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Practicing pretty much just the slide on and off part of these which is the tricky part. From there just take it on up thru etl and keep going. I peeled off and came around again as I practiced wearing my skids down lol. This was from today-got in 3 hours!

One of mine was worn into the aluminum skid. I had to replace it. Doyle sold me a new skid for $190.
That's when I relined the skids.

Very nice looking and sounding ship, makes me miss flying mine but am working on getting it going again.

I always practiced these on soft ground because that was the most likely scenario when/if used, and I hated the idea of the grinding that was taking place below me.

Thanks Ken! I practiced them on the hard surface for the same reason you land a aircraft with retractable gear that won't come down on pavement instead of grass. Namely it's just less risky with almost a perfectly smooth flat surface. I do hate the wear on the skids but am keeping a close watch on those for wear. Did you have your ship flying years ago and then take it apart for repairs or ? I still can't believe I Iet mine sit for almost 3 years after I bought it. Time slips away so darn fast!

It was taken down many years ago for a 1200hr.
I had a very good working relationship with a AI (John Wilson) where I would do the work, he would supervise as required and do the paper work. During this time he had a massive heart attack and died, let me hasten to say his death was of greater importance to me then getting this ship airborne, he was a nice guy that worked with people to keep them flying. That said, I never could get another AI to get involved with it as it was so it has sat for many years.
As you mentioned "Time slips away so darn fast!" Am at an age now that it needs get done now or it never will at least with me flying it.
I have owned it since 1970 maybe 1971 and have somewhat less then 900 hours in it.

So only time will tell but your little video was very motivating

You sure looked as if you had complete control of it and not the other way around, very smooth.

Hi Ken,

Where are you located?

Ken keep at it you can get it going for sure! You have a big advantage in that you know the machine very well to start! When it flies again for the first time after its "rest" the feeling you'll get is second to none!

HI KEN since you seem to have some good brantly time.would you have any good old brantly experience stories to share with us. I no every one would love to hear them.I no I Would just love good story or 2 thanks.....tom

Hi Bryan,
Located about 50 miles due north of central Ohio.

Ken

Thanks for the encouragement seneca2e.

Tom, you after the scary ones
#1 Not So Scary story.
Engine failure, used to keep it at my place in the back yard with a group of trees surrounding, while there was a clear way out my normal approach was high and from wherever direction I came in from. This was to take advantage of the high trees to practice auto-rotations. This experience was really not scarey as I was all set up in the auto rotation, the engine just quit, could be I just chopped the throttle too fast, it never did it again.
At any rate it was completely uneventful with a little slide on, a little forward rock and it was over.

#2 Scary story
Took a friend of mine a ride from his place, warm day, plenty of fuel & tall trees at the end of his property.
Backed up as far as I could to get as much forward speed as possible, away we went toward the trees, further, faster and the all the collective it had, I could hear the RPM bleeding off but still plenty.
Well, we didn't make it over the trees but did manage to make it through them with the skids busting through the top branches.
We lived and I learned and did not pull that stunt again.

#3 Scared the crap out of me story.
Please forgive the unending sentence, seemed like there was never a good place to end one.
On the older B-2 floor is small double lever control, 1 lever was carb heat the other controlled fuel mixture.
One day flying solo I went for a ride toward the lake, it was a little chilly and as I approached the lake noticed the carb temp in the yellow so a little carb heat was applied to get it in the green.
By now, I was well over the lake and noticed it was still in the yellow even after applying a little carb heat so applied full carb heat.
This is when all hell broke loose, the engine instantaneously quit, fast and furiously rotated more then 90 degrees, out of sheer instinct I jerked the lever back, the engine caught and just as violently rotated the other direction, keep in mind the Brantly was coming down this entire time and wasn't that high to begin with.
While it was now still descending but under moderate control there before me (not 50 foot by this time) was a guy standing in a fishing boat with his hands to his side and eyes as big as silver dollars and I had been heading right toward him the entire time so he had real good reason to be concerned. At this point and under full control, turned to head toward home and parked it.

On this little dual lever control the carb heat is free to be applied at will, the fuel mixture on the other hand required moving a spring loaded locking latch in order to move.
This latch was broke and the lever I was pulling was not the carb heat but fuel mixture..... toward none!
The next day I spent the necessary time repairing that little locking latch Brantly had so foresightedly put there.
Those are my scarey stories, the remainder of flying was completely uneventful and enjoyable.
Sometimes one survives being young, fearless and stupid, while I flew along that lake many a time after, never flew over it again.

Thanks for sharing those stories Ken! Interesting stuff and lessons we can all learn from!

THANKS for sharing great stories with a good outcome that's the kind we like to hear.you were on the ball to pull the last one off.my first brantly was a b2. I no that could happen very easily on carb heat and cut of controls..thanks again