The 2019-2020-2021-2022-2023 Flights

The 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 Flights

“Flying is like good music: it elevates the spirit and it's an exhilarating freedom. It's not a thrill thing or an adrenaline rush; it's engaging in a process that takes focus and commitment." - Harrison Ford

Flight 679/February 2, 2019- Wow. I forgot to go flying in January. Between the weather and other interruptions, I couldn't squeeze it in. So...I guess flying in February is the plan. I found a nice weather window on a Wednesday afternoon and decided to give it a try. I launched in N3082U around 1 p.m. and made a beeline for Spokane International Airport-about 10 miles away. I wanted to make a couple of quick touch and go landings to maintain my currency to carry passengers. After a little detour to the north to avoid a landing airliner, ATC pointed me in the right direction and I was cleared to land, however this wasn't in the plan for the United B-737 about 10 miles out. He was the lucky recipient of a "can you slow down, there's a Cessna 172 on final for runway two-one," request from the controller. Yes...the United guy had to reduce speed and wait for little ole me. I touched the runway, firewalled the throttle, lifted off, then expidited my turn away from the runway to give the guy a break. I'm sure the tower crew gets a kick out of this. It provides a little variety for their day. The airline guy got back at me, though. He flared for about half the 11,000 foot runway, causing me to go halfway to Montana on my downwind leg to wait out his wake turbulence. Another quick smack on the pavement and I'm outta here. I went south and did a few turns, took a few snapshots, and plodded back to Felts Field for my 3rd landing of the day. (0.8/648.3)

Flight 680/March 5, 2019- After nearly 2 hours of chipping the ice away from the hangar door, (a result of the airport "improvements" that paved all the remaining grassy areas next to the hangars, eliminating any drainage and creating a perfect splash pad next to the doors to freeze the snow into a solid block of ice on the door tracks), I take to the skies in the Rocket on a clear, cold day. But, it's kinda bumpy with the breeze a 1.500 feet above the ground. I cruise around the lake, take some snaps, and head back to the field for a nifty cross-wind landing. (1.2/649.5)

Flight 681/March 14, 2019- Another flight with just me. I wander south of town in the Rocket and take aerial pictures of the little towns on the Palouse. It didn't take nearly as long to chip the ice away from the door. (1.2/650.7)

Flight 682/March 21, 2019- Winter flying is best, especially when there is not wind or fog. A cruise around Mt. Spokane in the Rocket and take a few snaps. It's a busy day and I squeeze in for a landing and get off runway 4 Left quickly...but...I don't pull fully past the hold short line.. The tower lady advises me to pull foward to clear the runway and I comply, then I'm given permission to cross Runway 4 Right and change to ground frequency. Then...the ground controller chews me out for the same thing! My, they are a bit crabby today. (0.9/651.6)

Flight 683/May 9, 2019- I forgot to fly in April. I gotta make up for it. I take my friend Byron up for a flight on a nice-llooking Thursday. Little did I know that there were a lot of bumps hiding in that clear sky. We rattle off to the west--destination: Electric City and Grand Coulee Dam. I had requested VFR flight-following, but the controller only gave me a local code and dumps me at Davenport. So...I call Seattle Center and get back in to the system. I had texted my friend Dave before the flight to see if he wanted to have lunch in his home town...I'm buying. He does. Byron and I make landfall around 11 a.m. and taxi to parking in the transient area. I hear the rumble of a 4-wheeler and Dave rolls up. "Why didn't you park at my hangar," he asks? "I dunno," was my reply. "I was so busy hanging on to the airplane I didn't have time to look and see if you were there." Dave goes back to get his truck and we pile in for the ride to town. I have him stop at the dam overlook for some pix and his brother John shows up. Our food choice is the restaurant at the Coulee Dam Casino, just across the bridge. It's senior citizen day! We sign up for the slot players club and receive a $10 voucher for the restaurant. I have a great French dip sandwich and feed 4 people for $11 plus tip. Back to the field and a tour of Dave & John's hangar. Byron zips off on the 4-wheeler to visit the brother of a railroader co-worker that we saw on the way back from lunch. Fun time is over, back to the plane and the sky. I take off over the dam, take some pix, then follow the river in my climb to stay out of the bumps. As we get closer to town, the river following doesn't work, so back into the bumps. I pick up Spokane Approach and he keeps me above 5,000 to allow for Air Force tanker traffic in their wide pattern for Fairchild Air force Base. Keeping a steady altitude sucks with the bouncy thermals. I get past and am cleared to lower altitudes and contact Felts Tower. They give me a long final over downtown to Runway 4 Left...then...at the last minute switch me to 4 Right. Easy. Smooth cross wind landing and back to the hangar. (2.0/653.6)

Flight 686/May 30, 2019-Just a quick 2 landings at Spokane International and some manuevers in the practice area to keep current. (1.1/654.7)

Flight 687/June 24, 2019- It's a Monday evening around 7:30 p.m. What! Another bienniel flight review? Well...yes. Tommy wanted to clear up an FAA snafu on my Wings account, so I'm back at the controls of the SuperPlane. I leaned in this Cessna 172 but it's now been tricked out with 180 horsepower, dual Garmin G-5's, autopilot, flight director, ADS-B, and a bunch of other stuff I don't know how to operate. However, I can handle the "keep the airplane in the air" controls and that's why we're here. We start with some instrument flight just after takeoff. Tom puts the little foggy glasses on me so I can't see the sky or horizon and tells me where to go. I need to keep a reference on the little artificial horizon gizmo, and hold altitude, as he tells me which way to turn and a heading to maintain. Then we move onto turns. I do a couple standard rate turns, steep turns, turns around a point, etc. Now, slow flight. I slow the plane down to around 55-60 miles per hour (not knots) and hold altitude and heading, then turns at that speed. Now stalls. Yes....make the plane stop flying, then save it as it careens toward the earth! Then we move on to landings and go-arounds. The Felts field tower controllers have gone home for the night so we're on our own. I announce our intentions and we enter the pattern for some touch and go landings. I do a couple regular and short field landings, then on my 3rd downwind leg, Tom pulls the power off. Gonna make a real short approach. I almost touch down then he announces "frog on the runway!" I push in the power and up we go...sort of. Oh...yeah, the flaps. Now we're flying. Another landing and we're done. Yay! (1.2/655.9)

Flight 688/June 25, 2019-I did a quick flight in N3082U before her annual inspection runs out. It might be awhile before I can fly her again. A bumpy day to the south so I cruised over the lake in smoother air. It was so bumpy my phone dropped on the floor, so no selfies. (1.0/656.9)

Flight 689/July 19, 2019- I hoped this day wouldn't arrive, but it was inevitable. The Rocket has been sold. She will be moving to her new home in Las Vegas very soon. This will be my last flight in my favorite airplane, just short of 20 years since I first got involved in this crazy hobby and 17 years since our group purchased her from Don Wilcox. I decided I needed a special flight on this Friday morning and the weather seemed to be cooperative. It's a routine fight and, as always, I request VFR flight following to 66S, better known as Cavanaugh Bay and Priest Lake Idaho. It's a grass strip and rental planes are rarely allowed here and usually require an expensive checkout. I meander past Mt. Spokane, then south of Newport, then turn north up the Priest River valley. I always enjoy flying over this area, especially where they logged a dozen sections of land into a checkerboard pattern. I fly over the airport at about 1,000 feet to check the wind and the sock seems to be limp. Perfect! I like to land from the north and take off to the north to avoid the hills at the south end of the runway. Everything looks good so I announce my intentions, circle out over the lake, and enter a right base entry to the runway. A nice stabilized approach and I touch down in the worn spot where everybody else lands and let her roll out to the end of the runway. I notice as I pass it that the sock is showing a slight breeze from the south, but I don't think that will be too much of an issue. Trying to take off to the south requires more power than the Rocket has, as the runway is sloped uphill for about 3,000 feet. I roll to the end of the runway and turn around, announce my intentions, and firewall the throttle. The Rocket rolls and we climb the inclined runway, reach the crest and start downhill. I've got the yoke back for the short field takeoff but I can feel that slight tailwind pushing the tail a bit. I finally lift off at my go/no go spot and she starts climbing. Now the goal is to miss the trees, street guard rail, cars, restaurant, docks, boats, etc. As usual, I'm exaggerating. I clear all of that stuff by 150 feet or so, but it's always in my mind.Well crap! I notice I still had some flaps hanging out. That's why she took longer to get airborne. Sheesh! Stupid pilot trick. I fly out over the pristine lake, turn south and take a few photos, and climb to miss the mountains on the way back to Felts Field. The skies are clear, there's no wind, and it's a nice flight back to home, a smooth touchdown, and the end of a 17-year love affair with this sweet little bird. It's a bittersweet day. (1.6/658.5)

Flight 690/October 16, 2019- A warm fall afternoon. My instructor Tommy and I are working on the pilot association trailer, replacing the roof vent and trailer light plug. Wit that done, tom says, 'you wanna go flying?" I've had a rough couple of days with my back issues but, with Tom in the right seat, it should be OK. The airport ATIS is out of service but we get the taxi info and head for the runway. The controller seems very busy and is using 4 left for all the traffic. All set to go, I get the clearance and we zoom into the sky, watching for a couple helicopters around the airport. Off to the south and a little wandering with some non-aviation chit-chat. Tom's reasonably confident that I won't hit anything, but I can see that he's paying attention to what I'm doing. We check out a couple of the bays and turn for home. I contact approach and get a code, noting that there is no weather info Felts. she gives us the weather and we're all set. I'm passed on to Felts tower and get instructions to a base entry and land on 4 Right. All is good. Except my brain has 4 Left stuck in it. As I start to line up, that gets Tommy's attention and he corrects my error. DOH! I confirm with tower that they said 4 Right then slide over to line up with the correct runway. It could have been an oopsie. I'm glad that Tom was paying attention. Yep, after 3 months, I'm rusty. (0.7/659.2)

Flight 691/April 1, 2021-It's been a looooooong time since I drove an airplane. And, since I didn't fly at all in 2020, and my flight frequency has reduced significantly, I decided to combine this logbook section into several years. Tommy needed to go to Colville to pick up some parts and chat with the guy that just painted the SuperPlane, so he invited me to go along. Tom flew up to Colville, or rather, the autopilot flew to Colville, except for the takeoff, pattern work, final approach, and landing. Tome chats with the painter, I wander to the pilot lounge and grab a bottle of water (leaving a dollar in the donation box). When I get back, it's time to leave. I crawl into the left seat and fire up the engine, taxi to runway 19, do the run-up, and putt onto the runway. Like I said, it's been a long time. Feet on the brakes, full power, pull back the yoke, release the brakes, and let her 180 horses roll. Without having to pull back again, she lifts off the runway by herself about 1,500 feet down the 2,700 foot runway. Tommy says we should fly to his cabin on the Columbia River at Seven Bays Airport and suggests we follow the River. I turn north toward Kettle Falls and, in a few minutes, we're over the river and headed south. It's a nice lazy flight, with some friendly chit-chat, and my goal is to maintain my altitude. None of this autopilot crap. I want to fly the plane.

We cruise down the river, I spot the little ferry boat and take a photo, look for my sister's property, and just generally enjoy the anti-gravity experience. It's time to start me descent to Seven Bays so I pull the power back, add some trim, and slow down. Tom points out a shiny roof to aim for as my final approach target so I plan my landing pattern. Slow down, descend, turn base, then final approach over the sewage lagoon. Yep, the smelly approach. Nice glide, flare, and smooth soft-field touch down on the grass. I pull back hard, and manage to slow the plane down so we make the mid-field turn-off to Tommy's cabin without having to back-taxi. We chat with the neighbors, (who flock over to tom's place when they see an airplane land), check out some of Tom's remodeling work, have some chili for lunch, and run the 4-wheeler down to the marina. We're back into flying mode, and I'm back into the left seat for our trip home. I start her up, but let Tom taxi across the gravel and on to the grass. Run up checks are done, and here I go. Tom suggest about 10 degrees of flap on this takeoff and a little lighter pull on the yoke. I lift off about 1,500 feet down the runway, but he suggests my takeoff climb is a bit steep and slow, so I push the yoke in a bit. Tom suggests a turn to the right to circle over the lake to get out of the canyon. Up we go to around 4,500 feet. We see some KC-135 tankers off to the south, and a forest fire (in April?) off to the northeast. Tommy suggest that I drop down to 4,000 to see if we can avoid vectors away from the heavy tanker traffic, but they catch us anyway, and ATC pushes me off to the northeast to avoid their traffic patten to Fairchild Air Force Base. We check the weather. Hmmm. Felts Field has winds at 15 knots, gusting to 25. I was thinking of doing a touch and go, so I could get three landings...now I just want to get on the pavement without bending anything. Maybe it will get better. I finally get permission to resume navigation direct to Felts Field. We check the weather again. It's much better. Only 14 knots, gusting to 23. Over the ridge on base leg to 22 Left. I'm high and fast. Pull the power to idle. Now I'm descending and fast. Get to the guide slope. Now I'm level....and too fast. Touch the runway. The plane is still flying too fast and bounces up. Runway touch number two. Yep, still fast, and bounce. Finally, she slows down enough to land. Turned off at the end. Instructor critiques crappy technique and refuses to give me credit for three landings. (1.1/660.3)

Flight 692/November 2,2021- It's a few months later and I decide I really need to get my FAA Wings flight review finished. I had completed a third of the items back in April, but there are still a few things left to do. Of course, it's a return to the SuperPlane, Tom's 180 HP Cessna 172. Start with a short-field take off, reasonably executed. Ceilings are somewhat low but enough to get some stalls in. As usual, I consider my primary function to keep the plane flying at all times. This crap about intentionally forcing the aircraft to fall out of the sky makes absolutely no sense to me! But, I relunctantly oblige, slow down and pull the yoke back. Power on, power off, turning, ugh. Mostly reasonably recovered. Slow-flight. Easy. Again, keep the damn thing from stalling. Lotsa rudder activity. I have a friends airplane sitting at Mead that I'd like to check out so i suggest we stop there for a look see. Well, Tom says, ceilings are still a concern, but we might have time. I head for that field for a look a few hundred feet above pattern altitude and, sure enough, Tom pulls the power and calls for an emergency. I am way high, but set best glide and start heading for the earth. Time for a forward slip. It's sloppy but succesful. I'm waiting for him to call this off and head for home, but he lets me know that he wants me on that pavement, the cad. OK...I make the runway, don't break anything, and don't run off the end. That's good. Not enough time to wander around looking for airplanes. Let's go home. I manage to do a reasonable short field landing, stop, do a soft-field take-off. OK. Then attempt a soft-field landing. Blah. Come back around and try again, Semi-blah, but acceptable. That's enough, let's put this away. I critique my short comings as we taxi, and Tom says that, for someone who hasn't flown for 7 months, he is impressed on how well I did. (1.2/661.5)

Flight 693/November 17, 2021-What a nice day. I'm goofing around on the computer, the sun is out, it's about 25 degrees and Tom is always looking for an excuse to go flying. I decide to be his excuse. Let's go to Electric City and have lunch with a couple of pilot friends. We gas up the plane and I take my place in the left seat. I call for flight following and am given a code and instruction to fly at 320 degrees at or below 3,500 feet. Nice take-off and turn to the northwest. After a couple minutes the controller advises to "resume own naviagation" so I turn west and start to climb. The pesky guy in the right seat takes a moment to let me know that I didn't get my altitude restriction lifted with that ATC instruction. Oops. Yep, still a rusty pilot. I finally get to climb to 4,500 and spend the next 45 minutes maintaining my altitude, staying on course, looking at the scenery and blabbing with Tom. Spokane Tracon passed me on to Seattle Center and they uncerimoniously dump me about 20 miles from my destination. No worries. Who could possibly be out here in the middle of nowhere? Well, there's one student pilot doing touch and go's at Grand Coulee, that's who. He is using runway 4. At about 10 miles I announce our intentions and my brain says "lewft downwind for runway 4" but "runway 22" comes out of my mouth. Oops! Rusty pilot error number 2. Argh! I slow the plane down, start my descent, making sure to clear all of the high-voltage power lines and towers that are on the ridges above the airport, and enter my downwind leg over the lake. Add some flaps, turn base, turn final, nice approach, over the threshold, almost on the ground, hold her off......then....blammo! A perfect carrier landing! I'm sure I would have caught the first wire! Yep. The plane stopped flying a couple feet above the pavement. I miss the Rocket's 40 degree flaps. I taxi to the private hangars at the north end of the field and park in front of Dave and John's hangar. We catch up on the local news from Dave, John shows up, and we climb into Dave's truck for the short ride to town. Our usual restaurant is closed, another Covid victim, so we settle in at the Electric City Bar and Grill. After some good food and nice chat, back to the airport and back in the air. It's a back-taxi to runway 4, run up, and nice takeoff. Out over the dam and a right turn towards home. I climb up to 5,500 and call Center for flight following, and get a code. Hmm. We had a headwind flying west. Now we have a headwind flying east. Center passes me to Spokane Approach about 25 miles out, so I start looking for the weather at home. I get it and advise we have info "November." There's a lot of chatter on the frequency but I finally figure out that she is telling us the correct info at Felts is "Sierra." Tom and I both thought we heard, "November." Ugh. Rusty pilot oops #3. The Air Force tankers are doing pattern work at Fairchild AFB, so ATC keeps me above 5,500. They finally let me descend and toss me to Felts Tower. Busy, so I get a 3-mile base over downtown for 4 Left. Nice approach, much better landing. No instructors injured. (1.9/663.4)

Flight 694/January 4, 2023-Out of the blue, I get a text from Tommy asking if I would like to go flying. Sure! It's a nice winter day. The goal: get both of us current. Um...OK. We pull 457BC out and Tom says for me to take the left seat and he will fly from the right. Um...OK. It been 14 months. I climb in, taxi to runway 4 left, do the takeoff checklist, and he takes over. Tom does a flawless first landing, a carrier landing, and anothere flwless landing. We are following a student who is flying the world's largest pattern. Must be a real newbie. I was there once. On Toms thrird landing rollout, he passes control to me and it's "game on!" Throttle in, carb heat in, Tom reminds me on falps (oh..yeah), and I'm in the air. Yay! I'm flying! Then...the tower controller asks if we can take runway 4 right. before I can react, Tom advises that we can do that. I did not get a vote! Did I mention that it's been 14 months since I did this, and the right runway is 2,300 feet shorter than the left runway? Crap! OK...focus. Turn crosswind, slow down, slow down, slow down, flaps, long downwind, slow down, more flaps, slow down, more flaps, then......a greaser! Whee! Power up for another. Same drill, over the numbers...and...blamo! I stick the runway with an aircraft carrier landing. Enough of this, I ask, "where should we go now?" Tom say, are you going to do a third landing to get currency? I answer, "well, somebody has to land this airplane one more time." Logical. We head south for some wandering. I fly about 20 miles east over our cabin, take a few snaps of the icy bay and turn back.Get the weather, call tower, set up for a base entry to runway 4 right. The student is still out there and apparently, he is still making big patterns. The controller asks him, "why are you flying B-52 size patterns?" I don't think the student's instructor was amused. ( But he was so far out, there would be nowhere to go if he had a problem). Anyway, back to the task at hand. Slow down, flaps, enter base leg, flaps, slow down, flaps.....squeek! Another greaser! Yay! (1.0/664.4)

Flight 695/May 13, 2023-Tom thought it would be good for me to get current in the aircraft so we bopped up to Deer Park for a few touch and go's. I was able to do three moderately acceptable landings. Tom does three of his own from the right seat. I take back over and direct the aircraft to the northeast toward Priest Lake. I head that way for awhile, pass Newport, then head back for the barn.(1.0/665.4)

Flight 696//October 18, 2023-I'm in Las Vegas for the NBAA trade show and meet up with pilot friend Jeff Lustick for a flight in his Cessna 182 Turbo. This is Jeff's show so I just hang on. We depart North Las Vegas, fly north around Nellis AFB then over Hoover Dam and south along the Colorado River. Jeff Lands at Bullhead City, Arizona. Not much to do around here unless we take a cab across the river to the casinos in Laughlin, Nevada, so Jeff taxis back and we lift off to the northwest. Jeff tosses me the airplane so I fly us from north of Bullhead, around some craggy looking mountains and towrd Jean, Nevada. I give the controls back to Jeff for the landing and we slide onto the ramp. This airport is full of aerobatic aircraft. We have stumbled upon the International Advanced Aerobatic Club world championships, and the folks are here practicing prior to the competition that starts on the weekend. We wander around the planes, watch the pilots do their ground practice for their flight, (it's kind of a dance), then take off for Las Vegas about 20 miles to the north. Jeff does a great job weaving through this very busy, congested airspace and gets us back to North Las Vegas Airport.(0.2/665.6)

Flight 697/November 18, 2023-Well, we're back! It's time for my biennial flight review. The weather has been iffy, with low clouds and fog. We tried Thursday, but it turned crappy, and the same on Friday. So here I am on Saturday morning. The weather window is short with the ceilings just barely VFR, so today will be takeoffs and landings. it's a long story, but suffice to say, it takes me a number of attempts to get things right. Oh sure, my normal takeoffs and landing are fine, my soft field takeoffs and landing are survivable, my short field landing is moderately OK, but my short field takeoffs suck! Try again...try again...try again. Dagnabbit, Al, 70 mph on climb! Not 80, not 75, not 85...70. It was ugly, but I finally get it right. Ceilings are dropping. Enough for today. (1.2/666.8)

Flight 698/November 20,2023-It's Monday and time to wrap up this biennial. After a short visit to the dentist, I head to SFF and meet Tommy. He has just changed the oil in the Superplane and it needs some exercise, so this is a perfect opportunity. We head just north of the airport into the practice area and start off with soome instrument flight. That's where he puts some special glasses over my eyes so I can't see outside. Hold altitude and turn to a heading using only instruments reference. Then unusual attitude recovery. I put my head down, he takes the controls, flops the plane around so it's not flying straight and level, then I have to return it to normal flight by looking at the instrucments. Then, slow flight. This is where I fly the aircraft as slow as it can possibly operate without stalling. I maintain my altitude and heading, then do a right 360 degree turn and a left 360. Then....stalls. For some odd reason, pilots are required to make the airplane stop flying, and fall out of the sky! This is madness! Of course, my evil instructor tells me to do this as I'm in a slow flight turn. Is he crazy? Apparently, he is. OK, I stall this sucker and manage to recover, but dive too much. A few more and he is satisfied. It's getting a little busy so we pop over the mountain to the Newman Lake area for steep turns. I set up for a turn and it's sloppy. On my second try, I maintain the turn and altitude with a passable success. Then, I do turns around a point. Again, sloppy first one, but #2 meets the standard. Tom goes over the checklist and determines that I have performed the required maneuvers. Since the plane needs to get more flight time, he tells me to just go fly. So I head to Coeur d'Alene and down the lake. Back to felts for a nice squeaker landing. I gotta fly more. Only 16 hours over the last 5 years. (1.4/668.2)

Flight 699/December 28, 2023- Time for a "just fly and have fun" flight. Tom and I take off from Felts Field toward Davenport, WA about 30 miles west. Nice smooth day with some high cirrus above and fog in the river valleys. I skirt the GEG runway 21 approach then climb to about 4,000 feet over north Spokane and make a beeline for Davenport (68S). As we get closer, I line up for a long final to runway 24. We don't see anyone around on ADS/B so should be OK with a straight-in approach. I haven't been here for a number of years and, as we get closer, I notice that the runway has been shortened by a couple hundred feet. Probably to avoid low approaches over the adjacent houses. Aaaaiiiiieeeee. OK, not really a problem.. It's still 3,200 feet long. I drop in and do a touch and go. Right turn out and head east. The fog in the river valleys look cool. I decide to go to Deer Park (DEW) for another touch and go. Nice flight. There's one person in the pattern. I coordinate and enter the pattern for runway 16 and another T&G. OK landing. Back to Felts and another OK landing.(1.2/669.4)

Flight 700/February 17, 2024- Tom's been trying to put time on the plane before it goes into it's annual inspection, and I am happy to oblige. It's a nice day and little airplanes are everywhere. We leave Felts and head north, just goofing around. Tome wants to go to Coeur d'Alene to fill up with AvGas and it about $1 cheaper there. But, let's but some time on the plane. So I fly up past Newport, WA and up the valley toward Priest Lake. There's a lot of traffic around Sandpoint, Idaho so I'm not going that far east. Turning south after a few photos I see more traffic but nothing serious. I'm always a little nervous going in to COE because it is usually such a shit show...and today is not an exception. I go to the west and enter a left base for runway 6, with most of the excitement on runway 2. I'm high, so put on the brakes to flow down and lose altitude and speed. Enter final...still high. Reduce throttle. Still high. full flaps. Getting lower. Over the threshold. Nasty crosswind and crabbing. Sloppy crabbing, so lower wing, too high, early flair. Shitty landing that instructor (and plane owner) needs to save. Damn! OK, taxi to the fuel island. It's cold, the pump keeps rejuect the transaction. We give up. (Later after calling the FBO, they say the pump system is down. It would have been nice if they would have put up a sign.) One high point: There is a classic Beech Starship parked on the ramp near the pumps. No gas, time to haul ass. We wait for a helicopter to land then taxi to runway 2 and I do an intersection takeoff to the north. This 180 hp engine creates a lot of yaw and requires a lot of right rudder on takeoff. memo to self (and advised by my instructor), pay attention and lighten up on the rudder during the climb. I turn west to Spokane, enter a left downwind for 4L and make another C- grade landing. Argh. But...a big note: This was my 700th flight as a pilot. Wow! It's been since August 1999 since I started this journey. It's still fun. (1.5/670.9)

Flight 701/March 18, 2024-Time for some cross-country flying. We're off to Electric City by Grand Coulee Dam-one of my favorite places to fly in to. I leave Felts Field on runway 22 Right and am directed to turn to 280 and stay below 3,500 to avoid inbound jet traffic to Spokane international. As usual, allowed to resume own navigation so turn due west. Of course, it's a nice day to fly over the wheat fields. I hear a student doing landings at 3W7 as I announce 10 miles out and start my descent. I turn downwind over the lake and make my approach to the runway. Another survivable landing and I taxi over to Dave and John Whitelaw's hangar. After sitting in the sun and chatting with Dave, John, airport manager Bob Babler, and another neighbor, it's back to the air for the flight home. I take off to the north and turn east with a nice view of Grand Coulee Dam and just enjoy the view. As always, I contact Spokane approach and they direct me to pass to the north of Spokane International, then turn me over to Felts tower. They direct me to a right downwind to runway 22 Right. It's another survivable landing. (0.7/671.8)

Flight 702/May 30. 2024-A nice day and time to get current in my landings. I'm in the left seat and blast out of Felts Field. Destination: Deer Park (KDEW) for a couple of touch and goes. My first attempt is too fast and I bounce. My second attempt is much better and passes muster from the instructor. I then just wander to the east toward Mt. Spokane, cross over into Idaho, then back into Washington and to Felts Field for my third landing. Much better. (1.3/673.1)

Flight 703/October 30, 2024-I got bored watching TV and I couldn't come up with any projects to do. I give Tom a call and he thinks flying is a good idea. After topping off the left tank with Mogas, I hop in and taxi to runway 04 Right, do the runup, and scream into the sky, making a right turn to the south. The goal today is to burn off some of that Mogas, then top the airplane off with 100LL AvGas for the winter flying months. I fly south, trying to keep the plane at about 3,500 so Tom doesn't get altitude sickness. I just keep going south over the Palouse, then turn east just past Tekoa Mountain-keeping a sharp eye out for paraglider traffic. The Tekoa airport is to my left as we head into Idaho. I then turn north over US 95 and fly toward Plummer. Tim gets nervous as I am heading into some hills, then I point to a gap that I'm aiming for. I pop through and am aiming for the Coeur d'Alene Casino. I turn east again, then circle around our lake home neighborhood and follow the lake north to Coeur d'Alene airport, where Tom wants to buy fuel. We contact the tower (yep, a temporary tower in place for the fire tankers based in COE), and they advise a straight-in for runway 02 and report a 2-mile final. I look around and aim for a water tower that I guess is about right. Yep...perfect. I set up for a landing and tower advises that wind has shifted to a 6-knot quartering tailwind. Well, long runway, it shouldn't be a problem. I touch down with a greaser landing, but Tom adds a little aileron with the crosseind. Drat! I should have done that. I taxi to the gas pump and Tom fills her up on both sides. After a top off, I fire her up and taxi to an intersection takeoff for runway24. Up I go and head straight for home. Felts gives me a right downwind for runway 4 Right and I drop it in for a squeaker! Yay! (1.5/674.6)

18th PIC Logbook 2018 Flights

17th PIC Logbook (2017 Flights)

16th PIC Logbook (2016 Flights)

15th Pilot In Command Logbook (2015 Flights)

14^th Pilot In Command Logbook (2014 Flights)

13^th Pilot In Command Logbook (2013 Flights)

12^th Pilot In Command Logbook (2012 Flights)

11th Pilot In Command Logbook (2011 Flights)

Tenth Pilot In Command Logbook (2010 Flights)

Ninth Pilot In Command Logbook (2009 Flights)

Eighth Pilot In Command Logbook (2008 Flights)

Seventh Pilot In Command Logbook (2007 Flights)