June is busting out all over!

[Jay Honeck]

Light winds, sunny skies, warm temperatures, the smell of freshly mown grass
and moist earth. God almighty, there is no better place on earth than Iowa
in spring!

Today Mary and I made our first pilgrimage of the year to Amana's little
grass strip, located a whopping 18 miles (or so) from Iowa City.

Chuckle if you must, but flying into Amana (the biggest of the "Amana
Colonies") is a wonderful way to spend a day. The strip is located within
easy walking distance of outstanding restaurants, a microbrewery, a woolen
mill that's been in continuous operation since 1859, a clock shop, a real,
working blacksmith, and a zillion other old world shops that make the place
unique.

Mary took the outbound leg, which meant she was first to deal with that
little grass strip. Her pattern was large and patient -- always a good
approach to a really short field, IMHO -- but her final approach was a bit
steep and fast. To compensate she blew the third notch of flaps, ended up a
tad slow, and we "arrived" in a picture-perfect (if firm) short-short field
approach. If she had buried the brakes, we could've been stopped in less
than 500 feet.

Lunch at the "Ox Yoke Inn" was outstanding, followed by a leisurely stroll
around town. Being mid-day on a Thursday, the crowds were small, and the
shops were much more accessible than on a weekend. We bought a few items
(hand-made chocolates for the kids) and watched in wonder as the giant
Sulzer looms clanked and shuttled in the woolen mill, weaving beautiful
patterns into gigantic blankets before our very eyes.

Then, it was my turn to fly. We meandered our way back to the airport, fat
and sleepy from the big meal and warm sun. The smell of the grass runway,
the routine of the pre-flight, and that wonderful "airplane smell" that
Atlas always has when baking in the sun brought me back to my senses, and we
trundled back down the runway, preparing for takeoff.

Short field. Soft field. Oh, yeah -- I remember how to do this! (Just had
my biennial yesterday, so it's fresh, again...) Facing away from our
direction of flight, I bring Atlas up to about 2000 RPM, rolling the wrong
way before kicking him around to face down the runway. By then, I'm already
rolling at 25 mph, and have effectively lengthened my available runway by a
few hundred feet -- always a good thing when there are big trees and a pond
at the other end!

Rumbling down the runway, yoke back in my lap, the nosewheel comes up almost
instantly, cutting the noise by a third, and we're doing a wheelie toward
that pond, with ever-increasing speed. Suddenly, Bernoulli takes over, and
we levitate into ground effect, where I level out and let the speed build.
Flashing over the end of the runway, I pull up into a zooming climb at over
1000 fpm, rising like an out-of-control elevator -- and immediately start a
standard-rate left bank. The pond flashes by harmlessly below, the sun
twinkling around the lilly pads near the shore...

Damn my eyes, if I *EVER* get bored with that feeling, just kill me -- cuz
I'll already be half-dead. What an amazing, astounding, wonderful
experience it is to fly!

I decide it's way too nice to go home, and I just head West in a long, hard
climb, aiming toward some widely scattered puffies that are floating up
around 6500 feet. As soon as we reach their level, the temperature drops,
the bumps are gone, and Atlas is on rails. I smoothly arc and carve up the
sky, in ever-increasing banks, feeling the air currents and loads on my
controls, master of all I see.

THIS is what being a "pilot" is all about, and to experience it is worth
everything I've had, or ever will have. To gaze down upon clouds -- or up
at their towering countenance as we pass by -- is a view that few people in
human history have ever seen, or appreciate. To see literally hundreds of
miles, in all directions -- and to be utterly in command of all three
dimensions...well, it's beyond words.

Today was a good day. I wish everyone on this troubled planet could have
one just like it, at least once.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Jim Burns]

"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
news:%YMfg.1001283$xm3.531996@attbi_s21...

"June is busting out all over!"

Hmm.... Hey, Mary... have you heard about June? Jay says she's rather
busty, and is sounds like she's having a hard time keeping her clothes on.
Better keep an eye on that boy! :)

Jim

[real_name]

In article >,
"Jim Burns" > wrote:

> "June is busting out all over!"
>
> Hmm.... Hey, Mary... have you heard about June? Jay says she's rather
> busty, and is sounds like she's having a hard time keeping her clothes on.
> Better keep an eye on that boy! :)

Last I heard, Mary doesn't read the newsgroups.

[Matt Whiting]

real_name wrote:
> In article >,
> "Jim Burns" > wrote:
>
>
>>"June is busting out all over!"
>>
>>Hmm.... Hey, Mary... have you heard about June? Jay says she's rather
>>busty, and is sounds like she's having a hard time keeping her clothes on.
>>Better keep an eye on that boy! :)
>
>
> Last I heard, Mary doesn't read the newsgroups.

Yes, she's too busy keeping watch of Jay! :-)


Matt

[Jim Burns]

"Matt Whiting" > wrote in message
...
> Yes, she's too busy keeping watch of Jay! :-)
> Matt

I'm sure Jay will agree that "somebody" needs to keep watch of him! :)

Lately I've been spending so much time working on the Aztec that my wife
jokingly accused me of having a girlfriend stashed in the hanger.... I told
her that I had a real kinky one that liked to rub grease and paint all over
me.

Jim

[Jay Honeck]

> I'm sure Jay will agree that "somebody" needs to keep watch of him! :)

Mary will tell you that THAT is a full-time job!

> Lately I've been spending so much time working on the Aztec that my wife
> jokingly accused me of having a girlfriend stashed in the hanger....

In June! June! What were you THINKING, man? You don't rip your
plane apart during the nicest two-week period of the year! You save
that stuff for March, when the trees are dripping with freezing rain
and slush...

;-)

Did the right-sized cam-lock connectors ever arrive?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[C. Massey]

"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>> I'm sure Jay will agree that "somebody" needs to keep watch of him! :)
>
> Mary will tell you that THAT is a full-time job!
>
>> Lately I've been spending so much time working on the Aztec that my wife
>> jokingly accused me of having a girlfriend stashed in the hanger....
>
> In June! June! What were you THINKING, man? You don't rip your
> plane apart during the nicest two-week period of the year! You save
> that stuff for March, when the trees are dripping with freezing rain
> and slush...
>
> ;-)


March... freezing rain... slush... Hell, it's in the 80's here in March!




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[Jim Burns]

LOL, wait until I rip it a part during the week of OSH! :) Don't worry,
I've already scheduled off from our annual to do the Wednesday OSH Rec. BBQ.

BTW, we need to come up with a menu.... Montblack? What you hungry for?
sorry, I don't do salad... not even wilted salad.

> Did the right-sized cam-lock connectors ever arrive?

Backordered from every parts house on the planet.... if they ever come, I'll
have extras of just about every size... and those buggers aren't cheap! So
instead of flying down to Dubuque to see the Blue Angels, I'll be puttering
around putting on anti-chafe material, removing some bad rocker cover
gaskets, doing some touch up painting, and waiting for my parts. Tami's
taking the kids camping for the weekend, so if you want to fly up here and
give me a hand, we could find some good beer and give it a great home.

You know, it's really kind of funny, no one in our group really does a lot
of flying in the summer. We tend to use the airplane to get out of the
winter yuck but stay close to home during the summer. Weird I guess, but
we've all got jobs that are summer intensive so when we get a break we tend
to stay home.

Jim

[Ron A.]

Short field at 2600 feet? There aren't really any obstructions either.

The small lake on the East side of the airport on approach to rwy 26 gets
your attention, but doesn't really interfere. Just powerlines on the West
side of the field.

I get apprehensive on grass just because it is out of the ordinary but there
aren't too many longer grass runways. It really is a nice place to land and
enjoy dinner.

"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
news:%YMfg.1001283$xm3.531996@attbi_s21...
> Light winds, sunny skies, warm temperatures, the smell of freshly mown
> grass and moist earth. God almighty, there is no better place on earth
> than Iowa in spring!
>
> Today Mary and I made our first pilgrimage of the year to Amana's little
> grass strip, located a whopping 18 miles (or so) from Iowa City.
>
> Chuckle if you must, but flying into Amana (the biggest of the "Amana
> Colonies") is a wonderful way to spend a day. The strip is located within
> easy walking distance of outstanding restaurants, a microbrewery, a woolen
> mill that's been in continuous operation since 1859, a clock shop, a real,
> working blacksmith, and a zillion other old world shops that make the
> place unique.
>
> Mary took the outbound leg, which meant she was first to deal with that
> little grass strip. Her pattern was large and patient -- always a good
> approach to a really short field, IMHO -- but her final approach was a bit
> steep and fast. To compensate she blew the third notch of flaps, ended up
> a tad slow, and we "arrived" in a picture-perfect (if firm) short-short
> field approach. If she had buried the brakes, we could've been stopped in
> less than 500 feet.

[Kingfish]

Crap. After seeing the title I was hoping Jay had posted some photos of
some lady with big hoots named June.

[Jay Honeck]

> Tami's
> taking the kids camping for the weekend, so if you want to fly up here and
> give me a hand, we could find some good beer and give it a great home.

Tempting, but....we're sold out for the weekend (yet another wedding!),
and we're taking off all of Sunday to go to the Quad City Air Show (in
Davenport, BTW -- not Dubuque).

So, those beers will have to wait... ;-)

> You know, it's really kind of funny, no one in our group really does a lot
> of flying in the summer. We tend to use the airplane to get out of the
> winter yuck but stay close to home during the summer. Weird I guess, but
> we've all got jobs that are summer intensive so when we get a break we tend
> to stay home.

You would be the perfect partner for some "regular" folk. You could
have the Aztec all winter, and they could take it all summer!

(Didn't Mark Twombly -- or one of the AOPA writers -- do something like
that with his twin? His partner had it six months, and he had it six
months, in different geographic parts of the country! Seemed odd, to
me, but it apparently worked for him.)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Matt Whiting]

Ron A. wrote:

> Short field at 2600 feet? There aren't really any obstructions either.

Sounds like Jay needs to be recalibrated. :-)

I learned to fly on a 1900' strip that had 60' trees at one end and a
road across the other (the latter only was an obstacle when a semi was
going by). When I first flew to ELM, I wasn't sure if I should land the
150 cross-wise on the runway to feel at home or length-wise. :-)

The only airport that caused me apprehension was Marlboro, MA in my 182.
The runway is less than 1700' in length and has trees at both ends and
they are fairly tall (60+ feet I'd guess). Landing wasn't a problem,
took about half the runway with only light braking. However, departing
was interesting as it was about 90F the day I was there. I cleared the
trees by probably 50-60', but the sight picture as I lined up for
departure was priceless. It sure didn't look like enough runway even
though the book performance said I had plenty of margin.

Matt

[Jim Burns]

Yep, Twombly did that. In fact he's got an Aztec now. But with an empty
hanger for 6 months of the year that SuperCub itch I've got would really
become a serious infection! :)

Jim

"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
ps.com...
> > Tami's
> > taking the kids camping for the weekend, so if you want to fly up here
and
> > give me a hand, we could find some good beer and give it a great home.
>
> Tempting, but....we're sold out for the weekend (yet another wedding!),
> and we're taking off all of Sunday to go to the Quad City Air Show (in
> Davenport, BTW -- not Dubuque).
>
> So, those beers will have to wait... ;-)
>
> > You know, it's really kind of funny, no one in our group really does a
lot
> > of flying in the summer. We tend to use the airplane to get out of the
> > winter yuck but stay close to home during the summer. Weird I guess,
but
> > we've all got jobs that are summer intensive so when we get a break we
tend
> > to stay home.
>
> You would be the perfect partner for some "regular" folk. You could
> have the Aztec all winter, and they could take it all summer!
>
> (Didn't Mark Twombly -- or one of the AOPA writers -- do something like
> that with his twin? His partner had it six months, and he had it six
> months, in different geographic parts of the country! Seemed odd, to
> me, but it apparently worked for him.)
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"
>

[Peter Duniho]

"Matt Whiting" > wrote in message
...
> [...]
> I learned to fly on a 1900' strip that had 60' trees at one end and a road
> across the other (the latter only was an obstacle when a semi was going
> by).

Yeah, those FAA-standard 50' tall semis can be a real bitch.

[Montblack]

("Kingfish" wrote)
> Crap. After seeing the title I was hoping Jay had posted some photos of
> some lady with big hoots named June.


Iowa City - The Amsterdam of the Midwest.

"June is bustin' out all over!
The sheep aren't sleepin' anymore!
All the rams that chase ewe-sheep
All determined there'll be new sheep
and the ewe-sheep aren't even keepin' score!"

All
"On acounta it's June! June, June, June
Just because it's June, June, June!"


Mont "gettin' kittenish with" Black

[Jim Burns]

Paul... um... if you show up at OSH with your hat on sideways, blue
sunglasses, a dozen gold chains around your neck, rings on all your fingers,
baggy jeans hanging down to your knees exposing your Ercoupe boxers,
insisting on being called " IB MB Flyer" or some such nonsense... there
ain't NO WAY we're letting you near the BEER! Noooo way... a Rappin'
Montblack singing about sheep does NOT need to be intoxicated! :)
Jim

"Montblack" > wrote in message
...
>
> Iowa City - The Amsterdam of the Midwest.
>
> "June is bustin' out all over!
> The sheep aren't sleepin' anymore!
> All the rams that chase ewe-sheep
> All determined there'll be new sheep
> and the ewe-sheep aren't even keepin' score!"
>
> All
> "On acounta it's June! June, June, June
> Just because it's June, June, June!"
>
>
> Mont "gettin' kittenish with" Black
>

[Jay Honeck]

> > Short field at 2600 feet? There aren't really any obstructions either.
>
> Sounds like Jay needs to be recalibrated. :-)

I know -- it really *is* pathetic.

We used to fly out of C89 in Wisconsin -- 2300' x 30' -- in an
underpowered Cherokee 140.

Now, after 9 years of having three long, wide runways, we're so spoiled
that a 2600 foot grass strip seems "short" to us...

Oh, well -- we haven't lost it entirely. We only used less than half
of it to land, and maybe 3/5ths of the available runway to depart!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Jay Beckman]

"Jim Burns" > wrote in message
...
> Paul... um... if you show up at OSH with your hat on sideways, blue
> sunglasses, a dozen gold chains around your neck, rings on all your
> fingers,
> baggy jeans hanging down to your knees exposing your Ercoupe boxers,
> insisting on being called " IB MB Flyer" or some such nonsense... there
> ain't NO WAY we're letting you near the BEER! Noooo way... a Rappin'
> Montblack singing about sheep does NOT need to be intoxicated! :)
> Jim

Rap? RAP!?!

Rodgers and Hammerstein are spinning in their respective graves!!

May Shirly Jones perform nothing but Partridge Family "B" sides at your next
social gathering.

Jay Beckman
PP-ASEL
Chandler, AZ

[Jay Honeck]

> May Shirly Jones perform nothing but Partridge Family "B" sides at your next
> social gathering.

"I Think I Love You"...forever?

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

[John Gaquin]

"Matt Whiting" > wrote in message news:rR_fg.9222
>
> The only airport that caused me apprehension was Marlboro, MA in my 182.
> The runway is less than 1700' in length and has trees at both ends and

I used to instruct at Norwood years ago and would take students to Marlboro
just to show them what the book was talking about. I love the place. Still
there, and apparently healthy.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/9B1

[Bob Noel]

In article >,
"John Gaquin" > wrote:

> I used to instruct at Norwood years ago and would take students to Marlboro
> just to show them what the book was talking about. I love the place. Still
> there, and apparently healthy.

too bad we lost tewmac. :-(

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate

[Matt Whiting]

Jay Honeck wrote:

>>>Short field at 2600 feet? There aren't really any obstructions either.
>>
>>Sounds like Jay needs to be recalibrated. :-)
>
>
> I know -- it really *is* pathetic.
>
> We used to fly out of C89 in Wisconsin -- 2300' x 30' -- in an
> underpowered Cherokee 140.
>
> Now, after 9 years of having three long, wide runways, we're so spoiled
> that a 2600 foot grass strip seems "short" to us...
>
> Oh, well -- we haven't lost it entirely. We only used less than half
> of it to land, and maybe 3/5ths of the available runway to depart!

There's still hope! :-)

Matt

[Matt Whiting]

John Gaquin wrote:

> "Matt Whiting" > wrote in message news:rR_fg.9222
>
>>The only airport that caused me apprehension was Marlboro, MA in my 182.
>>The runway is less than 1700' in length and has trees at both ends and
>
>
> I used to instruct at Norwood years ago and would take students to Marlboro
> just to show them what the book was talking about. I love the place. Still
> there, and apparently healthy.
>
> http://www.airnav.com/airport/9B1

Yes, it is a nice little airport. I only flew in once on a business
trip when we had a facility in Marlboro, but it would be a great place
to take students as you did. It is one thing to practice short field
technique on a 5,000 runway with clear approach and departure and quite
another to do it when it matters.

If it wasn't for knowing that Cessna said my 182 could take off in much
less than 1700' and clear a 50' obstacle, I'd probably not have
attempted a takeoff at Marlboro after lining up and looking at those
trees. They sure looked close and tall!

I'll admit to not looking at them again after beginning the takeoff roll
until I was in the air. I was afraid watching them get closer would
make me want to abort! :-)

The good thing is that the 182 is a pretty decent short-field performer,
especially once you get it into the air. I'm still amazed that it will
climb out at something like 61 MPH with takeoff flaps set. I may be a
little off on the speed as I'm going from 6 year-old memory, but it is
quite slow for an airplane that size and the deck angle is truly impressive.


Matt

[Matt Whiting]

Bob Noel wrote:

> In article >,
> "John Gaquin" > wrote:
>
>
>>I used to instruct at Norwood years ago and would take students to Marlboro
>>just to show them what the book was talking about. I love the place. Still
>>there, and apparently healthy.
>
>
> too bad we lost tewmac. :-(
>

What was tewmac?

Matt

[Bob Noel]

In article >,
Matt Whiting > wrote:

> >>I used to instruct at Norwood years ago and would take students to Marlboro
> >>just to show them what the book was talking about. I love the place.
> >>Still
> >>there, and apparently healthy.
> >
> > too bad we lost tewmac. :-(
>
> What was tewmac?

a small airport between KBED and KLWM in Mass. Famous (or infamous)
for its 28' wide runway (or was it 26'?)

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate

[John Gaquin]

"Matt Whiting" > wrote in message news:7b7gg.9229
>>
>
> What was tewmac?

a small airport in Tewksbury, MA, right on Rt 38.

http://www.tewksburyhistoricalsociety.org/Archives/ShortStories/tew-mac.html

pleasant place to go, little restaurant, nice folks. adequate length, but
very narrow. good place to teach centerline control. i would take people
over there in a 310. actually, no problem as long as you stayed on center.
runway was about 24 ft wide, so in a 310 you'd have about 5 ft each side of
the mains, iirc.

[Matt Whiting]

Bob Noel wrote:

> In article >,
> Matt Whiting > wrote:
>
>
>>>>I used to instruct at Norwood years ago and would take students to Marlboro
>>>>just to show them what the book was talking about. I love the place.
>>>>Still
>>>>there, and apparently healthy.
>>>
>>>too bad we lost tewmac. :-(
>>
>>What was tewmac?
>
>
> a small airport between KBED and KLWM in Mass. Famous (or infamous)
> for its 28' wide runway (or was it 26'?)

That is pretty narrow. I think the narrowest I've landed on was around
40'. Personally, though, I prefer more length to more width. :-)

Unless the cross wind is really gusty, 30' is plenty of runway width.


Matt

[Matt Whiting]

John Gaquin wrote:

> "Matt Whiting" > wrote in message news:7b7gg.9229
>
>>What was tewmac?
>
>
> a small airport in Tewksbury, MA, right on Rt 38.
>
> http://www.tewksburyhistoricalsociety.org/Archives/ShortStories/tew-mac.html

Yes, very sad...


Matt