Aviation BS and Photo Thread

I shouldn't pick favourites, and I do truly love them all, but she's something special. Just such an awesome dog. Made my dad feel not all alone on his journey through alzheimer's. A real source of comfort, and such a great companion for him. It was amazing hearing him speaking to her clear as day when he had become non-communicative with everyone else. Hearing him tell her he loved her, and she was his best friend, made me sob happy tears during a difficult time in our lives. It's how we knew she has a gift. After we lost dad, we signed her up for a volunteer pet therapy group. She visits hospitals, seniors care homes, special needs classes, etc. Doesn't head to the middle of the room to be adored. Doesn't want to be the centre of attention. She wallflowers, and observes. Picks out who needs her most, which isn't always the patient. She's brought a lot of people out of their shell. Had people hug her, and just start to sob. Doesn't freak out or pull away. Just let's them release whatever they're going through onto her. Hasn't happened with any of the other dogs in her group. Yeah, I'm boasting on her, but I think she's pretty wonderful.

And I just realized that I posted outdoor pictures of all of the dogs but her. Gotta fix that. Couple more dog pics, then I'll get back on track with the airplanes.

 

Wow, what a special, gifted dog. Thanks for sharing!

 

And in for pics of your new pup, and your departed friend if you’re up for sharing.

 

Aviation and whatnot...

 

Wow, what an amazing dog. That's a very touching story about your father too...My border collie couldn't have been more different. My mom and I got her when she was about 5 years old and she didn't become a good dog until she was about 10. She was she a hellion! So much energy and no good fundamental training on how to channel her energy into productive activities. She was kicked out of three different dog schools and even returned home from a private trainer. Nothing worked! I have made it my goal for the Aussie to start her young and train her to be 10x the dog that the border collie was. It's so much easier to start from a puppy. She is already excelling at basic tasks. I've got her enrolled in beginner doggy school right now and have been considering signing her up for agility runs for when she's a little older.

Here's Rosie 2006-2020. Don't see red border collies all that often but she had brown eyes just like your pup.



And here's Remi, who is snoring on my feet as I type this



Keeping with the topic of aviation, here is Remi in the plane sporting her Mutt Muffs. I'm a sucker for the herding dogs...

 

It’s always exciting to get an email from Rans, buttoning up the order details for a May/June delivery of our kit.

 

Nice! Rans makes me think of Vans and boy would I love an RV-8

 

Logged a little actual and an approach in the Cardinal today

 

Hubby got his tailwheel endorsement today!


Still working on my PPL but had two ‘greaser’ landings today, as my instructor calls em. Getting there..

 

Very cool, beautiful lines. Congrats! Nice to see the little wheel is in the back. Following along with an S-7 build is partially responsible for what got me into aviation 20+ years ago.

 

If you can, earn your tailwheel endorsement while working on that PPL. You'll be amazed at how much more "dialed in" you'll be with your landings, even in nosewheel airplanes. Your sense of aircraft control during landing and with things like yaw and AoA will be to be a much higher level of precision than you'd think possible.

Plus, all the fun airplanes are tailwheels. It'll open up the opportunity to fly some really cool stuff.

 

Working on my tailwheel definitely helped me get the 182 nose up on landings.

 

Looked for a few months, couldnt find a TW cfi that would do PPL, otherwise I wouldve. Hubby couldnt even find a TW within 3.5 hours for his cert. and had to hoof it. The only ones (2) around us were on floats for the summer or ‘in the shop’.. its a dying art around here unfortunately.

 

Thanks! It’s dads plane, not mine, he wants the little wheel for the look and I can’t blame him one bit. I’d like to build one someday also but I’m torn between the trike and tail wheel, it was easier for me to get into the trike but I like the looks of the tail wheel.
Maybe one day I’ll get a chance to fly both and make a decision.

From what I understand the S-7 is very similar to the S-20 which is the fabric version of the S-21, I’ve heard good things about them.

 

I learned to fly in a tail-wheel (Citabria) in high school. I haven’t flown in a small plane in many years now, but I still love tail wheel more than the rest of my flying experience.
Like @CFI AandP said, go fly with your husband or get your own endorsement! It’s the best!

 

Husband and I call the Citabria the ‘Chupacabra’ They look like fun little planes and ive heard nothing but good things.
Im getting my TW and spin/upset recovery stuff once PPL is done (hopefully by the aerobatic school in southern NH) then need a few more hrs in the experimental for my tow rating. Husband is going to be our tow pilot this summer at the hang gliding park and Im scrambling to cert to be his relief pilot for when he needs a break. The plane we’re ending up in is an experimental ‘Dragonfly’ tug with tailwheel. Its a flying boom with a rotax basically but the thing is fun as hell.

 

I agree with Justin, if there is a plane and instructor nearby where you can earn your tailwheel endorsement then do it! They are not the easiest plane and instructor to find. I finally got my endorsement last year right before the pandemic started after finding a plane and instructor nearby for reasonable rates plus the ability to rent the plane solo after the endorsement. It was some of the most fun and humbling flying I have done.

 

The tug on hang-gliders with a 2 stroke 582?!

Fly'n by the seat of your pants.. bet it is a thrill.

 

The one we will be flying has a 912. Gets you up faster.