Where's Motorhead?

We haven't had a trivia contest recently, so here we go. Where was this recent photo taken?

Hints: not here or here. The answer will appear in the commments.

Motorhead at Rest

Motorhead redux

A hearty thanks to a lot of people - is what is next.

I've been on the 'total immersion plan' of flight training I think, booking 5 power flights a week- hoping to get 3 with weather and other interferences.

Bill asked me a few weeks back if it messes me up at all in training flying both gliders and power simultaneously. I don't think so. For me, total focus and hope to finish before I get burned out. Several days of lousy weather where I could fly 3 times with Rick with 15 minutes in between is great for learning.

I was slated to accomplish both solos in the same week, but weather and other things delayed the second one ~ as did weather today for my 1st post solo - solo. That is the real solo when I go to airport with no CFI in sight.

It seems now I can rest, relax, fly a little less and send an exploratory team into that abyss they call my bank account to see what is next- or at least how often.

My plan and focus for now is to work toward Private Pilot SEL quickly with not too much fun-time power flying eating up my resources of time, money and energy. Since Private (Glider) is not likely in one season, getting Private (Airplane) will lessen the requirements for glider check ride and accomplish that flying goal I have had since age 12 in Montauk LI where a friend I worked for - a WWII P-38 pilot sketched out for me a landing pattern and how a wing creates lift.

So ~ with two goals done, rest for a short while and continue. Home study for written test, and continue with power and fun glider flying.

I started power in a Citabria in the Sonoma Valley in CA in 2000 - at Schellville airport on a 2700 ft runway, no centerline and vineyards all around. A field of exclusively tail draggers: old Ryans, C195, and an old DC3 in the weeds. Old timers of the greatest generation with long lost licenses (and medicals) still flying - happily - hand-propping their old Ryan as I puttered along in my 7ECA Citabria.

Fast forward to March 09 at Leb - 2 lessons with Kristin Rokos, my current CFI, where Dave, in the pilot lounge, suggested I fly gliders. He recommended Springfield - I knew Post Mills would be my home. From my 1st phone call with Andy and a weekend (before I joined) they threw me in the back of the Birddog - then later in the front of the Blanik with my 1st flight with Thomas - and then in a balloon the next morning with Brian and Steve, everyone has been terrific.

I am not an easy student - I don't think - so your challenges have been before you - so a huge thanks to Andy, Thomas, Rick (& Mary), Sonny, Tim, flying ridge with Evan at Franconia, Bill, Steve, Paul, Tony et al - and whomever I have forgotten for letting me chew your ears about flying and all else.

Anyway I can't think of a better way and place to start- taildragger, wine country with Bill and Annie ~ along to gliders (& power) New England countryside and two solos - same month. I didn't get my goal of solo in a taildragger- but close enough.

And - everyone always likes to do it, but rarely does - I have a video of my 1st solo - (actually the post solo- solo) on Sat Aug 8 landing the Blanik from the south after a 1 hour plus flight in all kinds of lift - soon to post on YouTube.

Everyone- thank you for being a great group of aviators and a great support for learning flying.

Motorhead

We don't normally celebrate when a glider pilot becomes a power pilot here.

But it must be acknowledged that soloing a Cessna 172 seventeen days after soloing a glider is a fair accomplishment.

What's next, Christopher?