Very cool. I hiked that ridge in the foreground a couple of weeks ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by mangle
Printable View
Very cool. I hiked that ridge in the foreground a couple of weeks ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by mangle
Went down to Afton as I'm trying to finish up xc time for an instrument. Tuesday was West Yellowstone, which was also rather pretty.
I bailed on Big Sky yesterday, as the winds weren't great. Driggs was surprisingly gusty at the 22 end around noon, which made for some interesting landings in a new-to-me tailwheel. Was hoping to get some more time today, but it's already gusting to 20. There are a few days next week that look ok.
I had a 17 knot headwind when I landed in Driggs yesterday afternoon. Was definitely interesting.
What's up with West Yellowstone? A few people had told me that KWYS shut down on Oct 1st for a seasonal closure, but sounds like no?
KEKS has been on my list of places to XC to as well.
Cool that you're getting your instrument rating. At some point I'm hoping go down the same path of instrument + tail dragger.
So kind of a funny one - WYS was dead Tuesday, and the AWOS went out of service at 10AM Tuesday, right after I left, so I was a little concerned I might have missed a NOTAM and landed at a closed airport. A quick call to the FBO and I learned that they're likely closing for the season tomorrow because of the incoming snow (it's not plowed in the winter).
The new taildragger is a Citabria, and I've been having a bit of a rough time in it solo in gusty conditions - a second person providing ballast seems to make a huge difference.
Recent Montana shots from my bro.
Tobacco Roots, looking south
Attachment 441077
Madison range, looking NE
Attachment 441078
Reno Air Races anyone? Tickets went on sale today. This will be the last year. Perhaps we'll get to see all the unlimiteds back for one last hurrah.
I used to fly Robinsons as a CFI/CFII and have flown a few Citabrias, Cessnas, Pipers, Katanas etc but haven't finished my fixed wing ratings. Don't fly much anymore, would like to but can't justify spending money on something that could be taken away at the drop of a hat due to medical BS.
Hey Driggs pilots, I know your new airport manager.
These are badassQuote:
Originally Posted by Norseman
Reno Air Races were awesome, minus the midair. I'm eagerly awaiting 2025 and it's possible they'll pick Casper, WY.
Meanwhile, a new-to-me plane:
Attachment 475331
That looks awesome.
Dude congrats!Quote:
Originally Posted by mangle
I figured out the other day that we now know each other in real life.
Guy who skis, with a Citabria, who splits time between the village and KDIJ. Yep, that's Mangle on TGR.
Does the Pitts have a new paint job since I saw it in your hangar?
Also, on the subject of new planes, this is new to me as of this fall-
Attachment 475333
That's hilarious. I'm a little embarrassed I didn't put that together myself.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevo
No new paint job, was like that when I bought it. I wish the weather would cooperate and I could fly it a bit more.
Are you at the Victor airport? I know the new airport manager there. Hope to head up there this winter to see her.
Driggs airport.Quote:
Originally Posted by Name Redacted
Meredith has her plane in the hangar next to where my plane is. She and her partner seem really cool.
Cool, yeah cool chick. Her and I go way back. Good to see her living her best life. I always get Victor and Driggs confused. But yeah, hopefully I get a chance to head up and ski up there this season.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevo
Right on. Come ski Targhee! Hit me up if you make it up here.Quote:
Originally Posted by Name Redacted
Sweet bird.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevo
Will do. I've flown Citabria's and Husky's in the past as well as various Cessnas, don't have a fixed wing PPL though. I have my commercial rotorcraft license but medical is expired and I haven't flown helicopters in over a decade.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevo
Sweet. Well if you do make it out let's ski and or fly depending on weather.Quote:
Originally Posted by Name Redacted
I don't fly much these days since now I have to pay for it myself but I do just enough to maintain my currency. General aviation is super expensive in Japan and therefore almost non-existent but there's a USAF flying club outside Tokyo that has really reasonable rates.
Attachment 475496
C-172 parked on the ramp at Matsumoto airport in Nagano, Japan. I believe this was on Halloween a few years ago during the thick of COVID. The Japanese alps in the background show just a bit of snow before we had one of the best winters on record.
Attachment 475497
Mount Fuji just after sunset, above the Kanto plain.
A couple pictures from night flying recently. I needed solo night time/landings for a commercial ticket, and I've been playing with night vision. You can really see the difference between early gen-3 tubes and current state of the art. Still pictures don't do them justice. Bonus Tetons.
Attachment 476634
Attachment 476636
Attachment 476635
Much respect to shooting photos through NVGs while at 90 degrees AOB, demonstrate those skills during your commercial check and you'll pass for sure.
NVG photos never turn out very well but they are some amazing tools. You see a lot more lightning and shooting stars while aided then you ever will without.
It's been a slow winter for skiing but a great winter for flying.
The cathedral group from high above Alaska Basin
Attachment 481210
JHMR from Granite Canyon
Attachment 481211
Up towards Big Sky today
Attachment 481212
Upper Mesa Falls on the Henry's Fork of the Snake River
Attachment 481213
Nice! Your neighbor just posted some pics of a similar flight on the book of faces. Looks beautiful up there. Wish it would snow though.
We could definitely use some snow. Maybe in a week or so...Quote:
Originally Posted by Name Redacted
When are you coming out?
Well, we were planning on Feb but keeping options open now due to low tide across the nation right now. Might call an audible on Mexico. Ugh. But if we make it up there I'll let ya know.
Anyway, happy flying, glad you have that if the skiing sucks.
Repost, but from many years ago so maybe new to some. https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...light=spitfire
That plane got damaged on the ground with a collision with a hurricane shortly after this TR, and we couldn't afford to get it flying again, so it was sold to a museum in Duxford that operates it for rides.
I've got a J3 cub, and am now hoping to get my license soon. Slightly nervous. Its been years since I've flown much and am a bit rusty, but mostly, its my stomach that is no longer used to flying. Hopefully that can improve as I get used to it again. Kind of not sure how to go about this as my cub is in Boulder Co. I live on the western slope, so I'm not sure exactly what I'm doing. Possibly thinking of just living out of my car for a few weeks in Boulder while I get my light sport license, but that also seems to be putting some outside pressure on myself to do it as quickly as possible, which might be at odds with my stomach. First world problems though.
There are some really stunning pictures in this thread that are helping motivate me.
Man flying in a spitfire would be a dream. Super cool!Quote:
Originally Posted by leroy jenkins
There are plenty of ferry pilots who would be happy to fly your J3 from Boulder to the western slope for a relatively nominal fee. Then once you have the cub in your location you can continue your training without having to worry about time pressure.
Just make sure you find a tailwheel CFI close to where you live before you have the plane ferried to the western slope.
Or grab a CFI and ferry it with him. You'll learn a lot about xc in the mountains that way.
It's been a fun summer of flying
Mangle took me up in his Citabria while my Husky was down for maintenance-
Attachment 500533
Once I was back up and running I started to explore Yellowstone
Lewis Lake-
Attachment 500525
The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone-
Attachment 500526
Grand Prismatic-
Attachment 500532
I learned how to formation fly-
Attachment 500527
Attachment 500528
And I started landing at some truly off airport locations-
Attachment 500529
Attachment 500530
^ Nice
MD500 out of LIH-
Attachment 502348
Attachment 502349
Attachment 502350
Attachment 502351
Attachment 502358
Sunset over Kiribati flying HNL-RAR. The ITCZ made for one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen from the air.
Attachment 502359
edit- I have no idea why some pics are sideways and others are right side up. Ugh
Hot damn those are some gorgeous places you are visiting!
Camped on that beach at the base of those cliffs last year. Amazing, despite the heli traffic. I think it is closed right now because of listeria or norovirus or something.