Hello!
I did perform today my traditional Xmas flight and wanna share this
story with you.
Normally I have flown my special four seater (actually 2+2) Europa with
my family
(wife & two daughters), but this time they elected to stay home
- they know too much and did not like that snowing.
My wife has always had an ability to say "no" if she feels so. For my
teenagers (12&15)
its today natural. Our dog and cat fly happily, but I did not asked
them to join.
Went this time alone. Uh!
I drove to EFTP Tampere, which is 20 km from us. When I got the plane
out from hangar,
it was a heavy snowing. Despite of that I decided to "try". Took of 24
and instantly I got
a medium feeling "better to land immeadialely". So I did. I towed my RT
back to hangar and it
took all together say one hour. When coming out, weather was better. I
even saw some
blue sky there and there. But it was sunset, UTC in Finland here today
is 1508. I considerred
a while, took my plane again out and so off we went!
By the way, it was a little strange feeling, because this airport EFTP,
which is the 2nd largest
in Finland, is closed always during The Christmas Day. I was totally
alone there and untowered.
Maybe that was better.
So I flew during the twilight time home to EFRT, which took 5 minuts. I
made several warning
circuits over our field, becaus my girls were there horse riding with
our Dakota, a black stallion.
I landed to 30, which is a grass strip 300 metres long. Wind 200 12 kn
G22. Muddy. Temperature 0.
QNH 9002 mbar. Tailwind was not a problem, only moderate braking actions
was needed before the road.
What a wonderful aircraft we have! I have landed here also several times
w C172 but thats painfull!
I taxied home and there my family was waiting their father. My wife
tried to keep her faces calm,
but I noticed she was a bit upset and thats good. Almost always when
so, next night will be real wild!!!
I have to say that was not my only reason to fly today. Actually I liked
the action - flying - itself also.
Time was fast running and I took of almost instantly runway 21, which is
just 200 metres long.
Its enough for me and my Europa (912S w Airmaster and "some" mods). Upp
in the air it was
say 120 metres with the aid of that moderaty opposite wind and low temp.
Then I flew direct to the Tampere City and made a not-so-low low pass
over the Christmas Market
(transponder off, inside the CTR but possible because EFTP was closed).
Then joining a long final
of EFTP 24. I love long finals, somehow during them, time stands still,
you know. If honest, I would
like to be forever in the long finals. Now you know me.
There I was again. Home. Home of my beloved Europa. It started
again snowing but no matter, mission accomplished! Time was
1531 as you can see from the UTC GPS coupled time&temp display.
And please notice the Europa logo over it!
Someone may notice the wing inside the hangar. OH-U666 (formerly
known as SE-VAY). Thats my wifes aircraft LamcoCub, its origin a Canadian
bushplane which we bought from Sweden, Stockholm couple of years ago.
It happened so, that I crashed it totally this fall. Uh! Landed to EFTP
during perfect
conditions, for touch and go. With full power just before take off she
decided to ground loop super tightly counterclockwise. I had just installed
a new tail wheel into it, Maule original. My wise wife said please no no.
Thats a normal tailwheel, but when taxiing slowly and using differential
brake, it goes free. That happened during my take off, because
of the prop circulation effect. It went free w/o contact, hello my balls!
The right gear was collapsed, the right wing destroyed,
and also, because of the strut, the fuselage went node. Both tanks went
broken
and there I was in the plane, when 80 litres of the fuel poured out. I
was ok,
and went flying instantly with my Europa. I have to do so, and you know why!
What a strong ac! Very strange it was, that prop & engine were ok!?
If the propeller should be rotated, it would have been 40 cm in the ground.
Obviously I have (no recollection) shut down the magnetos during the action,
which was really fast. Unfortunately we had no insurance - written out.
Thats why I have to build it airborne - will be next spring airborne! Yes!
Someone should obviously wash the plane - EFRT was really muddy.
I towed her again to her hangar, said goodby and drove home.
I really can say that I love this machine!
If she were a Real Woman, I yes indeed would like to make love with her.
And Im pretty sure, that my wife would like to say yes in that case.
Because thats probably never possible, I have to be happy just flying her.
Happily I Know she is also...
I am pretty sure Frans understand me: he has an extremely beautiful
young wife,
but would like to make love with his ac if possible AND thats ok by Ilona.
Here under from left Ilona, Frans, Miss Netherlands Super Pilots
Mother Hersef, me
- Donald Duck - and my wife Marke.
Photo taken in Texel Airshow couple of year ago, 2013.
One day we will have a race w Frans and Im a bit faster of course.
Frans will have a problem; he has genarated several genius mods to his
trike,
but I have a perfect Mono - no chance! Fast birds retract the gears -
thats so!
Other one need stabilizers..like nose wheels...
Coming home. Home along the road "Koivuniementie" (in English
"Birch Cape Road) we have installed this sign. The meaning of the
Finnish text is about " watch out for randomly rising and falling planes".
We have built our home strip after 20 years of fight with a landowner,
who definetly did not want an airfield to his field. He died and I
continued the fight with his son, but no success. Then I started
to talk with the grand son - third generation - and finally the
solution was found. I will not report here how but I used all the
tricks i have learned in my life and got what I wanted. First we built
a little tower and 03/21. Mostly we have western winds and so
we have to land from north-east, under the 110 kV power lines.
The power company did not like that and they managed the
Finnish FAA and Ministry of Transport to "*say*" me its strictly
forbidden to use this place for landing the acs. That started a fight
of my lifetime. We built 12/30 which is parallel to the power lines
and took of one 20 kV line and several other lines. Actually
because of that we lost our fixed telephone & internet copper lines.
No matter - 4G is not so bad!
23.12.2015 the miracle happened; we got the letter from the officials
"you are free to use your temporary airfield". What a day. Actually,
after that, they have regularly visited us by helicopter, and took off
some Flying Brewery beer, which we brew in the ESVS, Siljansns
Airpark, only Airpark in the Scandinavia.
My Europas Maiden Flight was 29.4.2007. It was flown by Dirk van Oyen,
the composite professor from Belgium, younger than me but actually my
Father!
Today he is for example an Airmaster and Norwegian dry suit retailer in
Europe.
We will never forget the moment when he suddenly came here and asked
"are you the
Europa Builder?". That happened just after 2000. He came here w a
strange mc with for example
a hand made cruise control after a hard circle around Scandinavian
countries.
What a beard he had - we thought some Russian partisan is coming here,
taking my life, my wife and selling my kids and some properties. But it
was not so.
What a man! Please destroy instantly your Airmasters and please buy new
ones from The Dirk!
OH-XRT has flown 492 hrs and I have made 788 landings with my Mono.
This is hard for some Englishmen, but I havent so far broken any prop.
Im proud enough to say, this is not possible only with a lucky.
Actually no problems at all, if I do not count several serious fuel
related problem.
This could be a long story, but my first engine stop was during TT 5.
One of them was over the Baltic Sea. But we are he, me and my RT.
Some day - maybe in the Europa Magazine - I will report a full story about
my strange but very understandable fuel problems
(Jos - you were right - if Mono is in a wrong position, its not
possible to fill fuel full, sorry!).
One more thing:
My Europa has 10 years birthday 2017. Many of you have asked me to share
the exact location
of The EFTR. Its*N611743 E0234557. *Same lat as in Anchorage in Alaska
---From where I bought the new skins
to my wifes ac, which I brought. Do not be afraid, some times its
really possible to fly here.
Actually many of you know that, like David Bosomworth, Bob Super
Harrison, Dirk of course
and for example our brave chairman.
Here they are, 3 Europas and their pilot after mid night flight in
Finland EFP.
So, we, My Flying Family Toivio, welcome you ALL here 2017. All who are
really landing to the EFRT,
will get a special attention; a very rare landing drink "Aviator Ale", a
spectacular gift,
free hospitality, full high level food and of course a sauna, golf, spa,
mid-night-sun
and such a things (fuel 98E available, but not totally free). Please do
not believe
Bobs stories about monster mosquitos, there was not any but only just
one then when he was here
(and actually she was a miniature size and almost dying, that happened
in Sauna unfortunately,
probable she was biting Bobs Grande Balls and thats why he is still so
shocked about this).
_Must ask a permission to land!_ Call + 358 40 590 1450 before coming.
There are then and then 300 cows on the field and we have to pay 5000
all you hit!
Welcome!
Seasons Greetings - We wish you all safe flights 2017!
Cheers, Raimo Toivio
Europa XS Mono OH-XRT #417 2007
LamcoCub M SE-VAY 2004
Bravo AS202T OH-NTM 1995
Antonov AN-2 TDSRM AirCamper HA-MDO 1987
Beechcraft C45 Twin OH-BLL 1953
37500 Lempaala
FINLAND
p +358-3-3753 777
m +358-40-590 1450
FLYING BREWERY
- only beer in the world brewed to aircraft standards
by pilots to pilots and also to normal people
raimo.toivio@rwm.fi <mailto:raimo.toivio@rwm.fi>
www.flyingbreweryfinland.fi <http://www.flyingbreweryfinland.fi/>
www.rwm.fi <http://www.rwm.fi/>
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