Arizona dreamin on such a winters day.

[Paul Z]

DesertFox4 you're killing me, man, just absolutely killing me. I want to be there and fly that country soooooo bad, but the snow here . . . . . well, you know.

Love the photos and write up. Thanks for letting us ride along (on your wing none the less). I'm looking forward to spring. (I did get a little mud on the ol' plane the other day somewhere in the Utah desert).

Got a ContourHD video camera and mounted it on the jury strut. I've tried it out a little and looks like it will be capturing many flights.

Gotta love those deserts!!!!

You have to understand, Steve is from the frozen tundra up North, and he is just trying to rub it in (AKA Bragging), that they are having BEAUTIFUL Weather. I think what needs done is for the next Flyin, he needs taken out for a good tar and feathering!

[Paul Z]

Desertfox

I am disappointed, you haven't come back with a retort! I home you are having a wonderful day flying in the Az Sunshine! I'm recovering from a flu bug, congestion, headache, fever! I plan on going out to the airport latter today to work on the plane. Hope you are having a wonderful day flying!!



Paul Z

[Dorsal]

Gee Paul, sorry to hear that, you need to get that plane back in the air, of course you probably know that already.
Hope you feel better.

[DesertFox4]

Sorry you feel lousy Paul. Lack of Kitfoxing will do that and yes I was flying all day, well most of the day. Had to stop for lunch and fuel. Sorry no gold from the mine for you but I filled my Kitfox fuel tanks with liquid gold today. 100LL fuel cost as much as an ounce of gold now.



Met some of the Desert Fox Squadron at Chandler this morning for a 3 ship flight out to the desert. It's fun to get some of the "gang" together again. Reminicent of days not so long in the past when we'd put 4,5 or 6 Kitfox's in the air on a nice winter morning. We spent an hour or so taking in the sites. Flew by an ultralight roundup on one of our old remote dirt strip haunts. The gaggle checked out several more remote dirt strips then back to Chandler. Some of the chaps had to beg off for something called "work" or the like.

P1020680.jpg
(DesertFox6's beautiful model 4 at Chandler)

After a good lunch with my fellow DFS mates I topped the tanks with the afore mentioned liquid gold and headed out for Indian Hills. Again. Nice one hour flight (approx. 112 miles) northwest from Chandler to I.H. Air Park.

P1020693.jpg
(Scenery on the way to Indian Hills. 30 miles yet to go.)



What a spectacular day. I hated to land. Severe blue skies, 69 degrees and 2 mph light breeze. Landed 26, again, and taxied to Tim and Barbs hangar. 3 people were sitting in lawn chairs reading the paper when I taxied up. I don't know if it's the Kitfox or just my sparkling personality that attracts folks so quickly. My guess is the former but not 15 minutes later we had about 12 folks sitting in chairs drinking lemonade and snacking on homemade brownies. What a fun community. They were all back from the poker run and Tim and Barb's must be the gathering hub. Spent a couple hours talking with some very interesting aviators.

P1020700.jpg
(Indian Hills gathering place.)



5 pm rolled around too quickly and thoughts of flying near mountains after dark don't make for peaceful dreams. Departed runway 8 and put the money handle forward. Indicating 127 mph with GPS ground speed clicking 130 mph. Not sure I got more than 200 feet agl for 40 plus miles except to clear a couple big power lines originating from Palo Verde Nuclear Plant and heading towards Las Vegas. I did divert a little so as not to scare some free range cattle . They barley noticed me when I went by. This is a blast. Lots of uninhabited country side to skim over.

I flew over Thunder Ridge Air Park about 10 minutes before official sunset. After clearing Thunder I pushed the nose over again and got re-aquainted with the cactus between Thunder and the west edge of Phoenix's outermost population. Wide open throttle showed 133mph at 2,300 feet above sea level. Not bad, as long as I didn't look at the fuel flow meter. I was turning that liquid gold into heat at a rapid rate.



I found Deer Valley Airport just as the runway lights came to life. Not another aircraft in the north runway pattern. 25R was all mine. Doesn't happen too often anymore at this airport. I'll log one night landing although it hardly seems sporting. As before I sign off with:
wishing you were here.



P.S. Paul, get well!

[Paul Z]

With the Middle East unrest and the Administrations adversity to drilling, 100LL will be costing more shortly! Looks like you had a good flight!

I am really excited that I got the Carbs to stop sticking without a tear down! I used carb cleaner in every port and then would rotate the carb around to poor it out. Then do it again! Saturday, I got my carbs, fuel lines, air intakes, chokes cables, etc reinstalled and I have manually set the sync.. Now to go fire it up, to see how it runs!

Once I get that done, I'll come home and pack for a trip to sunny Calif, I'll get a free TSA groping and get to spend the week in El Segundo for work.

Hopefully Steve Quinones will be available Saturday to help me Sync the Carbs, and inspect my work.

Paul Zimm

[Paul Z]

Well, I went out an Mechanically Sync'ed 703KA. I originally had the idle running WAY too slow so I turned it off, to adjusted the idle and when I tried to restart it, it didn't want to start. I got out and did the Mechanical Sync all over. Got back in the plane and it did not want to start again. I got out and checked the settings, and I had noticed a drop of Blue fuel on the nose wheel pivot wheel mount . . . D _ _ _ ed I had flooded it! I got in cut off the fuel, applied full throttle to clear the gas supply, cranked it over a few times, turned the fuel back on, it cranked it over, and she started and she was running fine. I let it fast idle 2200 RPM until it hit 120 Degrees, then I went taxing around. It is Running NUCH Better! I could apply the throttle, and it would rev up without kicking! Now to Sync / Balance the Carbs it to perfection, and put it all back together, do some tax testing and then go FLYING!

[wannafly]

Speaking of the "carbmate". I have had mine for a year or so. It is very easy to use and I found it to make a big differance. I thought they were good before but after using the carbmate to sync it really improved. I can idle down to 1100 rpm (I don't in normal ops) without it shaking to pieces. I would recommend it...for what its worth.

[Paul Z]

I am glad to hear the Carb Mate works well. I made an adapter for the hose, it cost all of about $2.00. I sure hope the adapter works, if it does, I will post some photo's, Extremely easy to make! I also got 6 feet of hose so I can sit in the plane to run it up and read the gauge. We will know more next Saturday!

[Dorsal]

I will cast another vote of confidence for the CabMate, I have one and like it, easy to use and very effective.

[SkySteve]

OK, I'm going to admit to my ignorance. Some of us, ME, are not mechanical at all. I have the CarbMate but have not been able to use it 'cause I cannot figure out how to hook it up (Sad, but true). So, if one or more of you mechanic types would be kind enough to explain it to me (with plenty of photos) in VERY simple terms I will give it a try.

I do have many other useful skills other than mechanics, such as, well, er, ... OK I give.