Nice day for flying

[84KF 4]

Today was nice in SE Michigan, and it should stay this way for the next few days. So naturally one has to go flying.

  N84KF is running great, starts right up at the first turn of the key even after sitting for a week or so. I did notice (@ preflight) a small drip of coolant from one of the hoses that run to the cabin heater but a quick tightening of the hose clamp cured that. The antifreeze smell gave it away...kinda like my old car when the heater core went bad. No big deal and it's the first issue I've had with the entire aircraft since I got it. Old man Ray did a fine job, and I think his years of owning and working on certificated aircraft is the reason 84KF is built to what I see as high standards. No mick Mouse stuff...all by the book and aircraft quality materials.

Still playing with approach and landing speeds.... 53 55 mph w/1st flaps on short final works well, slower if you want to drag it on with a bit of power. It lets ya know when you get to slow... it starts to sink fast, but a bit of rpm lifts it right up again. 

Tomorrow might be the first flight for N84KF to a towered airport, KPTK, where I have some dope and fabric work waiting for me. The thing is..., I will drive 15 miles west to get the plane,... then fly 35 miles east to the other airport. I live 'bout half way between them..  Oh well, any excuse to fly eh?

Here is a link to the 24 hr NASA Shuttle. I use the Windows Media Player option  from the "public channel" menue and it's just like live TV. It's worth a look....

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

steve

[akflyer 1427]

Any excuse to fly is a good one.  Hope fully next week I will have to pics and vids of some beach / remote flying.  See if I can get the bears stired up a bit..