Yesterday was windy!! I took my uncle to his rehab yesterday morning. The winds were calm and the sky clear early on, but by the time we were done the gusty and cold wind had returned. I dropped him off and made sure he was good – then headed to the airport.
It was time for me to replace the Aspen ProMax Battery, which I had ordered from an Aspen Dealer to have installed by my own mechanic. Over the past few years, I’ve had issues with having work like this done, where I’d have one thing fixed and come out with something different broken. The last Aspen Battery change out was done on the ramp in super cold weather, and my pitot system ended up being broken in the process. More recently, my radio rack was replaced and my right fuel flow indicator feed was broken.
Three isn’t much room to work behind the panel, and stuff happens when you work on the airplane outside in bitter cold – I get it. I think my own mechanic tends to be more meticulous and is under less pressure, so I’ll try this approach. I still use the shop where I had issues, and respect them just as much. When you fly a machine like this, you need all the talent you can find around you. No shop is issue free, and no owner is the perfect client.
Getting Ready: I arrived at the hangar and asked my wife to stay home until I had the airplane out and engines ready to start. I had to take all of the heat off of the airplane, as the electronic chart update was progressing. With the Nacelle heaters removed, wires and insulating blankets stowed, I stuck my head in to monitor the update progress.
Then there was a knock at the hangar door, which I left down due to the strong, cold winds. John introduced himself and explained that his card expired and he needed to be let out of the gate. We chatted for a short time while I grabbed my keys and we headed for the gate. I left him to ensure it was fully closed before he left to get his ID renewed.
Back inside the hangar, I completed the data update. Now it was time to removed the battery charger and associated cables, as well as complete the pre-flight out of the wind. I put a heavier coat on and raised the hangar door.
Starting Engines: With the pre-flight complete, the hangar door and car locked up, I climbed into the airplane and closed the door. Next I sent a text to my wonderful wife to get her started on her way to Delaware Airpark to pick me up. We’d leave the airplane to get worked on, and hopefully get it back home and in it’s hangar before the next storm rolls in (tomorrow).
I dialed in the ATIS and found the winds were 340@16G22 or something close to that. Peak winds were around 28 kts, so it was going to be a spirited ride down low. They cleared me to taxi to runway 01, and I held the control appropriately as I left the west ramp. Runway 32 had been closed off and on, and to be honest, I didn’t check on it’s status today. Either runway would be fine.
Cleared for Takeoff: Pre-flight complete, I ran the pre-takeoff checklist before taking the runway. That is when I noticed the door handle not properly latched. having a door pop on this airplane in winter is not only cold, but can cause dangerous air turbulence over the horizontal stabilizer if it fully opens in flight. I’d have been fine, but it would have loaded me up unnecessarily. The door would be fine, but the airplane feels like it will shake itself to death with it open. Ask me how I know. Running the checklist paid off, and I secured the door.
Lining up on the runway with my takeoff clearance in hand, a large flock of small birds was taking off and landing in the wind – immediately adjacent to the right side of my runway (runway 01). As I perpared to add power, I watched them all lift off and decide to fly to the left side; crossing right in front of my.
‘Tower – N833DF is holding on the runway due to a flock of starlings in my path’. I have no idea what kind of birds these were, but that is what I said. As the tower was acknowledging, the birds flew clear and I took advantage of the opening and went to full power. He saw me moving and stopped talking mid-sentence, saying ‘I talk with you again once you are airborne’. Nice move – great tower work.
Once airborne, I gave the tower and more detailed bird activity report and they thanked me for that. I held the nose low to gain airspeed, and retracted the gear as the airplane elevated itself through the first 100′. Might as well get clear of the ground and ground turbulence as soon as I can.
Approaching the real fun: The turbulence was there on the flight down, but not nearly as bad as I expected. Maybe I’m used to it and don’t recognize it as much. No one else was up flying, so I flew over the airport mid-field to enter the left downwind to runway 27. I was showing 26kts or so on my tail as I crossed, and you could see my ground track drift south to compensate for the north wind.
GUMPS completed on the downwind turn, the winds were now out of the north at 16 gusting 30 kts. This landing was not guaranteed. There are trees on the north side of Runway 27 for the first 1500′ or so, and that means that I can expect mechanical turbulence when the winds are out of the north. Like water falling over stones in a river, the winds would tumble over the trees just when I’m at the approach end and getting close to the ground. All of my crosswind corrections for the gusting crosswinds would have another slew of corrections added to them – in real time. It was going to be sporty.
In we go! No flaps for this one and be ready for go-around. I chose to extend my touchdown point to near the end of the tree line, since the middle of the runway was clear of trees to the north. There was a north tree line on both ends, but touching down clear of the trees meant I only had to deal with the direct crosswind and not the mechanical turbulence.
It would be impractical to verbally describe all the corrections I put in there, but I landed windward wheel first and dead on the centerline. It was slightly more firm than typical, but appropriate for the day. Stay off the brakes and let the aircraft slow down. Don’t try for the second to last turn off- but hold appropriate controls for the cross wind and exit the runway at the end.
Down and Done! I parked the airplane at Paul’s hangar and chatted with a group of nice guys hanging with him. They’ve all been sick, so no hand shaking.
Bev showed up shortly thereafter, and I headed north. More winter weather expected tomorrow, but my hope and plan is to fly it home in the morning; with the pitot heat on I expect.
Fly Safe!
Frank