Days as a hanger rat

Viperdoc wrote:
You can tell you're a hangar rat when you spend more time futzing around in
the hangar than you actually do flying.

Example: flew 1.1 hours today- spent four hours washing/waxing the plane
(still not done), emptying garbage cans, adjusted the gas powered tug,
played with the dog, tried to fly my son's RC plane on the ramp (not a great
idea when it nearly hit my plane), took a nap on a patio chair, got the wife
to help wax the plane (even on mother's day), and then came home.

It's kind of our summer home at the airport- wait until we start the Weber
up again, then it'll be even longer hours!


Sounds like you covered some of the more important bases:
1) Commit aviation
2) Playing with the dog (especially if it's the airport dog)
3) Taking that all important nap in the patio chair
4) Futz around in hanger/on the plane

Not a bad day's work at the hanger if you ask me.

Yikes, watch out for RC airplanes on the ramp, eh? :-)


--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL-IA Student
Arrow N2104T

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth
with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there
you will always long to return"
- Leonardo Da Vinci

(Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail)

That sounds like a perfect day spent. And remember that time spent at the
airport is not deducted from your lifespan!

Shawn


"Viperdoc" wrote in message
...
You can tell you're a hangar rat when you spend more time futzing around
in the hangar than you actually do flying.

Example: flew 1.1 hours today- spent four hours washing/waxing the plane
(still not done), emptying garbage cans, adjusted the gas powered tug,
played with the dog, tried to fly my son's RC plane on the ramp (not a
great idea when it nearly hit my plane), took a nap on a patio chair, got
the wife to help wax the plane (even on mother's day), and then came home.

It's kind of our summer home at the airport- wait until we start the Weber
up again, then it'll be even longer hours!

I just have to get my wife convinced that there is value in filing five
volumes worth of Jepp charts and I'll have it made!

Jack,
For an unpowered hangar, a battery and a solar panel will do nicely as
a power source... There are all kinds of 12v appliances that can be had
to make the hangar a better hang out... Check into some of the boating
chat groups for gobs of information - examples...

http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/great-loop

Also, the RV chat groups will have info... I'll let you look them up...
And a google will bring up ten thousand web sites...

Besides the battery(s) and solar panel(s) you also need a charge
controller to keep from boiling the battery(s)...
A portable air tank is handy for large amounts of air, blowing things
off, inflating a flat tire, etc., and can be pumped up at home or using
a friends compressor...
I have an 80 gallon compressor in the shop but we still use the
portable tank all over the farm - and keep it charged and ready at all
times..
A 12v tire pump is great for topping off the tires and will run off
your battery system, or the car, etc... I've used it on the plane, on
the road, and out in the field many a time...
A camping, portable, 12v fluorescent light, will be useful...
The car/travel 12v coolers that use solid state heat convertors will
make a handy cooler for the barbecue party / saturday night at the
airport...
12v fans for the muggly days...

You will find that 110/220v power in the hangar is not necessary,
especially if that hangar comes with a higher price and a monthly
electric bill...

denny

You will find that 110/220v power in the hangar is not necessary,
especially if that hangar comes with a higher price and a monthly
electric bill...

???

How are you s'posed to keep the beer cold???

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

Jack,

"Jack Allison"
Yesterday's mission: bug killing. Bug bombed the hanger (after pulling
the plane out...went flying while bugs were dying).

I remember the first week I was in my new hangar (part dirt and part asphalt
floor). I had "bugs" too.

I go to the airport and park my car in front of the hangar with the front
end facing into the hanger. The hangar is not cleaned
out, the doors are a beast to open, the electric doesn't work and there are
these HUGE FRICKIN' INSECTS nesting in there!!! They're big, black, ugly,
ant/hornet-like mutant intergalactic, people-eating aliens!! I swear to
God! I will attach a picture.

These things actually dive-bombed me when I was attempting to open my hanger
door! They swarmed around my head and face forcing me to retreat to my car
shrilling like a seven year-old girl!

Just before I could pull the car door shut, one uninvited pest rudely buzzed
in, repelling me out of the car by shear reflex. I leapt out, arms out in
front of me high dive fashion, body horizontal to the ground, when I begin
to noodle my situation: "Hmmm, did I put the car in first gear!?" Then
everything went in slow motion. Body still horizontal, seeing lots of
asphalt coming up into my face, envisioning headline that reads, "Man seen
diving out of car and carried away by carnivorous insects as driverless car
totals his new airplane parked in hanger".

By shear luck or the divine grace of God the car was still in neutral and
stayed put. I saw the beast fly out the still open door and I dove back in
and made a beeline (no pun intended) out of there! I went straight home not
knowing what to do. Then in my garage was the solution. On my workbench
was an old tennis racket. It just lay there like Excalibur beckoning me for
an illustrious battle!

Now armed, I return to the front line to recapture my hanger. As I pull up
I see two friends of mine at their hanger. Ahhh reinforcements!! To make a
long story short we swat about five of these monsters, put them in a baggie
and reclaim the lost hanger.

I left one of the dead carcasses at the airport manager's office to
research. They didn't get one dime out of me until those creatures were
evicted!!

Gene





Also used up a can
and a half of wasp spray, the stuff that kills them on contact from 20
ft. away. Found two birds nests (unoccupied). Basically, all critters
not paying hanger rent have been eliminated.

Power sure would be nice. I have a friend who has rigged up a couple of
solar panels and he powers a couple of fluorescent lights and a radio
from them. If we get a chance to move to a hanger with power, we'd
probably go for it.

--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL-IA Student
Arrow N2104T

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth
with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there
you will always long to return"
- Leonardo Da Vinci

(Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail)

Hmmm, I'll count my blessings in that my bugs were just ordinary wasps.
Rumor has it there was a black widow in the hanger as well (never saw
it but I do expect to find them as it's a perfect place for them).


--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL-IA Student
Arrow N2104T

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth
with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there
you will always long to return"
- Leonardo Da Vinci

(Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail)

looks like a hornet to me.

Send me the pics Kobra... Jon Kraus

Kobra wrote:
Jack,


"Jack Allison"
Yesterday's mission: bug killing. Bug bombed the hanger (after pulling
the plane out...went flying while bugs were dying).


I remember the first week I was in my new hangar (part dirt and part asphalt
floor). I had "bugs" too.

I go to the airport and park my car in front of the hangar with the front
end facing into the hanger. The hangar is not cleaned
out, the doors are a beast to open, the electric doesn't work and there are
these HUGE FRICKIN' INSECTS nesting in there!!! They're big, black, ugly,
ant/hornet-like mutant intergalactic, people-eating aliens!! I swear to
God! I will attach a picture.

These things actually dive-bombed me when I was attempting to open my hanger
door! They swarmed around my head and face forcing me to retreat to my car
shrilling like a seven year-old girl!

Just before I could pull the car door shut, one uninvited pest rudely buzzed
in, repelling me out of the car by shear reflex. I leapt out, arms out in
front of me high dive fashion, body horizontal to the ground, when I begin
to noodle my situation: "Hmmm, did I put the car in first gear!?" Then
everything went in slow motion. Body still horizontal, seeing lots of
asphalt coming up into my face, envisioning headline that reads, "Man seen
diving out of car and carried away by carnivorous insects as driverless car
totals his new airplane parked in hanger".

By shear luck or the divine grace of God the car was still in neutral and
stayed put. I saw the beast fly out the still open door and I dove back in
and made a beeline (no pun intended) out of there! I went straight home not
knowing what to do. Then in my garage was the solution. On my workbench
was an old tennis racket. It just lay there like Excalibur beckoning me for
an illustrious battle!

Now armed, I return to the front line to recapture my hanger. As I pull up
I see two friends of mine at their hanger. Ahhh reinforcements!! To make a
long story short we swat about five of these monsters, put them in a baggie
and reclaim the lost hanger.

I left one of the dead carcasses at the airport manager's office to
research. They didn't get one dime out of me until those creatures were
evicted!!

Gene





Also used up a can

and a half of wasp spray, the stuff that kills them on contact from 20
ft. away. Found two birds nests (unoccupied). Basically, all critters
not paying hanger rent have been eliminated.

Power sure would be nice. I have a friend who has rigged up a couple of
solar panels and he powers a couple of fluorescent lights and a radio
from them. If we get a chance to move to a hanger with power, we'd
probably go for it.

--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL-IA Student
Arrow N2104T

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth
with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there
you will always long to return"
- Leonardo Da Vinci

(Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail)