Monday, June 8, 2009

Tail wheel rating and boat

Got my tail wheel rating yesterday. It took 5 h and 10 min with a total of 53 landings! 49 of those were done yesterday during 3 1/2 hours. It was done in a Piper Cub where I have a chare (actually it is a "loan" to keep it operational, because the airplane is no less than a flying museum artifact belonging to Bodø Aircraft Museum). The Cub is an old Army Cub from 1954 used by the Military, an PA-18 Super Cub with 90 HP Continental engine. They say only 4 of these were built. Starting is by hand. I had my first solo ride in it this evening. All my flying from now on will be in this cub untill my -4 is finished. After having flown advanced aerodynamic shaped carbon fibre aircraft (The Atec Zephyr), it is almost unbelievable how extremely good this Cub is, a 80+ year old design.

Three weeks ago I also purchased an old boat. A 22' "snekke" (I have no idea what the english term for this boat class is, but the closest is probably a "positive displacement" cabin cruiser). It weighs 2 tons, has a 15 HP Yanmar diesel, and is perfect for cruising around in the fjord at sunny days. The boat is a homebuilt from the late 70s. Cruise speed (and max speed) is around 6 knots. The cruise speed of my RV-4 will be 30 times that! The pictures are with two of my sons today, and with Olaug last weekend where we went to Tautra, an island in the fjord with a 12 century monestary.









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