West Michigan Flying

[rfeenstra]

My Double Eagle, 901RF, has been flying for some time now.  I thought I would try to post a video of some of the scenery in West Michgan.

I apologize for the  quality of the video.  It was taken with a Nikon SLR in video mode, hand held out in the slip stream with one hand, while flying with the other.  Needless to say, there was considerable shaking and movement.  The video was stabilized twice.  Once in Movie Maker, and then again in YouTube.  That made it watchable, but also caused a lot of jitter.  The camera also had a terrible time focusing.  Next time I'll turn it off and rely on a good depth of field.  Or, better yet, I'll invest in a GoPro with a good mount.  I would like to point the camera, however.  I think I'll need to design a stabilized platform with a joy stick to point the camera where I want it, with a monitor in the cockpit.   Sounds like an interesting project!

I don't remember how to embed a video so here is the link to YouTube:

[Dan_]

Thanks for the tour!  Great flick...

[Steve]

Rob:
Thanks for the memories... Had a small farm outside Coopersville & hangered my TCraft BC12D at the Grand Haven airport in the late 60's thru 73... VID is great - with the organ background maybe "The Whip" with Lonnie Smith on the next one...
Steve

[rfeenstra]

Thanks!  Been to GH airport many times.  My wife is from C'ville.  Lived in town.  Did you know any of the Key's?  How about Rosell or Grossenbacher?

[Steve]

Rob:
I lived a couple miles from the Freeway/Coopersville exit north on 80th avenue - Randy Lowing was the near neighbor... My wife passed away in 2013 and with that a lot of the community relationships of 40 years ago are vague... WE came to San Diego in 73... I worked for IBM & then Rosepatch (a cloth label company that went with outsourcing) before we joined my brother here...

Thanks for your contributions to the Forum!...
Steve

[rfeenstra]

I flew over there this evening.  That name rings a bell as well.

[CHARLES DEBOER]

I grew up in Grand Rapids south end (Wyoming).  Came to Thousand Oaks, CA 1975.  My uncle was City Manager of Coopersville in the 1970's and 80's (Robert Gillette).

[Tom H]

Good video, Rob.  Has the feel of a Chamber of Commerce documentary.

[rfeenstra]

Charles - I remember the Gillettes.  I had my office in Wyoming for many years.

Tom - you are right!  Just braggin on my home territory.

[Jaydub]

Thanks for the video.  I used to work for Consumers Energy and my territory was from South Haven up north of the Port Sheldon (Campbell) power plant.  I recognized several landmarks.  I rented a Mooney out of Ottawa Exec back around 95 and flew in and out of there many times in many different planes.  A friend was an A&P there for a few years, another friend's daughter (Amanda) does the bookwork there last I knew.

I built a house on the Plainwell airport and lived there for about 8 years but sold it and moved to WY in 2017.  Thanks again for bringing back some memories.

[azevedoflyer]

Thanks for the video Rob.
Lived in Ann Arbor for 20 years and traveled to the MI West coast frequently.
Loved the place. Fond memories.
Cheers,
azevedoflyer

[Leonard]

Wow A very good video Now to see you show at Oshkosh please  Leonard

[rfeenstra]

Wow!  This is an old thread revived. Jaydub, I still have my Comanche at Z98.  Have a jug off at the moment but hope to have it in the air soon.

Been flying the DE a lot, though it's too cold out now.  Flies great, though I have a leaky tank that I need to fix this winter.

Leonard,  I'll get back to Oshkosh one of these years but probably not with the DE.  Too far to go over the Lake Michigan pond, and going around would be a bit uncomfortable for my aging body!  An hour to an hour and half is about all I can take.

Rob

[rfeenstra]

Just completed another annual inspection on 901RF.  That's over 200 hours and counting of fun flying.  Keep building and get her in the air!!