Playtime

Mid May and the temperatures are still struggling to get out of the 50°s. At least the sky was clear and the winds were mild. Good flying weather.

I always take the upper cowling off during the preflight. Thirteen fasteners take less than five minutes to unlatch and allows you to see so much more of the engine. Usually there is nothing to be found. The coolant level is in the lower third of the bottle, plug wires attached, no major oil on the lower cowling, just nothing special. The last two or three times I've noticed a loose hose to the pilot side carburetor. Held in place with a zip tie, I found it once again detached from where it belongs and this time decided to replace the zip tie instead of just pushing it back on. She seemed to idle better.

We had spent all of a rainy Friday moving furniture and heavy boxes into a Uhaul truck. Much of Saturday was inside preparing for an open house.The mission today was to escape the "surly bonds" and enjoy the view, to just catch my breath. Its amazing what an hour in the air can do to restore my spirits. I spent most of the flight around Kutztown admiring the campus, amazed at how it has grown. Still sad to see that runway with the "Xs" on it. I was tempted to make a low pass on the crossing grass strip but thought better of it and just orbited overhead before leaving the area to the south. The trees are a lush green now. Most of the flowering varieties have shed their blooms and are wearing their summer colors.

The air was smooth.We climbed up to 3500' to chase a thin cloud forming over Pottstown. Just a burble in the air now but by the afternoon the clouds would be dark and gray and foreboding. Now it was just a plaything.  Recess was was over, it was time to go back to the real world.

Video is here: A selfie

Video Notes:

1. I added some new camera equipment; an SJ2000 Helmet Cam. About a 4" long cylinder with  the diameter of about a quarter, I mounted it next to the wet compass with zip ties. The camera worked fine but made the compass inop. I'll work on a camera mount for it. 
2. I need to find an easy way to sync the two cockpit cameras.
3. My exterior mount for the Virb is not quite right. The leveling knob was not tight enough which allowed a bit of "flutter". Another experiment is required.
4. Time for a haircut.