March 28, 2024 - Flying the Champ in Florida
I had fun flying the Champ solo for a half hour after Bruce did his glider flight.  I didn't take any pictures on that flight because it takes both hands to fly the Champ.
   
But today Bruce flew in the front seat, and I was in the back seat taking video and pictures with my Insta360 video camera plus my regular Canon Digital Rebel.
 
We got an early start before the winds kicked in around 10am.
 
We started out by flying by the staging area where we did an airboat ride a few years ago.  Link.
   
There is only one airboat down there now; it could be the Marsh Beast.
   
Heading out over the marsh lands.  It's mostly open, uncivilized area west of New Hibiscus airport.
   
A Bald Eagle flying around in beautiful surroundings.
   
Bruce had removed the Champ's door so it was perfect for photography and video.
   
 
   
Passing over hundreds of orange trees.
   
Make that thousands of orange trees.
   
Approaching some big ground fires; you can always smell the smoke in flight.
   
Close-up.
   
More orange tree groves.
   
Checking out Bruce's friend's private grass strip.
   
Checking out the grass runway for deer, alligators, wild pig, anaconda snake, whatever.
   
 
   
 
   

Bruce's friend has a combination hangar-house-workplace.
   
Can you say ..... DONUT?
   
Passing by a massive solar panel layout.
   
Solar panels are fine, but the answer to the energy question is to put them in space where the sunshine never ends.  Mankind would never have to worry about energy ever again.  We need to figure a way how to get the electrical energy down to earth, though.  I'm sure Elon Musk has this on his list of things to do.
   
 
   
 
   
Approaching a small airport community on a grass strip.
   
Nice!  I sure would like to live at a place like this.
   
 
   
 
   
Overhead home base at New Hibiscus Airport.  In this picture you can see how massive the powered-plane hangar really is.
   
The townplane greases it on ahead of us.
   
Bruce has plenty of runway ahead of him for the Champ.
   
Safe on deck, watching a glider being towed back to the barn.
   
A young women, only 16-years old, has just successfully passed her Glider checkride.  Congrats!  Here proud mother is there in the dark blue.
   
 
   
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