Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Original Posted By: robert hensarling
Subject: Stevee's most recent run in with the law.... Ok folks, as promised, but it is a long one, strap in. ..... ..... I got gas and donned my scarf and goggles and started up. The wind was calm and I took off to the west. I couldn't help it atthis point and as I passed low over the neighborhood I laid the smoke onthick.... Julie called an hour after I got home and said there were still carsdriving past the spot till dark. Steve Eldredge Steve(at)byu.edu Provo UT.________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: Dean Dayton
Subject: Stevee's most recent run in with the law.... Ok folks, as promised, but it is a long one, strap in. ..... ..... I got gas and donned my scarf and goggles and started up. The wind was calm and I took off to the west. I couldn't help it atthis point and as I passed low over the neighborhood I laid the smoke onthick.... Julie called an hour after I got home and said there were stillcars driving past the spot till dark. Steve Eldredge Steve(at)byu.edu Provo UT.________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: steve(at)byu.edu
Subject: Re: Stevee's most recent run in with the law.... Steve, I loved the story!! I've printed it out to tack on our boardout at the muesum hanger. You lucky dawg, some people have all the fun! Robert Hensarling GREAT STORY STEVE!!!! Aaahhh... The barn storming days aren't quite gone yet....... GY -----Original Message-----

Original Posted By: steve(at)byu.edu
GREAT STORY STEVE!!!!Aaahhh... The barn storming days aren't quite gone yet.......GY -----Original Message-----

Original Posted By: Greg Yotz
-----Original Message-----

Original Posted By: kyle ray
What a hoot!!! I'm surprised they didn't accuse you of flying drugs infrom Mexico.Dean DaytonN7167S - Fisher Horizon 2 owner and still Piet buildersteve(at)byu.edu wrote:> Ok folks, as promised, but it is a long one, strap in.Two weeks ago> my brother in law called from a small town here in Utah by the name of> Price and asked if I would like to go with him as a volunteer for the> Forest Service to help out in the annual Raptor Survey. I was> delighted and accepted his invitation, mainly because it meant that I> would finally have the experience of flying in a helicopter for the> first time. It would be an all day flight up and down canyons close> in and lots of hovering around nesting sites for eagles, hawks and> crows. Sounded like a blast. I would go along for the ride, but my> official duty would be to run the GPS mapping software, act as backup> navigator, and as scribe for the documentation of nest location and> conditions. Cool job for a day I must say. So I figured since Price> is 1.5 hours in windy mountain roads, it would be a great trip in the> Piet. I could clear all the mountains without going over 9500' and> flying in the morning would be a bit cold, but much more fun than> driving. So Monday morning I got up a 5am and gassed up and blasted> off at the first peeking of the sun over the mountains. The flight> would be an hour flight even with the morning wind blasting down> through Spanish Fork Canyon. The glimpse of sun was the only heater I> could draw on as the outside air temp was a frigid 32 degrees at> altitude. My smoke system, successfully tested earlier in the week> was not pumped up yet but it was full of oil to blast my sisters house> as I planned to circle and smoke as I announced my arrival. Julie and> Chris live just a mile from the airport on the east edge of price.> The backyard is cactus and low sage brush. Last time I visited I> notice the county road was in good shape and except for powerlines and> 200 yards of chain link fence on one side, would be a perfect landing> strip. I imagined landing there, and getting breakfast as I crested> the last of the ridges that we would scope out that day for> raptors. I told Chris to come out when he heard my engine and I> would show him a surprise. Julie had seen the smoke system in action> earlier, but Chris hadn't yet. I pushed the nose over and did a high> speed dive for the last 5 miles. At 500' I leveled off after checking> traffic at the airport. Nobody but the commuter flight and he was> blasting off to the north as was out of sight quickly. Pumping the> smoke sprayer had been the only numb-fighting activity in the last> hour, so it was nice to work the controls as I threw the little Piet> around. I was bummed however because although I could see their> truck, nobody came out. Oh well, smoke on and circle. I was having> fun anyway and maybe they would catch the last of the show. I checked> out the road and did a low pass down the county road. It looked like> a great landing spot. I determined if they wouldn't come out to see> me that I would have to go wake them up, and invite myself to> breakfast after all. I passed just over the bluff and dropped in> low. The ground went by faster than I expected at first until I> realized that I was landing down-hill. About 2/3 rds of the way> through my rollout the chain link fence was on the right and I was> especially aware of my directional control. As I tried to stay> centered on the crowned road, I felt a pop as I leaned on the right> brake. I was heading left and again I hit the brake and felt it go to> the floor. In an instant I was in the sage brush at about a 10 degree> cut. I gave it full power and tried to abort, but the idling engine> gasp at that much throttle so quickly and choked. I quickly came to> a stop in the middle of a cactus bush. Lucky it was my right brake> and no damage on the short bouncy arrival. I looked around and still> nobody emerged. I pushed the Air Camper back up the hill and> parked it off the road and walked the 500 yards to their back yard,> checked for the dogs, and hopped the fence. I don't care for dogs> much, especially trained hunting dogs that bark a lot and get excited> when surprised. I climbed the back stairs and opened the patio door.> I nearly broke my finger trying to slam the door shut when the dogs> arrived to greet me. Fortunately I had created enough disturbance> this time and Julie rescued me from the dogs. She was all confused> though as to how I got there. Apparently Chris forgot to tell her I> was coming! Anyway time was getting short and we had to get to the> airport by 8am. I decided I would leave the plane until the> afternoon, fix the hydraulic line and fly home after our chopper ride.> -That is how the uproar began- Little did I know. After leaving the> Piet safe and sound in a pull-out in the road we drove to the airport,> just 2 minute drive, attended a briefing on the raptor flight and> flew off. I had a great time for the first couple of hours and loved> the view and perspective of a helicopter. I must admit however, the> Piet is the closest thing to helicopter flight as anything. the only> thing the piet won't do is the cool vertical take-off and landings and> hover. Loitering around, like we did most of the day, was much like> flying the piet! After lunch, potty and fuel break we were back at it> again when over the radio the call from the airport came investigating> whether a "Steve Eldredge" was aboard. I replied that I was. The> airport operator said they were getting hundreds of calls about my> plane and the sheriff was looking for me. I told them that I would be> back at the airport about 2pm. Admittedly I was a little worried the> rest of the afternoon about what might be happening back in Price.> We arrived on schedule and my first clue as to what had transpired in> my absence was the lady at the airport desk. She was asking everyone> as they camp through the door if they were Steve Eldredge. I finally> put the rest of the others out of the misery and stepped forward. As> soon as I identified myself the lady went a little ballistic. I think> she was really trying to appear much more upset than she really was.> I played along, and the gist was that she had been taking calls from> everyone in town including the police, sheriff, county paper, dozens> of residents, school employees, city workers and small Chihuahuas> about why there was a plane where is wasn't supposed to be.> Apparently I had caused quite a stir in this little town. I was> really beginning to wonder if I was in trouble. Thank heavens it> was a little town and finally after "Rose" calmed down she said that> she had called "Gus" (the Sheriff) and had taken care of everything.> I was expressed my deepest regret for having caused her such grief.> Frankly I could tell that everyone was quite amused and enjoyed having> something to do all day long. I just had to smile. I ran into Mark> who was the FBO owner. He is cool and helped me round up some brake> fluid. He owns a dandy of a Lancair, and had heard all about the days> excitement. He suggested that had I come back earlier while all the> fuss was going on down on the county road that we take his Citabria,> 150 and 172 down and break out the BBQ and call it a flyin! What a> cool guy. I admit that I didn't check the county ordinances to see> if there was anything on the books against landing on a county road.> Apparently I had never come up before. My sister looking out once in> a while notice the ambulance, and emergency vehicles at some point and> wander out to see what was up. As soon as she identified herself she> was swarmed with questions about the "plane wreck". Duh fellas do you> see any damage? Julie was calm and collected. She hated to deflate> everybody with the real news, after all before she spoke up the place> was quite a zoo. Newsmen snapping pictures, Jeep patrol combing the> fields nearby looking for a body, The city police and "Gus" our heroic> Sheriff arguing about who's problem this was since the plane was 10> inches over on the county side. Gus lost. It was his problem. So> when Julie said I landed for breakfast and a helicopter ride, everyone> deflated. The the surge of questions, "What about the engine> sputtering reports we had?" and "Several witnesses said they saw a> plane trailing smoke and spiraling in" "he must have been in trouble"> A classic from the police was "When you can't make it to the airport> you have to call the FAA!" "What about his flight plan" and on and> on. Julie was cool as a cucumber and said "Well, Steve is a good> pilot and you can ask him when he gets back." What a riot. Well I> showed up and other than the neighborhood kids who were still curious> the place was deserted. I added the brake fluid and fixed er' up and> hand propped the engine. There seemed to be a few more cars on the> once deserted county road. As I hopped in a couple cars stopped and> the kids watched. I taxied down the road past the chain link fence,> and firewalled it. Another mile or so down the road two cars pulled> off to watch. I lifted off and circled once to clear the bluff the> airport sat on and landed. I got gas and donned my scarf and goggles> and started up. The wind was calm and I took off to the west. I> couldn't help it at this point and as I passed low over the> neighborhood I laid the smoke on thick....Julie called an hour after I> got home and said there were still cars driving past the spot till> dark. Steve EldredgeSteve(at)byu.eduProvo UT.________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: jmcnarry(at)techplus.com (John McNarry)
Way to go Steve! That's what it's all about and the way it oughta be ! I know how you felt. I had a similar off airport experience in Tejon Pass just south of Bakersfield. I had the Sheriff, State Police, FAA, and both the Bakersfield newspaper and TV station. It was a blast and a story that any low and slow flytype enjoys.Don Hicks ________________________________________________________________________________