Fools that they are. LOL...
My Panther Building Documentation at <http://pantherbuilder.org/> PantherBuilder Web Site Daniel R. Heath - Lexington, SC But you are OK and will fly again. I know it sucks not being able to fly the plane you love so much. I have been there a few times now with my KR in the trees, my Clipper blown into our glider club trailer by a microburst or small tornado, my Pacer ground looped by a friend, and a prop strike causing a three week engine rebuild. Can't keep me down and won't keep you down either. And for some reason AIG keeps selling me insurance at a good rate. -------- Original Message -------- Subject: KR> 2013 KR Gathering Trip - Very Long Story. From: "Dan Heath" < <mailto:danrh at windstream.net> danrh at windstream.net> List-Post: krnet@list.krnet.org Date: Tue, February 11, 2014 4:13 pm To: "'KRnet'" < <mailto:krnet at list.krnet.org> krnet at list.krnet.org> I realize that a lot of time has passed since the Gathering last October. I have planned on writing about the trip, but could not either bring myself to do it, or did not think about doing so when I had the time. After having worked diligently for almost a year, building and installing wing tanks, removing the header tank, and installing my new Corvair engine, in 2012, I was ready to head to the Gathering that year only to be sorely disappointed by the onset of bad weather. Then arriving at Mt. Vernon, to find that the weather was great for the duration, I was determined to make the 2013 event. But, not being able to help myself, I decided to install a new instrument panel, which resulted in a complete re-wiring of the aircraft. I was able to complete the task several weeks before Gathering time and just in time to go to Camden to get my new Dynon Mode S transponder, certified. However, on the trip back to CUB from Camden, I bounced and landed a little too much nose down, which unknown to me at the time, caused the prop tip to strike and severely damaged the prop. In an almost panic, I cried out to the KR Family for help and it was not long before help arrived in the form of a Sterba prop from Mark Langford. I could not install the spinner, so had to fly to the Gathering without one. The important thing is that it got me and the Black Bird to the annual celebration. I departed CUB at about 10 am on Thursday morning, intending to fly on auto pilot at 8500 ft, under ATC control. So, right after takeoff, I contacted CAE and was set in the system and proceeded to climb to 8500. While climbing, I tried to activate the Autopilot, which tested perfectly on the ground, but it would not acquire. I kept getting an error on one of the servos, so accepted the fact that I would be doing all the flying. The flight was un-eventful as I was passed from station to station on the route to MVN. Not long after I started flying over the Smokey Mountains, I began to encounter scattered clouds and did not want to get stuck below them, so called for permission to climb to clear the clouds and permission was granted to climb and remain VFR. This was repeated several times as I got closer to the mountain range peak, which on my route was 6000 ft. I began to see towering clouds in the distance and could tell that they were thunder storms as confirmed by my Dynon Skyview. It was so cool to watch the two towers grow, one taller than the other, until the tall one began to break up at the top and the other stopped growing These towers were 2 or 3 thousand feet apart, and I had my sight set on flying between them. I knew that once I cleared those, I would be heading down the other side of the mountain range into the valley to my fuel stop. I had been climbing for quite some time as I was almost mesmerized by the cloud cover and the two towers that I was about to travel between. I could not help thinking about what was happening and how impossible it might seem to some who had never experienced such an adventure. It was almost like I was not there, like I was outside of myself, watching a guy who built a box with wings on it, flying between two towering clouds, a lot like I had experienced when travelling in an airline. But it was me inside that box and as I was about to cross over the peak and head down the other side to Upper Cumberland Regional Airport in Tennessee, when I happened to notice that the Black Bird's Corvair engine had taken us to almost 14,000 feet. I then realized that I had been over 10,000 for some time now and began to check my physical condition to be sure that I was not suffering from any delusions. I seemed OK, but knew that I had to get down soon, so pointed the nose down, pulled the power a bit and cruised to the airport, calling ATC that I was descending to my destination, or something like that. While on the ground, I received a phone call from my friend James Clark, who had been following me via my Mode S transponder and some software package. It was pretty cool. He checked the weather from there to MVN and advised me to fly at about 4000 ft for the rest of the trip and I would have no weather problems. He was right, but it was bumpy and hazy. I much preferred flying in the smooth air why up high. It was not too long before I was anticipating MVN and when I finally arrived, I had to do a few fly-bys and on my first attempt to land, almost lost it. I went around and tried it again. It was very windy and I bounced pretty bad but this time added a little power and the Black Bird settled gently to the runway. For the remainder of the Gathering, the weather was not nice, so I stayed on the ground for the duration. The banquet was great and I was shocked to be presented all the awards, even though there were only 5 of us brave souls who took to the skies for MVN that year. I was most gratified by the presentation of the People's Choice award and want to thank all of you who voted for N64KR. Well, Sunday arrived and the weather was not good, so I decided to wait till Monday along with Brad and Jeff. Monday came and Brad left, but Scott was experiencing alternator problems and I found that my starter was broken. We found the parts required to get my starter working and Scott had his parts on the way. It had gotten so late, that I just decided to stay over another day with Scott and the person who was so helpful getting Scott's parts to him. Tuesday arrived with the promise of better weather and parts that would work, so we both headed for home. I had a good flight back to Upper Cumberland and on into South Carolina, at 9500 feet. Not long after crossing into SC, I saw what looked like a layer of broken clouds and when I passed Greenville-Spartanburg I was not so sure that the layer of clouds was very broken and after a few minutes became convinced that there would not be a way down if I continued on toward CUB. So, I did a 180, notified ATC, and went back to where I could get down and back under the cloud layer. It was not nice. I was bouncing all over the place and looking ahead on the Skyview, I could see weather that could prevent me from getting home. I passed Greenwood which is a familiar airport and noticed that it was VFR, so continued. The ceiling at CUB was reported to be 1800 which would not be a problem if I could get there. I got to within 50 miles and saw a wall in front of me, so notified ATC that I would divert back to Greenwood. Upon getting the airport in sight, I called ATC and they said to proceed VFR, which I did. Circling the airport gave me a grave picture of what I was about to face. The wind was left quartering at what looked to be about 25 MPH, gusting and shifting. I did my usual approach and the Black Bird would not come down, so kept trying over and over at a lower downwind altitude each time. I finally got the wheels on the ground only to get hit with a gust of wind that lifted me up to what felt like 10 feet or so. I felt like I was suspended and quickly realized that I had to give power and go around again. But, when I pushed in the throttle, nothing happened. I had not realized that the engine had quit just before or after I got on the runway. I quickly pushed the stick forward to keep from stalling, probably a bit too quickly, and the next thing I know, I am stopped on the runway with the nose on the pavement and the ELT squealing. As soon as I came out of the daze I was in, I shut off all the switches and turned off the fuel. Then, I wondered if I was going to be able to get myself out of the plane. It was not as hard as I thought and as I was stepping off of the wing, several cars were racing to my location, in a manner that looked like they thought the worst had happened. Well, it was not the worst, but also not the best. Mark's prize prop was broken, the cowling was scraped up, and the skin of the stub wing was ripped loose. The airport people did what all airport people do. The helped me get the Black Bird in a hangar and a rental car on the way. My wife was coming out of knee replacement surgery, which Tom knew, so when I called him for advice on where to get a vehicle to transport the plane back to CUB, he took over and set up everything. Two days later, there were a crew of flyers in Greenwood, getting the Black Bird back home. I suffered no damage and my wife did not kill me, so I had to decide what to do next. I don't know the complete extent of damage to the stub wing except for the skin, and I would not fly it again without replacing the gear and making some changes to restore it to the much lighter plane that it was meant to be. So, I decided to build a Panther and equip it with all the compatible stuff from the Black Bird. I have the tail kit and will be starting construction next week. See N64KR at < <http://krbuilder.org/> http://krbuilder.org/> <http://KRBuilder.org> http://KRBuilder.org - Then click on the pics Peoples Choice at 2013 - KR Gathering in Mt. Vernon, Il - MVN Best KR at 2013 - KR Gathering in Mt. Vernon, Il - MVN Best Interior at 2013 - KR Gathering in Mt. Vernon, Il - MVN Best Paint at 2013 - KR Gathering in Mt. Vernon, Il - MVN Best Firwwall Forward at 2013 - KR Gathering in Mt. Vernon, Il - MVN Daniel R. Heath - Lexington, SC _______________________________________________ Search the KRnet Archives at <http://tugantek.com/archmailv2-kr/search> http://tugantek.com/archmailv2-kr/search. To UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to <mailto:KRnet-leave at list.krnet.org> KRnet-leave at list.krnet.org please see other KRnet info at <http://www.krnet.org/info.html> http://www.krnet.org/info.html see <http://list.krnet.org/mailman/listinfo/krnet_list.krnet.org> http://list.krnet.org/mailman/listinfo/krnet_list.krnet.org to change options _______________________________________________ Search the KRnet Archives at <http://tugantek.com/archmailv2-kr/search> http://tugantek.com/archmailv2-kr/search. 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