Back to Flying

I loaded up my pilot bag, camera and some snow removal tools in the back of my car and headed north for the fourth time in the past four days. This time it was going to happen. After cutting, digging and throwing snow and ice for about twenty minutes, the hangar doors were free and I was pulling out the Arrow (on the ice) for a stretch. I haven't flown an airplane since 29 Nov 08 and haven't flown the Arrow since 28 May 08. I figured it would be interesting.

Sitting back in the seat in front of the new Garmin 496 with XM WX with the trusty checklist in hand, it all came back pretty quickly. The airplane fired right up on the second blade and I was carefully taxiing, making sure the wings didn't hit the high piled snow on either side of the taxiways.

After a runway, I was taking off from runway 23 and I flew over Sam W's house and then headed south to Ada. I flew around a few times taking a picture of this and that and then headed west towards Lima. I snapped a few more pictures and then did a couple touch-and-go's at Lima (AOH) and then a full-stop for $3.81/gal 100LL.

After some coffee and small talk with the owner about CCTV systems, I fired up the Arrow and headed back, low and fast, to Bluffton for a smooth landing and taxi back to the hangar. Unfortunately I wan't able to get the hangar doors to budge due to the ice/water/freeze combination that must've taken place. Great.

It was fun to get back in the air and well worth the two metric tons (give or take) of snow and ice I had to move to make it happen. The worst part was all the ice on the door tracks. Yuck.

Check out all the photos by CLICKING HERE.

Update: 10:07PM
One of the members called and said he'd meet me at the hangar and help me get the doors shut. Apparently if you stick a shovel under the door and pry it up, it'll break the ice free allowing you to close them. I showed up first and managed to get one and a half closed by myself (well, with Kaden's help, of course). He showed up a few minutes later and helped me pull the second one closed. It's now secure. Crisis averted.

This gentleman (Bill K.) is also very active in the ham radio community and brought me the Technician Class study book. I may go take the test on Saturday at 9am if I am able to get away. We'll see.