Flew over to Eagles Nest yesterday in Race 16 "Infant Monkey" with C.J. so he could get another flight on The Sanders Fury, Argonaut. I had a hard time breaking away from my current project on SteadFast, which is closing off the oil cooler exit doors completely for the water spraybar system. I was thinking it was just going to put us behind another day. As we arrived in style with C.J. at the controls of his Glasair III, I new I had made the correct descision.
totally unexpected, I was told I was going to fly with Mike Brown in 911 and we would fly formation with C.J. in Argonaut. Great! I hadnt been in a Sea Fury since I was a kid. 1994 with Lloyd in 16 up to Reno in formation with Dan, Brant and someone else. I really had no more than about 20 hours of Cherokee time then so I really couldn't compare it to much. I do remember Lloyd smoking a cigarette and telling me how much power those 51's were having to use to stay in formation with us. What a charachter! So Dennis runs me up the hill to get in 911 with Mike. The whole operation is so totally squared away and I won't go into the specifics but just being in thier hangar makes a lasting impression, INCREDIBLE! We meet C.J. at the end of the runway and blast off overhead the field. This thing is no Yak. What a plush ride! The only thing better would have been if I owned this Beast. So we land, Dennis and Brian tell C.J. and I that we need to fly Argonaut with the smoke on during aerobatics. C.J and I look at each other and I see that sh*t eating grin he is so famous for! "LETS GO"!
At 12000 feet, we lay inverted. I looked up to see this beautiful smoke playground we had just created. C.J. flew 114 through too many maneuvers to count, all the while we tried to fly through and roll around our trails of smoke. If you ever have the chance to fly aerobatics with smoke, take it!
It is unforgettable.
C.J. taxied back and folded the wings, (something I have always wanted to see from the cockpit)after we shut down I realized I had just had a day that I wil never forget. The Eagles Nest is like a "LOST WORLD" It is the reason we all fly.
Thanks to the Sanders and Brown crews for such a great day!
Anyone want to trade a Sea Fury for a Yak?
Team SteadFast
totally unexpected, I was told I was going to fly with Mike Brown in 911 and we would fly formation with C.J. in Argonaut. Great! I hadnt been in a Sea Fury since I was a kid. 1994 with Lloyd in 16 up to Reno in formation with Dan, Brant and someone else. I really had no more than about 20 hours of Cherokee time then so I really couldn't compare it to much. I do remember Lloyd smoking a cigarette and telling me how much power those 51's were having to use to stay in formation with us. What a charachter! So Dennis runs me up the hill to get in 911 with Mike. The whole operation is so totally squared away and I won't go into the specifics but just being in thier hangar makes a lasting impression, INCREDIBLE! We meet C.J. at the end of the runway and blast off overhead the field. This thing is no Yak. What a plush ride! The only thing better would have been if I owned this Beast. So we land, Dennis and Brian tell C.J. and I that we need to fly Argonaut with the smoke on during aerobatics. C.J and I look at each other and I see that sh*t eating grin he is so famous for! "LETS GO"!
At 12000 feet, we lay inverted. I looked up to see this beautiful smoke playground we had just created. C.J. flew 114 through too many maneuvers to count, all the while we tried to fly through and roll around our trails of smoke. If you ever have the chance to fly aerobatics with smoke, take it!
It is unforgettable.
C.J. taxied back and folded the wings, (something I have always wanted to see from the cockpit)after we shut down I realized I had just had a day that I wil never forget. The Eagles Nest is like a "LOST WORLD" It is the reason we all fly.
Thanks to the Sanders and Brown crews for such a great day!
Anyone want to trade a Sea Fury for a Yak?
Team SteadFast
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