Home Page.  For more information email us at info@precisionwindsports.com.
 

The following article was published in the April 2005 issue of EAA's Sport Pilot Magazine.  We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed living it.

In the summer of 2004, my wife Beth, and I lived our dream.  We packed our two sons, Jeremy and Nathan, into our travel trailer and our two AirBorne XT-912 trikes into the airplane trailer and headed for the Northwest.  For those of you bored with the local flying, join us for our trip of a lifetime -- our trike adventure.

With our home on wheels, our trikes and gear in tow, our first stop was EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2004.  Ultralights and light planes were center stage with the FAA's announcement of the sport pilot / light sport aircraft (SP/LSA) rule.  While enjoying the convention, we finalized our trike odyssey plans, taking the opportunity to pick the brains of other seasoned ultralight pilots present.

After Oshkosh, our first stop was Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.  There we made some shakedown flights to test the equipment we purchased at EAA AirVenture.  The air was relatively smooth, providing a good atmosphere for acquainting ourselves with new equipment.  We wanted everything checked out before we reached the mountains where the air would be more turbulent.  When all was in order, we headed for the Black Hills in South Dakota. 

Our arrival coincided with the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.  Harley-Davidson motorcycles surrounded us.  Beth and I both owned motorcycles previously, and we see our trikes as motorcycles with wings.  What better place to fly our aerial motorcycles than above all those Harleys touring the Black Hills.  We camped near the Custer Airport and toured Crazy Horse, Mt. Rushmore, Custer State Park, and nearby Devils Tower.

Some of the benefits of taking our trikes to different places are the new airports and surroundings we see, and the friends we make.  We consider ourselves triking ambassadors.  As such, we look for opportunities to introduce the joys of trike flying to general aviation (GA) pilots.  We are continually amazed at how little exposure GA pilots have to the world of trikes.

When visiting new airports, we take certain actions to ensure our welcome.  First, we take the time to meet the fixed-base operator (FBO), introduce ourselves, and share our intentions.  We find out where he or she would like us to set up, ask for any special instructions for using the airport, and offer to pay any tie-down fees.  Most importantly, we inform them that we will be using radios and flying the standard pattern.  Radio communication is the single most important issue to the GA community.  When arriving at a new airport, we often allow extra time to answer the many questions our GA brethren have.

Photo Album -- Next page

Advertisers:

Your Free E-source for Sport Aviation Aircraft, Services and News

FOR SERIOUS RECREATION

Send mail to terri@precisionwindsports.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 12/04/08