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Carol and I just got back from Lynn Rigg's Kanab Bearhawk fly-in. What a great time we had. It was a small turnout, but of course it was Bearhawk quality people so we had an absolute blast. Lynn hopes to put this on every year and we will certainly plan to attend next year.
On the way home, Scott Williamson and Kevin Deutscher in #509 wanted to hit a backcountry strip. Grand Gulch Mine in AZ was roughly on the way for both of us so we popped in there. Carol and I landed first and some how flatted our tail wheel. I used to carry a complete tailwheel assembly, patch kit, tubes, jack and air pump when out doing this sort of thing, but it's been a while since I've done this sort of thing and I didn't have anything other than a badly assembled tool kit.
We walked down to check out the mine anyway, and on the way back Kevin "McGiver" had a brilliant idea. Since the tail wheel is two wheel halves, why not pack the tire with what ever we could find then bolt the two halves back together. We stripped a couple of pillow cases, twined them tightly together, than wrapped the whole sausage with tie down rope. After jamming this log into the tire we bolted the halves back together and had ourselves a serviceable tailwheel.
We pushed the plane onto the runway and picked up the tail to align it with the runway. After a soft field departure, we were on our way home. Back home I wheel landed near my hanger, braking with the tail in the air until the taxi turnoff, then taxied about 100 yards with the tail wheel thumping, but not on the rim.
Moral of the story, if your going to play in the backcountry, bring a proper tool kit, repair parts, and Kevin. What a great weekend.
Pat
On the way home, Scott Williamson and Kevin Deutscher in #509 wanted to hit a backcountry strip. Grand Gulch Mine in AZ was roughly on the way for both of us so we popped in there. Carol and I landed first and some how flatted our tail wheel. I used to carry a complete tailwheel assembly, patch kit, tubes, jack and air pump when out doing this sort of thing, but it's been a while since I've done this sort of thing and I didn't have anything other than a badly assembled tool kit.
We walked down to check out the mine anyway, and on the way back Kevin "McGiver" had a brilliant idea. Since the tail wheel is two wheel halves, why not pack the tire with what ever we could find then bolt the two halves back together. We stripped a couple of pillow cases, twined them tightly together, than wrapped the whole sausage with tie down rope. After jamming this log into the tire we bolted the halves back together and had ourselves a serviceable tailwheel.
We pushed the plane onto the runway and picked up the tail to align it with the runway. After a soft field departure, we were on our way home. Back home I wheel landed near my hanger, braking with the tail in the air until the taxi turnoff, then taxied about 100 yards with the tail wheel thumping, but not on the rim.
Moral of the story, if your going to play in the backcountry, bring a proper tool kit, repair parts, and Kevin. What a great weekend.
Pat
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