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Flying saves time and money

hydroguy2

hydroguy2

Well Known Member
As mentioned in this thread, we are building a RV hangar and retirement home. http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=117303

I find this property build to parallel my RV build. The wheels of progress move slowly when when you are trying to save money. I search, investigate and do as much of the work as possible. Being your own General Contractor is a chore....especially if you live 230 miles away(5hrs+ toyota pulling a camper), but now Aurora cuts this time and effort significantly. I am able to zip up for a meeting or do a little work and get back to Townsend later that day and back to work. Here is a few cellphone pics of the last few weekends.

Loaded up a few weeks ago. BTW...9-10mpg took 5 hrs
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Cleared a path and trench dug for power. I like playing in the dirt
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Love waking up and walking the strip at first light. Good Morning Cabin Creek
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Last weekend, I still needed the truck...but got the conduit laid, inspected and back filled. Then slugged my way home dragging the trailer


Yesterday the weather looked good, so I hopped in the RV for a quick trip as the Flying Electrician. the winds aloft were howling headwinds of 30-40kts up high, so we took the pounding down low.
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Looked dark up the head of Seeley-Swan Drainage, so did the end around through the Jocko Vally. Already winter in the high country


Too bad I didn't have the GoPro running. The Tamaracks were in full yellow splendor. You can kind of see Bitteroot Lake peaking in the center of this sot over the ridge.
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Aurora parked next to our road. Hope to still get the simple hangar built this fall.
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Holy smokes Brian, that runway in the 4th picture is pretty narrow! ha!

Looking good - have fun with your house build.
 
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As I fixed(forgot I had to run the ground wire in conduit) and finished wiring the service and ready for the power company to pull the primary wire into the transformer vault I had set and install meter, I felt a rain drop. I walked out to the plane and grabbed the Ipad...Yikes, Better pack up and get out of here.


I blasted off RY 20 and turned south, Off my right wing was a wall of black and water to the ground. Only had light rain for a few minutes, before long it was a broken but lowering ceiling...welcome to mountain flying.

Mission range being engulfed. I went to 11500 and could see ahead some of the tops were above 13K...back down I went to tuck it under.




Had a nice tailwind even at 9500'. this is about 28smpg.


Typical cruise numbers for Aurora. Not too bad 21nmpg or almost 25smpg. not to mention only 1.15hrs chock to chock coming home


I saved about >$1000 after expenses trenching in my own power from the low bid. $3000 from what the power company quoted. It did take up several days of my time. Yesterday The RV made it possible to leave the house at 9am, finish the meter base install and get home again in 5hrs... saved me an overnight trip.

look at all that time/money I saved ;) Keep pounding those Rivets!
 
Brian let us know when is the house warming party I am coming. I agree that RV saves money not sure about the time though. I flew to Pennsylvania for grocery shopping today. They have rice and stuff cheaper then in NJ. I saved $5 easily :D
 
Still plugging along on the hangar project. Many trips I've had to drive due to weather on one end or another. Took almost 6 hrs to get home a few weeks


Yesterday was finally a day to fly!


The Mission Range was in Full Freshness



It was warmer at altitude than the ground. Heater works good, so does the solar


JTL Construction started earlier than I and it was 0*F when I landed at 0920


1st corner post going in on the 48' x 48' hangar...special day for this RV owner


Flathead Lake on the way home climbing thru 7500'


Note to self:....ice is slick and snow is not always soft. I taxied over to get some fuel before blasting home and things were a little tight. I was watching the tips but got too close and stabbed the brakes, but still managed to crack the left tip sliding over a snow mound. !#@&%$$$...I mean...darn it! Still had good strength so a little gorilla tape and off we went.



Sweet tailwinds above 9500, so the trip home was only 54minutes.


Slide show in Random order
http://s92.photobucket.com/user/Hydroguy2/slideshow/Cabin%20Creek%20trips%202015
 
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Looks like we're going to be neighbors! We're building a new home on the West shore of Flathead Lake just South of Lakeside.

Went flying on Tuesday since 8S1 had been iced over for almost a week, but heavy ice remaining on the taxi ways made steering via differential braking treacherous. One of the persistent meteorological oddities of the region in winter is persistent ice fog - watch out 'cuz rime ice builds at an unbelievable rate.

Welcome to Northwest MT!

Dick
 
Howdy neighbor. The last couple times I flown over Polson it's foggy at least in the morning. The one day it was nice the runway looked it hadn't been plowed for a while.

Here's what I saw yesterday as I passed over. 8S1 would have been in the lower left corner...I think. This is looking north up Flathead Lake
 
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Very nice Brian! It's awesome your retirement will include an airplane and a large hangar on an airport. It doesn't get much better than that!

Would love to fly over and check it out one of these summers.
 
Come on over Jeff. After we get things settled a bit we hope to host a fly-in BBQ around labor day.

For now,once the shell of the hangar goes up, we will slow down for a couple months to let things thaw out before digging the log home foundation and pouring the hangar floor.
 
What a milestone to get the first post in for the hangar. Have fun with your build. Maybe have a fly in with all of us bringing tools and be ready to work!
That would be fun. Keep us up to date.
 
hydroguy2 said:
As mentioned in this thread, we are building a RV hangar and retirement home.
Click to expand...

Brian,

Sure sign of a "real pilot"?the order in which you listed what you are building?just sayin'! ;)

Lookin' good! Though, how do you dig post holes...in Montana?in the winter!?!?

Like Vlad, looking forward to the house-warming party! :D

Cheers,
Bob
 
rvmills said:
Brian,

Sure sign of a "real pilot"…the order in which you listed what you are building…just sayin'! ;)

Lookin' good! Though, how do you dig post holes...in Montana…in the winter!?!?

Like Vlad, looking forward to the house-warming party! :D

Cheers,
Bob
Click to expand...

Yes Hangar first! Honey, I need a place to store tools and new things for your house.
Kris keeps telling me....you get your dream location and she gets her dream loghome. We're kind if frugal spenders (ok I'm a typical pilot...cheap), so this place won't be too fancy, but we can afford it on a Dam retirement. We hope to host many fly-in friends. Might even stage a SARL race out of there.

Winter work has slow progress, but can be done with proper planning. The trees hold heat longer and help keep the ground from freezing too deep early on. We had some schedules to clear up before my materials and builder was ready.
We cleared the lot of trees during a fall warm snap and when it looked like snow was coming, within 2-3days the was a 12" blanket of snow on top of the 5" frost layer. It kept snowing and we had 2 feet of fluffy insulation protecting from the below 0 nights. Got through the holidays, peoples schedules are more flexible in the winter and we waited for a reasonable forecast of good weather.

Oscar, my dirt guy, brought in his big excavator with a iron weedwacker end that just chips the small diameter trees into mulch. Just don't be within 200 feet of it when he's working, kinda scary how far it throws chunks of wood.


Last week, Oscar said "Tuesday, I can pile snow and strip the duff". It was in the 30's for a few days so the snow was wet and the ground was soft. Frost was only 4-5" after the 8"of organic duff was removed. It was go time!



The sky was clear that night and the temp dropped to -2F. I waited for the sun to come up before leaving Townsend...a little solar heated canopy is nice. When I landed at 0920, it was about 0 but sunny and clear. By the time we laid out the corner locations and post holes, it had warmed up to about 15F. the ground had gotten very hard last night, but Jon used a mini excavator with a narrow bucket for digging. It took a few minutes at each location to chip through the frost layer. then digging down went smoothly. All the digging was done about 1300hrs and temp was mid-20's with sunshine. nice working conditions. I had to leave before all the posts were set.

Concrete around the posts yesterday and 48' trusses delivered. They'll be back on Monday to frame it up. The weather is forecast for low-mid 30's, should be easy stuff for young construction crews.

I hope to fix my wing tip in time to fly again next week.
 
I am going to have to come up for your house warming. Pretty sure I will be free by labor day.
 
Alton, you can be in charge of smoked meat, I've seen your pictures...come on up

sounds like I should have planned a t-hangar and a bunkhouse. :D
But we'll make room. the neighbor has tiedowns for 6+, the HOA has another 8 or so. I'll have at least 3.
 
Kris was off today, so I dumped a day of work to go inspect the hangar progress. Can't pass up days like this in January.




I thought it would be bigger...Aurora might not fit


Flathead Valley was socked in all day from Missoula to Whitefish..maybe Canada. glad I didn't need to land anywhere else



Back home we dropped to the ice on Canyon Ferry Lake. speed skating anyone or just want to freeze your feet while drinking Schnapps



It's about a 4.5hr drive each way. We left the hangar at 1015, zigzag around landed about 1130, talked with the crew, took pics and wrote a big check. Spent 3hrs enjoying the airpark. Launched for home at 1430, hangar door closed at 1545. elapsed time block to block <5.5hrs

Life is good and quick by RV....keep pounding those Rivets
 
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Our Airpark neighbor snapped a quick cellphone picture and sent it to me today. Not a good pic, but looks like progress from this angle. We'll be there this weekend.

Aurora has a retirement hangar!...well almost.
 
the RV hangar is waiting on things to thaw out, so we can move some gravel and pour the floor.

Aurora with her new home


Backside view. there will be a courtesy car and apartment on this side


view from the runway, I still need to clear a couple trees for picnic area.


About this same timeframe in February, Our log builder sent us a picture of the log work starting.
 
A week ago, the weather wasn't RV friendly so we drove 5.5hrs each way to inspect the loghome build.
Kris looking out the dining room window.


Then Nelson of MT Specialty Log Construction sent us a couple more updates of the front with Master bdrm balcony and cutting the archway into front room.



Saturday was a Beauty Day in Montana, so I hopped on my magic carpet.
1.3hrs later, due to headwinds, I landed in Thompson Falls KTHM and borrowed a courtesy car.
It's still a 50minute drive from the airport....but that's ok. Here's some pics and video from the day.

Stairway to Heaven...I mean Master bedroom.


view from kitchen into the mudroom.


I spent about 2hrs with Nelson discussing the build and also about RV's. He knew I had a plane but hadn't seen it or that I had built it in my garage. I showed him a picture and he instantly turned to his wife and said "honey we're building an airplane" She said, ok. but first we need to build me a house too. :D I told them I would fly over on my way home, it's only a few minutes the wrong direction.

video leaving KTHM to head NW down the Clark Fork river:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6FESqoKLpY

Logyard near Heron where our logs are being prepped.


Video of flyover:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeZ2L7iHFwo

The headwinds at 8500+ had me down around 6500' or lower unless I was hopping ridges and 135-155kts ground speed but was a nice tailwind going home. At 11500 for most of the trip home, we were doing 190-203kts over the ground. RT was 2.9hrs including the out of route fly-by and burnt 21.8gals. Nice Day..Keep pounding those rivets

 
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Nice video and great pictures Brian. I've built several timber frame homes here in Virginia and always enjoy seeing projects that use big wood.
Thanks for sharing;)
 
This is amazing!

One question (and it might be a dumb one).. are log homes like this just build on the bare ground? so dirt inside flooring? No foundation?

That seems odd.
 
Palamedes said:
One question (and it might be a dumb one).. are log homes like this just build on the bare ground? so dirt inside flooring? No foundation?

That seems odd.
Click to expand...

Large custom log homes are often built in the builder's 'yard', then disassembled, transported and reassembled on the owner's foundation.
 
FANTASTIC pictures and videos, Brian! My brother, who is also a pilot, is now building a log home on his land down here in Mulino. Can't wait to see the finished product! Maybe I'll have my RV done about the time your home is finished. :)
 
BSwayze said:
FANTASTIC pictures and videos, Brian! My brother, who is also a pilot, is now building a log home on his land down here in Mulino. Can't wait to see the finished product! Maybe I'll have my RV done about the time your home is finished. :)
Click to expand...

We hope to be done with our logcabin phase 1 before September. That's your goal! so you can fly out for our celebration BBQ.

ps...I pretty sure we won't be DONE done by September, but we will be burning meat and enjoying the end of summer with friends.
 
Palamedes said:
This is amazing!

One question (and it might be a dumb one).. are log homes like this just build on the bare ground? so dirt inside flooring? No foundation?

That seems odd.
Click to expand...

I would guess most log homes around here are built on the bare ground...then transported and reset on a basement or crawl space foundation. Many are set on concrete piers also.
While we do "live in the sticks" compared to most folks, we have evolved enough, to do away with the dirt floors. ;)

This home will be on a foundation and heated with a Tulukivi masonry heater. It's a 4000# soapstone fireplace, when coupled with log mass will only require 1 small fire per day during the winter months.


Our hangar will have radiant heat floor with solar panels supplying the heat.

It's all money upfront, but it'll be wallet friendly during the retirement years.
 
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No flying again. I had to haul tools and 2400' of PEX tubing plus the camper. Why does the weather and road get crappy when I need to travel.
FYI...today was 2fuel stops, 26 gallons, 5+hours. The RV does the same trip in 1 hr burning <9gals. I just wish it could haul that much stuff
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Main floor bundled for shipment
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Upper floor almost done too
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Dirt guy likes to use the hangar as a toy box
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Well got drilled today, 50gpm should be plenty
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Log home spot got cleared today too.
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Tomorrow I start installing foam board and radiant tubing in prep for the concrete slab pour next week. Some day I'll actually have a usable hangar
 
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Good Planning!

Brian, I"ve been on Facebook this morning and after visiting this thread I was trying to find the LIKE link!
I like to see folks plan and do a project the right way. So many times we (myself included) don't plan ahead very well. Thanks for posting the pictures. :)
 
Looking good Brian. I love your home spot. Radiant heat - the best way to heat just about anywhere!
 
Awesome job!

But I'm pretty sure that those three funny looking yellow things that are inside of your hanger will never fly.
 
No airplane building.....until Kris gets her log home. Oh well, I find this project is a lot like the RV. A little bite at a time.

And some parts you let others with the proper tools do it. Oscar makes the dirt work look easy. Meanwhile, I spent 1/2 day hand digging sewer drains and vents for the hangar apartment. Whew...almost felt like work :D
 
What an amazing project, Brian! Congratulations on all the progress! You're going to have quite the life when this is all finished. We have a soapstone fireplace at my Mom's beach place, by the way. Heats the whole house on a little fire. :)
 
Spent 1 week on site and made some serious progress on Aurora's new hangar and home site.

dirt packed and foam ready


Footings in place for the loghome (after firing my concrete guy and got a new improved one)


Foam perimeter done and most of the rest in place


2200 feet of 5/8" PEX inplace and I am ready for mud.


Foundation crawl space done



Pouring hangar slab


Cutting slab


WHEW
 
What kind of floor goes over the crawlspace, and under the logs?

What kind of thermal solar source are you using in the hangar?
 
Forgive me for it has been 6 weeks since my last flight.
Too busy hauling tools or fighting weather lately to fly back and forth....But that changed today.

No time for breakfast, so the inflight snack was Nugo protein bar and caffeine. Pretty tasty at 175kts.


The Mission Mtns are always worth seeing


Overflying the runway at Cabin Creek from 5500'


Our place is right off the very end of the wingtip


Painted some lines for trenching in the sonotube deck supports. NOTE: (I do not know why this is flipped I've tried many times to flip it)

Cleaned out the hangar in prep for Tuesday spray foam of the hangar. A little more dirt work and Aurora will finally have shelter. My friend has my deposit check for a new HP door order at S&F.


Beautiful day in the Flathead valley. This is looking towards Kalispell on my way home.


Looking south towards Polson and Ronan. Jumpers away...but never saw them from 10 miles out.


Puffy stuff building as I got near the Continental Divide.


I went up at 8500' mostly in calm conditions. Coming back I went to 11500 to grab a pleasant little tailwind. Never saw groundspeeds below 190kts, mostly 192-3 and this 200kts over KHLN. Too bad I had to descend a few minutes later.


Love my RV! I had an hour of work to do and looking at 4.5hours drive each way. I made it there, did the work and back in 3.2 hours.
 
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gtmule said:
What kind of floor goes over the crawlspace, and under the logs?

What kind of thermal solar source are you using in the hangar?
Click to expand...

I think the log guy said it was constructed of doubled 2x12 side plates and 10 or 12" tall I-joists topped with 3/4" OSB. The logs sit on top of that. I'm not positive, figured he knew more than I did.

Probably something like these AE-32. There are better ones with vacuum tubes, but I don't need the high heat as I will be running a low temp system. This year will only have a electric water heater utilizing antifreeze. solar next year.
http://www.radiantsolar.com/solar_component_pricing.php
 
There are several lots available, some better than others.

Lot 19B isn't on the runway but is a nice big lot which has power transformer already to hook to and some tiedowns in front. I think the owner of lot 21 mentioned selling his empty lot. Lot 3 is pretty good too. I'm not sure of the prices these days, but I think they are lower now than a few years ago.
http://cabincreeklanding.com/montana-fly-in-real-estate/
 
Here ya go . .

hydroguy2%2520copy.jpg


This picture was a bear to rotate. I downloaded and rotated, saved then uploaded to picasa - it flipped!!. I had to duplicate it then rotate and rename, then it stuck. Tricky!

Great new home place. It looks like the family will be enjoying your retirement.
 
thanks Bill, I finally gave up trying. I have that pic saved about 5 different ways with the same result. (I didn't rename it though)

My son and daughter n law keep asking when I'll be done building "Their" vacation home. I said you guys get the hangar apartment. I think I need to sell tickets.
 
hydroguy2 said:
My son and daughter n law keep asking when I'll be done building "Their" vacation home. I said you guys get the hangar apartment.
Click to expand...

That's like a dream come true for me.
An 800sf apartment attached to a 10,000sf hangar.

I noticed a couple years ago the county fire department moved out of one of their houses locally. I started looking around to try and buy it. No dice. Would have been perfect. Living quarters upstairs, huge garage downstairs, no yard. What's not to like about that?

Envious of your build. Love log homes.
 
Beautiful

Brian,
Looks like you'll have a beautiful place to relax and enjoy life.

Have you heard much about the B&B on the airport. My wife thought it would make a great place to spend 4 or 5 days. A little over 1200 miles from Michigan but certainly doable in a day with the 10.

Gary
 
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