Author Archives: Colin Summers

Unknown's avatar

About Colin Summers

I am an architect, programmer, private pilot, husband and father. A couple of those I am good at.

A Little More Fame

Posted on September 7, 2007 by Colin Summers

Oh, I have quite a few things to write about, since I’ve flown both directions across the continent. I’ve crossed the northern border to our colder brother to the north. I’m working on those entries, but in the meantime, just … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Words | Tagged | Comments Off on A Little More Fame

Oxygen Solution

Posted on August 5, 2007 by Colin Summers

Flying little airplanes with single engines you want to climb up as high as you can. Altitude is safety, since if something goes wrong you have some time to glide toward a good emergency landing spot and some time to … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Words | Tagged | Comments Off on Oxygen Solution

Success!

Posted on August 5, 2007 by Colin Summers

An adventure is only an adventure if it has the potential for something to go a little wrong. A bad magneto is certainly always possible when flying, and that’s what happened to us trying to cross the country. As misadventures … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Words | Tagged | Comments Off on Success!

AOG

Posted on August 2, 2007 by Colin Summers

AOG. Dreaded triad of the alphabet for pilots. Airplane On Ground. Almost always due to a maintenance issue. Last night was our second night spent in Albuquerque. People I spoke to about being stuck at ABQ all said, “Oh, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Words | Tagged | Comments Off on AOG

Mag Check

Posted on August 1, 2007 by Colin Summers

The engine in a piston-powered airplane is not like the engine in your automobile. It is much more primitive. Until fairly recently they still had carburetors. In fact, when you rent planes you are sometimes climbing into a thirty year … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Words | Tagged | Comments Off on Mag Check

Cross the Whole Country

Posted on July 28, 2007 by Colin Summers

On Tuesday morning at 0800 Adam and I will leave Santa Monica Airport for Carroll County Regional Airport in Westminster, Maryland. (Nell and the boys will follow on JetBlue, arriving in Boston on Saturday morning. Then we’ll be able to … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Words | Tagged | Comments Off on Cross the Whole Country

Silly Little Improvement

Posted on July 23, 2007 by Colin Summers

So I have these cute little yellow chocks. They are steel, perforated with large holes to keep the weight down, and low profile. The wheel pants on the Diamondstar come down closer to the tarmac than most wheel pants. That … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Words | Tagged | Comments Off on Silly Little Improvement

My Least Favorite Radio Mistake

Posted on June 11, 2007 by Colin Summers

Okay, maybe that’s not fair. Maybe I hate them all. But I particularly dislike making the mistake I made today. The radio tunes to different frequencies. There’s a knob you twist to set the frequency and then a button (the … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Words | Tagged | Comments Off on My Least Favorite Radio Mistake

Return to Field

Posted on June 10, 2007 by Colin Summers

So the rule I follow is that if maintenance has been done on the plane I make the first flight alone and I stay over the field for at least fifteen minutes. That way, if something goes wrong I can … Continue reading →

Posted in Flight, Just Words | Tagged | Comments Off on Return to Field

Letter to Pilot

Posted on March 21, 2007 by Colin Summers

Occasionally I get a note from another pilot asking about my flying, my training, the plane, or the airport. Usually the advice is too specific for general readers, but my reply to this one was long enough that it was … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Words, Training | Tagged | Comments Off on Letter to Pilot