbing helmet) I nailed my head against a rock once real good! What ever you decide to dothe escarpment provides a lot of beauty and hosts many flaura and fawna(sp?) that is unique to the escarpment alone. Please take the time to explore and enjoy the escarpment, I guarrantee you will not be dissapointed. *Guarantee not valid in Quebec One of the things I am dying to try out on the escarpment this winter is Ice Climbing! I think that would be awesome and if anyone has any suggestions that would be great. That about ties it up I guess, I am sorry this entry is a little bit dry but I am tired and if I decide to add more I will... If you decide to hike anywhere, please remember. "Take Only Photographs, and Leave Only Your Thanks"

Northern Symphony

2006-09-10T19:01:00.000-07:00

This weekend Jaki and I headed up north to Algonquin Park. Our trip started from the bottom of Canoe lake and went up to Joe lake (~8km) and had an easy 290m portage. We rented the canoe from The Portage Store, packed it up and took off. The weather the first day was grim and carried fairly strong winds with a good nip to them. This was Jaki's first time doing any sort of backcountry camping, so I wanted to keep it gentle for her, unfortunatly we were also suffering from colds, so combine that with the cold air, difficult paddling conditions, and imminent rain, it was a recipe for disaster! Fortunatly things worked out for the best, but they could have easily turned out much worse. At one time, out in the middle of Canoe lake we were caught by a good wind and taken into a bay (when the broad side of the canoe catches the wind fugghetaboutit!), we had a hell of a time getting out of it but we finally did it! Go Us!!!! Once we set up the campsite, Jaki decided she must answer the "call". She didnt quite know what to expect, in the ways of "facilities" out there in the middle of nowhere. She was not impressed when I introduced her to the loo. Unfortunatly I forgot to take a picture of it so here is one I stole off another persons website :D. The first night we stayed in the tent because it was raining but we had a great time none the less. I was dissapointed that on Jakis first trip it had to be such miserable weather. But thats how Backpacking/Camping goes, and I guess thats part of the fun, you want to spend time with mother nature you play by her rules! The next day we noticed there was some dripping from the fly, its a brand new tent and I did inspect it so there is no leaking, I figured it was just condensation. We decided to stay in bed till around 9am (which is usually too late for me when I am camping) because we were rather lethargic on account of the cold :(. When we did finally get moving we decided to go get ourselves some fire wood as we couldnt have a fire the night before (all the wood by our place was wet) when we came back we tried to get a fire going with the wood but it was still too wet! We finally got one going later that night after it dried out, and using an antiqueted(sp?) meathod of starting the fire, the old flint and striker fire! My striker was forged out of an old file and is made in the way that the Hudson Bay Company made them (The O shape) which I thought was rather fitting, concidering the area we were in! See the video here. That night we were treated to an absolutly amazing sunset so I decided to snap a few pictures from that evening. Jaki was quickly able to se e why I love doing this so much, there are a few reasons and this is definately one of them. Anywhere you can see this is ok in my books! Later in the evening our firewood finally dried out so I started a fire using the meathod I mentioned above (See the video here. ). Here is a pic of me sitting next to my creation, and another with Jaki! That night Jaki went to bed earlier but I stayed up a bit to see the stars, and the moon (I took pictures but they did not come out well so no point in posting) and letting my boots dry out from an earlier accident involving me and a canoe. We awoke the next day again to the call of the loon, (this is where I decided to get my title from. The sounds you hear in the wilderness definately earn the term symphony) I was shivering viloently the night before on account of the cold weather and my cold. I stepped outside and realised how cold the air was! In fact it was cold enough to get some nice steam coming off the water, which I then took pictures of. Again feel free to use these as a background or print them off! Unfortunatly that was our last day there :( and it was time to pack up and head back. This will be our last trip to Algonquin this year I believe, unless I can convince Jaki to go in the winter with me. That would be incredible, but untill then that is it. We were quite impressed with our ability to pack up so well, all the gear fit in our packs exactly the way it was when we headed out there (a first!),we did it in a quick enough manner that we were able to get back to The Portage Store by before 12:00 noon so we didnt have to pay for the full day! We gave our canoe in (luckily they didnt notice the little crack that resulted from getting stuck on a rock and trying to wiggle off........It was a 16' ultra light Kevlar, so not only would they have kept the $50 deposit, the probably would have wanted more......alot more!) went upstairs to the restaurant and I enjoyed another round of Beer Battered Fish and Onion Rings, and Jaki had a Hotdog with Onion rings. She was famished, as she did not appreciate the haut cuisine (read: freeze dried food) we enjoyed in the bush. Infact her dissatisfaction with the food lead to her eating maybe 3 full meals over the course of the weekend, and her distrust for the water filter (I have a First Need which is certainly one of the best if not the very best water purifier on the market) lead her to drink less than 1.5L of water the whole weekend. Certainly not a healthy way to enjoy the backcountry. Glad you took the time to read this post, I apologise for it taking so long, but I have been busy....ya thats it.....busy. Untill we meet again......

Hells Yea!!! Passed the PSTAR!

2006-09-02T07:28:00.000-07:00

Today I wrote the PSTAR and I passed. For those of you who are unfamiliar with what a PSTAR is it is the permit required by Transport Canada in order for a student to solo. It is comprised of 50 multiple choice questions taken out of a possible 200 from the study guide. All the questions are exactly as written in the study guide so it isnt too difficult to study for. A 90% is required (45/50) in order to get it. I got a 94% today which actually pissed me off! The reason for that is that I got 3 wrong. Unfortunatly on the light gun signals (which I actually feel is a strength of mine) threw me off. One question asked what the STEADY Green light meant, and the other what the STEADY red light meant. Unfortunatly I read; what does the FLASHING Green and Red lights mean. Boo Urns...oh well its no biggie because I do know them and I was able to demonstrate to my instructor that I knew it and it was just a %$#@ up in my reading of the question. Another one was "In a controlled zone what is the minimum clearance from a cloud required?"(Paraphrasing) and the answer 500' Below and 1 mile horizontal. For what ever reason I wrote 1000' Below and 1 mile horizontal. Again I was able to demonstrate to my instructor afterward that I did indeed know my stuff, but I have just incorrectly placed the X. My knowledge was 100%, but I need to remember to slow down for my next test and take it easy. Click on the picture to see what the PSTAR test looks like (All Names and Signatures have been blacked out to protect the innocent), bear in mind that the questions are in a differant book. Soon I will take to the skies all by my lonsome.....C-FUBC with only one soul aboard.....mine... C U L8R AV8R!

Are we there yet TomTom?

2006-08-31T13:47:00.000-07:00

For those of you wondering why my most recent post isn't about flying, it is because I havent flown since the last post, we had a scheduling conflict so I am waiting to get up again. But that is not what this post is about....the post is about my totally awesome GPS system. The otherday I ordered a Bluetooth GPS from this seller on ebay. It connects to my Palm Zire 72 to make an extremely powerful GPS system. I recently aquired a copy of TomTom navigator for the palm. Holy God is this an awesome piece of software!!! You can program Points of Interest, it has maps from allover Canada and can plot a rout for you, it gives you audio prompts, it can divert, it is amazing!!!!! I love it, and it will help me get up to Algonquin park on the weekend of the 8th so that rocks too! Another great thing is all the software available for Aviators with Palm based GPSs. PalmFlying.Com is an awesome site devoted to many tools for the AV8R with a PDA. Click on navigation and Voila! a mountain of resources. Everyone must get a copy of CoPilot and it's database. It is an extremely versatile flight planning tool that will do weight and balance, make a flight plan you can print out, everything. It also interfaces with the Aviation GPS program I am planning on getting called FlightMaster. Flight Master is great because it interfaces with the database in CoPilot and it uses the flight plan you made aswell. So it carries it over and lays it on the moving map. It also has a HSI (Horizontal Situation Indicator) that is great for providing alot of information in one simple screen. I also am planning on getting Fugawi Mapping software so I can load my VNC and have a more visual flight. These toys.....er tools are extrememly handy to anyone who flys and drives. This palm can really clean up a cockpit, and make everything much more organized. Before your trip you can enter information from your CFS so its at the tip of your fingers enrout, you can get a program to make it a fully functional E6B so there is no spinning the WizWheel midflight, it can (almost) replace your maps, and it can replace your logbook with many of the Transport Canada recognized logbook programs. I reccomend anyone who owns, rents, flys a plane go out and get one right now....you wont be sorry!!! Up Up And Away!!!!!

Aviate or Aviaint?

2006-08-29T16:54:00.000-07:00

If you casted your gaze upon the skys of Barrie today you might have noticed something. You might have noticed a little 140 in the circuit slowly climbing up to 200' above circuit altitude. You might have noticed that little 140 careen through the center line and try to get back on. Or you might have seen UBC slam into Terra Firma. If you were my instructor you saw all of it. He assured me that every student hits a block where they feel like they cant do it, and I know thats true because I have read many accounts from a students perspective. But none the less, to do it is never fun. He also assured me that I still am doing great, I know exactly what I am supposed to do, I know the theory and I have done these before. While I do not yet feel that I am at the end of my rope, and I recognise that today was just a bad day, it is hard to accept. I was proud of my momentum and was hoping today to go at the forced approaches again. Unfortunatly my "finess" demonstrated in my regular circuits wouldn't allow it. I am sure that tomorrow will be much better but this has still dealt a blow to my confidence. After coming in either too high, then too slow, or too low, then too slow, 4 times it really takes it's toll on you and makes you question weather or not you will get this. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. If you are in Barrie tomorrow come say hello, I will either be the guy with a confident grin on his face or the poor bastar picking up pieces of his plane after the struts shoot through the wing. Uniform Bravo Charlie.....Out

Got My New Travel Journal!

2006-08-28T10:53:00.000-07:00

It came today! It may not seem like much to you but I am exited. It is a leather bound journal I ordered on Ebay. It is 5X7 and absolutly wonderful. Great paper great leather great feel! I bought it so I could keep a journal of when I go camping, traveling, hiking etc. I think it will be a great way to keep track of all the memories. I lent out my digicam today so I will have to post better pics another time. http://www.jennibick.com/romano-leather-journal.html Im off like a prom dress.... Niss

Back In The Saddle Again!

2006-08-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been 20 days since my last flight as of yesterday. First time back up in such a long time! I felt allright as far as knowing what to do, but for the first circuit or two it just felt wrong. It was alos my first time being exposed to that much rain. I encountered a bit in the past while cruising but never on landing or TO. It was an interesting experience and i hope to do more. Something interesting we noted yesterday and today. There was a decrease in the ambient temperature of roughly 15 degrees C and the power was phenominal! She climed like a rocket, usually we barely scrape the roofs of houses and get ~500 ft/min climb, and struggle to keep her at the Vy of 75mph. Yesterday and today I was struggling to get UBC down to 75-80mph and I was getting ~750 - 1000 ft/min! My instructor assures me it's because of the colder weather but I am positive it has more to do with my Max Performance Hula Dancer. Yep this baby when properly installed will tune that Lyc. O-320 like nobodys buisness! 150 ponies under the hood, she flies, baby she flies! Today was fun too, it was my first time being exposed to forced approaches. While I enjoy doing them, I was rather dissapointed with my performance. This was my first time so I will get better with time, but I still feel like I wasnt where I normally could be today. Oh well weather permitting I will be up again Tuesday & Wednsday having my power pulled out from under me.. File it under "R" for Arriverdercci! Niss

Got My New Toy!

2006-08-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

Well if any of you own a plane you probably have left the master on overnight only to realise the next time your out there that it wont start......I have personally done that at least twice.....in a week........I know stupid mistake but now I am getting it.....dont you worry. You also know that if you are not in a heated hanger, the winter may cause your battery to die. Its a pain in the ass hauling that heavy mother out of the plane and putting it on a trickle charger overnight, so I decided I would purchase an ever usefull battery pack. A few things I requred for my A/C was a battery pack, and a compressor. I have on several occasions had to top off my tires and had to borrow a portable compressor from work. That is not the way to go as its a pain trying to get it some days. I bought a little compressor from Canadian Tire that I could plug into the cigarret lighter but this can be a real pain reaching the left main from the cockpit. I needed something cordless. I saw a few of the units I wanted at Canadian Tire that fit the bill, had the battery pack w/ compressor etc. but usually ran $100+. Since I am kind of cheap I decided to hold off on this investment....untill today! I saw this one at CT the other day and it was reduced from $99 to $49.99! I couldnt resist the bargin, especially since my girl friend works there........EXTRA 10% OFF!!!! BOO YAH! This one seems to be able to do the job, it has the booster pack, compressor, 12V plug, and a flouresent light. That would come in handy especially at the dusk till dawn drive-ins (Last time we were there the battery on the van died and we borrowed a pack like this without a light, we had to use our cell phones just to see). Since the battery is underneath the rear seat in UBC there is no worries of having anything outside when starting the engine or having to get out with the engine running! I also have a Tanis Engine Pre-Heater in my plane and requires an external 120V connection, a few of the other units at CT had this but were not $50! I will try connecting my inverter to it and see what happens come winter time, Ill keep you posted. Anyway, I think this bad boy will really come in handy, a great tool for anyone especially A/C owners. Till later, Niss

My Fundraiser!

2006-08-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

I decided that I really need a new flight jacket.....and this is the one I decided I want to go with. Pretty sweet huh? I have fallen in love with this jacket since I first saw it and decided I must have it. Unfortunatly I can not get it right away and it requires a little bit of saving. I decided to set up a worthy fundraiser. If 120 people each give me $5 that will be enough to get my jacket. So if you are interested feel free to click the donate now button or send me an email. Your help is greatly appreciated! If you dont feel like donating I highly doubt you are alone (after all I probably wouldnt give you $5 even if you had a blog) and I wont hold it against you. LOL Cheers.

Day one.

2006-08-22T11:22:00.000-07:00

Well this is the first entry into my blog, and unfortunatly there is not much to post at the moment. I will try to keep this blog mainly aviation themed but it will stray off into my personal life a bit. I guess I might as well introduce myself. My name is Niss Feiner and I currently reside in Barrie, Ontario. I am one out of two owners of a 1966 Piper cherokee 140 bearing the ident C-FUBC, hence the address of my blog. I am currently training towards my pilots license, and work in the family business. I hope to one day fly part time as an instructor. I love to hike and camp and you can probably look forward to me showcasing some of my equipment here too. Anyway that is enough for now I guess.... Cheers