Hello from a newbie in SC, USA

[cloudwatcher89]

Like the site and forums. Currently armchair aviator planning to start small (glider, ultralight) once certain personal responsibilities have been taken care of. Retired mechanical engineer with lifelong fascination with flight, biding my time by studying aeronautics / aircraft design / bird flight (we have much to learn from them).

 

 

[IBob]

Like the site and forums. Currently armchair aviator planning to start small (glider, ultralight) once certain personal responsibilities have been taken care of. Retired mechanical engineer with lifelong fascination with flight, biding my time by studying aeronautics / aircraft design / bird flight (we have much to learn from them).

Welcome. Am retired (well, semi) also. Don't bide too long, do it while you can!

 

As for the birds, we have something here called a Welcome Swallow: if there's a next life and a choice, I'm coming back as one...

 

 

[farri]

Like the site and forums.

G`Day cloudwatcher and !!!

 

we have something here called a Welcome Swallow: if there's a next life and a choice, I'm coming back as one...

G`Day IBob, as long as you don`t come and crap on my Drifter !

 

Swallows are getting into my Drifter shed, sitting on the landing wires and crapping all over the the top of the wing and they are not welcome! Washed it all off this morning, did a couple of hours flying, put it away, went back after lunch, there they were, back on the wires! I do agree they are brilliant fliers, I`ve watched them closely, flying in a strong breeze and their maneuvers are spectacular, wish they`d stay of the Drifter, though.

 

Frank.

 

 

[cherk]

Swallows are getting into my Drifter shed, sitting on the landing wires and crapping all over the the top of the wing and they are not welcome!

Frank.

Frank ,

 

get a few "bag-in-a-box" bladders........inflate and hang on string from the flying wires.

 

They reflect and move in a breeze and the birds don't like it at all .

 

 

[IBob]

Much as I love 'em...and their hunting flight is stunning round our place of summer's evening....they can make a helluva mess.

 

We altered a few things on the house to discourage them from nesting where we didn't want them: you really don't want that where it's going to build up.

 

There's other places it's fine for them to build: last summer I had them nesting on a building next to the workshop, and every time I came and went they would beat me up: fly fast at my head, then flick away at the last moment. And try as I might, every time I found myself flinching away.

 

Eventually i took to walking with my head down so I couldn't see 'em...I would just hear the sharp little whoof of air as they flicked past...

 

 

[farri]

Frank get a few "bag-in-a-box" bladders........inflate and hang on string from the flying wires.They reflect and move in a breeze and the birds don't like it at all .

Thanks Ian! The thing is I fly often and it really is easier to wash the crap off! I have tried greasing the wires, thinking birds wouldn`t want greasy feet, doesn`t seem to bother them! Of course the solution would be to have the shed, completely enclosed, so they can`t get in.

 

Frank.

 

 

[cloudwatcher89]

Welcome. Am retired (well, semi) also. Don't bide too long, do it while you can!As for the birds, we have something here called a Welcome Swallow: if there's a next life and a choice, I'm coming back as one...

The bird in my photo is the one that fascinates me is the turkey vulture. They are the undertakers of road kill here. Not the most glamorous role for a raptor, but very useful and th don't kill anything. They are spectacular soarers from treetop level to 10k feet/3k m. They fly close over my house (driving the dog crazy!) so I watch the ease and grace with which they fly. I'm keenly interested in the function of their flight feathers, which allow them to have span efficiency greater than 1. I could get used to road kill I suppose if that's how I was reincarnated!!

 

 

[frank marriott]

Thanks Ian! The thing is I fly often and it really is easier to wash the crap off! I have tried greasing the wires, thinking birds wouldn`t want greasy feet, doesn`t seem to bother them! Of course the solution would be to have the shed, completely enclosed, so they can`t get in.Frank.

Frank

 

Had some success , although not 100%, with hanging a couple of CDs from the entrance and exit on my open ended hangar.

 

 

[farri]

I watch the ease and grace with which they fly.!

Whistling Kites and Osprey, regularly fly over our property here!

 

When I started flying Ultralights, I watched the maneuvers of those birds carefully and it wasn`t long before I had a good mental picture of the way they flew! I`ve never forgotten it and apply it in my flying to this day.....Not suggesting anyone go out, watch the birds and try to fly the same way.

 

Frank, Had some success , although not 100%, with hanging a couple of CDs from the entrance and exit on my open ended hangar.

Thank you,Frank.

 

 

 

[planedriver]

Welcome to the forums cloudwatcher 89. It's good to have you aboard.

 

Birds are fascinating creatures, some more so than others.

 

Personally, I just love watching pelicans in flight, especially when they are in ground effect and seem to glide forever over the water.

 

In my next life I want to come back as one, because I love flying and a fresh fish diet.

 

When on a cruise hundreds of miles from land, I get a real buzz seeing a wandering albatross so far from what i'd consider home, simply flying effortlesly just above the waves day after day. We still have a lot to learn from them.