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About 80% of general aviation aircraft fly using Lycoming engines. Clearing the trees at the end of the runway. Leaving 4500ft for 6500ft. Maintaining airflow and generating lift across the wings. All are impossible without a reliable engine. Lycoming powers my training aircraft and so fuels my quest for a private pilot certificate. This blog is a record of my thoughts and experiences on life, flight, and learning.

27 August 2008

Ingition!

It finally happened. After 16 years and hundreds of rounds, I have finally entered the new millenium of golf. I have purchased a set of new Nike Ignite irons (3-PW), with a 3 hybrid iron. I'm very excited to go from this set of 30-40yr old MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Personal Model clubs:

to this:
I'm projecting sub-par rounds later this year, followed by a stint in Q-school for 2009, perhaps a major championship in 2011, and winning the Masters by 2012. Yup. That sounds good.

14 August 2008

Indiana Rainbows

Here's a riddle for you....I took this picture in Indiana, but I was in a different state at the exact moment when the photo was taken. Where was I? (and don't say "at the airport").

Why, I was in Indiana, Pennsylvania, of course! I had taken my brother-in-law, Casey, to visit his wife attending her PhD classes at IUP, and I needed an excuse to go practice my flying (and landing). It was a beautiful day, cool and sunny, with a nice broken layer of clouds at 6500ft. On my way, I managed to snap a photo of Tami Longaberger's house...very nice, and I wonder how many baskets are crammed into that place?

Tami Longaberger's humble abode....pretty nice, huh?

We cruised on east over Zanesville, Wheeling, and around south of Pittsburgh, PA at about 9500ft. As we crossed over Washington, PA, I could see that the clouds were getting much taller, so we ducked underneath the layer and saw a couple of scattered rainshowers, which when the light hit them just right made a beautiful rainbow.

Rainshowers & rainbows over Indiana, PA

Rainshower over Monroeville, PA

When the light is just right, you can see TWO rainbows!

I was pleasantly surprised to see the inside of the terminal at Indiana County (KIDI) was a giant tribute to Jimmy Stewart, one of my favorite actors. There was also a really beautiful looking golf course just off the end of the runway. I'll have to come back here for two weeks, drink cold beer, and have someone hold my hand and say 'poor, poor thing'. As Elwood P. Dowd would say: "Wouldn't that get a little monotonous, just Indiana (or Akron), cold beer and 'poor, poor thing' for two weeks?" Well, I think that Harvey would have something else in mind -

A couple of towering thunderheads over Lake Erie

Treehill Country Club, just north of Sewickely, PA - Looks like a nice course to play!

Trains queueing at the Conway Railyard, the largest train classification yard between New York & Chicago

Heavenly rays, peeking through the clouds over New Philadelphia, OH