Welcome to my web site. It has several facets. I am busy writing, taking aerial photographs and looking for gold. Click on the links below to get to any of these topics.
Rowers 2009 on the St. Johns River
Steamboats on Lake Eustice, Florida
For the moment, this part of the site is primarily dedicated to my "Vulture", a Legend kit plane which lost its virginity and overall looks during the construction phase. It took two and a half years to build the plane (about five man years). The Legend originally had a big (huge) scoop, like the P-51, which housed an oil cooler for the big-block piston engine. No real airplane should have an automotive engine in it unless it is a Rolls Royce! The kit builder was furnished with a turbine and engine mount by a promoter betting on the come, and the plane was then forever a turbine.
From the left on the instrument panel, we have the switches for lights, avionics, pitot heat, gear selector and uplock magnet switches. Moving inward, we have the transponder, audio panel (Garmin), Icom transceiver with flip-flop, Garmin 430, Angle of Attack meter, STec autopilot, and a volt/amp meter. The JPL fuel-flow meter is over the vacuum DG. STec HSI next to that and above the Echo Flight StratoCheeta Flight Manager. This latter GPS gets DTN weather from the OrbCom satellites and shows NexRad radar, Metars (on screen and text) and winds (on screen and text). It also has terrain avoidance with the antennae and mountains shown clearly. Neat for a low approach under VFR. It is also updated with the approach plates every 56 or whatever days. Above that is the altimeter, airspeed, and instant VSI. There is a chip detector, some engine instruments, and the major instrument cluster for the Walter 601-D turbine. To the right is the fuel interrupter for starting, the vacuum gauge, and the engine switches. Oxygen is from a fiber tank in the fuselage and feeds two Mountain High oxygen systems. I get roughly 50 hours out of 500 psi and I run the oxygen from sea level on up. Can't hurt. Gauges are present to convert to full-face mask if desired but my experience is that you don't need it. The turbine is most efficient at 22,000 feet.
This gives you an idea of the frontal profile. It is like a greased bar of soap! Very narrow but with 29 inches at the shoulders in the cockpit. Visibility to the front, low, is not great. An approach speed of 120 knots on final, coming on with the flaps as you come down the steep final provides good visibility and the flare is not difficult. Speed bleeds off quickly and I usually touch down at about 80 knots. Going into Beta just after touchdown limits the rollout just fine.
I have over $500K in it but will look at any reasonable offer. Will take another plane and cash. Plane has 300 hours on it, The Diemech/Walter Turbine and Avia prop have 100 hours (about) since IRAN by John Cook of Diemech Turbines. 108 gallons of fuel, which I figure at 100 gallons usable. The range is about 500 NM with an easy 30 minutes left. Consumption is about 32 gph at 265 to 275 knots, 39 gph at about 285 to 290 kts, and 42 at something in the range of 290 to 305 knots.
Where is this and when was it taken? For that matter, what the hell is it???
Click here for Pictures of some selected subjects and the answer.
Click here for info on the Egypt Ferry Trip
Click here to see Corn Mazes
One of my few sources of income is selling pictures and taking aerial photographs on demand. If you are in need, please don't hesitate to give me a call or drop an email. I have switched to pure digital in the three years ago and can deliver good, high resolution images. In a plane, the country is quite small and I will go anywhere.
Telephone
303-898-1010
Postal address
Box 185, DeLand, FL 32721
Electronic mail
nick@geezerair.com