JdFinley.com

Fulltime RV Living Adventures

Magdalena

I dropped into the Magdalena, NM airport (N29) a few weeks ago and took the following video on departure. Magdalena is at 6700′ MSL and is a 6000′ long runway.  As you can see from the video, the RV-3 doesn’t need much of it to get airborne. I got a kick out of the dust… [Read More]

Badlands Video

The following is a fun little video that a friend of mine captured. He is flying an RV-4 with the camera mounted on the wing. I am obviously in the lead in the RV-3. This was filmed a few miles west of Los Lunas, NM (E98). As usual, it was a beautiful morning and we… [Read More]

Hot Magneto

I performed some general maintenance on the RV-3 this weekend.  Yes, I know – this engine is not pretty (Lycoming O-320). However; it runs great! 🙂  One of these weekends some parts are going to get pulled, thrown into the bead-blaster, and then into the paint booth. I’ve been into quite a few dirt strips lately… [Read More]

Imperial Nebraska

I did a bit of flying last weekend. I was supposed to go to Minneapolis to work in the offices of the company for which I work so off I went.  Sadly, the weather did not cooperate. I am a chicken pilot when it comes to weather. That said; I like the feeling of being… [Read More]

Las Vegas

I had a really nice trip to Las Vegas, NV earlier this week. It was for business but still enjoyable.  I flew the RV-3 over as it is always a beautiful flight. I left a bit late as I flew to Grants, NM for a breakfast gathering with friends and, of course, I paid the… [Read More]

Playas

Had another very nice breakfast flight in the RV-3 to the Old Mill at Estancia, New Mexico yesterday with some friends. Went out of my way a bit to fly over some Playas (dry lake beds) that are east of Estancia, NM.  It’s hard to tell if a person could land an aircraft on them… [Read More]

Canopy Cover

Canopy covers are generally a really good thing for aircraft.  Here in the southwest, the goal is keeping the sun (and heat) out of the cockpit. In some places, keeping the water out is the goal. Accomplishing both is very doable.  One thing to be careful with is wind and dust/sand.  A good wind storm… [Read More]

Shaffer Hotel

I flew to Mountain Air, NM for breakfast last Friday. Actually, several of us flew over – a Rans S-18, a Cessna 120, a Cessna 170, and myself in the Vans RV-3.  They have a dirt runway that is in pretty good shape – recently graded.  It has a pretty good slope and is pretty… [Read More]

Wheel Chocks

I frequent quite a few small airports with my Vans RV-3B.  Many of these do not have much in the way of tie down equipment. So, carrying my own set of chocks is important to me. This means that they must be light. The controlling factor on the RV-3 chocks is the height of the… [Read More]

Aileron Gust Lock

Some form of gust lock is necessary on most aircraft when being stored outside. The problem that occurs is that strong winds will push the ailerons, rudder, and elevators back and forth to their stops – sometimes in a very hard and violent way and with significant force.  This can damage the controls and that… [Read More]