I know, it’s only pitch and roll, but I like it.

[Huzo]

Just got around to re qualifying in this little thing.
The venerable Cessna 152..


Then back into this


older man emojis





And this




Which is all very well, but where’s the CD player…? (must be a cheap one…!)

[kingoffleece]

Cool.  And, love The Stones reference!

[twowheeladdict]

Isn't it tough to fly when you go no yaw? 

[Huzo]

Isn't it tough to fly when you go no yaw?

Yes…
Although it is the easiest of the three axis’ to do without. I did attempt to work it into the title, but it seemed a bit try hard….

[twowheeladdict]

Yes…
Although it is the easiest of the three axis’ to do without. I did attempt to work it into the title, but it seemed a bit try hard….

 

[cloudbase]

I salute tow pilots everywhere.  Ballsy flying, not knowing what some yahoo at the other end of the tow rope might do.

[John A]

Don’t forget to practice running your ‘ball of flames ‘ check list. The first item is the most important but is often overlooked. It is of course the phrase “Oh shit Oh dear” in a calm pilot like tone.

[Huzo]

I salute tow pilots everywhere.  Ballsy flying, not knowing what some yahoo at the other end of the tow rope might do.

That release will fix anything…

[John A]

My first job as a A&P mechanic was at Southern Aviation in Shreveport ,Louisiana . They had tow planes which took a beating but held up amazingly well. The biggest fear was failure to release but we never had one stuck. We sure had to look them over though.

[Burkslaw]

My elevator is non-operational but my manifold pressure gauge is

[Huzo]

My first job as a A&P mechanic was at Southern Aviation in Shreveport ,Louisiana . They had tow planes which took a beating but held up amazingly well. The biggest fear was failure to release but we never had one stuck. We sure had to look them over though.

There is a short section of rope in the towline which has a much lower breaking strain than the rest.
We often practice the procedure for a release failure at the glider end, it’s a little confronting the first few times. In the highly unlikely event of a double release failure, there is an expanded procedure which involves the glider landing on tow with the tug.

[Moparnut72]

So you use Ag Cats for tugs. Interesting, slow stable planes that can carry a lot of weight.
kk

[ScepticalScotty]

I miss my days with Canberra Gliding Club. Our tug was a Cessna Ag Wagon, often piloted by Heinz who was a great pilot to fly behind and had his first flying experiences between 1939 and 1945.....

The gliders I flew all the time, L13 Blaniks are mostly all gone.....

These days I would love to live in a country where I could fly a GOAT or BUG ultralight glider and just float about....

[Huzo]

So you use Ag Cats for tugs. Interesting, slow stable planes that can carry a lot of weight.
kk

Mostly Piper Super Cubs and Pawnees.
Typical tow speeds are55-65 knots.

[Huzo]

I miss my days with Canberra Gliding Club. Our tug was a Cessna Ag Wagon, often piloted by Heinz who was a great pilot to fly behind and had his first flying experiences between 1939 and 1945.....

The gliders I flew all the time, L13 Blaniks are mostly all gone.....

These days I would love to live in a country where I could fly a GOAT or BUG ultralight glider and just float about....

Was that out of Cooma ?

[Griso8V]

I do miss flying!  I was checked out all the up to Cessna 210.  I lost my medical several years back...
I remember flying gliders in Minden, Nevada.  Minden is the Mecca of gliders due to the mountain wave the comes over the Sierra Nevadas when the wind from the Pacific is just right.  When the wave is "on" those gliders go up to 36000 feet.  They are equiped with oxygen and radio for ATC clearance for flight to the flight levels. 
I had several lessons in gliders and remember that the tow up was, for me at least, the easy part.  Flying the glider was incredible; the most challenging part for me was landing the thing!  Those huge wings make the thing a bit challenging to get on the ground. It is an incredible view up there, you can see what seems the whole of the Sierra range.  Something I will never forget!
The tow plane looked like an Ag plane of some kind, I forget what it was...

[Gliderjohn]

From Griso8V:

I do miss flying!  I was checked out all the up to Cessna 210.  I lost my medical several years back...
I remember flying gliders in Minden, Nevada.  Minden is the Mecca of gliders due to the mountain wave the comes over the Sierra Nevadas when the wind from the Pacific is just right.  When the wave is "on" those gliders go up to 36000 feet.  They are equiped with oxygen and radio for ATC clearance for flight to the flight levels. 
I had several lessons in gliders and remember that the tow up was, for me at least, the easy part.  Flying the glider was incredible; the most challenging part for me was landing the thing!  Those huge wings make the thing a bit challenging to get on the ground. It is an incredible view up there, you can see what seems the whole of the Sierra range.  Something I will never forget!
The tow plane looked like an Ag plane of some kind, I forget what it was...

Your unusual if tow was the easy part for you. When I was flying with the Wichita Soaring Club we would occasionally have current pilots out of McConnell AFB or test pilots from one of the aircraft companies. The tow was the great equalizer as even these guys trained in formation flying had difficulties at first with the tow but were quick learners. Yea, nothing like flying under a bubble canopy except maybe open cockpit.
GliderJohn

[Huzo]

I do miss flying!  I was checked out all the up to Cessna 210.  I lost my medical several years back...
I remember flying gliders in Minden, Nevada.  Minden is the Mecca of gliders due to the mountain wave the comes over the Sierra Nevadas when the wind from the Pacific is just right.  When the wave is "on" those gliders go up to 36000 feet.  They are equiped with oxygen and radio for ATC clearance for flight to the flight levels. 
I had several lessons in gliders and remember that the tow up was, for me at least, the easy part.  Flying the glider was incredible; the most challenging part for me was landing the thing!  Those huge wings make the thing a bit challenging to get on the ground. It is an incredible view up there, you can see what seems the whole of the Sierra range.  Something I will never forget!
The tow plane looked like an Ag plane of some kind, I forget what it was...

Yeah.
I only qualified as far as the Cessna 172RG in command, did not progress to the 210. The CSU/retract endorsement meant that would have been next, but I went the tail wheel glider towing direction.
The 210 and the 182 retract is what I always thought were the real deal.
But who knows in the future..?
To be brutally honest, at the moment landing little VH-FVC (Cessna 152) in limiting X-winds while keeping the centreline down the middle is enough.

[Moparnut72]

The PA125 and similar are used in California spread fertilizer and pesticides on rice. They can carry heavy loads and turn on a dime. Not much to them.
kk

[Griso8V]

Yeah.
I only qualified as far as the Cessna 172RG in command, did not progress to the 210. The CSU/retract endorsement meant that would have been next, but I went the tail wheel glider towing direction.
The 210 and the 182 retract is what I always thought were the real deal.
But who knows in the future..?
To be brutally honest, at the moment landing little VH-FVC (Cessna 152) in limiting X-winds while keeping the centreline down the middle is enough.

I really enjoyed the 172RG!  It was great fun flying it, great memories.  The 152 was really a lot of fun.  Sometimes, after a tough day I would just go out to the airport and rent a 152.  I would either fly it out to the coast and look at the view of the Pacific or head down to South County, eat a sandwich and then fly back to Palo Alto...Palo Alto was known for crosswinds and strange wind changes being right on the SF Bay!  Lots of fun...
We had a 152 Aerobat in the club that I did some aerobatics in...
Never did fly a tail dragger but when you can fly one and land one, that is a real pilot!

[Tusayan]

If I were in Australia, I’d be flying a Victa Airtourer not a Cessna.  Look up what is now VH-POB… still flying as far as I know.  It was bought new by a friend of my father and both learned how to fly in it 50 years ago.  I have something similar but different here in the US, BTW with a glider/banner tow hook that as far as I know has never been used.

[Huzo]

Well Tus.
In 1965 I went to the local municipal airport with Dad for some reason which I don’t recall.
He came out from the office and said
“Wanna’ go fo a ride..?”
I think y’all know the answer.
It was in one of two Victa Airtourers based there
VH-MTP and VH-MUP
Not MUP but close…!


We went up in VH-MTP with the pilot in the left seat, Dad in the right seat and me on his lap…!
Both a/c are still in service with the same reg.





I think your old mate VH-POB might be a Cessna 150 now…

[ScepticalScotty]

Sure was Huzo!!! Bunyan to be precise. Had some great times, and when I wasn't flying I'd be happy to man the radio and drink tea in the caravan. Never got to solo due to a lack of $$$$$ as I needed the "push" of the intensive 1 week course and could never afford it. So 47 flights spaced out over 1 year  But apart from Blanik I flew KA4, Puchatz (wow!) and a real blast from the past ES49 Kookaburra.

[Tusayan]

I think your old mate VH-POB might be a Cessna 150 now…

The registration was recycled to the Airtourer, not vice versa.  The plane used to be registered elsewhere before being imported to Australia and rebuilt over a long period by a guy who was once involved with the factory or distributor or something.  I believe with him having aged out, it now belongs to a relative (as of 2019).  Perhaps his son.  https://www.regosearch.com/aircraft/au/POB

[Huzo]

Sure was Huzo!!! Bunyan to be precise. Had some great times, and when I wasn't flying I'd be happy to man the radio and drink tea in the caravan. Never got to solo due to a lack of $$$$$ as I needed the "push" of the intensive 1 week course and could never afford it. So 47 flights spaced out over 1 year  But apart from Blanik I flew KA4, Puchatz (wow!) and a real blast from the past ES49 Kookaburra.

Jeez, if you flew K4’s and Kookaburra’s, no wonder you’re skeptical. That glide ratio bordering on single figures doesn’t fill you with confidence….
Our club has a Puchacz owned from new, along with a Duo Discus, Janus, PW6 and a selection of modern single seaters (LS 6) and similar.
Oh, also a K13….(what I started in along with the old Blanik)

[Tusayan]

My only two glider flights were in a Duo Discuss, that is an amazing device.  On the first flight we were at 17,990 feet (US Class A Airspace starts at 18K) and the second flight over 15,000.

[Huzo]

Son of a Mongoose…!
I have not been that high in anything other than commercial stuff.
The supplemental Oxygen rule kicks in @ 10000’ here in Oz….(actually it might have gone up to 12 or 14000’ now.
Have to check the VFRG.)

[Tusayan]

We had oxygen.

It's interesting flying in an unpowered aircraft while looking down on commercial airliners 40 miles or so from touchdown

[Huzo]

We had oxygen.

It's interesting flying in an unpowered aircraft while looking down on commercial airliners 40 miles or so from touchdown

I’ve never been in that environment.

[ScepticalScotty]

Bunyan had (and for all I know still does) a Wave Camp every year where people come from all over Oz to ride the wave. Never did it myself, but did get up to 10,000 ASL in the Blanik without oxygen, so that was that! Best flight I ever had, about 2.5 hours, glorious day. Great tow (I was a good towee apparently - won a prize for it!) and then tooling about for all that time talking about the cricket with the instructor Rod Stone, then a great circuit and landing. At the end of that he said I needed to go solo ASAP as I was 95% there. Oh well. I think that was my 46th Blanik flight....