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Winni-Retired · 01-05-2011, 04:59 PM

Now you know my comment about a cross wind landing.

They always made you do a checkride landing on the short runway .... it always seemed to have had that cross wind blowing from the southwest.

I soloed on 31-Dec-1962 and it was a cold, windy day... I remember it, clear as a bell. I was crabbing and slipping it all the way down and did a left wheel / right wheel / nose wheel landing ... only to be given the go around for the second touch and go of three landings. needless to say... it was a white nuckle solo experience.

Gene must have been in his late 70's when you had him. I remember he once made me do, wearing the hood, a right hand 720 over that island in the middle of the Situate resevoir and maintain a 50 ft up / down range in altitiude. He almost took my head off because I lost almost 100 feet.. yelling that I was trying to rip the wings off his aircraft.. I think they gave you 150 feet in either direction for the official check ride. He was hard, but you learned. I am not sure if he is still with us, but I am sure you know, he was the owner of North Central Airways .. back in the day.

One of my fondest flying memories of the lake was doing my 100 mile solo cross country from RI to Laconia and back. What was so cool about it was that I did not have a drivers license, but was still able to get to the lake. After checking in at Laconia for fuel and food, I did a complete fly over of the lake and headed home. I must admit I cheated a bit because on my way up, I used the Everett Turnpike on my left as a alternate map point and I turned right over Pike Ashpalt in Tilton ... now exit 20 .. (he had a small private strip) and headed towards Laconia.

What a pleasant day this has been for me today to recall great times and to remember the fun times flying out Laconia taking friends on sight seeing rides over the lake and up to North Conway.

01-05-2011, 04:59 PM	#22
Winni-Retired Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: SE Mass / Lake Posts: 125 Thanks: 96 Thanked 102 Times in 22 Posts	Sure Did Now you know my comment about a cross wind landing. They always made you do a checkride landing on the short runway .... it always seemed to have had that cross wind blowing from the southwest. I soloed on 31-Dec-1962 and it was a cold, windy day... I remember it, clear as a bell. I was crabbing and slipping it all the way down and did a left wheel / right wheel / nose wheel landing ... only to be given the go around for the second touch and go of three landings. needless to say... it was a white nuckle solo experience. Gene must have been in his late 70's when you had him. I remember he once made me do, wearing the hood, a right hand 720 over that island in the middle of the Situate resevoir and maintain a 50 ft up / down range in altitiude. He almost took my head off because I lost almost 100 feet.. yelling that I was trying to rip the wings off his aircraft.. I think they gave you 150 feet in either direction for the official check ride. He was hard, but you learned. I am not sure if he is still with us, but I am sure you know, he was the owner of North Central Airways .. back in the day. One of my fondest flying memories of the lake was doing my 100 mile solo cross country from RI to Laconia and back. What was so cool about it was that I did not have a drivers license, but was still able to get to the lake. After checking in at Laconia for fuel and food, I did a complete fly over of the lake and headed home. I must admit I cheated a bit because on my way up, I used the Everett Turnpike on my left as a alternate map point and I turned right over Pike Ashpalt in Tilton ... now exit 20 .. (he had a small private strip) and headed towards Laconia. What a pleasant day this has been for me today to recall great times and to remember the fun times flying out Laconia taking friends on sight seeing rides over the lake and up to North Conway.