After all of our awful weather, the clouds parted, the sun emerged, and the
winds calmed, as they always do after a major winter storm in the Midwest...

What was left in its wake was just stunning. Thousands of square miles
buried under a soft, velvety layer of deep snow, with crisp, cold
temperatures and thousand-mile visibility. The atmosphere had been scrubbed
clean of any dust or pollution, and anything ugly on the ground was simply
buried under a sparkling carpet of gleaming ice crystals.

For as far as the eye could see...

We flew to Wisconsin in air so thick and syrupy that you would swear you
were lounging in your barca-lounger. Engine performance at 14 degrees was
nothing short of spectacular, with full-fuel climb rate (and four aboard)
pegged at 1500 feet per minute.

With little sense of motion at 5500 feet (despite our wind-assisted 156 knot
ground speed), we sat in awe as the suddenly, magically changed snowscape
unrolled beneath us. Completely unable to adequately voice the feelings and
emotions that such a fairyland sight embodied, we simply stared in silence
at the cobalt blue sky above, and blinding white landscape below. It was
magical.

After the weeks of flying over a muddy, lifeless landscape, it was if we had
passed through some portal, into a wondrous and different world.

Sadly, few of our fellow pilots were there to witness the show. Traffic was
sparse, as so many fair-weather pilots have apparently stowed their gear for
the winter.

Their loss.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
news:zBNkf.380814$084.315387@attbi_s22...
> After all of our awful weather, the clouds parted, the sun emerged, and
the
> winds calmed, as they always do after a major winter storm in the
Midwest...
>
> >
> After the weeks of flying over a muddy, lifeless landscape, it was if we
had
> passed through some portal, into a wondrous and different world.
>
> Sadly, few of our fellow pilots were there to witness the show. Traffic
was
> sparse, as so many fair-weather pilots have apparently stowed their gear
for
> the winter.
>
> Their loss.
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"

We were up there flying over south central WI. 1000 fpm at gross with 100
hp, cruise was well into the yellow. The other advantage is no bugs!

I feel this way about night flying, which I've just recently started
getting into. Absolutely stunning sights, amazingly calm, and hardly
anybody else around. Sounds like a beautiful sight you had, I can
practically see it even though you posted no pics.

Jay,

This is exactly why we love winter flying even without the comfort
and protection of a hangar ($78 tie-down vs. $450 hangar fee/month).

Last winter, there were quite a few flights where we spent many
hours preheating the plane, removing ice from the plane, shoveling
piles of snow around the plane just to have an hour or so in the air.
Within few minutes of departing the runway, we were always treated with
the breathtaking view of the Hudson river with intriguing ice patterns,
snow-covered reservoirs, lakes, farm land and the majestic view of
Catskill mountain range.

I had posted the link to some of the winter pics we took of our
Mt. Washington trip last February. Here it is again.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=hgsw2kn.andbqeyr&x=0&y=-5vu2up


P.S. Note the addition of the ice rowing pic with me in the no. two
seat ;-)

Jay,
This is exactly why we love winter flying even without the comfort
and protection of a hangar ($78 tie-down vs. $450 hangar fee/month).

Last winter, there were quite a few flights where we spent many
hours preheating the plane, removing ice from the plane, shoveling
piles of snow around the plane just to have an hour or so in the air.
Within few minutes of departing the runway, we were always treated with

the breathtaking view of the Hudson River with intriguing ice patterns,

snow-covered reservoirs, lakes, farm land and the majestic view of
Catskill mountain range.

I had posted the link to some of the winter pics we took of our
Mt. Washington trip last February. Here it is again.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=hgsw2kn.andbqeyr&x=0&y=-5vu2up

P.S. Note the addition of the ice rowing pic with me in the fourth
seat ;-)

Jay Honeck wrote:
> pegged at 1500 feet per minute.
>
> With little sense of motion at 5500 feet (despite our wind-assisted 156 knot
> ground speed), we sat in awe as the suddenly, magically changed snowscape


Wow, 156 kts... something I'll never see unless I fly in a hurricane,
then only if there's a tailwind. ;) You see, my club only has a 1976
C-150M and a 1969 PA-28-140 that over-rpms if you run full throttle in
the air (usually).

However, beautiful write-up Jay!


Chris G.

> This is exactly why we love winter flying even without the comfort
> and protection of a hangar ($78 tie-down vs. $450 hangar fee/month).

Augh! Your gorgeous new paint job is sitting out in this winter
weather? I would cringe every time I banged on the wing in order to
chip loose the ice and snow...

I hope you have a good cover to protect the plexiglass?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

("Longworth" wrote)
[snip]
> Within few minutes of departing the runway, we were always treated with
> the breathtaking view of the Hudson river with intriguing ice patterns,
> snow-covered reservoirs, lakes, farm land and the majestic view of
> Catskill mountain range.
>
> I had posted the link to some of the winter pics we took of our
> Mt. Washington trip last February. Here it is again.


<http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=hgsw2kn.andbqeyr&x=0&y=-5vu2up>

Nice pics.

For those not familiar with Kodak Gallery - just click on the photo and
you're in. Once in, go to Settings and up the time to 5 seconds if you want.


Montblack

Jay Honeck wrote:

>
> Augh! Your gorgeous new paint job is sitting out in this winter
> weather? I would cringe every time I banged on the wing in order to
> chip loose the ice and snow...
>
> I hope you have a good cover to protect the plexiglass?
> --

Jay,

We never bang the wings to get ice and snow off even with the old
paint. Hey if we did that, all the old paint chips would have fallen
off. We filled large garbage bags with hot water and dragged them over
the ice and snow.

Yes, we have a good cover for the glasses. I have been trying in
vain to order wings and stabilators cover from Alaska Tents and Tarp
with half a dozen of emails and two phone calls to Alaska (over the
course of a year). I will probably fire off a complaint letter to the
manager and order the stuffs from Kennon. I don't know how anyone can
stay in business by ignoring orders from customers!

I recalled reading somewhere that housing in our area is 40%
overvalued (due to proximity to NY city), this is why hangar cost is so
outrageous.

Hai Longworth

"Longworth" > wrote

> Yes, we have a good cover for the glasses. I have been trying in
> vain to order wings and stabilators cover from Alaska Tents and Tarp
> with half a dozen of emails and two phone calls to Alaska (over the
> course of a year).

Try looking up a boat cover maker; usually around lakes and marinas. Give
them some dimensions and they could sew you up what you need, toot quick.
--
Jim in NC

> We never bang the wings to get ice and snow off even with the old
> paint. Hey if we did that, all the old paint chips would have fallen
> off. We filled large garbage bags with hot water and dragged them over
> the ice and snow.

How does that work? Doesn't the water re-freeze after you've poured it on
the ice? Or do you just lay the bag of warm water on top of the ice to melt
it?

> I recalled reading somewhere that housing in our area is 40%
> overvalued (due to proximity to NY city), this is why hangar cost is so
> outrageous.

Hangars are $121 per month, including electricity, here in the Midwest...
And we complain about *that*... ;-)

When I was training (in East Troy, WI - 57C) before work each morning, the
plane was always tied down outside. The winter of '94-'95 wasn't too
terrible, as I recall, but I still remember having numb fingers and toes by
the time I got that danged thing de-iced every Monday/Wednesday/Friday.

And then the fun of setting up the little jet-engine preheater followed
*that*. What fun!

I can fully understand why people without hangars don't fly in the winter.
It easily adds 30 - 45 minutes before each flight, and is quite physically
demanding.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
> How does that work? Doesn't the water re-freeze after you've poured it on
> the ice? Or do you just lay the bag of warm water on top of the ice to melt
> it?

It's a two-persons job. As soon as the ice/snow is melted, the
slush is pushed off the wings with a squeeze then mopped off with a big
towel.

> I can fully understand why people without hangars don't fly in the winter.
> It easily adds 30 - 45 minutes before each flight, and is quite physically
> demanding.

In signing up for the tie-down area, we chose #1 spot to be close to
the electrical outlet anticipating the need to plug in the engine/oil
pan heater.

Ever since owning the plane, we have added flight prep to our
physical activity list. We usually pack our gym bags along with our
flight bags planning to go for a workout or a swim after flying but
very rarely being able to do both on the same day. Hey, if you think
of snow shoveling as a 'free' sport, it becomes less painful ;-)

Hai Longworth

> Hey, if you think
> of snow shoveling as a 'free' sport, it becomes less painful ;-)

That's EXACTLY the way I've been looking at it.

Having already had to shovel three real snow storms -- and it's not even
technically "winter" yet -- I suspect I'll be in GREAT shape by next
spring...

Nothing like shoveling 560 linear feet of balconies -- and each shovel-full
must be lifted up to railing height before it can be dumped... (Not to
mention trying not to hit guests and cars, below...)

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" > wrote

> That's EXACTLY the way I've been looking at it.
>
> Having already had to shovel three real snow storms -- and it's not even
> technically "winter" yet -- I suspect I'll be in GREAT shape by next
> spring...
>
> Nothing like shoveling 560 linear feet of balconies -- and each
shovel-full
> must be lifted up to railing height before it can be dumped... (Not to
> mention trying not to hit guests and cars, below...)

Sound like you need to invest in a snow blower.

Snow shoveling is a major cause of heart attacks. Get your exercise a
different way.
--
Jim in NC

> Snow shoveling is a major cause of heart attacks.

Any idea why? What is different about snow shoveling vs other kinds of
excercise?

Jose
--
You can choose whom to befriend, but you cannot choose whom to love.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

On 2005-12-08, Jose > wrote:
>> Snow shoveling is a major cause of heart attacks.
>
> Any idea why? What is different about snow shoveling vs other kinds of
> excercise?

Probably because the people who die of heart attacks when snow
shovelling are getting the first exercise they have had all year (on top
of a probably already bad diet). I doubt if snow shovelling carries any
more risk for people in reasonable shape (apart from slipping on ice and
breaking bones, I suppose). I'd argue that the snow shovelling in that
case is not the cause of the heart attack - the heart attack is like the
latent image on a film, just waiting for something to develop it.

--
Dylan Smith, Port St Mary, Isle of Man
Flying: http://www.dylansmith.net
Oolite-Linux: an Elite tribute: http://oolite-linux.berlios.de
Frontier Elite Universe: http://www.alioth.net

Morgans wrote:

> Sound like you need to invest in a snow blower.

I'd say he needs one of the things like the "power broom" type of blower. He'll
never get a full size snow blower up the stairs.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

I agree. Here is the scoop on snow shoveling safety

http://www.ext.nodak.edu/snow.htm

Hai Longworth

I agree. Here is the scoop on snow shoveling safety

http://www.ext.nodak.edu/snow.h>tm<

They missed the big snow removal helper of spraying silicon on the
front AND back of a shovel blade so the snow doesn't stick.

Silicon spray on the augers and chutes also turbocharges snow blowers
and minimizes jamming with wet snow etc.........

> > Sound like you need to invest in a snow blower.

> I'd say he needs one of the things like the "power broom" type of blower.
> He'll never get a full size snow blower up the stairs.

I am still wondering why his 15 old son isn't on the job? ;-))

>> I'd say he needs one of the things like the "power broom" type of blower.
>> He'll never get a full size snow blower up the stairs.
>
> I am still wondering why his 15 old son isn't on the job? ;-))

Cuz the crafty little punk has arranged so that he has high school wrestling
practice both before and after school, plus meets.

Plus school, of course.

The kid is just never around anymore...

:-(
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

> >> I'd say he needs one of the things like the "power broom" type of blower.
> >> He'll never get a full size snow blower up the stairs.

> > I am still wondering why his 15 old son isn't on the job? ;-))

> Cuz the crafty little punk has arranged so that he has high school wrestling
> practice both before and after school, plus meets.
> Plus school, of course.
> The kid is just never around anymore...

He's already graduated 8th grade!
The kid's going to inherit an aviation themed hotel and an airplane...
why does he need to go school?

> The kid's going to inherit an aviation themed hotel and an airplane...
> why does he need to go school?

As I keep telling him, the only thing he should expect to inherit is debt...

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On 8 Dec 2005 12:26:54 -0800, "nrp" > wrote:

> They missed the big snow removal helper of spraying silicon on the
>front AND back of a shovel blade so the snow doesn't stick

Oooooohhhhh, that's a good one. I'll need it tonight, we're getting
about 7 inches of the stunning right now.

Corky Scott

On Fri, 09 Dec 2005 00:16:40 GMT, john smith > wrote:

>I am still wondering why his 15 old son isn't on the job? ;-))

Because the inventor wanted to show a video of it in action, not of
his son shoveling...

Corky Scott

nrp wrote:

> Silicon spray on the augers and chutes also turbocharges snow blowers
> and minimizes jamming with wet snow etc.........

Thanks. I'll be buying some this afternoon. Now if I can only get the SOB to
start! (I knew I shoulda bought the electric start model)

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.