Comments on: Blue sky dreaming http://blog.xcski.com/2006/04/24/blue-sky-dreaming Everything I used to bore people on newsgroups and mailing lists with, now in one inconvenient place. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:28:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Alex Clark http://blog.xcski.com/2006/04/24/blue-sky-dreaming#comment-10172 Alex Clark Thu, 24 Aug 2006 20:24:40 +0000 http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/2006/04/24/blue-sky-dreaming#comment-10172 Get your instrument rating before you get your commercial. It helps build hours and makes you a much better pilot. Thus a better commercial applicant. The float rating ad-on makes you a commercial float pilot if obtained after your commercial rating. Obtaining some tail-wheel instruction will also make you a smoother pilot. Alex Clark Alaskan CFI and Float-Rating Instructor Get your instrument rating before you get your commercial. It helps build hours and makes you a much better pilot. Thus a better commercial applicant. The float rating ad-on makes you a commercial float pilot if obtained after your commercial rating. Obtaining some tail-wheel instruction will also make you a smoother pilot.

Alex Clark
Alaskan CFI and Float-Rating Instructor

]]> By: Ian http://blog.xcski.com/2006/04/24/blue-sky-dreaming#comment-2556 Ian Tue, 25 Apr 2006 19:56:44 +0000 http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/2006/04/24/blue-sky-dreaming#comment-2556 Geoff agrees that the Cessna 180 is probably the one in our painting. He came up with Cessna as the maker without being prompted, in fact. Geoff agrees that the Cessna 180 is probably the one in our painting. He came up with Cessna as the maker without being prompted, in fact.

]]> By: Ian http://blog.xcski.com/2006/04/24/blue-sky-dreaming#comment-2552 Ian Tue, 25 Apr 2006 16:27:12 +0000 http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/2006/04/24/blue-sky-dreaming#comment-2552 The Cessna 180 looks closest to my memory of the painting; the Super Cub looks a little on the small side. A 1952 debut for the 180 wouldn't be too far off. That's probably it. Thanks for the memories. The Cessna 180 looks closest to my memory of the painting; the Super Cub looks a little on the small side. A 1952 debut for the 180 wouldn’t be too far off. That’s probably it. Thanks for the memories.

]]> By: Paul Tomblin http://blog.xcski.com/2006/04/24/blue-sky-dreaming#comment-2551 Paul Tomblin Tue, 25 Apr 2006 14:58:36 +0000 http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/2006/04/24/blue-sky-dreaming#comment-2551 The Cessna 180 first flew in 1952. The Cessna 170 first flew in 1948, but wasn't used as much as a float plane. Any chance it was a <a href="http://www.puddlejumpers.net/i/Supercub_on_floats.jpg" rel="nofollow">Super Cub</a>? Not as much carrying capacity, but a lot of people use it as personal or trainer float plane. <a href="http://www.hancockhouse.com/products/lanher.htm" rel="nofollow">Or even a bush plane</a>. The Cessna 180 first flew in 1952. The Cessna 170 first flew in 1948, but wasn’t used as much as a float plane. Any chance it was a Super Cub? Not as much carrying capacity, but a lot of people use it as personal or trainer float plane. Or even a bush plane.

]]> By: Ian http://blog.xcski.com/2006/04/24/blue-sky-dreaming#comment-2550 Ian Tue, 25 Apr 2006 14:34:18 +0000 http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/2006/04/24/blue-sky-dreaming#comment-2550 The Cessna 180 <a HREF="http://asuaf.org/~fswrd/cessna%20180.jpg" rel="nofollow">here</a> looks closer to my mental image. I don't think my father would have tolerated a very inaccurate painting. This painting would have dated to roughly 1950-ish, which was when my father was up North. Are the Cessna 180s that old, or is there a precursor? The Cessna 180 here looks closer to my mental image. I don’t think my father would have tolerated a very inaccurate painting.

This painting would have dated to roughly 1950-ish, which was when my father was up North. Are the Cessna 180s that old, or is there a precursor?

]]> By: Paul Tomblin http://blog.xcski.com/2006/04/24/blue-sky-dreaming#comment-2546 Paul Tomblin Tue, 25 Apr 2006 12:58:27 +0000 http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/2006/04/24/blue-sky-dreaming#comment-2546 Ian, one possibility is that the painter wasn't being very accurate. Another possibility is that it was a smaller float plane like a Cessna 180. Ian, one possibility is that the painter wasn’t being very accurate. Another possibility is that it was a smaller float plane like a Cessna 180.

]]> By: Ian http://blog.xcski.com/2006/04/24/blue-sky-dreaming#comment-2545 Ian Tue, 25 Apr 2006 12:49:23 +0000 http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/2006/04/24/blue-sky-dreaming#comment-2545 My bedroom where I grew up had two big paintings of float planes on the walls, so I'm kind of imprinted on them. My father did a fair bit of surveying in the far North, where everything was flown in by float planes, so that was the reason for them. I'm trying to figure out, from my 30-year-old memories of the paintings, what the planes were. They might have been Beavers, but the pictures I'm finding of Beavers don't quite match my memory. The planes in the paintings were a little smaller, I think, the floats were maybe a bit bigger proportionately, and the wings weren't quite the same, thoguh I can't put my finger on how they differ. My bedroom where I grew up had two big paintings of float planes on the walls, so I’m kind of imprinted on them. My father did a fair bit of surveying in the far North, where everything was flown in by float planes, so that was the reason for them.

I’m trying to figure out, from my 30-year-old memories of the paintings, what the planes were. They might have been Beavers, but the pictures I’m finding of Beavers don’t quite match my memory. The planes in the paintings were a little smaller, I think, the floats were maybe a bit bigger proportionately, and the wings weren’t quite the same, thoguh I can’t put my finger on how they differ.

]]> By: Rob Guglielmetti http://blog.xcski.com/2006/04/24/blue-sky-dreaming#comment-2532 Rob Guglielmetti Mon, 24 Apr 2006 23:35:12 +0000 http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/2006/04/24/blue-sky-dreaming#comment-2532 I always thought I'd get the commercial before the instrument rating; I thought it was a cool rating, sort-of like varsity pilot versus junior varsity, in terms of the standards you're held to on the practical test. As it turned out, I fly even less than you do and am a long ways away from the required hours. I'm also with ya on the whole floatplane flying thing. I think they are totally cool, and I'd love to get my rating someday even if it's just to get it. It's too bad that <a href="http://www.airnav.com/airport/42B" rel="nofollow">Goodspeed Airport</a> in CT closed the floatplane school, that used to be the closest float instruction to you. I know that Damian DelGaizo who runs Andover Flight Academy in NJ has been trying to work out the details of doing float instruction, but it's been a tough road. A former NJ politician's kid got killed on a NJ lake when a floatplane hit him during water operations. Since then, floatplanes have been banned from all NJ lakes, is what I hear. Good luck on chasing that dream; I didn't know about Twitchells' course. I always thought I’d get the commercial before the instrument rating; I thought it was a cool rating, sort-of like varsity pilot versus junior varsity, in terms of the standards you’re held to on the practical test. As it turned out, I fly even less than you do and am a long ways away from the required hours.

I’m also with ya on the whole floatplane flying thing. I think they are totally cool, and I’d love to get my rating someday even if it’s just to get it. It’s too bad that Goodspeed Airport in CT closed the floatplane school, that used to be the closest float instruction to you.

I know that Damian DelGaizo who runs Andover Flight Academy in NJ has been trying to work out the details of doing float instruction, but it’s been a tough road. A former NJ politician’s kid got killed on a NJ lake when a floatplane hit him during water operations. Since then, floatplanes have been banned from all NJ lakes, is what I hear.

Good luck on chasing that dream; I didn’t know about Twitchells’ course.

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