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The summer sun is filtered through the scattered clouds, and rays of light stream across the hazy sky. This evening’s mission is a simple one—fly. Oh, yes, I need to get fuel, but the real mission is a flight in an aircraft I built—pure and simple.
The grin on my face seems permanent these days. We live at an airpark, and the airplanes are steps from my kitchen. In fact, we have a window over the stove that looks into the hangar. Given good weather, there is no excuse not to go fly. So, I do.
The grin on my face seems permanent these days living at an airpark.
I start with a lakefront tour on Lake Palestine. I try to follow the inlets and bays, much as I did in the Champ about 30 minutes earlier. What was easy at 80 mph is a challenge at 135 mph. A steep bank and strong pull is required for each turn, and I watch the airspeed and lift reserve indicator (LRI) to make sure I do not do anything stupid.
Below, the boats and jet skis stream across the lake—people enjoying their own adventure this evening as I fly overhead. They probably don’t notice me, but I watch them intently. Several are towing rafts or inner tubes and, as fun as it looks, I am content to be above them doing steep turns around a point.
Over my left shoulder, somewhere down on the lake my wife is kayaking. I turn, intent on finding her again and saying hi. She knows I am up here and I know she is down there. More turns, steep banks, and soon enough I spot her orange kayak in the lake just off the end of runway 9. I descend a bit, but not too far, then waggle my wings as I pass over the top of her. Hi hon!
A steep pull up into a 180 degree turn and back I go, full-throttle this time to roar past well above her. I pull up into a climbing bank and off I go towards the Cherokee Copunty Airport (KJSO) which has cheap fuel.
Ahead of me, Lake Jacksonville shimmers in the heat, and I take a course towards it, climbing a bit and enjoying the moment. My Sonex cruises about 130 mph at this power setting, but headed southeast into the wind I am losing an easy 15 mph on my groundspeed. What I lose going there I will get back headed home. As I approach 10 nm out, I make a call on 122.7 to no one in particular, as I have the sky all to myself on this evening. Much to my amazement, no one else is flying.
The radio is quiet as I approach, and the turn to the 45 degree entry is easy and smooth. I set the power, trim for my airspeed, and settle into the routine that is left traffic. A call for each leg, and adjustments to power and trim as needed. At the base turn, I look for 80 mph and am right on target. Easy day.
Descent and landing is smooth and calm this evening, and I make a wheel landing for the fun of it. As I always say, my Sonex is easy to land, but not easy to land well. This one is a good landing, and of course, no one is around to see it.
I make the turn off the runway, another radio call, and I taxi to the pumps. No one around, so I always wonder who hears me. I make the calls out of the obligation of being a responsible pilot.
I shut down and fuel up, take the inevitable biological break, and I set up the GPS and EFIS for departure—back to Aero Estates (T25) again. The trip home will be fast and I think through my arrival—wind from the east, a tailwind headed back, and right traffic for runway 9. All set, now it’s time to go.
The taxi to runway 14 is bumpy, and I am reminded again that the Sonex tailwheel makes a loud annoying BANG for each seam in the taxiway. No matter how hard I hold the stick back as I taxi, it bounces in my hand at every seam.
I stop at the departure end, letting the GRT Mini EFIS finish aligning, double-checking my radio and flight plan are all set. Off I go. I make another obligatory radio call to no one, taxi out to the centerline and power up. As I watch the white dashes flash past beneath the nostrils of the Sonex, the tail comes up.
I climb out easy, trying to remember to keep the airflow over the cylinders smooth and clean in the summer heat. A Jabiru 3300 in a Sonex cowling runs hot even on a cool evening, and the Texas heat keeps my cylinders warmer than I like. A cruise climb as I make my crosswind turn, then downwind, more radio calls on the way.
Lake Jacksonville appears again, and far off in the distance, I see Lake Palestine and the notches that tell me where Aero Estates is. I level off at 2,500 MSL, ease the power back, and enjoy the view. My groundspeed is 150 mph and ahead of me the sunlight streams in Jacob’s Ladder’s from the clouds. I trim the Sonex for level flight, then sneak a couple of photos before she realizes I have my hands off the stick and reminds me who’s in charge.
I level off at 2,500 MSL, ease the power back, and enjoy the view
All too soon, I am ten miles out (a radio call) and then five miles out and descending. I think through the differences of an arrival to right traffic, and the changing sight picture required when the runway is not on my side of the aircraft.
Slowing to 80 mph, trimming for my speed and adjusting the power are easy—it’s the visuals that are a challenge. More radio calls before entering a long 45 degree leg, then right downwind. The ponds ahead and to my right tell me I am in the right place, and the approach end of runway 9 appears aside me.
As I bring the power to idle now, I add more trim and some flaps as I watch the airspeed and the LRI. If I keep her on speed and use power as required, runway 9 is easy, even with the hill. When I get sloppy and do not watch the airspeed, I embarrass myself and want to apologize to the runway for the result.
This time is on target. I ease the power in and out as needed, holding the nose up and putting the last notch of flaps in on short final. I land smoothly, and before the top of the hill, I am rolling on the grass. I’m home!
- A fun fuel run - August 21, 2024
- The friends I do not know - October 30, 2023
- Cross-country to T25 in my Sonex - October 23, 2023
Hey Robbie,
Sounds like you’re living the good life down there Texas way!
Good article. (PS. Update your Bio to TX, y’all.).
Thanks Bob!! Yeah, the bio needs to be updated!