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Had to hang around after my flight today and take some pictures; very glad I did.

How about this? A very spiffy-looking CAP Cessna.


Even more interesting than seeing a "Bird Dog" here was finding out what its "mission" was. Note the pilot's "Mae West"...



Just starting the takeoff roll...


A few minutes later, after losing track of the Bird Dog, I heard it again, coming from the west, engine roaring. Peered around the FBO in time to catch this: a banner pickup! It'd been set up for pickup alongside 07, but the pilot had taken off on 25 (the northerly wind was pretty variable at this point). The moment after this picture was taken, the line went taut, and that little Cessna somehow hauled the banner into the sky. Last I saw of it, it was heading SE, probably to cruise up and down the beach... which explains the life vest, y'see.

How about this? A very spiffy-looking CAP Cessna.

Very smart looking indeed...

Great shots rotty...very nice.

One of the few things I never did with an aircraft was tow a banner.
The opportunity just never arose.
I probably would have found it just as boring as being an overpayed bus driver LMAO

Sure wouldn't mind having that Bird Dog on the farm.
Not to sure if he would burn more fuel an hour than my C172 or not, with the price of fuel now and on the rise it narrows the margin on what one buys.

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

I've been up in a CAP 172! Very nice planes!

Great shots rotty...very nice.

Yeah, that was a lucky break, catching that ol' Dog... didn't even know they did banner pick-ups there.

One of the few things I never did with an aircraft was tow a banner.
The opportunity just never arose.
I probably would have found it just as boring as being an overpayed bus driver LMAO

Boring?! Have you ever watched them pick it up?
 Wait, you're kidding, right...?
 This plane had a line rigged apparently so that the hook can be reeled out , but I know the original method was to toss the hook and line out the door and hope it didn't get tangled in the empennage, and I think some still do it that way.  Saw a wrecked Citabria at an airport once that was the result of such a mishap- it was under a tarp, and I wouldn't have known it was an airplane if someone hadn't explained it to me. Needless to say, the pilot was killed.
Boring, he says...
But, yes, I guess after diving pell-mell for the runway with a grappling hook trailing the plane, then climbing like hell as you drag a big floppy slab of nylon off the ground, it's a bit dull, droning along in a constant climb attitude...

 It's got to be as dangerous as crop-dusting; maybe statistically less so only because fewer passes are made. I hope they're paid well.

 

Hi Rottty

I am afraid so buddy...flying in a straight line up and down a beach for several hours would bel like playing Bingo or watching paint dry on a picket fence to me. LOL

The best part of the flight would be the pick-up of the banner.

When I was in the Royal Canadian Air Force we used DeHavilland DHC-3s "Otters" with the PW radial 1340 engine...the same one that is in the Harvards to pick up messages in fields the army would put out.

They would string a line between two poles with a message attached to it and we had to pick it up with a crewman hanging out the port dutch doors trailing a line with a rubber ball on the end of it.  The purpose behind the exercise was not to break radio silence.

The area was no larger than a tractor trailer sometimes and as far as I can remember the Otter was the only STOL Aircraft that could do it.  I do not believe we had Beavers in the Royal Canadian Air Force but the Otter would and still does out perform any other STOL aeroplane in the world to-day...bar none and on amphibious floats as well.

It is a pity there is not a radial engined Otter in FS2004 yet.  There are several in FS98.

I can remember one such spot the mud monkeys (Army) set up was on the side of a hill near Wawa Ontario and we had to fly along the side of the hill in a STOL approach and do the pick-up.  The area was just big enough to land a Twin Huey in.  We did it though...all three aircraft and we did it three times.

If I might add the DHC-2 Beaver was the only aircraft manufactured outside of the United States of America that won Battle Honours.  The type won Battle Honours serving with the United States Army in Korea.  The United States Military did operate DHC-3 Otters but to what capacity I am not sure.

The Otter was a larger aeroplane than the Beaver and could actually outperform it.  I am not knocking the Beaver they are a great aeroplane.

I can remember several RCAF Squadron Leaders on several occasions after phoning the tower and talking to the Chief Controller who placed an air traffic controller in training on the spot.  The Otter would taxi to a position and take off across the runway and be airborne before the center line.  The pilot would report on heading and "My God you fellas have wide runways here" LOL.
It would be silent for a bit until the training controller realized the Otter was not on runway heading and there was the Chief Controller standing beside him with a big grin.

Well I have rambled on long enough buddy...have fun

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

Go right ahead and ramble... another great story.
Seems to me those banner guys must have a little more work than it seems just tracking up and down the beach... wouldn't that big rag make it hard to maintain altitude and heading?

How could flying ever be boring??
And shouldn't this be in the photo's forum?
Nice pics rotty  ;)

And shouldn't this be in the photo's forum?

I think he does it deliberately to confuse me. LOL
Very nice interesting shots once again.

How could flying ever be boring??

Flying can get boring just like any other job. Depends what sort of flying it is. One reason for so many senior airline captains on the aerobatic & warbird display circuit.

LOL... I know it's confusing the way I post these, but I guess my current rule is: Photos section for aircraft shots that don't involve me flying personally, and Real Aviation for those that do, or aircraft photos that I didn't take. I went flying that day at Central Jersey, so...
Everybody got that? Good.  ;)
I'll bet what was really confusing was the "takeoff roll" caption with no photo initially...didn't notice it hadn't uploaded due to oversize.
("why's he taking off from the ramp...?")

Well ... I actually took a look at the CAP 182 up close.

Dude that cockpit is all glass. It smells like a brand new car. the seats are cooler than the seats of my friend's Corvette.

That thing is a beauty.

Hopefully I get to fly it soon ... since I am seriously considering joining.

I have about 180 hours and I am halfway through my IFR training ... When I get it I'll be "eligible" to fly missions for them.

Can't wait ...  ;D

Good Morning Rotty

Like I said I never ever towed a banner so it is hard to say.  I do not think a banner would effect a tow plane like a glider but again I never towed a glider

I am sure there must be some pilots around that have done both and if I think of it I will ask about at the club the next time I pop in.

Sorry to bust your bubble Pigeon but flying becomes boring when it stops becoming a profession and becomes a job.

Your right again Doug (the other Doug...no not me...the good looking one....yeah that one)  and you thought you were confused .

A lot of military pilots fly for the major airlines, instruct aerobatics, fly bush or commuter, etc; as well as many airline pilots fly for the Air Force Reserve.

I know quite a few military and airline pilots that have as many hours on float/ski equipped Otters, Beavers, Norseman, Cessna 185s as they do on Hercs, Airliners, Helicopters and Fighters.

I have always found it is your personal mental attitude towards flight in general and not what you fly that will make you a good pilot.
It is no different flying a Piper Cub than an Airbus.  Sure it takes longer to get checked out in the Airbus, but...push the stick to the left...both aircraft go left, push the stick to the right and both aircraft will go right, push the stick forward and the buildings get larger, pull the stick back and the buildings get smaller.
Yes I will agree you will get paid more to fly the Airbus for a major but flying is flying.
Want me to prove it...next time you are at an airshow, ask the fighter jock what he liked best, his Chipmunk time or his suck and blow time and I will bet he will talk about the trainer first.

And Yes Doug I think that Rotty is trying to confuse us

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

Good Morning Rotty

Like I said I never ever towed a banner so it is hard to say.  I do not think a banner would effect a tow plane like a glider but again I never towed a glider

The key difference seems to be: the glider is flying; the banner is... well... flapping.  Got to hang around long enough some time to ask one of those guys what it's like. Be fun to tag along, but I'll bet weight is so critical on those flights that they leave their shoes and car keys on the ground...

Want me to prove it...next time you are at an airshow, ask the fighter jock what he liked best, his Chipmunk time or his suck and blow time and I will bet he will talk about the trainer first.

 "True 'dat",... and what kind of planes to the "bus-drivers" and "top guns" buy for themselves, usually? Some little VFR-only critter that  forces you to dance on the rudder pedals and slow down to enjoy the view...

And Yes Doug I think that Rotty is trying to confuse us

Well, honestly, it's so easy with you two! I can't resist! And don't complain- that sort of mental workout is very beneficial to people of... a certain age... *ahem*...
You should thank me for helping stave off the inevitable dementia... or at least helping you get used to being confused all the time...

Well ... I actually took a look at the CAP 182 up close.

Dude that cockpit is all glass. It smells like a brand new car. the seats are cooler than the seats of my friend's Corvette.

That thing is a beauty.

Hopefully I get to fly it soon ... since I am seriously considering joining.

I have about 180 hours and I am halfway through my IFR training ... When I get it I'll be "eligible" to fly missions for them.

Can't wait ...  ;D

Good luck with that! Never looked into the CAP thing; always assumed I wouldn't have time for it. I'm sure they'd love to get you into the orginaization: you own an aircraft!
Funny; i just passed 180 hrs and haven't even  started IFR training yet. Maybe next year, if and when I think i can afford the training and the required flights for currency... for now, though, it's gonna be all about flying VFR, with friends chipping in whenever possible.
 Hey, if you ever need a safety pilot for some IFR practice, let me know...

 Hey, if you ever need a safety pilot for some IFR practice, let me know...

Funny you should mention it ... i actually do. I might take you up on that offer!

Thanks!

PS: first and foremost I gotta get the panel of the Cherokee fixed. It's a bit ... crappy. Old instruments and all ...