170 Las Vegas Convention

[planepilot1]

Well its about time to wind up the rubber band & head out to the desert! Hope a bunch of you 170'ers can make the convention-----you will miss a lot of fun, etc if you don't go. Hope to see you on Sunday! Have a safe trip.

Frank Stephenson N6888A

[N1478D]

Frank, I sure hope you guys have a good trip and the winds are in your favor both directions. Be careful of over taking a polished/red plane, most mid-airs are of one plane over taking another

[GAHorn]

Frank, I sure hope you guys have a good trip and the winds are in your favor both directions. Be careful of over taking a polished/red plane, most mid-airs are of one plane over taking another

(Frank has an airplane with dihedral and big flaps, Joe.)

[N1478D]

Frank, I sure hope you guys have a good trip and the winds are in your favor both directions. Be careful of over taking a polished/red plane, most mid-airs are of one plane over taking another

(Frank has an airplane with dihedral and big flaps, Joe.)

Yes, this is true, but niether one of those would lessen the problem of a potential mid-air when he overtakes you

[GAHorn]

Frank, I sure hope you guys have a good trip and the winds are in your favor both directions. Be careful of over taking a polished/red plane, most mid-airs are of one plane over taking another

(Frank has an airplane with dihedral and big flaps, Joe.)

Yes, this is true, but niether one of those would lessen the problem of a potential mid-air when he overtakes you

But he's leaving a day ahead of me. It's me who'll have to look out for him. heh-heh

[N1478D]

Have been a littled worried about the potential smoke problem for those returning from the convention. Does anybody have information on the conditions between Vegas and Texas?

[GAHorn]

Travelling with my "wing-man" Cleo, we landed at Winslow, Az in 4 miles of smoke. The wind shifted and it cleared just afterwards, but he next morning we had lots of smoke, and only a couple miles of vis. It was legallay VFR but really IFR conditions when airborne. Not fun hand-flying with no horizon and no performance due to heat. Oil temp on the redline most of the way home across the desert. (I've determined to develop a good oil-cooler system for our airplanes.) We went to ABQ for lunch where the viz went to 8 miles, then into Ruidoso for a couple days. Hazy most of the way home until Midland or so. gh

[planepilot1]

Becky & I along with Tom & Lyn Benedict left out of LV @ 5:30 am on Sat with intensions of getting back to Benedict International by midday. Had a smooth flight as we left and were able to view some of the Grand Canyon as we headed east. Got to Winslow, AZ and encountered smoke from the AZ fires. Airport was somewhat difficult to spot from any altitude due to smoke. However within an hour the winds had shifted some and the smoke moved east of town. Really interesting to watch the slurry bombers come & go from Winslow. A couple of P-2's, a P-3 and a DC-4. Nothing sounds like those old radials! Flew south out of Windslow to fly alongside (but 10+miles west) of the smoke & fire. After a looong climb out finally got up to 11,500 & into Deming, NM for the afternoon & evening. Left Deming at 7:30 am Sunday, again with Benedicts & flew just north of El Paso at which time Lyn & Tom turned NE to home. We continued on to Odessa, TX for fuel & lunch. Proceed on to Triple S (42XS) with quite a few bumps @ 9,500 ft (couldn't coax her up to 11,500 + to clear clouds). Arrived @ 4:00 with a total of 22.9 hours on the tach since leaving on the 13th. Quite a trip. 6888A preformed well considering the extra weight we elected to load her down with (unnecessary--won't happen again---I hope!). Appears to have used between 1 1/2 & 2 qts of oil for the total trip----will see for sure Sat as it will all be drained into the sump. No real complaints other than she is SLOW. Good convention-------looking forward to N. Carolina.

Frank/Becky Stephenson N6888A

[flyguy]

I know you guys have more stories about your convention trip than just smoke! who was there, did any one crash, who got the awards????

I know I know "If you wanted to know all this you should have been there!" I been hearing this for a week now.

['52 N2768D]

Hi,

Had a good time at the Las Vegas Convention. But only made it for Wednesday lunch and Saturday dinner. Then after the dinner went to the courthouse and got married. The flight from McMinnville, Oregon was delayed do to weather. Left at 11am instead of 5:30am. Stop in Cottage Grove, Oregon to wait for better weather, top off fuel then to Red Bluff, California for fuel they had 80 oct. fuel. First time I had a chance to run 80 oct. fuel in months. Then to Porterville, California for fuel also they had 80 oct. fuel. Then on our last leg for the day was to French Valley, California, (wanted to land at Lake Elsinore, California but there is no lights there.)The fires at the Cojan Pass was not a problem, you could see cars backed up on I-15 for 50 miles. 8:45 total flying time. Long day! The next morning flew the 170 to Lake Elsinore and started on the annual. Wednesday Ken Zwingmann and I flew his 170 to Las Vegas for the lunch and the acotion then headed back to California to finsh my annual. That went good changed 6 spark plugs and new tail wheel. Headed to Las Vegas with my 170 Friday for the dinner. Saturday started back home about 11:30 flew Highway 95 to Minden, Nevada for fuel the cost was only $1.45 per gallon! at Soar Minden. Next stop was Creswell, (Hobby) Oregon for fuel they had 80 oct. too. Then the last leg to McMinnville, Oregon only one hour left. Flying time 7:30. A Great week!

Collin Gyenes