peejman

Good 'ole small town politics still at work.

My parents grew up in Spartanburg, I still have a lot of family in the area. Wish more local sheriff's would speak their mind so plainly.

A good thought. A '91 model with only 1400 miles has likely been sitting a lot, which is really, really bad for carburetors, AMHIK. A thorough carb cleaning is the first thing I'd try.

This talk of being "blocked in" by another car is nonsense. Put your foot down and make space. Push their vehicle out of the way and bug out. I'd try not to hit a bystander's car, but if some lunatic is going bonkers, I'm not waiting around for him to smash my window and start beating on me. Bodywork is a lot easier and cheaper on cars than people.

$400 isn't unreasonable, assuming the valves do require adjustment. I have no personal experience, but have heard good things about:Welcome to Cycle Authority If you ever head east, I recommend: Willis Cycle Works is your one stop motorcycle shop for motorcycle tires and service in Knoxville TN! Doing the work yourself isn't especially hard if you're somewhat mechanically inclined. The factory shop manual will walk you through the process step-by-step.

Clearly it wasn't concealed well enough, since multiple people noticed.

Correct, they're predatory bugs. Unfortunately their presence means there's other bugs around for them to eat. I try not to squish them, but my wife freaks when she sees one.

It's a gray area. By law, you are allow to use force to protect your property, just not deadly force. Hence what they tell you in the HCP class about not drawing on someone stealing your mower. They also say you shouldn't draw unless you intend to shoot. Since you can't legally shoot this person, don't draw. Get it? However, in practice it seems that using your firearm to deter/detain a thief won't get you into much trouble. I'm quite sure that actually shooting them wouldn't go well for you. Further reading... http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/handgun-carry-self-defense/64106-can-detain-someone-act-committing-crime.html

Ding! Ding! Ding! Except for the pepper spray part. I believe it's only to be used in a (personal) defensive manner. You can be charged with assault for using it without provocation.... case in point: Seattle superhero charged with pepper-spray assault | Reuters

Back in the day when I worked at the mall, they'd tackle you, handcuff you, and drag you kicking and screaming back to their office to wait for the cops. I helped our store security guys do exactly that a couple times. But the lawyers ruined that fun. However, if I was an unarmed mall cop I don't think I'd even confront someone who I thought might be illegally armed. I'd leave that to the pro's. Having thought about it a little more, I agree with MphsTiger. Some bystander in the parking lot probably called it in. Again, I'm amazed that anyone noticed, much less called the law.

Better to draw your camera than your gun.

Welcome!

Welcome!

Welcome!

Getting Started - High Power Rifle Competition CMP - Service Rifle

Easy enough for him to say "I saw that lump under his shirt and thought he was trying to steal something... " or "he was acting suspiciously" or whatever other nonsense he needs to say to justify detaining him. You might find a lawyer to pursue it, but I really doubt any cop would give a rip that you think you've been illegally detained. Personally, I'd rather have waited the extra 10 minutes and talked to the cops on the spot rather than deal with being pulled over.

Yes, I was kidding. Perhaps you need to conceal a little better. As I've stated before, most people wouldn't notice if you were on fire. The police thing seems a bit odd. I'm curious as to who called them. If it was the mall security guy, why would he wait until after you left? He could have detained you at the mall (yes, I'm sure he's legally allowed to do that) and had the cops come there.

Oshkosh is another item on my "bucket list". I know a few people who've been and they all say its an amazing experience. I believe you can fly what's considered an "ultralight" (essentially a hang-glider with an engine, or one of those fan/parachute things) with only a driver's license. Those are by far the most affordable way to fly. But they still have many hurdles... maintenance, storage space, insurance, where to take-off/land and if that's not your back yard, transportation to/from the airstrip... I've thought about an ultralight but never really seriously pursued it. Take-off and landing are where any aircraft, regardless of size, is most vulnerable. The attempted 180 back to the strip is a common mistake of an inexperienced pilot. People simply don't grasp how fast an airplane falls without power. You lose perspective at altitude. I did some 180 deg turns during my flight in the Stearman. When doing the first few, I made no effort to maintain altitude. With normal cruise power, a relatively gentle 180 deg turn caused us to drop about 50 feet. So think about what would happen with no power at very low altitude and low airspeed. It's simply not possible. Any landing you can walk away from is a good one.

That's some good stuff. I'm sure it's fascinating to look through. Unfortunately all I have is memories. I know he had some memorabilia, but I don't know what came of it. One of his brothers was in the press corps and he'd talk your ear off about all the places he went, things he saw, and stuff he did. I've been pondering how to go about asking the remaining relations about it. I have some fear that it may be a delicate topic.

Similar to Dad. He let his medical lapse, then had triple bypass and can't pass it now. I believe the new Sport Pilot category doesn't require a medical if you have a valid DL, but since he already has the Private Pilot license, he can't drop back to Sport Pilot. That doesn't make much sense to me, but that's the government for you.

Thanks all for the comments. Flying the Stearman was a dream come true for me. Unfortunately a mortgage, 2 kids, one income, and $90/hr rental rates just aren't conducive to flying lessons at this point. 300 missions, Wow! That's got to be nearing the top. Uncle Bob didn't enter until late in the war and I believe he transferred to something else after he'd fulfilled his requirement. He never talked about it much. He and both his brothers were all in the European theater at the same time. Amazingly, all 3 came home alive. Like many others, they're gone now. Next time you're in the vicinity of Savannah, go here: Mighty 8th Museum | Savannah, GA They have a really nice library and are maintaining a database of 8th Air Force personnel.

Admit it, you were trying out your mall ninja Halloween costume, weren't you?

In addition to simply talking to the owner, get video evidence. Have indisputable proof. Also recommend a bark collar. They're about $30 at walmart and they work. Some might consider them inhumane, but they're better than having you pets taken away. My wife went to court in defense of a neighbor whose dogs barked. They didn't bark constantly, but they barked. Another neighbor had filed a complain about it. Turns out, the dogs were barking at the complaint filer's cat who would prance up and down the fence.

They perform a flight demonstration daily. During my visit, the demonstration was with a Fieseler Fi 156 Storch, which is a plane used by the Luftwaffe as a spotting, reconnaissance and ferry. It’s most famous for it’s short take-off and landing ability (STOL) which was put to use during a famous WWII rescue of Mussolini from a rough mountaintop while surrounded. The demonstration pilot highlighted this capability by getting the plane airborne in less than the length of a modern jumbo jet. He also demonstrated this by showing how slowly the plane could fly. Turned into the 15-20mph wind, the plane appeared to nearly hover overhead at about 15 mph ground speed. The tour of the restoration work areas highlights Flight of Fantasy’s mission… keep them flying. They employ a handful of highly skilled A&P’s who restore these aircraft by hand. The warehouse areas highlight a staggering collection of parts of every sort and particularly engines. There’s an entire shelf full of complete, new-in-the-box, straight out of their 1940’s shipping crates, Rolls-Royce Merlin V-12’s. In the back, there’s a stack of shipping containers that hold new-in-the-box Pratt & Whitney R2800’s. There’s shipping crates stacked up outside containing various aircraft awaiting restoration. This is as artsy as I get. Imagine its 1944… Anyone Autogyro? Count the tally marks on this nose… Speaking of noses, nice artwork They even have a few for the kiddies… A fascinating little helicopter. You may notice the lack of an engine. It’s got two very small pulse jet engines, one on each rotor tip to make the rotor spin. Per the notes, they have flown it but it’s so horrendously loud that the locals nearby called 911. The website recommends 4 hours to tour the shop. We were there for 7, including about an hour for my Stearman ride, and I felt rushed at the end. There’s so much to see, every plane has a story. Next time you’re near Orlando, make time. It’s worth it.

The Fantasy of Flight attraction is a must-see for any airplane enthusiast. It’s located near Polk City, FL, about 20 miles southwest on I-4 from Orlando. It’s easy to find with signs from the interstate. The eclectic collection of aircraft, most of which are airworthy, is amazing. It seems like you can’t turn around with finding a one-of-a-kind, or last-of-its-kind airplane. A few examples… the only 2 seat, dual control P-40 Warhawk trainer that still flies, the only un-restored, exactly as it was in 1945 B-24 Liberator that still flies, the only B-26 Marauder that still flies… the list goes on. Note the oil pans under these planes. That doesn’t mean they’re Harley’s, these old engines leak when they sit. An oil pan means it’s got oil in it and could be made ready to fly in short order. The number of flight ready aircraft here is simply amazing. Air car anyone? The Gee Bees. While you don’t need poofy hair and a falsetto singing voice to fly one, you might have that afterwards… They have a neat diorama set up with a walk-through of a B-17, several flight simulators, and an area for kids. Speaking of B-17’s; they also have a ball turret from a B-17 on a stand in the hanger. I found that personally very interesting as my great uncle Bob got to enjoy that unique view of the European countryside from one during WWII while he wasn’t shooting at Luftwaffe fighters and trying not to freeze to death. This was next the B-17 diorama… I didn’t ask, but I bet it runs too. Uncle Bob’s seat…