DRIFTING on a frozen LAKE with an AIRPLANE! | Turbocharged RANS S-7S

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Thanks for hanging out...

[@stolaircraftsuyanto9728]

beautiful airplane and beautiful again the natural panorama is amazingly beautiful 😀

[@countryboy1936]

This old homestead is certainly a favorite place, love it!!

[@markrutlidge5427]

Your dad is a legend asis his workshop, keep those old skill alive . 👍👍👍👍

[@GravityKnightFlying]

agreed!

[@prof.heinous191]

Coming in on that mountain lake looked really full on... Donuts on ice, a first for you, and for many of us!

[@GravityKnightFlying]

hehe.. that was at about 5700-5750rpms, but only 32" manifold. Ground speed was up though! indicating 105+ and had some tailwind and true airspeed at work...

[@vintagemotorcyclerepair4052]

Okay, so that's the best video so far! Really fantastic. Your new intro is great, too. I hope you'll show some of the still shots you took on the lake.

[@GravityKnightFlying]

thanks!!

[@Project2Aero]

Awesome stuff! Love the mix of a little tinkering and a little flying!

[@randymohr1881]

Who would have thought Power Sliding an airplane could be such fun? I never thought of ice but I wish I would have had some getting used to the Stearman (it probably wishes so as well!). Really could have reduced the side load abuse I may have heaped out at times! Todd, your video work just keeps getting better and better. GREAT job once again.

[@GravityKnightFlying]

Thank you Randy! I figure a Stearman has got to be a handful. I have a friend local here with one, really hoping to catch a ride this summer!

[@randymohr1881]

@@GravityKnightFlying it’s a particularly big handful when you’ve got two left feet that are about as slow as molasses like I have. It may have actually been a crime against an airplane, but at least nothing got broken in the process, lol!

[@GravityKnightFlying]

@@randymohr1881 haha... well, if it didnt get broken it sounds like your a little too hard on yourself!

[@robtebay1]

Thought, just for a second, you were weighing up flying under that bridge!

[@GravityKnightFlying]

maybe 😉😎

[@evopwrmods]

Beautiful shots all your videos are stunning. I've been over here in Cortez for the last few months and there is zero BC flying here as far as I know. I've been wanting to get into the air around here but not much going on at the local airport. I get my flying fix from your awesome videos....

[@GravityKnightFlying]

I haven't seen much down there.. there was a couple guys out of Durango that did a lot of BC flying. Two of them have moved away.. not sure what the other fella is up to these days.

[@kenmarchbanks4301]

Practicing your ground loop technique right there. Believe me that will come in handy one day. Just make sure the stick is all the way back if you have to do it on solid ground (so I’ve heard lol)

[@GravityKnightFlying]

😂😉 thanks Ken!

[@toddhunter462]

I have always thought the terrain in many of your videos was familiar. Now I know it is. Only an hour or so away from here.

[@jimchuk8511]

Liked this video as I have the others you have made. You are tens of times better pilot than I am, but we do think alike on scavenging stuff from around the shop to build something. That tailwheel stand was just like what I would have done. I made a taildragger dragger out of the back half of a snowblower for dragging my Kitfox back into the hangar when I have it on skis. Keep up the good videos! Jim

[@GravityKnightFlying]

Thats a great idea on the snowblower Jim!! And thanks!

[@jimchuk8511]

@@GravityKnightFlying I have a short video of the taildragger dragger on my channel

[@cliffy2107]

Great video as always. Thanks.

[@stevemowat4294]

RANS on ice! brilliant

[@portnuefflyer]

I've been on a lot of "cold water" this winter, but they all have plenty of snow on them so no donuts!

[@Russellsperry]

I’ve seen people land on the ice, and I always wondered how they can resist having fun sliding the plane around? Great video 👍

[@tangodelta722]

Full send under the Gorge bridge! 😂

[@wesvasher]

Hope your pup gets better.

[@GravityKnightFlying]

thank you very much Wes.. me too!

[@stevenflattum156]

Awesome repurposing! Always enjoy your videos.

[@purplepashmina303]

Go viral homie

[@snoopsnoop5]

16:03 I was REALLY hoping that you would've bank left and go under that bridge (Full disclaimer: Know nothing about aviation or local regulation and don't know if that would be legal). Loved the frozen lake donuts

[@DIYPackraft]

Haha yeah... A pilot examiner recently lost her license for doing that :)

[@randymohr1881]

Plenty of room under that bridge too! The canyon is over 1,100 feet deep at the bridge. It’s the whole losing your license issue that drags down the fun though…..

[@GravityKnightFlying]

This is a really good topic. On paper, one could fly under that bridge and stay over 500ft from anyone on the bridge, and anyone on the ground/river. The rules says you need to be 500ft from people, houses, cars etc. over "sparsely" populated areas. They might consider that to be more than sparsely populated though when the bridge is busy. If nobody was on the ground, or in the river, you could technically flow low on the river and be 1000ft from the bridge. The problem is there are so many grey area rules they can throw at you, that they can always find something if they are out to get you. Like if they deem you were flying low enough you didn't give yourself a safe place to land in the event of an engine failure (there is a rule along those lines that is worded more official). Believe me the thought has crossed my mind, as I could pass under it so far below I don't see how I would be endangering anyone / upsetting anyone.... but... probably best to not get on a first name basis with the FAA lol!

[@randymohr1881]

@@GravityKnightFlying interesting technicality. After Martha Lunkin’s rather (in)famous loss of her licenses after a bridge run, I don’t think I’d play the odd’s!! Still, I’d love to take that ride!

[@DIYPackraft]

@@GravityKnightFlying Yep, if they want to make an example out of you, they will find a way! KZbin is probably the best thing that’s happened for the aviation industry this century, but like it or not, that makes you an ambassador for GA now. I think you’re doing a fantastic job, so keep up the great work!

[@Kolbra2004]

I used to do donuts on a frozen lake and it's a lot of fun but can only do it on glare ice.

[@purplepashmina303]

Good Video Idea ⛄️🏆

[@phillipgregory9021]

donuts n an airplane!!!! who da thunk it!!!!!

[@SKYHILLMIKE]

Epic vid, I’m from Australia where we don’t get many frozen lakes. Could you test integrity of ice by drop large rock, dumbbell or bowling ball from known height. Guess you guys that grew up with those conditions know what thick ice looks like. Loved the fly bys

[@GravityKnightFlying]

Kind of get an eye for it, though I'm no expert on ice. I have found the fish forums and FB groups are the best for finding current ice conditions.. they do a pretty good job of posting about ice thickness.. I checked a couple lakes in the valley via that and was pretty confident it would be thick enough to make the flight out. Thin ice is scary, so I try to be on the safe side. Thanks Mike!

[@429thunderjet2]

Yup ice is sketchy, it is said ice is never 100% safe. Up here in the frozen tundra land of 10,000 hard water lakes the best way is to chop or drill a hole in the ice every so often. It can vary in thickness too. You need about 4" of good clear ice to walk on, 5'+ for a snowmobile, atv, 8"+ for small car, 12"+ for a truck. White or snow ice thickness should be doubled. 👍

[@SKYHILLMIKE]

@dennis rantanen thanks for detailed reply, your winter world intrigues me.

[@SKYHILLMIKE]

@GravityKnightFlying thanks reply. Makes sense if other near by lakes are reported to be safe. I love how you share tech stuff and exploring around the LZ and now runway building. We’ve been developing my dirt strip private field. Watching your stuff is inspiring and I should start sharing more on youtube

[@429thunderjet2]

@@SKYHILLMIKE yup no prob, it's kinda fun, but when you've lived here all your life and this winter refuses to relent, we've had something like eight blizzards so far, (about all I've been doing is plowing snow and fixing plow trucks) and -20s-30s°F low temps, it's getting old. Ugg, We are ready for spring! Oh ya, you probably want 5 or so inches of good ice for a small airplane like GKF's Rans S7👍

[@davidspeyers5740]

That looked like a lot of fun Todd. As a ASES pilot I get to land on water, but never ice. Maybe you can log that as sea plane time. Fun to see your side projects in the shop. I like the knew logo. Did you even mention to significance of the "Knight" theme for the channel name?

[@429thunderjet2]

Airplane doah-nuts! never seen those beforel, looks like fun hah! Wonder why no floatplanes in Colorado? That's kinda strange isn't it?

[@williamstrome5271]

no float plane operations in col I did not know that I suppose I understand. yeh brother that was cool never seen anyone do it

[@Oni76]

There is one just recently that allows operations -- Lake Meredith out near La Junta -- (CO1)

[@GravityKnightFlying]

Oni, I remember hearing you could only land on Meredith one day a year... do you know if they changed that?

[@Oni76]

@@GravityKnightFlying I honestly do not know nor was I aware of that. I don't see it presently mentioned in the current chart supplement. But I don't see a practical use for the lake other than having a training location in Colorado, so it's really nothing to write home about. :D

[@gapster46]

Since you like to fabricate, I think you’d like the “Fab Rats” KZbin Channel.

[@HeeHawHighlander]

Fun stuff

[@Stpilot]

Another great video my friend. You still happy with the NR Prop? I've been waiting 3 months form mine

[@GravityKnightFlying]

It has done well! I would have preferred the 80 over the 79 for a bit more pull. More would be good too, but don't want to give up too much prop clearance. I hear the 3 blade will pull a lot harder off the line, but this one does retain a nice cruise. Thing sounds crazy above about 5400rpms outside too.. Real happy so far.

[@JSBIRD69]

Hey, I saw my XR250R in your Pop's shop!! I wondered what I did with that thing!! Ask him to call if he needs anything.

[@GravityKnightFlying]

👍

[@TheMadmacs]

hehehehe, its good to be 5yr old again

[@gapster46]

Looks like your tires took most of the side load on the ice. What is the name of that bridge at 15:15?

[@randymohr1881]

That’s the Royal Gorge. Very cool State Park style attraction with an incline railway to the bottom. Over 1,100 feet deep!

[@gapster46]

@@randymohr1881 Thanks. Easy to find on Google Earth and there’s even a train on the tracks below.

[@JSBIRD69]

Back when I was an active BASE jumper, I was invited to GoFast BASE competitions there. I got a bunch of 2 way jumps from the bridge, and my final jump was a 2 way from the Royal Gorge gondola in 2007, with a BASE legend known as "The Pick" , so named for his ability to gain unauthorized access to desirable jump sites and buildings.

[@GravityKnightFlying]

@@JSBIRD69 that is RAD!!

[@GravityKnightFlying]

Yea.. pretty light on the ice, almost cant feel it.. the little patches of snow had enough grip I didn't want to hit one hauling too much ass. Hate to roll a tire off the rim up there lol! If it would have been free of the little snow patches a guy could get pretty carried away haha

[@JimBronson]

You mention being 6'4", do you think there's enough additional headroom for a 6'7" person on your S-7?

[@GravityKnightFlying]

Would be a tight fit Jim. I fit ok at 6'4" with fairly long legs. Head is almost up in the bars. Not saying you wouldn't fit, but you would want to move the seat back, cut off the rear stick, and lean the seat back to make yourself shorter in a sense. I know your pain, most plains aren't made for big guys like us, and you are even taller. The S7 is better than most.. but I don't want to promise you anything.

[@ShortStrokePiston]

That would have been entertaining if you rolled that tire off the rim…

[@tinolino58]

What a mess in the shop

[@429thunderjet2]

It's called busy with projects.