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Called up the old man yesterday and said "I'm sick of being stuck on the ground. I'm filling up the gas cans on my way over to pick you up."

The winds were calm (3 knots), the ceiling was about 3,300, and the temp was right at 32F. Thankfully, we installed a complete new exhaust this past summer, so at least we could trust the cabin heater.

One thing good about the partnership on this plane, we can afford a hangar. Sure, it would be nice if the airport actually maintained the hangars as you'd expect them to, instead of having to struggle with the doors every time you want to fly, but it does make it easier to prep and pre-flight without getting too cold.

Not the nicest day for flying, but certainly better than being stuck on the ground.


We were out along the Cumberland River, our usual route, when we noticed it was snowing to our left. Pretty soon, it was snowing on us!


Not our longest flight, but at least we made it up for a while. Here's the field at John C. Tune, in case anybody is handy with GMax or whatever one uses to create scenery. You'll notice there's a lot of birds on the ground and not many hangar doors open. The skies weren't crowded, that's for sure!


We took off from runway 2, but the winds changed while we were gone, so we took the downwind on runway 20, which is strictly a right-field pattern.

Dad was flying left-seat, and wanted a touch-and-go before landing, to play in the crosswind. Maybe I'm biased, but he's the best at crosswind landings I've ever seen. Puts a number of instructors I know to shame. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera ready on the first approach or I could've shown you his "crawl". These pictures are from the second approach, to land, and the winds had eased.



And here's the old bucket -I mean bird- all tucked in after we taxi'ed back and I topped off the tanks.


Thanks for looking, hope you enjoyed the photos!

Thanks for the vicarious "fix"... I had to cancel my last planned flight, and will probably have to wait another 2 weeks to go again...  :'(
Pretty cruddy day, there, but at least the vis. was good. That's a nice-looking old straight-tail Cessna, there, BTW. Never really understood the rear windows on the later ones; generally not much use, IMHO.
 Seems like there's something different under the cowling, or is it just the picture...?

Thanks. It's a heap, but there's something gratifying about grabbing some flaps... literally... when setting up the approach.

Actually, it's not that bad a plane but thanks to the partnership, my dad & I work on it more than we fly it. When you've got five different people flying a plane and only two know how to work on it....

Same old Continental under the cowl. Dad still has the Lycoming from our previous 172, a 70's model that was destroyed when a tornado hit our previous home airport. We're saving that in hopes of finding a 150/152 to put it in.

Good luck on getting your fix soon.

Thanks. It's a heap, but there's something gratifying about grabbing some flaps... literally... when setting up the approach.

Actually, it's not that bad a plane but thanks to the partnership, my dad & I work on it more than we fly it. When you've got five different people flying a plane and only two know how to work on it....

Same old Continental under the cowl. Dad still has the Lycoming from our previous 172, a 70's model that was destroyed when a tornado hit our previous home airport. We're saving that in hopes of finding a 150/152 to put it in.

Good luck on getting your fix soon.

I can't put my finger on it, but there seems to be something different about the appearance of the Conti install vs. the Lycoming (which is more familiar to me). I've never flown a 172 built before '69 or thereabouts, so maybe it just has slightly different lines. Whatever... heap or no, if it's lasted this long, it must be OK...
And yes,manual flaps are a good thing: I'll take a mechanical linkage over an electrical circuit and motor anytime.
You might disagree, but to me, getting to work on the plane I fly would be heaven. I don't mind spending a little more time tinkering than flying: my favorite car so far was my decrepit '76 Fiat; had as much fun skinning my greasy knuckles under the hood as I did driving it..., and I think you can guess which took up more of my time!
  Someday, maybe, I'll have my maintenance cert. and at least a share of an airplane, but it won't be anytime soon.
So no whining... you're envied!!  ;)

looks like fun

-gottoflynow

Two weeks Rotty! It's been three and a half months for me (and I NEVER use the cry smiley)

Nice pics... although if I referred to my dad as "the old man," I believe he'd kill me in my sleep. (or, rather, have me killed in my sleep, I forgot he's high on the corporate ladder now, he has people to do that stuff for him)

(and I NEVER use the cry smiley)

There's an oxymoron for ya. "Cry smiley".

Nice shots, Cen.

Nice pics... although if I referred to my dad as "the old man," I believe he'd kill me in my sleep. (or, rather, have me killed in my sleep, I forgot he's high on the corporate ladder now, he has people to do that stuff for him)

My dad's a real "do-it-yourself" kind of guy. Besides, he'll be 70 next month, and he's not in denial about his age. Plus, he knows who'll be looking after him when he can't care for himself, not to mention who will take him flying when he can no longer pass the FAA medical.

And he knows it's a term of endearment. He and his brothers used to their dad as "the old man".

Two weeks Rotty! It's been three and a half months for me (and I NEVER use the cry smiley)

Boo hoo... poor baby...
I kid, but I feel your pain... imagine getting your PP, flying regularly for a few years, even making a solo voyage of nearly 2400 miles roundtrip, then despite landing a good jobfinding yourself stalled for nearly four years!! I moved away from my flying club, suddenly found my monthly overhead eating into my flying funds, etc., etc....
I could've gone up more than once during that period, but knew I wouldn't be able to keep going, so fell into a sort of despondent state of surrender. It was horrible when I thought about it... but oddly enough, getting FS9 spurred me to try to go for it again. Doing better now, and soon I'll be flying even more often, and probably starting my IFR training.