NOPE – NOT GONNA HAPPEN TODAY: I called Mitch and told him I could be out there by 10:30, from the looks of the weather. He told me that at the time it was raining hard out there (I knew that), and that we could not do the work if there was any rain at all. It screws up the laser he uses. Given that I am already delayed getting there; there would most likely be some form of rain all day; and my departure time would be challenged by expected storms; I canceled the work today. It is on me to reschedule with him. Damn – I wanted this done!
So now I’ll work on my TCE stuff for an hour or so, and think about maybe biking down the trail to the Grain for a beer or two. Then I’ll pedal back and prepare for my buddy Mike’s flight review.
Original post continues…….
Weather isn’t cooperating: I am lowering my personal mins to 800′ today, but will hedge that bet by ensuring that the Wilmington forecast stays above 1000’ as my alternate. I will not hesitate to reschedule the flight until after the TCE ride if I don’t go today. In the event I have to cancel, I’ll use the day to work on further TCE prep; to prepare for the Canada flight; and to prepare to do a flight review with my friend Mike. No surprises; brief everything; review ACS and current regs.
This will be my second shot at getting my props balanced, and the second time the weather didn’t cooperate. I was on the schedule with Sensenich in Lancaster last week, but I canceled due to heavy rain cells and my fear of hail. I also didn’t want my nacelle panels on the tarmac while seriously high winds developed.
Todays weather pattern has been here for the last few days and will remain through Friday. There is a stalled front lowering the visibilities and brewing thunderstorms in the afternoon. Widespread ceilings and visibilities are below my minimums this morning, but forecast to improve around 10am. That improvement won’t last long, so I’ll have to get home before 4pm to avoid afternoon storms.
I amended my flight plan this morning to reflect a later departure, around 10am, and to add Wilmington as an alternate. Delaware Airpark, to the south will be my unofficial third choice, with Atlantic City and Dover AFB as my unofficial emergency plan. I loaded 7 hours of fuel on the airplane yesterday afternoon.
I would very much like to see how prop balancing makes this airplane even better, but I won’t push hard to get there today. I am making better risk decisions as I get older, in my opinion. Asking myself if I really need to do the flight today, and avoiding just doing it to prove to myself that I can. I balance that with the fact that I enjoy doing it and I like to practice.
Fact is that the Nova Scotia flight on Thursday may be a wash for me this week as well. I’ll get it done eventually. Either in July before I go to training, or in September/October while I’m home and need to relax.
Have a great day. Fly Safe!
Frank