I spent saturday afternoon watching the wind blow while working on diagnosing a few mag issues with my pietenpol as a line of thunderstorms slowly advanced towards the airfield from the south. 6 oclock rolled around and I decided if I wanted to fly it was now or never. The winds had dropped to a steady 10kts from the east and despite a solid overcast the weather appeared to be holding off about 30 miles distant. The hangar doors creaked open and I wheeled the Vmax onto the ramp for the first time in nearly a month, he rudder swaying gently back and forth in the breeze. Completing my preflight ritual the mighty volkswagen popped to life on the first swing of the prop, her raucous exhaust note echoing off the T Hangers. I climbed aboard, strapped myself in, closed the lid, and began the long taxi out to runway 35. A quick control check and a final check of the weather all was good to go, wind 070 at 10kts, overcast at 4000ft. I rolled on the power, gave a few taps of left rudder and we were airborne, climbing away at 50mph. With an eye on the weather to the south i swung the Vmax onto downwind and set up for a touch and go. I held 60mph on approach and let the max crab into the wind. A gentle flare while feeding in right aileron and left rudder and she squeaked down on centerline. Again the mighty volkswagen roared to life and woth a quick call of "strother traffic, five one sierra just off three five, closed traffic strother" we rose into the sky again. A second touch and go was executed just like the first, as I climbed away again I had one of those experiences that only pilots get to have, it was as if a moment in time had been created just for me. The setting sun appeared below the overcast as it touched the horizon, instantly bathing the dull grey world in hues of red, yellow, and gold. It was surreal to be floating above the suddenly transformed landscape and it took me a few seconds to come back to reality and remember i had a plane to fly! I departed the pattern to the west and worked my way up to 1000ft where i slowly circled, basking in the golden light until the sun completed its journey below the horizon. As i brough the max back to earth for the final time that evening I was completely relaxed, all of life's problems and stresses had suddenly been taken away and all was perfect in the world. In 13 years of flying I have only experienced a view that magnificent once before, on a sunrise flight to beaumont kansas back in 2009. The ones who don't fly will never truly know why we do, times like these make it all worth it! I wouldn't give it up for the world, I love this flying stuff! And here is a short video for you guys just because hey, we all like flying videos! https://youtu.be/KFWMkb5fQoMChris |
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