LAX

Still in Los Angles. Friends Gary and Mary picked me up yesterday and we went out to the Chino, CA airport. I looked at a Cessna 152 for a gentleman in the Cessna 150/152 Club I belong to. We ate lunch at Flo's restaurant on the airport. Gary goes there every Thursday to do some hanger flying with his flying buddy's. Then we picked up Gary's oldest son David and went to eat dinner.

Had long enjoyable day with the Golden's (Gary, Mary and David).

Leaving for Honolulu early in the morning, stay for about 8 hours then fly back to LA.

Cold...

We left Hong Kong Sunday and flew to Anchorage, Alaska. But, we have to make a stop in Khabarovsk, Russia. When we go to Khabarovsk it was -16 Celsius outside! That's about 3 degrees Fahrenheit! BUUUURRRRRRRRR....

stayed in Anchorage for about 8 hours then deadheaded down to LA. Leaving early in the morning for Honolulu. There for about 8 hours, then fly back to LA. In LA for about 28 hours then back to Honolulu, on Thursday.

Got to do some laundry and get some sleep when I get to Honolulu tomorrow. Running out of clean clothes!!!!! ARRRRRRUUUUGGGHHHHH!!!!

Leaving on a jetplane....

Okay they changed their minds again. We got notified that they mover our departure to this afternoon. So now we are scheduled to leave at 4:00 pm on the 24th (HKG time) and arrive in Anchorage 14 hours later at 2:00 pm on the 24th (Anchorage time).

Did you get that?

Don't forget that we cross the international dateline, Backwards! Makes for a long day.

See you in Anchorage, Alaska

Hong Kong Shopping

Went shopping today at the Ladies Market. Got some sunglasses, key chains, beach towels, a watch ( for a friend) and a surprise gift for Susan.

Looks like we are here an extra day. Not leaving until Monday afternoon, local time.

Hong Kong

We got to Hong Kong yesterday afternoon. Got the the hotel and crashed! 12 hour flight and 8 time zones.

Scott (the first officer) and I are going out in a couple of hours to go shopping at the Ladies Market.

Right now we are scheduled to leave here on the 25th. We will fly to Ancharage via a fuel stop in Russia.

More later...

HAWAII !!!!!!!!

We got here this morning at 5:45 local time. Took a 3 hour "nap". then went down to the International Market Place and to get some lunch.

We leave tomorrow morning for Hong Kong. After that is anybodys guess.

While I was in LA, our friends Gary and Mary Golden picked me up and took me out to eat. As always I had a good time visiting with our new friends Gary and Mary. If you remember, last month Susan and I went to LA. And visited Disneyland with Gary and Mary as our guides. Our only complaint was that the weather was cold and damp that weekend.

More from Hong Kong....

Good News...Bad News...

First the good news....

Went to the doctor Thursday and he said that my foot is doing fine. I still can not fly (stick and rudder) but I am able to go back to work.

Now for the bad news..

I got to go back to work!

Called scheduling today and they have a trip for me. I leave tomorrow afternoon for LA. Get to LA at about 5:00 pm tomorrow, LA time. Then leave for Honolulu at 3:30 am Tuesday morning, LA time. Get to Hawaii at about 6:00 am, Hawaii time, Tuesday morning.

Then at 8:30 am Wednesday morning, Hawaii time, we leave for Hong Kong.

More bad news...

When we got home from church this afternoon. Part of the fencing around the deck had shattered (gale force winds) and the BBQ grill had blown into the side of the house and then blew on to the lower deck.

Always something happening either a couple of days before or after I go to work! Never fails. Here I have been home for 9 plus weeks now and everything has been going fairly smoothly. Now it is time for me to leave and gale force winds blow the backyard away!

I can never win!

Happy Valentines Day

Went to the doctor today. Everything is progressing very well. He said that I can expect the rest of the swelling to take another 2 to 3 months to go away. I can only wear "Croc's" on the right foot. But am walking for the last few days without a cane.

I got the go ahead to go back to work next Tuesday. I will take my cane with me just in case I have a minor relapse. And a lot of Tylonal for the occasional twang of pain.

More later....

SNOW

Started snowing again this afternoon. We are supposed to get 5 inches by morning. Thank God I got a snow blower.

Working on bills and getting our taxes finished. Trying to stay warm.

Cleaned out my cabinet that I keep my aircraft parts, and tools that I take to the airport. Also, cleaned up my mechanics roll-a-round tool box. Took a bunch of stuff down stairs to the basement. Yes, I have 3 sets of basic tools. One set in my roll-a-round tool box, one set that I take out to the airport, and a set for the basement. It is supposed to work where if I got to the basement, I have tools already there. Or if I go out to the garage I have tools out there, etc...

But it doesn't always work that way. Seems like whatever I need isn't where I am at the time.

So, tomorrow is clean up the basement (workshop area) day tomorrow. Got to get it cleaned up, so I can work on my planes wheel pants. That means when I get though, it wil be a mess again...LOL....

Sorry I haven't been here for a week. Not too much happening.

Friday and Saturday, I had to go to Fairview Heights, IL for a seminar to renew my IA (Inspectors Aurhorization).

Had to sit and listen most of Friday to three (3) FAA Aviation Safety Inspectors. They work in the local St. Louis district office. The first speaker was okay, but the next two just repeated what the first speaker had said! As a matter of fact the third FAA speaker was not even prepaired! He would put a slide up on the screen, read to himself what was on the slide, then say, "oh yeah". The he would just read off the damn slide out loud! Totalty unprepaired! He shoud have been giving us more indept information about what he was READING off the slide. It was like he had just seen the slide for the first time in his life. Not only that, but he used the same slides that the other two FAA speakers used. Because he was giving out the same information. Half the audience was falling asleep! It was just unbeliveable. The other speakers the rest of the day were excellent. They gave us information about aircraft systems. They were vendors for some of the companies we deal with. One gentleman was an instructor for one of the local A & P (airframe and powerplant) schools. He was the best.

Now your thinking, "shouldn't you know already about aircraft systems?" Yes we do, but this is a yearly refresher course, and that is what you do. You refresh your memory about how things work. And you share experences that you have had in the past about a system problem that someone else might be having now. So, you share information that you have with others.

But, NOOOOO, the local FAA ASI's have to get up show that they can't be public speakers. And embarass themselves, the FAA, and the group of mechanics that but this thing together every year.

Oh well, is it over until next year......

1976 CESSNA 150

This is the 1976 Cessna 150 we bought. I went down to Lago Vista, Texas to pick it up last Wednesday.

It has an IFR (instrument flight rules) panel. 2 MX 300 Nav/Com's w/glidescope, ADF, Transponder, and GPS. Also I bought a set of wheel pants to install later. And it has pitot heat, intercom, marker beacon, and only 460 hour since a major overhaul.

Got it back just in time to get 8 inches of snow on it now. Can't fly until all the snow melts. I don;t have a hanger yet, but working on getting one.

Winter

As you can see winter has arrived in St Louis.

I had to plow the snow 3 times today. Once to get rid of the fresh fallen snow. Then 2 more times everytime the street cleaning crew came, as they kept putting the snow and slush from the street into my driveway and yard.

Now don't get me wrong, I appreciate the work and long hours they do for us. BUT, don't make me do my job 3 times!!!!

Main thing is that they put the street snow and slush in front of the mail box. But, the postwoman won't get out of her truck and put my mail in the mail box. She has to have "free and clear access to the mail box" from her truck, or she won't deliver my mail.

So me and the city street dept had it out today. They put a 3 foot high, 5 foot wide (measured from my grass at the curb out into the street), pile of snow in front of the mail box. Then after I remove the snow from the driveway and from in front of the mail box, 4 hours after I first plowed, and again 4 hours after that they push the big pile into my driveway!!!

So much for now.