This was just a fun flight with Joe in his Piper PA28R - Super Bee. It is like an Arrow.

He was keeping me busy while I waited for a mechanic to fly down from Alton to look at 2724R and why it wouldn't start.

I flew down yesterday with Ben and Lucas to take them to their Grandad's for a camping trip with Darrel, his daughter and son, Jennifer, George, his son, and Ed.

I had planned on flying down, dropping Ben and Lucas off, maybe getting some dinner then heading home, doing some touch and gos at 3 new airports as I went.

Things didn't work out that way.

After dinner, I couldn't get the engine to start. I tried several times, called back to Langa for suggestions and ended up spending the night to see if it would be any better in the morning.

Ed brought me back to the airport about 8:15 in the morning. I tried the plane again and still the engine would not catch. The propeller turned, but it was weaker and weaker as I ran down the battery.

I gave up and called Langa. Laura was working and she said she would call Scott and see what she could get lined up.

I walked back to the plane and, looking for something to do, pulled the GPS manual out to read. Even though 24Romeo will be leaving, the GPS is the same as in most of the planes at Langa. It is a KLN89B.

I got the book, jumped up and sat on the concrete wall surrounding the fuel tank.

Several planes came by and filled up. I talked to one "Grandpa down to fly the grandkids around," another grandfather flying N2613L, a 1967, Cessna 172H over from Mansfield (because they don't have fuel there) stopping by after going to a flyin breakfast at Willow Run, and another plane also from Willow Run.

While the last plane was fueling, a man came over and started asking questions about the plane (N10804). It was a white J5 mod. That was what was confusing the guy that walked over. Parts of it were from a J3 and parts from a J5.

When the J3/J5 was done fueling, the man that walked over and I started talking. I told him about my problems with the battery and he told me about the different planes around there.

He calls the 2 old planes parked on the ramp (N8532U & N9217J), decoys. They just sit there and hopefully attract other planes. Today they had been very effective. There had been more planes in today than in a long time.

N8532U is a 1964 Cessna 172F owned by someone in Branson, MO. N9217J is a 1966 Piper PA28-180.

I wish I had remembered my camera, but the Piper was old and faded and didn't look like it had flown in a loooonnnnngggg time. The Cessna wasn't any better. The nose wheel and the left main wheel were both flat.

There was a Cessna Ag Cat (N53286) parked on the ramp as well. It is a 1974 crop duster that worked out of here. It must have been repainted recently because it was a nice and pretty red. There was another nice looking red plane as well, N4225L. A 1966 Cessna 172G from Red Oak, TX. It also had been repainted. It was mostly a bright red with a white upper main body.

"Grampa" was flying N6858H, a 1975 Cessna 172M from McPherson, KS. It is 563 miles to drive from McPherson, but only 278 to fly.

About 10:30, I called back to Langa and Laura told me she was still trying to get something lined up.

She said Andre (the on call mechanic) was on his way from Edwardsville and she was trying to get someone who could fly him out. She passed me to Andre and I told him that I couldn't get the engine to start and what I had tried. He asked if there was power around there that we could plug a charger into or did he have to bring a battery.

I asked Joe (the man I had been talking to for 2 hours now) and he said we could plug in at his hanger. I thanked him and told Andre we had power. He said good and they would let me know.

Joe asked if I wanted to go flying while we waited. I said sure.

We walked over to his hanger and pulled out his 1969 Piper PA28R-180, a Super Bee. He did his preflight checks we got ready to go. Before I got in, I called back to Langa and Laura told me Aaron could fly Andre out, but he could do it until after 12:00. I said that was fine, it would put them here about 1:15 to 1:30.

We got in the Super Bee and taxied out to the runway.

There is no weather reporting at Houston, but it was a nice day to fly. There was a light wind from the northwest, a few clouds at about 5,000 feet and visibility of about 20 miles.

Joe taxied out, reported back taxiing on 16 and we rolled down to the runup area. He did his final checks and we were off.

He took off on 16 rather then what the wind was favoring, 34, because to the north there is only trees, trees, and more trees. According to Joe, the normal local procedure is to take off to the south unless the wind is just howling so hard you have to take off to the north.

We took off and climbed away. Joe told me he had to hold the gear up lever until his airspeed got above 105 knots or the wheels would automatically go down. Normally a safety feature, but sometime an annoyance he said.

The gear was up with three lights showing when he let the speed drop a little as he climbed and the gear started down again. He grabbed the gear lever and held it while we climbed up to about 3,000 feet.

When he had the plane flying straight and level, he asked if I wanted to fly and of course I said yes. I took the controls and continued to the southwest. I was having to push forward to keep the plane level and asked about trim.

Joe said it was automatic and he had the switch. He used his thumb and put in some nose down trim and it was a lot easier to handle.

I spotted another airport ahead of us and asked what it was. Joe told me it was Cabool (TVB). It is named after the capital of Afganistan. I asked why and he said it was from back when we were more friendly with them.

I turned southeast flew on. Ahead of us I spotted another airport and Joe said it was Willow Springs (1H5). It was the airport 2 of the planes that had flown in while I was reading had been. Ron White over there hosts a breakfast for anyone that flys or drives in on Saturday mornings.

From Willow Springs I flew on to West Plains (UNO).

I turned east and from Willow Springs flew on to past Mountain View (MNF).

From Cabool to Willow Springs to West Plains to Mountain View is only 29 miles.

I flew past Mountain View and followed the road to Eminence.

I had told Joe I had spent the night in Summersville and he said it was off to the west so I headed that way. I flew over town trying to remember which way it was to Ed's. I turned north and we flew over Hartshorn. From there I wasn't sure where the farm was so I just continued north a while longer then turned west back towards Houston.

We were approach 12 miles out and I told Joe I would let him land the plane. I didn't want to mess up and hurt it.

He said that was fine and he was going to make the initial call. With me still flying the plane, he used the left push to talk and reported 10 miles to the east, inbound for landing on 34.

Joe said he had the controls and I acknowledged and took my hands and feet off the yoke and rudder.

I had flown from 11:08 till 12:03, 55 minutes.

Another plane, a Bonanza V Tail that had landed earlier but I didn't get a tail number, reported departing Houston, right turn out. Joe reported us about 5 miles out, we will stay out of his way.

The Bonanza took off, climbed up to about 1,500 feet (500 feet above the ground) and turned right. He kept going. He did a steep bank and kept turning and crossed back over mid-field and then departed to the southwest. Both Joe and I thought that was a little weird. Both because the Bonanza had turned right and then overflown the field and because he had done such a steep turn to do it. It was probably a 45-60 degee turn. Way steeper than I would have done. Joe and I agreed we would have just turned left and headed southwest.

Joe flew over the north end of the runway and reported entering left downwind for 34, Houston.

He reported his turn to base and final and swung a little wide but recovered nicely and got lined up to land.

We touched down almost right on the center line and with only a little bump, nice.

We were fast and didn't make the turn off. Joe rolled down and turned the plane around while I opened the door to get some cooler air.

We taxied back and Joe reported clear of 34, Houston. We put his plane away and then decided what to do next.

Should we pull "my" plane over now or go get lunch first. We decided to move the plane then eat.

We walked over to 2724Romeo and I said we could either push it backwards or forwards. He asked about a tow bar. I said I didn't have one. He told me I did. He had seen a red one in the baggage area. I looked and he was right. I had seen the red "thing" before but didn't know was a tow bar. It was straped to the side of the plane.

I unclipped it and hooked it to the 2 points on the nose gear.

It is uphill both ways from where I was parked so I pulled while Joe pushed the plane up the ramp and down the taxiway. It was hot and heavy but we finally got it parked in front of Joe's hanger.

We got in his SUV and we went to get something to eat.

When I left Ed's this morning, I didn't eat anything for breakfast. While I was waiting around I had a bag of peanuts in my flight bag. That was my breakfast. That and some water from the sink. I had a water bottle in by flight bag that I filled from the sink.

Joe drove us to the main street and took us to McDonalds. I said I was buying and we went through drive-thru and headed back to the airport to wait for the people from Langa.

When they still weren't there by 2:00, I called and Laura said they had left between 12:30 and 12:45. Figuring on 1:15 minute flight, they should be there soon. They got there about 2:15.

We watched them land and walked over to where they parked.

Aaron Buhr was the pilot and Andre the mechanic. I hadn't met either of them so I introduced myself and led them over to 24Romeo.

I told Andre about my not being able to get the plane to start and what I had done so far. I said the battery was almost dead. He pulled the engine cowling off and asked where the battery was. I said that was a bad sign if he didn't know.

Aaron said it was in back. Andre took the access plate off and hooked up the battery charger they had brought with them.

He said he wanted to check the points and clean them while it charged for 20 or 30 minutes.

He pulled the spark plugs and said they looked ok. He had Aaron try to start the engine while he watched to see if they were getting a good spark. The first one he couldn't see any spark. None on the second, third or forth. He saw sparks on the fifth and none on the sixth. He wasn't sure what the problem was.

Aaron had asked if there was any place to get something to eat or drink. I had told him not at the airport.

When Andre asked, I asked Joe if he could take them to get some food. Andre said he would stay and work while Aaron went. I stayed to watch.

Andre decided to do a mag check. The basic check looked fine. He told me he normally works on avionics and so doesn't know what normal problems the planes have. If he couldn't figure something out, we would have to leave the plane and they would come back with more parts next week.

Joe and Aaron got back and they ate lunch while Joe and I had something to drink.

Andre decided the battery had charged enough and that he would put everything back together and we would give it one more try.

He put the plugs back in and the cowling back on and when he turned the ignition switch, the prop spun and finally caught and the engine was running. We let it run.

Andre did a runup and checked the engine. He said it seemed fine. He unhooked the battery charger, put the access plate back on, and I thanked Joe for all he had done and for staying with me for almost 7 hours.

I climbed in and got ready to fly home.

I taxied over and waited while Aaron and Andre got to their plane and got ready to go.

I reported back taxiing on 16 for departure to the northeast.

I rolled down to the end of the runway, turned about and did my final checks. I thought the right mag was running a little rough, but it was within tolerance of the other so I figured I was ok.

I reported departing runway 16, departing the area to the northeast, Houston.

I gently applied full power, kept the nose lined up with the centerline and I was off.

I climbed up and made my turn towards home.

I took off at 15:57. I heard Aaron report back taxiing and they took off 3 minutes after me.