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Is an inexpensive chainsaw a bad choice?

I recommend a Stihl or Husqvarna, unless you want a small electric one for light work. Also don't buy a farm and ranch model. Usually if you walk into a farm and ranch store, or hardware store that is what they will sell. You will need to go to a Stihl dealer, or if you want a Husqvarna Bailey's is probably your best bet. Interestingly my local Stihl dealer also sells parts and does service for Husqvarna. As far as fuel I recommend ethanol free if you can find it. A lot of local gas stations sell it as clear gas, I assume it is primarily for boats, snowmobiles etc.
 
John K Jordan said:
Wasn't first use of the day. But there were two of us in the little plane and neither of us were slender at the time. We were informed there were other small engines with the same problem after the fuel change. I don't know, just what I was told. Maybe something to do with lead? It was a bit a bid disconcerting, thinking the engine was going to quit completely and the only thing ahead was the river.

Oh, the club charged by Hobbs time, all fuel supplied.

But not as scary as a landing with a sudden down shear on final in a 172, slamming the plane down maybe 10 ft, hard enough to throw stuff in the back seat into the front - almost like hitting a wall. Or landing from the north with a strong wind from the west and entering the wind shadow from buildings on either side 1/2 way down the runway. Or the time a military fighter jet pilot thought it would be fun to buzz me within 1/2 a wing span, one second a tiny dot, the next, yikes.. Almost made my heart stop. Not as scary as a friend who took off and the inside suddenly tfilled with smoke (maintenance had spilled oil on the exhaust manifold.) Or the time some dingbat in traffic control had directed an airliner from the parallel runway to turn directly towards another friend on climbing out from TYS in a small plane - a shout on the horn ("excuse me but...") resulted in an abrupt change of direction by the other pilot, probably panicked the passengers.

I'm sure anyone who flys has lots of fun stories!

JKJ
Click to expand...

My dad and brother flew Cessnas (150, 172, 179) when I was in my teens. I could have (and should have) gotten my license, but it never really thrilled me enough to pursue it.

Stories? Yeah, lots. My dad was involved in three "incidents". One was a power failure on takeoff like you had. In that case the mixture control was bad, and the vibration leaned out the mix. A second incident involves a haystack and a stop sign. The third, was a 1959 150 that flipped over in a pasture after then nose gear hit a soft gopher mound. My dad was in heavy equipment, and would fly to the site each day, landing wherever he could.
 
I do follow a couple of "tree falling mistakes" on You Tube. It makes you wonder how we have survived as a species!

I did fly a hang glider for 10 years or so. I spent my first 2 years on the training hill. One friend commented "all you can do there is take off, set up your landing and land". I said, anyone can fly them, the taking off and landing, in all kinds of conditions is the hard part. It did save me a LOT of money from damaged gliders and injury.

robo hippy
 
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