Someone call the DOCTOR!!!!!
I cant get my hard on to go down!!!!!!
Well gents,
Last week was hectic to say the least but one for the memory warehouse.
I got to Ocala last Wednesday, and there she was sitting in the back of this hanger at Leeward fly in community.
With only 211 hours on it since 92, she really looked awesome! I spent the next two days agonizing over every detail, weighing out every aspect trying to find a reason not to buy it. Thank God I couldn't find one!
We got it back together Thursday afternoon and around 4:30 took it up for a test flight. At that point my wood started to get excited .
We took off, flew into the box and started to do some basic manuevers. 98R responded crisply to every command. Now it was time for the real test, Vertical Penetration. I weigh in at about 260lbs, Kevin is around 220, so little 98R had it's work cut out.
We dove down to about 190MPH and leveled off at 1700 ft, pulled into a 5g vertical upline and climbed to 3000 ft. The vertical penetration was awsome with the two fat boys riding along. I did a hammer head and we brought her in to land.
After trying to negotiate the final price all day long, with no luck I may add, as we taxied back I told Kevin, get his final price and I'll pay it, end of story.
Friday...
Not having more than 7 hours pitts time I still can't fly her solo. So I arranged for the guys at Emery, whom I flew with in March, to come up and fly me back to Spruce Creek Daytona FLA. Greg and another guy, Jamie, flew up in their Pitts. I drove my rental car to Ocala Intntl, while Jamie dropped off Greg to pick up 98R.
Departing Ocala Intntl...
Run Up.
Taking off in formation, Jamie takes the runway left side and we take the right side. Up comes the power and we are rolling.
Gregg pulls in nice and tight on Jamie's wing. Now I have to tell you I was just a bit nervous as well as siked!! Greg gives me a quick brief and then says, "Your Plane". I take the controls and I am holding a nice tight 45 off the other pitts. Thank you Aces High. After all the formation flying online, flying formation in real life was a breeze!!!
Now it was time to have some fun. First Jamie rolls inverted and we creep up under him mirror image. Then he rolls level and we roll inverted and try to creep into formation. Then Jamie and Greg fly a little 1 vs 1 combat.
View through the floor.
Then we are over Spruce Creek, Jamie calls, "Spruce Creek traffic, Pitts, formation of two will over fly mid field and entering a left downwind 5." As we enter the midfield Jamie breaks to enter the down wind and we follow a few seconds later nicely spaced for landing.
We spent Saturday wringing her out before the flight up the east coast back to Danbury Sunday morning.
To Be Continued...
BTW - If any of you guys find yourselves in Danbury and it's a nice day, let me know. We'll go have some fun, Pitts style!!
