Flight To New Lake Building
Project Hemet, California
The day started out partly cloudy
with bright blue skies and rain clouds in the distance. The local flying
conditions were ideal with light and variable breezes. It looked like it
might start raining later in the day so I decided to stay near the airport
and just fly around the immediate area.
After a good preflight, I
departed and headed due south towards Temecula. Just a few miles south of
Hemet-Ryan airport are a row of low hills that run east to west. You can
just make them out in this first photo just above center on the right side
of the photograph. The southern edge of Hemet, California is also visible
along with mountains south of Palm Springs and just north of Borrego
Springs.
As I approached the 400 ft. high
hills I continued gaining altitude to make sure that I had plenty of room
to clear them. As soon as I crossed the ridge, the lake building project
came into view. When it is finished, the dam will create a huge lake just
south of Hemet that will be used for recreation and many new homes with a
lake view. This view is looking west towards the north edge of the dam
being built. You can make out the construction crane just slightly up and
to the left of center. The diagonal line at lower right is one of the
'flying' wires that attaches the wing to my ultralight. Each wing has five
flying wiring on the underside and four landing wires on top. In flight,
the flying wires become taut and keep the wings from folding upward. I
check the attachment points VERY carefully before each flight.
For those that have never had the
experience of flying in an ultralight here is a Point-Of-View shot that is
pretty typical of open cockpit style ultralights and their instrument
pods. If you look closely you can make out some of the instruments. The
vertical tube above the pod is the air speed indicator showing an
indicated airspeed of 47 mile per hour. The round object on top of the pod
is the magnetic compass. The large round gauge in the center of the pod is
the altimeter showing a height of 2300 feet above sea level (about 700
feet above the ground at this point). The second large round gauge (to
right of center) is the Vertical Speed Indicator. It is indicating a slow
climb (I am slowly gaining altitude). The two smaller gauges on the left
side of the pod are dual function gauges. The upper gauge is showing
engine r.p.m. and exhaust gas temperature and the lower gauge provides me
with the cylinder head temperatures on the two cylinders of my engine. The
black object sticking up from the bottom of the photo is the control stick
that serves a dual function. Left to right movement raises 'spoilers' on
each wing which causes the ultralight to 'bank' in the direction the stick
is pointed. Moving the stick forward and back pitches the 'elevator' up
and down which causes the ultralight to pitch up or down and changes the
airspeed of the ultralight. The pedals (where my shoes are resting) are
connected by wires that are attached to the rudder (hence the term 'rudder
pedals'). The rudder causes the ultralight to yaw left or right depending
on which pedal is pushed. I use the rudder pedals and stick to make a turn
left or right. Normally when flying, one of my hands is always on the
control stick but to take the photo required me to use both hands.
Obviously, the ultralight flys along just fine without the pilot
doing anything. It can even do a landing by itself. It just can't do a
great landing without a pilot. *grin*
Here are a couple more photos of this
incredible construction project.
After
spending some time exploring the area where the new lake will be, I headed
back to Hemet-Ryan Airport and took this shot as I passed over the same
hills. You can see the community of Hemet on the other side.
This
particular hill looked like some huge animal had taken a bite out of it.
For just a moment I was tempted to fly through the gap . . . .
.
But then I remembered that old saying about pilots . .
.
"There are 'old' pilots . . . and there are 'bold'
pilots . . . but there are no . . .
'old' . . .
'bold' . . .
pilots."
Good advice. I put aside the suicidal thought
and flew back to Hemet Ryan without flying through the gap.
