Glass cockpit T-craft

[MNJoe]

Attached photo's of my Glass cockpit T-Craft! My 19 year old son is flying I'm in the right seat
N43336 100hp on Baumann floats we are on the way to the cabin which is usually a 2 1/2 hour flight! Yes we are indicating just about 100 MPH, GPS showing 92 MPH with no head or tail wind component to speak of Equipment includes:

Anywhere map running on HP Ipaq above pilot:
Old Garmin GPS (came with plane)
Anywhere map running on new system with XM weather above copilot (OK I fly A Bonanza also)
Apple Pod plugged into portable intercom (Johnny Cash playing at the time)
Transponder
Not Pictured portable intercom

Wouldn't want to get lost would I? Can anybody guess what lake is off to the right showing on the GPS on Pilots side, think Minnesota and really big? Its not the lake out the window

The last picture is my two boys flying home by themselves a couple of days later, man does this make me smile!!!!

Joe Shallbetter
Formerly T-REX

[crispy critter]

Re: Glass cockpit T-craft

Attached photo's of my Glass cockpit T-Craft! My 19 year old son is flying I'm in the right seat
N43336 100hp on Baumann floats we are on the way to the cabin which is usually a 2 1/2 hour flight! Yes we are indicating just about 100 MPH, GPS showing 92 MPH with no head or tail wind component to speak of Equipment includes:

Anywhere map running on HP Ipaq above pilot:
Old Garmin GPS (came with plane)
Anywhere map running on new system with XM weather above copilot (OK I fly A Bonanza also)
Apple Pod plugged into portable intercom (Johnny Cash playing at the time)
Transponder
Not Pictured portable intercom

Wouldn't want to get lost would I? Can anybody guess what lake is off to the right showing on the GPS on Pilots side, think Minnesota and really big? Its not the lake out the window

The last picture is my two boys flying home by themselves a couple of days later, man does this make me smile!!!!

Joe Shallbetter
Formerly T-REX

Joe,
No offence intended but with what little I can see outside the windshield I think you should throw all that fancy stuff in the lake and use a map,compass,watch,and plotter for thier intended purpose.....I promiss the view over the panel and the rewards will be much greater then looking at all those screens and gizzmo's all day.....however,I wouldn't mind keeping a little Johnny Cash playing in the head phones, lol. It looks like your really enjoying your t-craft(second one).....glad I could help you get started. Also,those boys look like they are having a great time,you must be very proud. I hope I can feel that someday.

[VictorBravo]

Re: Glass cockpit T-craft

I think you should throw all that fancy stuff in the lake (snip).....however,I wouldn't mind keeping a little Johnny Cash playing in the head phones,

Kevin's right... throw out the gadgets and teach your kids how to fly using:

Bill Berle's GPS (Giant Paper system) and
Len Petterson's GPS (Good Piloting Skills)

However we'll make a one-time gadget exception for Johnny Cash, maybe you can play one of his greatest hits... "It's a 39, 41, 46,48, 52, 59, 71 F-19 "

That picture of your kids flying... damn well should make you proud as a peacock! Congratulations !

[Howard Wilson]

Re: Glass cockpit T-craft

Hey Joe, Cool set-up. How are you powering the electronics, on their own or ?
I know I could have used a GPS up in your neck of the woods when I was bringing my T back from Fargo. The chart makers must have gotten bored drawing in all of those lakes up there. The # of lakes on the chart didn't match up with the real lakes next to the airport. I was second guessing my navigation until I dropped down and read the water tower. Besides you'll need all of those devices when the mosquito bodies black out the windshield

[fearofpavement]

Re: Glass cockpit T-craft

That is a great photo of your two boys flying. My youngest son (now 13) has always been intensely interested in all things aviation. Main problem he has is he's very small and could never reach anything or see out. Then, out of the blue, my older son (middle child) expressed an interest in taking flying lessons. This was the kid I couldn't even get to go for a ride from time to time. Well, they are both taking lessons from me as we an fit it in and have about five flights each and doing well. Then, yesterday my 16 yr old daughter took an introductory flight and has now expressed interest in taking lessons. I never would've dreamed flying would appeal to her. So last night I asked my wife when she was going to start flying. She just laughed. (she gets motion sickness from watching a plane on television....). Guess we'll be putting a few more hours on the Taylorcraft this coming year. I have never "pushed" aviation with any of the kids. This is an interest they developed on their own. (I am of course pleased to further that interest...)

[MNJoe]

Re: Glass cockpit T-craft

My 19 year old son is a Junior at the University of North Dakota majoring in Mechanical Engineering with an Aerospace concentration ( he wants to work for a general aviation company). Part of the program requires them to earn their private. Since he already had his private the kid only needed to take the ground school for 15 weeks and a flight review course which consist of 14 hours of flying. So yes he knows how to read a map, but better yet how to read those dam METAR reports. Attached is a photo of the two boys leaving the cabin the day he took the picture of him and his brother flying home.

[Tim Haake]

Re: Glass cockpit T-craft

Truly the best picture...... your sons on their way home by themselves. Boy, how proud you should be.

Tim

[Carl E. Carson]

Re: Glass cockpit T-craft

Great pictures, kids and love for aviation. Thanks for sharing and congratulations.

The one pix shows a shield between the windshield and door covering cables, etc. Does anyone have a model/plan for creating R & L side for those? I guess I can used some heavy paper and create my own, just wondering if they might be available.

Carl

[flybikefarm]

Re: Glass cockpit T-craft

I have a new one some place. Send me an address and i'll make you a paper copy. George

[VictorBravo]

Re: Glass cockpit T-craft

Great pictures, kids and love for aviation. Thanks for sharing and congratulations.

The one pix shows a shield between the windshield and door covering cables, etc. Does anyone have a model/plan for creating R & L side for those? I guess I can used some heavy paper and create my own, just wondering if they might be available.

Carl

Consider the loss in visibility when using the cable guards before you install them. It's more than just a tiny little loss.

[Carl E. Carson]

Re: Glass cockpit T-craft

Bill, thanks for the tip, that is an important consideration.

Carl

[Carl E. Carson]

Re: Glass cockpit T-craft

George: My address is:

Carl Carson
3013 Tiperary Dr. NE
Cedar Rapids, Ia 52402

Thanks.

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Glass cockpit T-craft

My 41 has the covers but they are much smaller then the ones seen above. Mine are curved in shape and do not stick out in to the cockpit as much. George, are yours like this? If not I can make a pattern off mine as they are a very close, tight fit. Larry

[flybikefarm]

Re: Glass cockpit T-craft

Mine is the small one. George

[MNJoe]

Re: Glass cockpit T-craft

Since, you guys have decided to hijack my thread, here it goes. The cable covers on the corner post were in the airplane when I bought it. In fact I have a portable radio that clips to the left post so those that believe it hampers visibility there you go. I do not believe it cuts into my visibility that much. What really helps is the full skylights above our heads. Climb into the cockpit of a jet sometime and see what you think about visibility!

Joe