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The view: Deviating around an afternoon thunderstorm.
The pilot: Pete Hodges
The airplane: Piper Cherokee
The mission: Flying home from Dexter, Michigan (2E8) to Culpeper, VA (CJR).
The memory: There was a chance of scattered showers developing later in the day along my route and as I neared my destination, ATC called and suggested I divert around a thunderstorm along my route. After putting the airplane away, I sent my sister this picture. I forgot about it until she gave me a framed reprint for Christmas. I thanked her and asked what made her enjoy it so much? She said “You fly a lot so you don’t realize that most people will never see a site like that in their entire lifetime, and that is what makes that picture so special. ”
Want to share your “Friday Photo?” Send your photo and description (using the format above) to: [email protected].
Pete Hodges grew up on a farm and has been around all types of machinery since he could walk.When he was 12 he got his first ride in a small airplane at a local EAA fly-in.Watching the pilot manipulate the controls and seeing the cables and surfaces move gave him an instant “I can do this” understanding of how an airplane flies.He took several lessons in ‘79 and in 2004 he and his wife took lessons together, passed his check ride and bought their first airplane, a ’68 Piper Cherokee.He is also rebuilding a Coot Amphibian to hopefully use on the Chesapeake Bay.
Latest posts by Pete Hodges (see all)
- Friday photo: deviating around a thunderstorm - July 28, 2023
- Getting my sea wings in a Searey - August 1, 2016
- Knowing your true airspeed for fuel management - February 6, 2014
Great picture, but doesn’t look like Cherokee control surfaces. Can’t imagine spoilers on a Cherokee.
I’m guessing Mooney
I guess my profile needs to be updated! You all have good eyes! Yes, I sold my Cherokee in 2018 and bought a 1964 Mooney M20E in in 2019. It is an early style, all mechanical airplane with the teardrop side windows and I really like it. It is not quite as forgiving at lower airspeed as my Cherokee was, but it will get into all the short airstrips I routinely use. It takes off shorter, climbs better, flies faster, and burns less fuel than the Cherokee did, but I need a bit more room to land it and I have to be more careful with it in stiff crosswinds. I get better with it the longer I fly it and I am very happy that I bought it.
I had forgotten about submitting this picture and I hope you all like it. Sorry about the incorrect airplane description, I guess I didn’t put Mooney in the submission. One Miracle at a time.
Not teardrop, arch windows instead of rectangular.