The trip (2015)

[c170b53]

I normally drum up something for the 170 news, normally it's a story about winning the Long Distance award. But I thought I might tell my day by day story, as sort of blog, after today's events. So reader beware, this might bore everyone but then again the thing about life; there's always a lesson to be learned.
I readied the aircraft Saturday night, fuelled and provisions loaded, I planned to have a trouble free departure from Pitt Meadows, Vancouver. I had been thinking about the number of tailwheel flats I have had over the past few years so I decided to ensure that I had enough inflation of the little wheel. Seems, under inflation might be causing sidewall flex and the inner surfaces of the available tires seem to be a bit rough. So I decided to inflate the wheel to 45 PSI. I also though I'd use a inflation valve extender to make the job easier. The next morning I had put all the wheels in motion, the flight plan, the Eapis and the phone calls had been made. I got Mary Anne and I to the hangar early for a stress free departure, opened the hangar doors and rolled the plane forward. Then I heard the sound of rushing air, unbelievably I had left the extender on the valve and rolling the plane forward had caused the brass valve to snap in two .
I had a spare inner tube and with Mary Anne's help, lifted and rested the tail onto a Coleman cooler. I changed the tube in 20 minutes and made our departure window, but I was stressed. We made our way east, passing two forest fires on the Canadian side before crossing the border at Oroville where another fire had just begone. We arrived and cleared customs, fuelled the plane and headed to Missoula. We climbed to 9500 ft from Oroville , went direct avoiding two TFR's due fires and despite the haze managed an uneventful arrival.

[c170b53]

Day 2 : just good luck or stupid and lucky?
We had a great stay In Missoula, a goodnight sleep sleep had put the challenges of the previous day out of my mind. I felt like my vacation had truly begun. I checked the weather and we departed thinking once we got by some low clouds in Butte we would have clear sailing. We climbed to 9500 before Butte and headed to Bozman, but the weather did not co-operate. We had enough fuel to fly on top to Billings but as we had some days to get to the convention I decided to play it safe. We found a hole and decended below the overcast layer and were about 20 NM from Bozman. We were being squeezed between the ground and the clouds but we managed to get within sight of the field. I had overflown the airfield many times but this was my first low approach, I was a bit high when given clearance to land and not aligned with the runway heading. I managed to make sufficient corrections to put myself in a landing configuration and pulled the throttle to idle. I looked out the window and thought, oh I've really messed this up. I also thought, what a poor showing of Candian airmanship, so I swallowed my pride and asked the tower permission to do a 360 to lose height. I'm not sure I understood my problem at this point but I did a beautiful donut, lined up on the runway, right height and chopped the power. Something wasn't right, the prop in fine pitch roared, I had to push the nose down hard to descend, I looked at everything and thought what am I doing wrong! I was traveling down the runway, 25 ft of the deck and there was nothing I could do to get her down. Then it got worse!
I was running out of runway, so I declared I was going around, number 2! I had first notch of flaps out, but stowing the carb heat and pushing the throttle forward did nothing for me. The ground was rising and my speed in the climb was decaying. I was behind the power curve, going down and sucking up the flaps wasn't going to help, without power. So I elected to do the dreaded 180 turn to the runway....and we made it. I realized my problem and over the numbers, I shut the engine down and landed like I always like to. We stopped near a turnoff, got out and pushed the plane off the runway.

[c170b53]

Day 2 and there's more to learn.
At first the engine wouldn't start again and it looked like a long push to the FBO's. Some airport personnel showed up and offered help. I looked inside the cowl, thinking that the throttle had disconnected. I found it was still connected to the carb but the the outer sheath was flopping about. I decided to try the engine again. The second time she started and roared to life, turning at 2400 RPM with the throttle knob at idle. At least now I didn't have to push her to the parking area.
I removed the lower cowl and repositioned the throttle cable back so that the cable clamp, a two piece metal clam type, clamp was correctly positioned and tightened up the clamp. I then lock wired the clamp as a safety measure, refitted the cowl and thought to myself, what next on this trip! What had happened; when I pulled the throttle back the clamp prevented the engine returning to idle, when I pushed forward for some reason that force did not move the carb butterfly, just the cable sheath. Learned; if you can double safety something easily; do it!
We cleaned up, fuelled up and took-off from Bozman heading for Spearfish. The weather was better, broken clouds and no real issues to the east, so we forged on. We passed Billings at 9500ft in scattered/ broken clouds and I looked down thinking about the good stays we have had there. Looking forward it appeared the the holes were becoming smaller and fewer but I have Ron's gator stew in my mind so knowing the Spearfish has a broken cloud, I decide to continue. After awhile we are over solid cloud and I find myself looking at my fuel gauges to gauge how much time I have. I try calling flight watch but there's no reply to my calls. The AWOS in Gillette says 2500 scattered, broken 4000 and overcast above that. I'm wondering about the AWOS at Spearfish, does it know that there's three layers of cloud? I'm now at 10500 to avoid cloud, decide to turn around and reverse my course, I'll get back there to Billings on fumes. Then it dawns on me that there's a person in that tower in Gillette, so I give him a call. After a few calls on his part, I'm told that Ellensburg has broken at 11,000, so I turn around again and head for Spearfish.
Around Devils tower, we spot a hole and decide not to look a gift horse in the mouth, so we descend. Under the cloud base we make our way to Spearfish and land uneventfully.
Not one of my finer days.
Tomorrow the forecast is for, well it appears that there's a wall of water between us and the Gulf shores, might be tough to get there.

[juredd1]

Well Jim it sounds like an adventure in the making. At least you are on the ground safe for the night. I hope the weather clears up for all of you heading east. We have been getting lots of rain here in Arkansas but looks like maybe by Friday it will clear up but I'm guessing that puts a lot of folks behind if they can't get through it before then.

At least you are on your way. Thought I was going to get there this year but the other half is not making that an easy task.

Good luck and GOD Bless.

Justin

[170C]

Jim, sure glad that you two are safe and on your way to Gulf Shores What would a trip to a 170 convention be without some unexpected events See you Sunday.

[Ryan Smith]

Safe travels, Jim! I enjoyed reading this thread and hope to be able to make a long distance trip in 56D someday!

[c170b53]

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Bad news
Well I should have put two and two together, although It was in the back of mind that this trip was jinked. Landed at KEAR today and had a low speed ground loop. Gust of wind picked up the wing, I was a spectator and she got away.
Looks like I'm done flying this year. We both are fine and will try to find our way down south once I've made arrangements here. Hope to see everyone later this week.

[170C]

Jim, sorry to hear of your misfortune, but the main thing is both of you are OK. Planes can be repaired. Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed We will need to have a few cool ones and discuss your incident See you soon

[daedaluscan]

Dear Jim, very sorry to hear about your mishap, but glad you are ok. Charlie

[c170b53]

I'm away from the plane and can't believe I did it. I owed that plane more!

[edbooth]

Jim, that was a great story up till the prop bending time... Sorry to hear that. Glad it was no worse. Hope to see you next week.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Jim, stuff happens. I did it once, didn't bend anything though. Always feel you could have done better afterwards.

You'll make it right and move on and you can't owe the plane more than that.

[jrenwick]

What a bummer, Jim! That throttle cable clamp issue has happened many times on Cubs. Once to me, over Ripon, WI, on the way to Oshkosh. I flew the entire approach at full throttle, which is no big deal in a J3. I think many people see it as just a clamp to prevent the cable from flopping around. I've seen the correct part in Cubs replaced with Adel clamps, and in one case even with nylon tie-wraps! When it fails, you no longer have control of your engine. Something to look at, people!

[GAHorn]

I really hate that this happened while you are "out of country"...and hope that's not a big deal. (Replacement prop and ferry permit?)

Glad you're continuing on the journey... Keep us posted on your travel arrangements/decisions....maybe a club-Member might come along...

I had a throttle cable refuse to reduce power on a Baron once (internal cable failure) and it made an interesting side-ways arrival necessary. I deliberately chose a crosswind runway to help alleviate the problem and shut down on the taxiway.

I'm really happy only mechanical damage to your plane (that's what insurance is for!) Wish you had insurance for your pride. Oh...wait... you DO! Even BRUCE admits to at least one groundloop in his career. (As usual, I've got to beat that... I've had TWO.... both in an Aeronca Chief while giving instruction!)

See you at Ron's! I'm bringing medical treatment for the pride.

[edbooth]

Ground loops...I can match that with a little different twist, one landing and one taking off. Figure that one out !