February is for Flying (as long as you're in Florida)

While the rest of the country shivers and shovels snow, those of us who are blessed to live in nature's paradise (or what's left of it) open the hangar doors, flip the propellator to seek adventure - and, usually, food - where we can find it. There are migratory residents as well - "snowbirds", we call them - who add to the tales told 'round the tables. In my case, the flights need not be terribly long since there are venues of gustatorial delight and friends to share a table within a half hour or so in any direction. The tail is tied down and the hand-holds on the top longerons make starting much safer. 

When the Woody's fan spins, the fun begins.

The view from the pilot's seat is unobstructed by engine or prop or cowling (or anything else). Hanging ten, as it were. This makes for a bit of a transition, especially since the airplane is a taildragger. Takeoffs and landings are lots of fun - I tend to drag the tailwheel on takeoff and flare more than necessary on landing, arriving tailwheel first - and the sensation of speed is amplified a bit when you, as the pilot, ARE the leading element in this formation of parts.

The fueling dilemma has been largely solved. Before, I was adding fuel 5 gallons at a time from portable gas cans; now I have a stopgap fueling solution with a 30-gallon poly tank and a 12-volt pump. It works pretty well and eliminates my having to climb onto the cockpit longerons with a can of gas. The drawback is the ungainly tank. 

A new, 31-gallon aluminum tank is on order from a friend of a  friend and will make my life much easier and safer, since I will be able to mount the pump in the truck bed and back the truck up to the ladder. More importantly, I can ground the whole thing to the airplane and avoid static electricity launching me into orbit. 

The proof is in the flying. When all is said and done, it's all about going up and looking down.