Patrol Flying ~ LarryW Asked...

[RBHarter]

I took instruction in an 85 horse J4 Cub . It was hopped up from the original C65 .

Rules for Alaska .
If it has a break point we'll fly someplace in the neighborhood of 110% of that point .
When it breaks there's duct tape and baling wire to gimp it home .
Once home we can see if the duct tape is going to hold or if we need to get out the pop rivets and trailer skirting .

If it's got too much tire and too much power and caused a structure AD it's an Alaskan work horse . If it has only pontoons/skies and round motors and was crashed but nobody noticed it's an Alaskan work horse .
If wing parts that move on super heavy cargo haulers are installed but don't move and the wing tips look like they melted and are dripping off it's an Alaskan work horse .
If it's been hauled out of where it broke by one just like it , a snow machine , other a pack train it is/was/is parts for an Alaskan work horse .
If it's every had an orchard heater used to warm up the engine enough to turn it and the gasoline to get the diesel warm enough to heat up the waste oil in the heater had to be warmed up so it would burn it's probably been in Alaska for at least 6 months and is growing up to be an Alaskan work horse .

[alphalimafoxtrot]

RD, that is a priceless photo of your flight with your Dad and your pup! My "boy" dog, Wolfgang, has that same affect stare look that can mean just about anything. He loves to tag along with me, whatever I'm doing! Taking dogs in trucks, on a tractor, in an airplane, on a speedboat - why not? If they like it - do it!

Now, my "girl" dog, Honeybee - not at all likes to ride around too much. To each their own! Be well. Enjoying your websites for reading as I continue shoulder #2 recovery!

Adam

[Ranch Dog]

Been wondering how it was going for you, thank you for checking in!

[larryw]

as I continue shoulder #2 recovery! Adam

Howdy Adam, how is the recovery going? Smooth & fast I hope.
I can sure sympathize with you on the shoulders. Had a right
total replacement about 8 years ago, it's now in need of a revision (Tune up)
Your no rookie, you know the drill. Keep after it, best of luck.
PM inbound..

[alphalimafoxtrot]

as I continue shoulder #2 recovery! Adam

Howdy Adam, how is the recovery going? Smooth & fast I hope.
I can sure sympathize with you on the shoulders. Had a right
total replacement about 8 years ago, it's now in need of a revision (Tune up)
Your no rookie, you know the drill. Keep after it, best of luck.
PM inbound..

Larry,

thank you for asking about my post-op recovery. Well, to be honest, this second shoulder is a good deal more tolerable than the first one that got repaired in June. Now that left shoulder is doing real good, but of course it's not been able to take a rest since it has to be covering for the now-mending right shoulder. Yeah, I don't recommend dual traumatic injuries on 6 month cycles to anyone!!!

My doctor is great, and my physical therapy guys are super - makes all the difference. In fact, today was my 6-week "bump" from PROM to AAROM (passive range of motion graduating to active-assisted range of motion therapy) so that did include an extra "bump" of pain but that's the way it works!

My wife is really doing well following her surgery and anyway it's a little nutty having 2 teachers home on short term disability leave. Cabin fever? Yeah. Got that!

Anyway, back to RD's flying with his dad and his dog - what a great thing to be able to do, eh? Love it!

Take care, and thanks for listening!

Adam

[akuser47]

great to hear

[Ranch Dog]

Another video for Larry. The weather here along the SE coast of Texas has been horrible, low ceilings and visibility. The closer I get the Gulf, the worst it gets. When I'm forced low, it takes a lot of control input to keep me over the right-of-way for the view and this is such a day. This is in a smaller airplane, a C150, that I use while my airplane is in maintenance.

[BBvideo 560,340][/BBvideo]

[farmerjim]

Quite a few tight turns there. What are you looking for on a pipeline patrol ? Is it mostly visual, or any instruments involved.

[Ranch Dog]

Quite a few tight turns there. What are you looking for on a pipeline patrol ? Is it mostly visual, or any instruments involved.

This particular lease is all visual. I would only look at the iPad based map if I had an issue with a well or needed to pin a spot on the pipeline for the ground crew to investigate. Fortunately, this lease has few problems, and I would evaluate the need for a further look very carefully as the walk for anyone is quite hazardous. I cannot adequately describe the moccasin & gator density.

The first 1:50 of the patrol is flying a 40K acre lease inspecting 1300+ wells and the pipelines between these. I use a track grid system to do that, but only reference the iPad to ensure I remain on the tracks. I'm looking at 30K sq feet a minute, so I quickly learned points on the ground to keep me on track. I can miss something outside with a quick look at the iPad. I also keep a backup of the lease, wells, and tracks on my phone which I can use if the pad quits. I figured out all the geek stuff myself; using paper lease maps to get the data into Earth and then into the aviation software on the pad. Honestly, it took hundreds of hours done in a very short period.



This view is scaled in to get the entire field, scaled out, it is very detailed. I can get all kinds of info about a well by tapping the image.

Of course, Laurel flys with me.



The trouble with him is that after the first few turns, he ends up like this.



This is a 1:50 later and I'm leaving the NE end of the field for the refuge (top right corner of phone image which can be seen on the iPad behind the aircraft symbol).

Because of the fog yesterday, I never could get out. Similar morning, but a front will push through about 10 so I should get out.

[larryw]

Wow Michael, do you have to eyeball each one of those red dots?
Nice video, yea after a few turns like that, pup lays down saying
" Oh Lord, he's at it again "