A Geek Goes Flying

My original setup from 2007 was pretty okay. Onkyo TX-SR605 A/V receiver connected to a Polk RM6750 “Home Theater in a Box” 5.1 speaker setup, with a Sony KDL-40V2500 TV mounted on the wall. It served me well for more than 12 years, but a new neighbor moved in downstairs and one unit over, and while I’m pretty sure the “vibrations” she was experiencing were my 78 year old next door neighbor watching Fox News piped through her Bose Acoustimass 10 system, I as the young(ish) guy was getting all the negative attention. So. The new: Sony XBR-43X800E , looks amazing. Hooked up via HDMI with ARC, so I could, in theory, hook up consoles, etc. to it, but haven’t yet. Not using the smart TV functionality at all, and it’s not connected to the Internet. The HDMI ARC port is kind of awkwardly located on the side of the TV, so I used a TNP 4K 270° right angle HDMI cable to hook it up. Marantz NR1509 . This thing sounds incredible. Especially in my small space, the 50W/channel is more than en

Logging time when flying is a bit more complicated than it should be. I’ve put together my thoughts; while I’m confident in the accuracy of this information, nothing here is legal advice and if you have any questions, I suggest talking to your local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) and/or requesting a Letter of Interpretation from the FAA. Different Types of Time Hobbs In many airplanes (especially rentals), there will be a Hobbs meter , that starts running when some event occurs (master switch turned on, oil pressure rises, or something like that). Most rental shops and flight schools will use this number for billing purposes. A $160/hr rental where 0.5 was clocked on the Hobbs meter will be billed $80. Tach JPI EDM-830 Every airplane will also have at least one tachometer ( FAR 91.205(b)(4) ), which is keeping track of rotations of the engine. Obviously, it's only counting when the engine itself is running, and it's almost certainly calibrated so that 1

It’s been a while ; I should probably revisit what’s in my flight bag. The exact configuration will change depending on if I’m renting or flying one of the planes in our “fleet,” the following is pretty typical for “grab the bag and go flying” no matter what aircraft it is. Note that my flights tend towards the cross-country, and I’m usually hundreds of miles from home. I fly a lot of missions ( Pilots n’ Paws , etc) and I’ve, e.g., been stuck in Las Vegas overnight when mountain waves suggested it would be a really good idea to wait out the ~50 knot headwinds. So, here goes. Everything in this list has saved a flight at least once. The bag: BrightLine Flex B4 Swift I paid $164 for this in 2014; it’s gone up a bit since then ($196) but I think it’s still a great deal. It’s incredibly durable, expandable (e.g., I have a Center Section Three ($40 in 2015, $46 now) I can zip in when I need a bit more storage - an overnight change of clothes, a second headset, whatever), and I like hav

These aren’t affiliate links, just things I’ve found (mostly on chewy.com) very useful in transitioning from a home with two known quantity adult dogs, to a home with a very young puppy. Hope they’re helpful to, well, anyone. Prices are what I paid at the time, not current pricing. Puppy Phase Potty Training Washable puppy pads  ($16 for 2). I don’t like disposable stuff if I can help it. Nature’s Miracle laundry additive  ($10) (or this SKU for $8). For washing the reusable puppy pads. Nature’s Miracle spray  ($10). Accidents will  happen. Bissell Pet Stain Eraser portable shampooer. I found the best pricing ($50) on Bissell’s eBay store . (This one’s not just useful when house breaking, but it’ll definitely get a lot of use then!) Rug Doctor - Corded Upright Deep Cleaner . A bit large and awkward but this thing really sucks. I’ve used other home carpet cleaners, none can touch this one, in the price range ($235 on sale). Astroturf potty  ($36) (I also got a spare piece o

I used to be a dog food snob. Only grain free. No corn (it’s like feeding your pup McDonalds! ... is probably something I’ve said, probably a lot). Etc. Taste of the Wild, EVO, etc. Most recently, Canidae Pure Elements. But then I started reading about dilated cardiomyopathy ( “DCM”). I think the first time I encountered it was in this thread on reddit . The FDA has announced they are  investigating DCM , and named a list of foods that had been, at least tentatively, linked to DCM fatalities: Arcana, Zignature, Taste of the Wild, 4Health, Earthbloom Holistic, Blue Buffalo, Nature’s Domain, Fromm, Merrick, California Natural, Natural Balance, Orijen, Nature’s Variety, NutriSource, Nutro, Rachael Ray Nutrish. I discussed it with my late Labrador’s oncologist (at a specialty practice; they don’t sell dog food, or AFAIK have any interest in what you feed), who wrote: I am on a merciless crusade to re-educate the public that Purina, Royal Canin and Hills are veterinarian recommened for