2019 Ski season

[Bandit 286]

Finally warmed up to 19 degrees and I didn't have to work this afternoon so I went over to the airport and installed my skis. I even got to fly for a half hour right before dark. We have had lots of snow this season, but it's been cold and windy.

[akflyer 1427]

We finally got some good snow here so I am hoping to put my skis on this time home!  Gotta love the fluffy stuff!

 

[wypaul 448]

We been skiing here from the first of November, ok different skiing and the picture is from a few years back.

[Bandit 286]

That nice fluffy snow we had last night that I text flew my Bandit in after the ski installation is now blowing toward Iowa. 30 mph winds today. Blizzard conditions again. Temp is 1 degrees, wind still blowing like hell!

[SuberAvid 617]

Looking good there Mark, hope you get some more good flying weather to enjoy it.

I'm getting close to having my upgraded skis ready to fly.  78" long X 18" wide; should keep the plane floating in some pretty soft and deep snow.  I decided to put double cables on them front and back due to the extra surface area in case one broke.

[1avidflyer 1983]

Wow! lots of surface area.  They should float you in powder almost.  Probably get some extra lift as well.  Please post up some flying reports as you use them.  JImChuk

[Shipl14 19]

Very cool. Is that the approved attachment point for the bungees?

[SuberAvid 617]

Jim, I can't wait to give them a try in some deep snow; will let you know.

I hope it is the "approved" attach point.  It is pretty standard to attach the cables to the landing gear attachment bolts.  It has worked for me there since I built this plane.  On my MK IV I made the front mount attach to the lower engine mount since I thought the cable angle was too shallow going to the front landing gear bolt.   That landing gear was shorter and narrower.

[1avidflyer 1983]

Thanks Randy.  I've used the same mounting points as well with my skis.  I believe that is where the Avid builder's manual says to mount the limiter cables as well.  JImChuk

[Bandit 286]

That's where I attach mine also. I don't think there is such a thing as an" approved attach point."

[SuberAvid 617]

Tested the "new" skis out in the deep stuff today; deep enough that the moose were struggling to get through it up to their belly.  None of us have tail skis on so the tails really sink when you stop.  Both cubs have the new carbon fiber straight skis from Carbon Concepts (the red cub its Randy Apling who started and owns the company and has been doing fiberglass and carbon design and manufacturing for years; a great guy). Those skis really perform but mine are almost exactly the same surface area and sink in a little less since my plane is lighter.  It sank about 3" in this snow, much less that my snowshoes did.  The cubs sank about 4"-5".  It gets off out of the deep and untracked stuff just great, as short as the cubs but can't turn as tight since it has a flat bottom and the Carbon Concept skis have a slight curvature to the bottom so they can really carve a tight turn.  I am very pleased with these skis now; great confidence that I can easily get out of places I wouldn't go into before. And they don't dig in on a turn anymore like they used to.  I would have been dragging my wingtip in a turn in this snow but it was no problem.  Bending the side edges of the ski bottoms up worked good to alleviate that as well.

 

[1avidflyer 1983]

Looks like they work Randy. Nice.  Here is what I did for a tail ski.  Just used some scrap stuff I had lying around, and it looks a bit cobbled up, but it works good.   It does help to keep the tail out of the deep snow, and being that I flew off my own strip all the time, and pack it with a drag pulled by the snowmobile, I like the tail ski cause it doesn't cut a big rut in the strip like a tail wheel would every time I go down the strip.  I pulled the wheel off a spare 6" Maule tailwheel and the ski fits on the axel.  JImChuk

 

[jackak 20]

Nice shots Randy. Good to see how well the skis work in the deep powder. You've put together quite the package there. Wings, engine and now those huge skis, wow. A super cub at half the cost. Nice work.

Jack

[Av8r3400 1178]

This is getting really frustrating.  

Every day I have time to go flying, the weather is crap. When the weather is good, I don’t have the time.  

[TJay 1041]

This is getting really frustrating.  

Every day I have time to go flying, the weather is crap. When the weather is good, I don’t have the time.  

Lol I know that feeling.

[TJay 1041]

So when you guys are ready to land on skiis how in the world do you even see how far off the ground you are? Or if there is bumps and drifts in the snow?

[Buckchop 479]

Do a fly over, look for a good spot, and a reference point, and easy touchdown to feel it out and make a track in the snow, then loop around and set her down if felt good???  

Well she is callin to me "fly me, fly me" hahhaaaa

[1avidflyer 1983]

So when you guys are ready to land on skiis how in the world do you even see how far off the ground you are? Or if there is bumps and drifts in the snow?

On a cloudy day that can be really hard.  Any shadows and such can help to see the surface.  Out in the middle of a big clear area would be the hardest probably with hazy conditions.  If you are close to the shore of a lake, you can get a reference from how high the brush is and such.  JImChuk

[Bandit 286]

On a sunny day it is easy to see the drifts because they cast a shadow.  Cloudy days and full snow cover you have to be real careful.  If there is no reference I like to carry power on landing and slowly descend until I touch down then cut power.  I have also

thrown my coat out the door and came back around and try to touch down right next to my coat.

[SuberAvid 617]

Cloudy days with flat light can make it impossible to tell where the surface or any bumps are,  Like Jim says, if you land in the middle of a lake you can lose perception of the surface as soon as you lose peripheral vision of something distinctive like the shoreline or trees, so always try to land within sight of something that marks the surface.  Many folks mark their landing runways with spruce bows along them so they have a visual reference.  In the sunshine it is pretty easy to keep track of he surface but dragging it is a good idea especially on a lake to see if there is overflow hiding beneath.  If the snow if fairly deep it is like landing on a pillow, about the smoothest landing you can do, but unless you have the ski surface area and horsepower, you may be there a while packing out your runway with snow shoes.  I am totally impressed with these skis and the engine, it easily hauls it out of this stuff that I would never dare landing in before without tracking it several times to pack out a strip.

Got another 4 hours on it today; perfect ski flying weather!  Visited a few old mine strips near the Yehntna Glacier.  Only got a couple pictures before my camera battery died though. 

Leni, dropped by and visited with Dan, Julie and Joey at the lodge; they are well.  Said the earthquake really made a mess of things.  Dan was making beer and sour kroute(sp?).  Dumped them all including the water kettle on the wood stove and the water heater with all the laundry soap. Had quite a mixture going.

[Buckchop 479]

Well weather is so damm good its time to do some ski flying b4 summer gold mining season starts. Noon here now and already 51 above. Me standing on right side of plane and my buddy showing me the ropes in other pic standing on left side.  We landed in middle of tannana river for a leg stretch and a P.  Hahahaaa

Edited 22 Mar 2019 by Buckchop

[little rocket 16]

Well weather is so damm good its time to do some ski flying b4 summer gold mining season starts. Noon here now and already 51 above. Me standing on right side of plane and my buddy showing me the ropes in other pic standing on left side.  We landed in middle of tannana river for a leg stretch and a P.  Hahahaaa

What make of Skis are they ??

[Buckchop 479]

Belive it or not they r Landas 2000, with UHMW bottoms and runners, little big for the kitfox but u can land anywhere, hahahaaa 

[Buckchop 479]

Well no skis only tires today but still an awesome day for a flight in the caravan from Fairbanks to Anituvik Pass, flew up with a good friend to drop off a new freezer and new couch to the village. First pic is valley that Coldfoot Ak is in.  Tried a video not sure if it plays, on ground in Anituvik, last pic is the plane and my buddy when we back in Fairbanks, 

IMG_8922.MOV

 

 

Edited 6 Apr 2019 by Buckchop

[Buckchop 479]