First Flight

scatter · 11-20-2007, 12:21 PM

Well, I finally did it. My first flight in our Sportsmobile. As I've mentioned in other posts, we have a little beach shack in Baja and spend a lot of time down here. I drive the road so much, I'm used to it and I must admit I'm a fast driver in the dirt. Most of my other rigs have been set up with good suspensions and could really handle the ups and downs.

A few days ago, on our trip down here, I was doing fine and knew what what around every turn and here is where complacency breeds excitement. I zipped down a hill, around a curve and then hoo boy. Hit a vado WAY too fast and the launch was on.
Take-off was uneventful except for a pretty loud "Oh s--t" from the co-pilots side.
The flight, though short, was exceptionally smooth. Not much yaw control though, and what I thot was wind noise turned out to be a high pitched keening, again from the co-pilots seat.
The landing... well the landing did not live up to the rest of the flite. (I feel I can call it a landing, 'cause when I was flying planes, we always said anything you walk away from is a landing.) After much judicious use of steering, throttle and brakes we arrived in one piece in what had to be a world record size cloud of dust.
I spent ten minutes crawling over and under the rig and all was well. Sure glad I had the SMB leaf suspension! Only thing different that I could see under the rig was four well buffed bump stops. The guy following me said there was over a foot of air under my wheels.
I sure wish I could have had a picture of this. Be great to have a poster size picture on the garage wall of my SMB a foot in the air with the suspension all hung out.

Anyway, I'm not posting this for braging. Two reasons:

1) Yes, the SMB suspension can take some REALLY tough stuff.
2) Stupid can really cause problems.

Just cause you think you know what's up ahead, doesn't mean something hasn't changed. I slowed down after that (duh) and really enjoyed the desert views. Saw things I hadn't seen in years of running "the road".

So, here we are on the beach once again. We'll be here till mid December. If anyone is heading down the east side of Baja, we can give you a pretty good place to stay and info on things to do and places to camp.

Also, if anyone wants to go for second flight, let me know. I know of a good airstrip and I'll bring the camera....

Remember, 4x4 does you no good unless all four are on the ground!

**BroncoHauler** · 11-20-2007, 12:25 PM

WOW!

Did you have to change your shorts and do some laundry once you got settled? Glad to hear you and your passenger are OK, and it's good to know the SMB survived.

Herb

Jeffrey · 11-20-2007, 12:41 PM

Awesome! Flying without a pilots license, eh?

jage · 11-20-2007, 04:02 PM

It seems like the SMB front bumpstops are rather close under normal ride height, do you feel like you bottomed out on the bumpstops on landing?

Also you missed #3:
Let someone else lead!

scatter · 11-21-2007, 08:19 AM

Well, I still have my pilots license, so I was legal there. Probably the only OK part of the whole thing.

The front bumpstops got the worse of the deal. There's just no way to get a 9000 lb, nose heavy shoe box back on the ground without dealing those front stops a nasty blow. Rears hit hard too, but they're not as scuffed.

#3? Follow someone?? Eat dust??? The few that will go with me can't stand the honking and flashing lites and pull over.

Yeah you're right Jage. Being first is fine when racing, but I'd much rather help some idiot like me fix HIS rig then be the one needing the help.

Later guys. There's motorcycle with my name on it and a canyon I haven't been up in over a year.