This time last year I wrote:
Well next year is already pretty mapped out: more of the above and an upgrade of my provisional DA to a real DA
PLUS
sometime between Chrimbo and New Year I take delivery of a 40' ICAO container and spend 2004, 2005 and a bit of 2006 cutting, shaping and welding all the bits in the box together to make an aeroplane again!! And again - as I bought enough 4130, T6/T3 ally and spruce to make two!
2004
Funny how some things don't go to plan!
Okay so the project made great progress until the PFA Rally when I become involved with a rebuild of a factory built Pitts S2A. Still far too heavily involved for my liking but expect the aircraft to be out of my hangar/hair/mind by New Year! Yes, the repair work will have covered my entire flying budget but was it really worth it as I have had less time to enjoy doing what I like!?
My DA, what a saga! All the DAE's have been very helpful but it was not until I secured the services of Harpo (JH) early last month that I was happy with a routine. JH came to stay for a couple of nights and we quickly got down to a safe beginner's DA aerobatic sequence. It has an avalanche, a shark's tooth, a couple of flicks on downlines and lots of swooping and looping.
It won't knock Will Curtis off his perch OR even turn his head but it's just a bit of serious fun.
We went and flew it together a few times, JH announced thet he was happy and all I had to do the next morning was to show him my spin recovery (he would be on the ground) and then run through the sequence with him on the crowd line...
next morning - fog all day, following morning fog all day... JH had an appointment with Benjie from the Tiger Club, so I took him to Norwich railstation in the car! JH lives hundreds of miles away and won't be in East Anglia until next spring but has put me in touch with his mate PK (Kynsey) so I hope to sort this next step out within the next few weeks. Also learnt how to do tailslides with JH and Lomcevaks!
On a positive note, this year have overcome my fear of inverted spinning and have begun to experiment with Lomcevaks.
Had an amazing 7 ship Pitts fly-out to France (article to appear in your favourite flying-comic in the new year!)
And I may or may not have gone to Curtis Pitts' birthday party in Ozark, Alabama.
And I may or may not have met a wonderful girly or two!
2005
2 or 3 small airshows
work up to my formation DA with Pitts 2112
wings built for my project
Stik