{"id":2621,"date":"2018-12-11T21:30:12","date_gmt":"2018-12-12T03:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.texas-flyer.com\/newblog\/?p=2621"},"modified":"2018-12-12T10:10:35","modified_gmt":"2018-12-12T16:10:35","slug":"winter-flight-in-the-cavalon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.texas-flyer.com\/newblog\/?p=2621","title":{"rendered":"Winter flight in the Cavalon"},"content":{"rendered":"

December 11, 2018<\/span><\/p>\n

This won’t be a story as much as just some photos I took on a “local” flight.<\/p>\n

The primary purpose of this flight was to ensure that my ADS-B was working well.\u00a0 On my previous cross-country flight to Brenham, the ADS-B system seemed to have stopped working about 1 hour after I took off, each way.\u00a0 So, I wanted to fly for at least 90 minutes, today, to make sure I had “fixed” the problem.\u00a0 [The problem was self-inflicted — as many aircraft problems are.\u00a0 I had unintentionally set my transponder into Mode S, and the ADS-B doesn’t work well in Mode S.\u00a0 When I figured out that it was set-up wrong — after my return flight from Brenham — I changed it back to Mode C.\u00a0 So this was a flight to ensure the problem was solved.]<\/p>\n

The air temp was around 40\u00baF\/4.4\u00baC when I arrived at Anahuac, and had worked its way up to about 50\u00baF\/9.9\u00baC by the time I took off.\u00a0 I first did a lap around the pattern and then a touch-n-go.\u00a0 I then headed south but didn’t get very far before my door popped open!\u00a0 Yep, it’s always a surprise, but not as much as the first time it happened (on my way back from Maryland).\u00a0 I managed to get the middle latch, uh, latched, but then the front latch on the\u00a0other<\/em> door pops open.\u00a0 That’s when I decided it’d be wise to return to the airport and fix the door issues.\u00a0 So that’s what I did.<\/p>\n

I landed, taxied around to the run-up area, killed the engine, ran around to the other side of plane and made sure the door was latched completely, then jumped back in and taxied to the hold-short line.\u00a0 I then ensured my door was very tightly closed and latched and took off again to the south.\u00a0 No more issues after this.<\/p>\n

Where was I going?\u00a0 Since I was actually just killing time, I figured that having some scenery to look at while flying around is always a good choice, so I headed for the southern end of Galveston Bay.\u00a0 It seems there’s always something interesting to see down there.<\/p>\n

Unlike my open-air gyro brethren, I was toasty in my Cavalon… it’s kind of a flying terrarium in some respects.\u00a0 It was between 45\u00baF and 50\u00baF outside, but quite warm inside the cockpit and getting warmer all the time.\u00a0 Even though I had a sweatshirt on, after 20 minutes, it was getting too warm for me so I opened both of my ventilation hatches, and left them open for the remainder of the flight.<\/p>\n

I should also note:\u00a0 this gyroplane is definitely liking the cooler weather.\u00a0 There are a few quantitative elements that I can measure — how quickly it takes off, how much smoother the rotors operate, etc. — but there are also a lot of qualitative elements that are harder to pin down.\u00a0 In retrospect, I’m now really glad my first long trip in it was in the dead of winter.\u00a0 At the time I had a lot of anxiety about that.\u00a0 But the fact that it runs better when it’s cold means my first impression was the best it has to offer.\u00a0 Of course, I live in SE Texas where it’s hot and humid for the majority of the year, so I do have to accept that it doesn’t fly as well then.\u00a0 Overall, I’m very happy with it… just a little more-so in the winter! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>As you can see (at right), upon leaving Anahuac I headed SW and my track took me down near the city of Galveston, then I turned NE to fly along the Bolivar Peninsula beach.\u00a0 When I had about 45 minutes on the clock,\u00a0 I turned north back toward the airport.\u00a0 Rather than just head in — I wanted to be really sure I had a lot more than 1 hour for this trip — I kept heading north and flew to Liberty County airport and did a touch-n-go.\u00a0 After that, I just headed south again and landed back at Anahuac.\u00a0 A two hour flight, lots of nice scenery, and zero issues with my ADS-B system.\u00a0 Very successful!\u00a0 Below are some of the photos I took on this flight.<\/p>\n

\"This <\/a>
This shows the outside air temperature. 9.9\u00baC is 50\u00baF <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Airport <\/a>
Airport on right, Anahuac on left <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4905\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4906\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4907\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4908\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4909\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4910\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4911\" <\/a> <\/div>
\"4N1A4912\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4913\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4914\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Flying <\/a>
Flying over the southern end of Galveston Bay <\/div> <\/div>
\"I <\/a>
I think they are fishing for shrimp (???) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4917\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4918\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4919\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4920\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4921\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4922\" <\/a> <\/div>
\"The <\/a>
The sectional shows an airport down there, but it truly ain’t there! <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4924\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Galveston's <\/a>
Galveston’s airport <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4926\" <\/a> <\/div>
\"4N1A4927\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Someone <\/a>
Someone was having fun in the mud! <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Texas <\/a>
Texas A&M @ Galveston campus <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4930\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"A <\/a>
A RoRo (vehicle hauling ship) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4932\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Fort <\/a>
Fort Travis <\/div> <\/div>
\"Texas <\/a>
Texas City Dike <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Bolivar <\/a>
Bolivar Ferry <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4936\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4937\" <\/a> <\/div>
\"4N1A4938\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4939\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Does <\/a>
Does that look like a runway to you? <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Boondocking <\/a>
Boondocking on the beach! <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4942\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4943\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Where <\/a>
Where are all the Snow Birds? <\/div> <\/div>
\"Looking <\/a>
Looking down Bolivar Peninsula <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Something <\/a>
Something going on in the Intracoastal Waterway <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Birtds <\/a>
Birtds camping out on a small key <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Traffic <\/a>
Traffic in the area (see the cyan-colored triangle? That another aircraft.) <\/div> <\/div>
\"4N1A4952\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"A <\/a>
A shot of Anahuac airport as I pass it by, on the way to Liberty County airport. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Liberty <\/a>
Liberty County airport <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Overall:
\n* distance: 120 nm (138 sm, 194 km)
\n* time in the air:\u00a0 2 hour, 8 minutes
\n* fuel burned:\u00a0 7 gallons (26.5 liters)<\/p>\n

If you’re interested in “flying along with me,” take a look at the video.\u00a0 I shot this while approaching Anahuac airport from the south, and includes close-up shots of the instruments as well as some outside views, and even a few moments with yours truly!\u00a0 (Actually, the video demonstrates one of the good news\/bad news element I have about winter flying… having to leave the doors on.\u00a0 It’s too cold to fly with them off in the winter but, you can see for yourself:\u00a0 all the reflections in the doors that, as a photographer, are not easy to deal with.)<\/p>\n