I do know something about aircraft construction...

A few years ago, when we lived in Arkansas, I actually had a house with a shop and the room to do some hobby stuff.  I spent about two months cleaning up the shop and putting in new lights and drywall. Painting the walls and floor.  And building workbenches and shelves.

Then I ordered the tail kit for my favorite homebuilt airplane.  A Van's RV-7.  Not a 7A.  A RV-7.  Anybody can fly a plane with a nosewheel, but REAL men fly taildraggers!!!  LOL  As part of the requirements that the FAA has about amature built airplanes is that the builder must document the building process in such a way as to prove that THEY did at least 51% of the work.  I chose to document my construction on a web page.  Here it is...http://websites.expercraft.com/larryt/

Qik - Mobile video by Larry Tipton

Just a quick video of a recent flight from Savannah out to Tybee Island to test the QIK iPhone app and to try out the new Garmin 196 GPS recently panel mounted.

The video isn't great, but remember it is live streamed via 3G from the phone directly to the internet.

Demo flight in the Cape Town amphibian light sport aircraft...

Denis Boissonneault, the owner and chief flight instructor for Coastal Empire Flight Training took me for a ride in a light sport amphibious airplane. We flew from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport to downtown Savannah and landed on the Savannah River. We did some high speed taxi up the river then docked and went into Savannah Candy Company for some refreshments. Afterwards we taxied out and took off towards the bridge and headed back to the airport. For more information about this cool airplane contact Denis or Sam at http://www.idreamofflying.com

We are going to give this a try...

I went out to the airport during my lunch hour today and watched N1537J taxi out and take off with out me in it... That was a first for me.

Beginning September 25th N1537J was on lease back to Coastal Flight Training here in Savannah. The owners Denis and Sam (Samantha) are really nice folks and I believe that we will have a really good working relationship.

According to my calculations, if the plane rents for about 10 hours a month we won't have to pay anything to keep the plane... At that rate it will pay it's own insurance, tie down fees and maintenance. However, we didn't sign the leaseback agreement for a plane to limp along at 10 hours per month. We need four times that in order to pay for the engine overhaul that is coming in about 600-800 hours from now.

If this week is any indication then we won't have any problem making enough to pay for the overhaul in a few months. From September 25th to September 30th it is scheduled to rent for 45 hours!!!!! I'd be satisfied with 100 hours a month.

Bahamas Flight August 2009

Beth and I took N1537J from Savannah, GA to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island for a four day weekend.

We departed Savannah at 7:00am and after a stop in Fort Pierce, FL we arrived in Freeport at about 12:15pm.

Prior to departure I went online and filled out a departing and arriving eAPIS form ( Electronic Advance Passenger Information System ) for Customs and Border Protection. Before leaving Fort Pierce I called in an International VFR Flight Plan with WXBRIEF. That way the USA knows you are leaving and The Bahamas knows you are coming. We did the same thing coming back, except I filed with Bahamas Flight Service. They have a direct line in the Customs building at the Freeport airport and all the forms that you will need.

There are lots and lots of rules and regulations about what is required to do this flight. Many of them are never asked about... I have a Customs Stamp Number decal on my plane now... I have a radiotelephone license now... I made sure that I had all my ducks in a row before making the jump and nobody noticed. LOL

We had a great time for four days and three nights. We stayed at the Reef Village at Our Lucays Resort. A very nice place with tons of things to do. We also went horseback riding with Leo... Saturday evening we went on a Sunset Cruise with Capt. Tony... We enjoyed it so much that we went back Sunday afternoon for the Snorkel Cruise.

We departed Freeport, Monday morning at 9:45am and arrived at Fort Pierce at 11:00am. We refueled, eat lunch, and closed our flight plan. ( Which I almost forgot...) The flight from Fort Pierce to Savannah took 3.1 hours.

Bonanzas to Oshkosh XX 2009

On Friday, July 24th, Hal Sims, his grandson Hunter Fries, and myself flew up to Rockford, IL in his Beechcraft Debonair N5735V. We joined up with 136 other Bonanzas, Debonairs and Barons for a formation flight to Airventure 2009 in Oshkosh, WI. The event is called "Bonanzas to Oshkosh", or B2OSH for short. The people who coordinated this event were great. From the hanger party Friday night, to the free breakfast Saturday morning, the formation briefing, and the flight itself were planned impeccably. My hat is off to all those responsible. This video is just a taste of what it is like to be in the air with 136 other aircraft on a cross country trip.

Handycam Remote Mic Demonstration

I had read on the internet how some pilots use a small lapel microphone placed inside their headset earphone. I intended to buy one someday, but when my friend Hal suggested that I get one to make sure we had good audio on our trip to Oshkosh in his plane I went to Radio Shack and bought one.

I went to the airport and tested it and it works great. I can't wait to make some videos of actual flights.