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Arty Trost
Joined: 25 May 2006
Posts: 206
Location: Sandy, Oregon
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 Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:23 pm Post subject: Home at Last! |
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Hi folks,
Today was the first day without rain, rain, and more rain - since last Friday, when we had to leave our planes at Hood River. Even though I had covered my engine really carefully, because of the high winds and torrential rain, I called the Hood River Airport three different times asking that they check to make sure that the cover (a Hefty garbage bag) was still intact. They were tolerant about my anxiety and assured me that it was fine. And it was!
Today started out really foggy, but the forecast was for sunshine by 2:00 p.m. Penelope drove me and Bob up to Hood River and waited patiently for us to take off. Both Bob and I did really careful preflight inspections and everything looked really good.
It wasn't until I started suiting up that I realized that I didn't have my helmet! I panicked and went through Penelope's car with a fine tooth comb - but I must have left it in my own car , at Sandy River Airport. Penelope, bless her heart, asked "Do you want to go get it?" and all I could think about was that meant a 90 minute drive back to SRA, and then another 90 minutes back to Hood River. I told myself that I know plenty of ultralight/LSA pilots who never wear a helmet, and that it was only a 45-50 minute flight home. But it really rattled me, since I have NEVER flown without a helmet! And down the Columbia Gorge, no less! And - no helmet, no access to my radio. I decided to take the risk, and Bob agreed to announce for both of us as we departed.
Of course, I hadn't taken into consideration how LOUD the engine is without the insulation provided by the helmet. Or how cold my ears could get. But the flight home was great for the first 40 minutes. Blue skies, high cumulus clouds, steady headwind but no turbulence. The forested mountains with the river between are absolutely gorgeous. I was still heading west down the Gorge, about 15 miles from Sandy River when the clouds lowered and got dark...dark...dark. But it looked like I'd be able to get underneath them. I descended from 2500' to 2000' - then down to 1700'. (I usually like to be (at) 3500-4000' flying the Gorge.) I finally settled on 1500' and didn't need to go any lower - until I turned south, out of the Gorge. I couldn't fly down low and just follow the Sandy River as it was full of fog, so I had to fly over fields and forest. The closer I got to Sandy, the lower the ceiling and the less visibility. By the time Sandy River Airport was in sight I was at 1100' (Sandy River Airport's elevation is 700',) and I had only the legally required 3 miles visibility. I was SO RELIEVED when I entered the pattern and turned to final.
My ears rang for at least ten minutes after I turned off the engine - but my baby is home where it belongs!
Arty
www.LessonsFromTheEdge.com/uladventure2009.htm
"Life's a daring adventure or nothing"
Helen Keller
"I refuse to tip toe through life just to arrive safely at death."
[quote][b]
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lcottrell
Joined: 29 May 2006
Posts: 1494
Location: Jordan Valley, Or
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| Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 6:53 pm Post subject: Home at Last! |
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Glad that you finally made it home. The weather has been screwy the entire year.Larry
On Thu, Oct 3, 2013 at 6:21 PM, TheWanderingWench <thewanderingwench(at)yahoo.com (thewanderingwench(at)yahoo.com)> wrote:
| Quote: | Hi folks,
Today was the first day without rain, rain, and more rain - since last Friday, when we had to leave our planes at Hood River. Even though I had covered my engine really carefully, because of the high winds and torrential rain, I called the Hood River Airport three different times asking that they check to make sure that the cover (a Hefty garbage bag) was still intact. They were tolerant about my anxiety and assured me that it was fine. And it was!
Today started out really foggy, but the forecast was for sunshine by 2:00 p.m. Penelope drove me and Bob up to Hood River and waited patiently for us to take off. Both Bob and I did really careful preflight inspections and everything looked really good.
It wasn't until I started suiting up that I realized that I didn't have my helmet! I panicked and went through Penelope's car with a fine tooth comb - but I must have left it in my own car , at Sandy River Airport. Penelope, bless her heart, asked "Do you want to go get it?" and all I could think about was that meant a 90 minute drive back to SRA, and then another 90 minutes back to Hood River. I told myself that I know plenty of ultralight/LSA pilots who never wear a helmet, and that it was only a 45-50 minute flight home. But it really rattled me, since I have NEVER flown without a helmet! And down the Columbia Gorge, no less! And - no helmet, no access to my radio. I decided to take the risk, and Bob agreed to announce for both of us as we departed.
Of course, I hadn't taken into consideration how LOUD the engine is without the insulation provided by the helmet. Or how cold my ears could get. But the flight home was great for the first 40 minutes. Blue skies, high cumulus clouds, steady headwind but no turbulence. The forested mountains with the river between are absolutely gorgeous. I was still heading west down the Gorge, about 15 miles from Sandy River when the clouds lowered and got dark...dark...dark. But it looked like I'd be able to get underneath them. I descended from 2500' to 2000' - then down to 1700'. (I usually like to be (at) 3500-4000' flying the Gorge.) I finally settled on 1500' and didn't need to go any lower - until I turned south, out of the Gorge. I couldn't fly down low and just follow the Sandy River as it was full of fog, so I had to fly over fields and forest. The closer I got to Sandy, the lower the ceiling and the less visibility. By the time Sandy River Airport was in sight I was at 1100' (Sandy River Airport's elevation is 700',) and I had only the legally required 3 miles visibility. I was SO RELIEVED when I entered the pattern and turned to final.
My ears rang for at least ten minutes after I turned off the engine - but my baby is home where it belongs!
Arty
www.LessonsFromTheEdge.com/uladventure2009.htm
"Life's a daring adventure or nothing"
Helen Keller
"I refuse to tip toe through life just to arrive safely at death."
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johngilpin
Joined: 23 Mar 2011
Posts: 93
Location: 004
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| Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 11:55 pm Post subject: Home at Last! |
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A great real life flying story Arty. A challenging situation, but you were aware and capable of it all the way.
I love your signature quote by Helen Kellor, “I refuse to tiptoe though life, just to arrive safely at death.”
JG
[quote][b]
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johngilpin
Joined: 23 Mar 2011
Posts: 93
Location: 004
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| Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 11:59 pm Post subject: Home at Last! |
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A great real life flying story Arty.
A challenging situation, but you were aware and capable of it all the way.
I love your signature quote by Helen Kellor,
“I refuse to tiptoe though life, just to arrive safely at death.”
JG
[quote][b]
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