Ah flying--- I'm on graveyard this week that means night flying. Cold and windy I mean like COLD and WINDY. I have no heat--but being made of steel I dress in my street clothes, add a sweat shirt, wool muffler, leather flying jacket, leather gloves and off I go to the airport. Tower closes at 20:00 I have the skies to myself.
Pre flight---- flash light bulb goes T.U. Being prepared I pop in the spare. Ah--- gasoline on my gloves--Ah-- stinks-- Ah--- eyes water being made of steel I endure. Off I go into the wild black yonder. Bump bump, shake shake, bang bang, boy it's real bumpy!! But look at those lights, look at those stars, look at all those other airplanes What great flying!! Nose is running, can't get my hanky due to gloves and layers of clothing. It's OK the muffler is my wife's she won't mind if I use it. Boy it'll be nice to have a heater again. Keep an eye on the clock I have to be on the ground by 10:00 PM can't be late for work. I hear another plane calling for runway 35. What gives!! I left on 17 with a fair wind blowing. I'd better check the wind sock. Well that's strange it seems to be kinda at right angles to the runway. I could swear the little end was more or less lined up with the runway when I left. Oh well "Tacoma traffic Ercoupe 2409H over gig Harbor is making a straight in to runway 17 Tacoma traffic". Click Click Click turn on all the pretty lights--Oh--Wow-- I'm a 747 pilot on final--look at all those pretty lights. I seem to be seeing all the pretty lights kinda out the side--must be a cross wind. Here it comes--- flare flare-- bump bump-- I'm down. Not too bad-- only a couple of loose fillings. Oh do I love this Ercoupe. Taxi to my tiedown and then do I realize that it is still WINDY. Only in an Ercoupe will your main worry about wind be how cold it will make tying the plane down after you land. Plane all put to bed, it is 22:20 off to work. Another fine Ercoupe flight. I am SO very glad I got a 'Coupe and not another Aeronca Champ. Cheers: Paul N2409H
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