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Re: water crossing
Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 6:35 pm
by voorheesh
Sounds like a great career in gliders. If flying gliders is crazy, I must be crazy
I can't decide which is better 170s or 1-26s. You are lucky to live in the location of the best soaring conditions in the US and hope you continue to enjoy the sport even if you don't do contests!
Re: water crossing
Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 8:25 pm
by n3437d
I extend this invitation to all glider pilots - I live about 1/2 hr north of Minden - and about 1/2 mile west of KCXP where my plane is located. If any of you want to come visit to go glider flying - you are more than welcome to use my place as a layover.
Joel
N3437D
Re: water crossing
Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 10:34 pm
by N2645V
I have only a little time over lake Michigan. While weathered in at Traverse City at the north end of lake Michigan we noticed a Coast Guard facility there. We talked with a freight pilot leaving IFR going south. He told me the Coast Guard had never rescued survivors from North Lake Michigan... The water is too cold, survival time is measured in minutes. I have Scuba dived in lake Michigan and the water can be terribly cold in the summer.
We live at 1C5 in the Chicago suburbs... I will put you up overnight if you want to stop in... your 170 can be in the back yard.
Re: water crossing
Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 1:24 am
by n3437d
thanks a million - I am in the process of finalizing my route I shall check on 1c5
Joel
N3437D
Re: water crossing
Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 11:04 pm
by Paul-WI
And if the ditching doesn't get you,the water temperatures will.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1391756/posts
Paul
Re: water crossing
Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 11:29 pm
by cessna170bdriver
The mention of four hour survival in 44-degree water seems long, but if true flotation might have saved him. The
NTSB Report reads like they never recovered his body. Hard to tell if he drowned or hypothermia got him. Bad news either way. The biggest lesson here is to be willing to divert when things don't go as planned (so you don't start across the lake with less than an hour of fuel on board).
Re: water crossing
Posted: Wed May 12, 2010 12:53 am
by ginbug92b
A buddy of mine restored an Ercoupe and flew it to Oshkosh. From New York he went out the southern route around Chicago. Feeling pretty good about his xcountry sucess he decided to take the direct route back home over lake Michigan.The weather was good VFR but the sky kinda blended with the lake. He made it back but he scared himself so badly that he sold the plane and has never flown again since.