Saturday, October 31, 2009

Mr. Spock

Friday, October 30, 2009

Still porch weather

Stew, tomatoes & cukes (yes, out of the garden, still), leaves blowing
everywhere!

Description of homemade preheater

Jeff Pardo says,
Perhaps born of Yankee ingenuity is a preheating option available in the flying club to which I belong. Years ago, some inventive soul removed the blades from a secondhand lawnmower, installed a sheet-metal cover under it, and attached a flexible hose to its discharge chute so that its main product became hot air. Even though it is the old pull-cord type, since there is no blade there is little inertia to overcome, and it's very easy to start. We simply direct the flexible hose upwards toward the engine by the nosewheel well, using any number of convenient points for attaching it via a hook installed at its business end. We are careful not to direct heated air directly onto fuel, oil, or hydraulic lines! Twenty minutes later: a warm engine. Lacking such inspiration, however, the accumulated expense of paying your FBO to send a lineman out with a preheater is still likely less than that of an engine overhaul.


Jeff Pardo is an aviation writer in Maryland with a commercial private pilot certificate for airplanes, and instrument, helicopter, and glider ratings. He has logged about 1,100 hours in 12 years of flying. An AirLifeLine mission pilot, Pardo has also flown for the Civil Air Patrol. Click link for full article.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Mnemonic-Pre-maneuver checklist

Always clear the area, don't be a Fool.
(fool-->)Fuel, Cool*, Mixture, Prop,
Lights, Lights, Buckle up and Go.

*cowl flaps open.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Health-care anecdote

Not written by me.


Thu, 10/15/2009 - 22:49 — Doctors are ok with public service
My dad was a doctor in Canada BEFORE "socialized" medicine. He trained as an intern making $125.00 (yes $125.00) a month and working an average 90-hour week. When socialized medicine came in, he and his friends grumbled. A few (very few) moved to USA. Most of them continued to treat the sick for 20, 30, 40 years. They never asked any committee if it was ok to treat someone - they still don't. Canadian doctors easily make $250K a year and specialists more. It is OK.

We the patients like our doctors to do OK. We also like it that we can go and get CARE any time of the day or night - for free!! We like it that we can call an ambulance and not have to write a check. We like it that we can have an operation and not sell the house- or anything for that matter- to pay for it. We like it that the Government is the "insurer", because it is the mandate of the government to provide essential services. Yes critical heart surgery (for example) IS an essential service. Just like clean water out of your tap. Who would argue with that? Only deranged lunatic profiteers intent on commercializing every aspect of life.