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Ben-PA
Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 44
Location: Berwick, Pa
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 Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 11:07 am Post subject: made it! |
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I bought a Grand Rapids Sport EFIS in May and started the installation in my Model 5. I finally finished it June 27th after changing some things around, making a new panel, and scratching my head a lot.
As I was doing final assembly, I was asked how much longer it was going to take as the Susquehanna River was going to flood the airport (N13) again! Crest was expected Thursday afternoon.
I was ready to go by 6 PM (Tues.), but it was pouring. I woke up at 3 AM to sounds of a downpour and wondered what to do if I couldn't fly out. I was even concerned about the plane starting at all since I replaced the keyed ignition switch with a push button and had all the rocker switches apart twice while I made a new panel. In addition, I wired the EFIS to shared terminals.
I couldn't sleep, so (at) 5 I turned on the TV and the radar showed clearing by 7. I was at the airport by then, but was fogged in. The water was over part of the runway, the airport access road, and was coming up through the storm drain on the ramp. Flood stage is 19 ft. and 23 ft. floods the storm drain. 24 ft. puts water in my hangar. Crest was expected (at) 30.
Finally at 8:30 AM, after an hour and a half delay, I pushed my plane through 8 inches of water with about half of the 2800 foot runway under water. The engine actually fired, the EFIS worked, and I made the 15 minute flight through the scud at about 400 ft. ATR (above the river) following it to Danville. It sure looks different barreling down the runway toward a lake!
I only have 12 solo hours and this was my first experience flying through fog.
Only a Cub got out after me. Many planes were stuck there and parked on high ground to avoid the water.
Are Kitfoxes always this much fun!!!??
Ben
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spaghettiohead(at)hotmail
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| Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 11:56 am Post subject: made it! |
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What an adventure! Sounds like the stars aligned for you LoL. I remember
cruising down the Susquehanna at 300 feet in an Ultralight ferry-job...even
had to put the plane down in a field and push her into a gas station to
refuel about a mile from the northern bank  Best of luck with your
retrofitted 'Fox!
Andrew
do not archive
| Quote: | From: "Ben Baltrusaitis" <ben(at)gmpexpress.net>
Reply-To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com
To: <kitfox-list(at)matronics.com>
Subject: made it!
Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2006 15:04:47 -0400
I bought a Grand Rapids Sport EFIS in May and started the installation in
my Model 5. I finally finished it June 27th after changing some things
around, making a new panel, and scratching my head a lot.
As I was doing final assembly, I was asked how much longer it was going to
take as the Susquehanna River was going to flood the airport (N13) again!
Crest was expected Thursday afternoon.
I was ready to go by 6 PM (Tues.), but it was pouring. I woke up at 3 AM to
sounds of a downpour and wondered what to do if I couldn't fly out. I was
even concerned about the plane starting at all since I replaced the keyed
ignition switch with a push button and had all the rocker switches apart
twice while I made a new panel. In addition, I wired the EFIS to shared
terminals.
I couldn't sleep, so (at) 5 I turned on the TV and the radar showed clearing
by 7. I was at the airport by then, but was fogged in. The water was over
part of the runway, the airport access road, and was coming up through the
storm drain on the ramp. Flood stage is 19 ft. and 23 ft. floods the storm
drain. 24 ft. puts water in my hangar. Crest was expected (at) 30.
Finally at 8:30 AM, after an hour and a half delay, I pushed my plane
through 8 inches of water with about half of the 2800 foot runway under
water. The engine actually fired, the EFIS worked, and I made the 15 minute
flight through the scud at about 400 ft. ATR (above the river) following it
to Danville. It sure looks different barreling down the runway toward a
lake!
I only have 12 solo hours and this was my first experience flying through
fog.
Only a Cub got out after me. Many planes were stuck there and parked on
high ground to avoid the water.
Are Kitfoxes always this much fun!!!??
Ben
|
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| | - The Matronics Kitfox-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kitfox-List |
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