Bud and Kite

 I know that it is a bit soon, but we are making progress, and I am rather ecstatic about it. I admit that at one point I had almost despaired him ever being worth a shit, because he is so determined. He still has some pretty rough spots, but they are smoothing out as time goes by. The things that could have made him a pain to handle can also become one of  his best features.

My main problem with him is that I didn't get the basics of hooding, and being more familiar with the lure in my rush to get him outside before he fledged. I wanted him anchored to this place. It would still have worked out if I had taken the 260 mile round trip to get a fresh battery for my telemetry. I had to take him in ( much to his protest and anger) to install a new one in his transmitter. Early mistakes in their handling never goes away. It can be blunted, but it is still there right up till the day they die. They are much like me. I may forgive, but I will never forget!

I was counting on a couple of drones that I had been given by a dear friend, to allow me to train him when he was flying, but something happened to them and now they are not working. I do have a kite, but it is cumbersome and requires a lot more time and effort to use. Soon the wind that seems to always be there will die as the fall comes closer. Last night I stayed up until almost one a.m. trying to find a used drone on eBay. I did find one that I hope has the stuff I need to fit my training.

The first time on the kite, he took the lure over the quad and let go of it. I relented and presented him the lure on the ground after he had been scared off it. Yesterday I attempt to reconfigure it with a line and a red 18 inch parachute on the end of the lure line rather than being attached to the kite string that would take him back to the quad. He didn't like the red parachute and wouldn't grab the lure. I again fed him with the lure on the ground. The wind died after the first attempt.

Today I lightened the lure pole in the hopes that I could get it to work in a lite wind as I needed. The wind did come up to about 10 MPH so I took off the chute and again secured it to the kite string. He was down about 1/2 ounce from yesterday, which was good.

I ran the lure up about 30 feet in the hope that he would be able to stay away from the quad. The outside temp was 101 degrees today. He soon saw the lure and took off after it. He flew up to the lure and was studying it to make sure he could get it without danger to him. He checked it out at least three times to make sure that it was safe to grab, then on the forth try he grabbed the meat and tried to fly off with it, but ended up sliding down the line to the dreaded red quad. He dropped it and flew off. I stayed still hoping that he would go to the lure on the ground by the quad, but he did not. He flew by it at least four times. Eventually he came back and sat on a short section of fence near me. He was panting a lot because of the heat and the fact that he had made at least four circles of the house. I ran the lure back up the string, rather than giving in to him again. He rested for a while then flew straight up to the lure and grabbed the meat again and I did my best to get him some slack in the line so that he wasn't being drug across the ground by the kite. He held on this time, and I was able to get the line off the kite. He was so tired and winded that he was honking when he breathed out.

I brought him inside in the air conditioned dining room to eat. I probably fed him too much today, but he earned it. 

 As you can see, He got a lot of food today

Bud! and happenings

 The weather is getting a bit better. Still getting hot, but the winds are moving the smoke to other areas. The winds are due to die down as the month moves along. Things are getting a bit tight as the fly-in is on the 4th of September. I still have lots to do. The Tumble weeds are still threatening to take over the place. Connie wants a "Catio" (cat house) for her place, and Bud is getting to the point that his training has intensified-a lot! 

I haven't been able to fly much this year at all. The flight that I took the other day exposed a problem with my fuel pump. It was leaking gas all over the place. I eventually broke down and robbed the pump from my spare diesel tank, at least until I buy a kit to repair the other one.

I did go flying yesterday. The wind was actually forecast to a maximum of 4 knots for most of the day. Of course it was supposed to hit 98 degrees by 2 PM. I have reached the point in my life to where procrastination has been perfected. It was touch and go for a while, but I finally rolled the plane out. I wanted to test my camera mount as I had been getting a bit of a jello effect lately. I was fairly certain that it was due to my attempts to cushion the mount by using rubber bumpers between the nose and the mount. I took them out and I think you will see a bit of an improvement once I am in the air.

I decided to go down the river to what I call fish camp. Its about 50 miles north almost to where the river runs into the lake. 

  password     owyheeflyer

https://vimeo.com/585635724

All of the video is at double speed. While I was flying at altitude it was smooth and not noticeable, but when I got down to river level the different currents were tossing me around like a walmart bag in the wind. I hadn't flown this stretch of river before and will not feel the need to do so again.

I had decided that I was going to fly Bud loose that day, so I turned back home after I cleared the Canyon.. I did fly for an hour and 30 minutes, burning four gallons of very expensive non ethanol gas. It was starting to develop thermals by the time I was on the ground.

I was forced to use a kite for Buds first flight, as both of my drones seem to be inoperable. Drones are a bit cleaner and a lot easier to set up than a kite, but I didn't have any choice. What I wanted to do was to suspend the lure from a kite at altitude, so that Bud could learn where his meals will be coming from. This will allow me to keep his condition and training flights under control. Eventually he will be climbing as much as 4 or 500 feet to get his lure.

https://vimeo.com/237006215          password   owyheeflyer

This is a link to an earlier video that I did of Jessie and the drone, for further explanation of what I am doing with Bud.The kite does the same thing with a lot more variables to make it more fun.

This was going to be the first time that I have felt that I had a reasonable chance to get Bud back on the fist after turning him lose. I was quite surprised every thing went quite well right up to the point that Bud decided that a lure hanging about 10 feet off the ground wasn't a mirage. He flew by it studying it, then turned and grabbed it off the release. Of course he then tried to fly on the other side of the 4 wheeler with it. The line was too short so he left the lure and took a few turns around the house. By then I had gotten the lure back and tossed it down for him and he landed on it. It went much better than I expected.

Today the wind was marginal and in an attempt to allow him freedom from being connected to the kite line I substituted a system with a 18 inch parachute that would break away from the line. Well the boy did not like the red parachute, so he did not grab the lure choosing instead to fly around the house several times before he came to the lure minus the chute. With the 90 plus temp and the fact that he has not been able to exercise, he got quite a workout, but all ended well for us.

A little flight around the area

The weather and the smoke had cleared a bit. We have just been covered up in smoke and wind for most of the year so far. So when the weather had moderated and the smoke cleared a bit, I decided to get in the air while I could. I didn't go all that far or to areas that scenic, but I picked a few pictures that you might find interesting.

Lightening strike

Collapsed Lava tube

The river cuts like a knife through the land 

The difference that water makes

Rock House International

As for Bud, he is slowly becoming used to me, and coming to the lure as he should. I will be turning him loose soon. 

The Hunting situation looks pretty dire. There is almost no water in the hills. It appears that I will have only one pond and a creek to hunt with Bud. I am not seeing any Jack Rabbits at all. Perhaps they will show up soon, but I have my doubts.