Two Landings, A Song, The River

It is a work week. I don't get much time to blog, especially when I sign up for overtime on days off. So I apologize for not getting around to everyone. As I begin to get into the study portion of my Instrument Flight Rules rating, I will have even less time. But I will do what I can. Between work and studying for the Practical Test Standards Knowledge Exam (awkward, but that's what they call it), juggling time for the blog will be interesting. But I shall prevail!

After reading this, please cruise on over to Diesel's page and try to come up with a caption more brilliant than Gawpo's. You'll see what I mean when you get there. Candace, did you ever go back and leave one after going away to think about it? Hmmm? Keeping you honest.

Here are a couple landings and a song. Then some fog. G



Landing Runway Three One (we don't say thirtyone. that's why the short lived television drama, LAX didn't last, i'm just certain. the first time i heard heather locklear say "on runway twenty-two" i knew it's days were mispronouncedly numbered.) About an hour ago someone posted a comment on You Tube regarding this video: "You're a funny guy," he says. Yeah. If he only knew the half of it...

Every time I land---and I hate to say this because I don't doubt my skills---I feel like I have cheated death. I feel like I just walked out of a classroom where I took the year end final exam. I become a bit giddy. A bit up. But without a desire to ride a horse (Joe, Candace and Lisaoceandreamer will get that one).

The aircraft is my 1962 Cessna 182E Skylane. It has a whopping 230hp engine. Much more umpf than the 175 in the following video. Cessna likes to name its various models with a word following the word "sky." Skylane, Skylark, Skyhawk, Skymaster, Skywagon, etc. Then there's the Skynight (twin engine) and the Stationaire (holds six people like a stationwagon. get it?)





This is the approach into Center Island in the San Juans. Seated to my right is Mr. Gawpo, Sr's childhood (and since my own childhood) friend, Dave. Seated in the rear and filming with her own camera is the MRE (most recent ex). At one point on the approach I moved the camera which was resting on the glare shield (not the dash!) and decided to put it back where it was. This is my first airplane, a Cessna 175 Skylark which had, coincidentally, a 175hp Teledyne Continental GO-300-A powerplant. You can hear me say, as we are taxiing, "Thank you, Dear" in response to the MRE's compliment, "Nice landing."




This is nothing more than a huge potential for embarrassment. But what the heck? I didn't do a bunch of takes; left all the mistakes in there; and I can hear the notes I miss. I love this song. But I love and trust my blogger friends enough to "expose" thus. After the IFR rating, it's off to voice lessons. I'm serious.

By the way, Joe. I'm in my underwear.

So....





Finally, here is a less than one half minute video of the view to the south over the Siletz River where the fog forms each and every morning, becoming as I like to think of it, a hovering spirit-river of sorts. I had no idea the crows would be audible. I wish I had let the tape roll longer. I promise more in the future. I am standing on my new roof.