Completely novel. Do you ever go on and think about what the plan was? What was the plan! Who had the notes and why were they shredded soon after they were written down.. what did the NSA have to do with it?
Here I are.....owner and co owner of five envelopes of different manufactures and scratching my chin. One will never fly again without major rebuilding , another needs paperwork done to maker her an experimental, one beautiful Lindstrand racer, one home build that I had my eye on for ages and one that has so much history its stunning. Just by being in that right place at the right time or as a Pilot I know says.. making your luck. Prayers...but not.. Dear Lord.. I want two more envelopes. More like.. Thank You Lord for this life.
The one Kennedy build envelope is a dream... She is super light but super strong. That's her above. The other An Avian that has turned experimental and I need to get her out of her bag and in the air... SOON!.
We took the Kennedy out this morning. Inflated against a very light wind and promptly had the envelope go right over our heads and flop backwards. A quick shutdown of the burners and a flip of the frame so they didnt burn anything and a good team on the crown line brought it back to the right layout and we started again but with more cold air and a faster and longer burn to bring her upright..
40 gallons of propane and a couple in the basket and off into the airs we went. Up, over some power lines and down to ground track. When you vent this envelope she will come down...down fast. Add the weight in and it's a quick curve to get her to do what I want her to do... but she is very forgiving and having the Lindstrand Doubles above me meant I could push heat quickly if it was needed. Two landings. Last a little bouncy as she does not want to stay on the ground when you put her there. Not without a good vent.
We switched out everyone. My son Piloted and two friends got in. They went off up over some houses.. up high due to the very strange person who yells at everyone and down to a nice soft landing on the edge of an arroyo. Swapped out one friend and up and out again.
This time the went up high and the winds changed so where we thought they were going to come down was not where they came down. A lot of racing to the other side of the world and Mo tracking across rooftops to find a hole to drop her in as we tried to find a road going the way they were going ( impossible ) and they were able to pop it into a cul-de-sac and stick it. Team Cannaday got there right after they landed and we were about five minutes behind that.
Grey hairs... three more. LOL
Packed up and off to tailgate and watch a Private Pilot get his Commercial initiation.. which is always fun. Got home at around 1130....long day....long long day.... But made better by a hot shower and some food and a great visit by the Daughter..soon to be Son in law and Granddaughter... SEmmers my Granddaughter fell asleep in my arms after trying to cuddle with a bar towel instead of her blanket.... add blanket and she was out. She is a treasure. She talked and talked today.. mostly.. Dadadadadadada.. or such, and that brow furrowing "I don't buy what you're selling" look. It was great.
Soooo..... Here are some shots I shared on Facebook today of the fun. Nothing of the bag over as I didnt have the camera out but the video camera caught it so you will get to see what an oopsie is with a 90,000 envelope is. Love that we recovered with absolutely no damage and we got training in how to deal with that and then flew for two hours and fifteen minutes! I got 45 minutes of that.
Mo overhead acting like he is having fun.. total lies!
A Pilot initiation. There is oatmeal in there.
Diana and Philip real time video captures in flight.... wild.
Squooshed in between two fun people.... Alan hanging out on the top end.
Cohorts in crime.. or flight.. Kurt, JP and Lori and stalwart crew!
The banner at top in full. Mellow Yellow .... ( not her name ).
So much to clean up before fiesta and if the weather holds out we will fly this next weekend.. which is very surprising since we usually hunker down and try not to break thing right before Fiesta starts.
Not happening this time....
But we are also having to get used to very special envelopes....sooo... we got REASONS!!!
Scads more video footage I have to edit but I am so far behind on that its scary.
Okay.. thats enough typing tonight... hoping you are having as much fun in life. Not that this is the only fun to be had but its damn fun.
