Well, here we are in Columbus Nebraska, waiting out some weather! Please excuse the sparse reports, yesterday was a WHIRLWIND!!!!
Our day began at 5, prepping ourselves, attending a final weather briefing, preflighting and then the TAKEOFF at 8! I cannot describe to you how smoothly everything during takeoff went! We, being number 57, were the last aircraft off the ground, I would say it was around 8:30?! Unreal how quickly everyone was up and out!
The flight over the mountains to Gallup New Mexico was NICE and bumpy! We had a decent tailwind and a fun time listening to all the girls chat on the air to air frequency. Air Traffic Control had a good time alerting us of the 'traffic' ahead. All we could say was, "We're aware!" First flyby went fairly smoothly, quickly! But smoothly.
Let me describe flybys. How the race is determined is based on your aircrafts handicap speed (the speed the plane tested at empty, full power, leaned, ect ect) compared to your speed during the actualy race. You want to have a faster groundspeed than your handicap. The leg speed is based on your leg time, from one timing line to another. The flybys are done at each stop airport, just a few hundred feet above the ground and at full steam ahead. They are an adrenaline rush! From there you are able to land and refuel without the clock still ticking and then you refly the timing line to restart your time.
Yesterday we did a flyby in Gallup and then stopped in Hereford, TX. It sure felt like West Texas, left gusty crosswind the whole way down! And DUSTY! And just a hint Hereford, GET SOME AIR FRESHENER! All the wind and stench aside, what a welcoming! A beautiful spread of food, lots of gifts and goodies and YELLOW ROSES! Love that Texas hospitality! From there it was on to Goodland, KS and overnight to Columbus, NE. We landed and our numbers on the back of the plane were COMPLETELY peeled off, so we had to remake those as quickly as possible! (I guess we were going just that fast!) We were fortunate to get the last hotel room in the area and had a nice dinner with another team. Then it was on to cutting numbers and BED!
This morning began EARLY, too early for me, but Jessica L. had a good point that we should attempt to be up before others were coming in to avoid congestion. So 6:30 arrival at the KOLU to prep the plane, reattch numbers, get a briefing and a bite to eat. Well it was quickly evident that the weather wasn't good here nor at our destination. We opted to eat at a GREAT truckers stop with a couple of other teams, transported by the 'shaggin waggon' (a REALLY old van...what an experience that was!) Then back to the airport. So we waited. And waited. And gave interviews, and waited. and looked at weather, and waited. And guess what, we're still waiting!!! So right now there is a storm sitting right over the top of the airport, and the airport behind and ahead are closed in too. So we will see! Welcome to aviation, hurry up and wait!
We've had a great time, seen alot of terrain, and learned so much already!! Can't wait to get another leg done!!
Blue Skies and Tailwinds,
Jessica V and Jessica L
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Friday, June 15, 2012
WE ARE HERE!!! We arrived in Lake Havasu this evening after an exciting couple of days!
We had a WONDERFUL send off from Ruston with lots of friends and family and even three news crews!! After lots of interviews, bags, and hugs, we preflighted and were off! Enroute to Abilene was gorgeous, got some great IMC time!! However, just about the time we entered into clear blue skies, one of our instruments starting acting funny. Of course they train us for events like this so we were well prepared, and how convenient to be going to Abilene where all of Jessica V's Maintenance friends are!
We spent the remainder of the day running errands, buying contact paper for our race numbers, and relaxing. Ready for the long day of flying ahead!
Today, we arrived at the airport around 9:30 to prepare to leave, only to run into a few hiccups with maintenance. The new attitude indicator hadn't yet come in, the Garmin 430 update wasn't cooperating (user error, imagine that?!), and the XM weather needed to be purchased. But with a little patience, some great friends at Abilene Aero, and a few lessons learned, we were ready!
Every time I (JV) enter a maintenance shop I question if I should become an A&P (and aviation mechanic). It absolutly fascinates me and I really appreciate Mark Reed, head of the Abilene Aero MX team, teaching me so much today! I learned how to perform a seat rail AD (Airworthiness Directive, basically a recall for airplanes), how impluse couplings work, and how to feel if an aircrafts engine's timing is right. So much fun, and after all the learning, the airplane was ready!
Today was SUCH a great learning experience for us both. The terrain, weather and altitude really brought out the outstanding skills we have acquired over these few short years and pushed our abilities and confidence, what an awesome experience! Flying from Abilene to Lake Havasu involved lots of mountains, which made it necessary to climb to a pretty high alititude. This brings into question the abilities of the airplane as well as the health of the pilots. Both did GREAT! It was bumpy and we had to deviate for some weather as well as for air traffic and finally stopped in Flagstaff, AZ to refuel, reboost and rest. The flight was a short hour after that into beautiful Lake Havasu! The Air Race Staff was WONDERFUL and greeted us with water and cool towels (By the way, it's HOT here!).
Once on the ramp, we applied our race numbers and polished 182PW up all nice and shiny for her inspection tomorrow!! At 9 a.m. the fun really begins!!
We appreciate all your prayers and support, what a blessing everyone has been! We will update lots more tomorrow, but after 6 hours of flying, we are ready for BED!!
Blue Skies and Tailwinds,
Jessica L and Jessica V
We had a WONDERFUL send off from Ruston with lots of friends and family and even three news crews!! After lots of interviews, bags, and hugs, we preflighted and were off! Enroute to Abilene was gorgeous, got some great IMC time!! However, just about the time we entered into clear blue skies, one of our instruments starting acting funny. Of course they train us for events like this so we were well prepared, and how convenient to be going to Abilene where all of Jessica V's Maintenance friends are!
We spent the remainder of the day running errands, buying contact paper for our race numbers, and relaxing. Ready for the long day of flying ahead!
Today, we arrived at the airport around 9:30 to prepare to leave, only to run into a few hiccups with maintenance. The new attitude indicator hadn't yet come in, the Garmin 430 update wasn't cooperating (user error, imagine that?!), and the XM weather needed to be purchased. But with a little patience, some great friends at Abilene Aero, and a few lessons learned, we were ready!
Every time I (JV) enter a maintenance shop I question if I should become an A&P (and aviation mechanic). It absolutly fascinates me and I really appreciate Mark Reed, head of the Abilene Aero MX team, teaching me so much today! I learned how to perform a seat rail AD (Airworthiness Directive, basically a recall for airplanes), how impluse couplings work, and how to feel if an aircrafts engine's timing is right. So much fun, and after all the learning, the airplane was ready!
Today was SUCH a great learning experience for us both. The terrain, weather and altitude really brought out the outstanding skills we have acquired over these few short years and pushed our abilities and confidence, what an awesome experience! Flying from Abilene to Lake Havasu involved lots of mountains, which made it necessary to climb to a pretty high alititude. This brings into question the abilities of the airplane as well as the health of the pilots. Both did GREAT! It was bumpy and we had to deviate for some weather as well as for air traffic and finally stopped in Flagstaff, AZ to refuel, reboost and rest. The flight was a short hour after that into beautiful Lake Havasu! The Air Race Staff was WONDERFUL and greeted us with water and cool towels (By the way, it's HOT here!).
Once on the ramp, we applied our race numbers and polished 182PW up all nice and shiny for her inspection tomorrow!! At 9 a.m. the fun really begins!!
We appreciate all your prayers and support, what a blessing everyone has been! We will update lots more tomorrow, but after 6 hours of flying, we are ready for BED!!
Blue Skies and Tailwinds,
Jessica L and Jessica V
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