More Flying Nonsense

[jrc712]

The last couple of days were great flying around here (Florida
Panhandle), even if it was hazy (5-7 miles vis tops). Yesterday, a
friend of mine (CH2 driver) and myself left Southern GA area for the
Beach, but we never made it. There was a wall of clouds in the way so
we diverted over to Cannon Creek (near Lake City, FL just north of
Gainesville). They had a breakfast fly-in (all you could eat for 5
bucks) We ate, and ate a little more, and ate a little more, and boy
am I glad I have a plane that can carry the load.

While there we met an engineer who was building an auto-pilot for a,
get this, Hawk. Dangdest thing I heard of, but he had a prototype of
it there - didn't see it working, but he did have all the pieces in
the wings and wired to the panel. He had a few other innovations he
had put in as well. He was definitely doing the experimental thing
on this plane. Not sure why you would want an autopilot for this
type of plane, but it was a pretty neat shindig he had rigged up.

When we finished up here, we headed back to Quitman, GA and then over
to Thomasville, GA where I keep my plane hangared at. The whole day
was pretty smooth in the air, but it was doggone hazy the whole time.
We flew 256 miles in 3 hrs 36 minutes and I used 6.5 gal of gas. That
folks is 1.73 gph and 39.4 mpg. Now flying with a Challenger 2, I
was only flying at about 4300 rpm the whole trip and averaging 68
mph, but I still think that is pretty good. So far, as I mentioned
before, I really like this HKS engine (but I am also still in the
first 100 or so hours on it as well). (At 5400 rpm cruising around 90-
95 I usually get about 2.5 gph for perspective).

This morning (Sunday, Jul 7), I just decided to fly down to the coast
around Shell Point along the coast over to Aligator Point and back.
Again it was extremely smooth the whole trip, but the haze was thick
(about 5 mi vis). Numbers weren't as good today - I flew 165 miles
in 1 hr 55 minutes using 5 gal. Now this averages out to 87 mph
using 2.63 gph. I was pretty close to 5400 rpm most of the time.
Both sets of numbers include ground engine running time.

Posted just in case anyone is interested

Jim C
TG-2K w/HKS

[Jay]

Great numbers

Jay

[Tommy & Carolyn]

Enjoyed the post, thanks. What does your ThunderGull weigh?
Tommy

[jrc712]

Hi Tommy,

My TG-2K is heavy at 490 or so, about the same as my CH2 was.

Jim C