Family Flying

Checking Out The Fog

2012-01-26T20:43:00.001-05:00

It's that time of year again where we have to deal with the morning and sometimes all-day fog. I haven't done too well with my New Year's resolution to fly more, but I finally did a little yesterday. I had a little free time in the morning so I figured I'd go out to the plane to clean her up a bit and check on some stuff. That thankfully turned in to a full wash down, an hour flight to dry her off real good, and some post flight detailing.

The fog had cleared at the home drome, but was still lingering in other areas making for some neat views.

I flew out to the west and then north towards Waycross just enjoying some easy cruise flight and listening to some tunes on the XM radio. I turned toward the coast and flew out towards Kings Bay, GA before turning south for home.

The fog was still blanketing the north end of Fernadina Beach, but it was clear at home.

After I got back, I polished up the plane a little more including the spinner. Kind of like those carnival fun house mirrors!

With everything clean, it was time to affix the 2012 Customs & Border Patrol sticker. Ready for the Bahamas baby! 3 weeks to go!

Positive Maintenance For The Plane and Me!

2012-01-13T20:12:00.000-05:00

I finally made my first flight of the year. After getting some great flight time in December, I was able to squeeze in a long overdue oil change. Of course this necessitated me taking a quick flight out to the beach and back to get the oil hot. This short flight also allowed me to spend some needed time in my "happy place".

The oil change went very well. No shiny stuff in the filter and almost no carbon deposits. Given the little use and extended time on the old oil, the oil color still looked pretty good. Now we'll just wait and see what Blackstone's oil analysis has to say. Anyway, the plane is now ready for the trips we have planned in the near future. I can't wait!

Looking North Towards Jacksonville Beach

Flying To Help Others

2012-01-05T19:50:00.000-05:00

Besides building the list of desired travel destinations, I have been wanting to get involved with some charitable organizations that will allow me to help others with our plane. One such group is Bahamas Habitat. I have had their website bookmarked for a while now. I signed up with them last year to potentially help out when Hurricane Irene barreled through the Bahamas. Unfortunately I was unable to assist then, but I will be next month!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Besides various year-round relief mission and aid flights to the Bahamas and Haiti, Bahamas Habitat organizes a Fly-In & Help Out Event twice a year. My friend Pete from work and I will fly down and participate in the upcoming event over the long Presidents Day Weekend. The Florida rallying point has yet to be determined, but we will be flying in and out of Governor's Harbor, Eleuthera (MYEM) for this event. More details will be forthcoming soon. They will have bunk rooms for the volunteers so it looks like I'm going back to camp............but this time in the Bahamas!

I am really excited about this opportunity to serve and utilize our plane to help some wonderful people. Below is a video about these events:

Fly-In & Help Out from John Armstrong on Vimeo.

2011 Was Good, 2012 Will Be Great!

2011-12-31T11:27:00.001-05:00

2011 saw a lot less flying hours shown in my logbook, but we still managed to experience some great adventures. Total flying time for the year was 60.9 hours, but in 2011 I also managed to pass the 500 hour mark! Since getting my medical back at the beginning of December, I have logged 13.6 hours and with the trips we have planned in 2012 we should see a lot more hours put on N424RM!

The routes we have flown in 2011

Happy New Year!

Thanks Gary (Gary's Flight Journal) for showing me where to make the map!

Flight Home From New Orleans

2011-12-20T14:16:00.000-05:00

We got up Monday morning and took our time getting ready. We had breakfast again at IHOP and after went back to the hotel to check-out. We were able to get everyone and everything in Papa's car so Papa & Granny took us to the airport to see us off. I called Flightline First when we were on the way and they had our plane ready for us on the ramp when we arrived.

We were able to drive right up to the plane which made loading really convenient. The fuel and tie-down fees were very reasonable, especially considering the great service we received and the use of their wonderful facilities. Asking for the "Airnav" discount got us 50 cents/gal off the full serve price and the tie-down fee was $10 per night. With the pre-flight complete and everything stowed, we said our goodbyes. I filed for the reverse route from our trip out and was approved "as filed" at an altitude of 7000 feet. As usual the headwinds we fought on the way out no longer existed to give us some tailwinds home. The winds were about 15-20 knots off our right wing.

Shortly after leveling off above an overcast layer, Mary quickly went to sleep and Kristi finally got to relax and play on her iPad for a bit. Abby played on her DSi and I flew the plane jumping back and forth between various XM radio stations. The new audio panel works great! I had to turn the music down a few times since I had the mute function off and I didn't want to miss an ATC call.

The clouds finally cleared and I found a few interesting things to look at below. The sun was in a perfect spot to see Glory in the clouds every now and then.

Mary had a nice long nap. When she woke up, Mom was ready with movies and treats. At least she wore her headset again for a little bit.

Abby and I just discovered Mary got the only chocolate chip cookie in the plane!

NOT FAIR!!!!!!!

At least we weren't in charge of the cleanup!

Before GPS, most IFR cross country flying was done via Airways or "Highways in the Sky" that are mostly connected via radio navigation aids know as VORs.

The Taylor VOR

Finally a nice and smooth descent into Jacksonville. I was able to keep the speed up nicely which of course earned me a request to slow for spacing. Ugh!

Here are a few shots of the ships on the St Johns River where I work. Just before we reached the Dames Point Bridge in the second picture we turned right for a stright in landing on Ruway 14 at KCRG.

We had a great trip. We flew over 1000 miles total. It took about 3h 30m to get to New Orleans and about 3 h 15m to get home. Not bad at all! We are truely blessed.

Abby's New Orleans Dance Competition and Our Stay

2011-12-19T14:09:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning started early. Kristi and Abby were up early to get ready for her big dance day. Abby had to be up, fed, and dressed and ready for class by 8:00am. Mary and I decided to sleep in a bit, or should I say she thankfully let me sleep in a bit. She had no fear standing against our 43rd floor window! Not me though. My knees would get weak just standing next to it. I hate heights, but I liked the view. The big bed also proved to be enjoyably bouncy!

Kristi's dad and step mother (Papa & Granny) arrived late the night before. Once everyone was up we got together to have breakfast. I decided we needed to do something right by New Orleans so we walked into the French Quarter to enjoy a phenomenal Jazz Brunch at The Court of Two Sisters. The food and presentation was first class. The Eggs Benedict seemed to be a favourite at our table.

After breakfast we strolled back to the hotel by way of Bourbon Street. I'll have to come back with Kristi another time so she can have the true experience of Bourbon Street at night!

When we got back to the hotel it was time for Abby to have her lunch break. She finally got to see Papa & Granny.

After a full day of dance classes it was time to get ready for the night's competition. It was a team effort to get Abby ready.

Almost time! Abby was the 8th performance for the night which was great for us, but it made for a long, long wait to find out the results.

Here is Abby's performance:

After her performance we met in the lobby for some posing include a token Toddlers & Tiaras pose!

The results are in. Abby placed 3rd in her category! This is the first time she has ever competed her solo and she did awesome. Since she placed, it earned her a spot to compete her solo at the national finals next summer! Abby was so excited to get a trophy.

As for Mary..........well this was our favorite spot for her:

I really enjoyed the view from our hotel room. I kept looking out to this one building pictured below. The main building was a fairly plain box high rise, but the top was quites something different.

Papa enjoyed the view too. It was fun to watch all the activity below at night.

On Sunday while Abby was in more dance classes, Mary and I passed the time running around the lobby outside the showroom.

Mary turned 2 at the beginning of the month so she got to enjoy some birthday presents from Papa & Granny!

Once Abby was done Sunday afternoon, we all set out to see a little bit of New Orleans.

Here is my paparazzi style shot I'm going to submit to People Magazine

The nice face I got when I told Mary she couldn't touch anything at the jewelry store

We have flown over the Mississippi River a few times now, but this is the first time Abby has seen it up close and personal. It was a bit chilly.

I enjoyed watching the Steamboat Natchez return to her berth. The Captain made a really nice down-tide landing.

Some MARAD ships waiting for Unc to be reactivated so they can be broken-out for our next national emergency. Maybe he'll ask me to join him next time!

As much as I wanted to have a bit of a more New Orleans style dinner experience, it was getting late and we needed something that would work with Mary. Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville is located along Decatur Street next to the French Market. It perfectly fit the bill and the food was good.

After diner we walked back down Decatur Street to have coffee and beignets at Cafe Du Monde! Yum, yum good!

Mary always had to be the first one in and out of the elevator. We had to be very careful when it stopped at floors others than ours!

With stories read and all tucked in, it was time for sleep. We had a great visit. We'll definitely have to come back soon so we can really experience all New Orleans has to offer.

Flight To New Orleans for Abby's Dance Competetion!

2011-12-16T20:10:00.000-05:00

With my medical firmly in hand and a few flights back under my belt, it was time for a trip. Abby has a dance competition this weekend in New Orleans which is a perfect trip for us to make with the plane. Since we are fortunate not to have to drive to New Orleans, having N424RM and good weather allowed us to let the girls attend school and take off just after lunch. We were wheels up around 1:45 pm and headed west.

I wanted to file direct, but didn't figure I'd get it because of the numerous MOAs, Alert, and Warning areas around the Florida Panhandle. I didn't want to file an airway either so I filed direct to MAI then direct to SJI then direct KNEW and got it! It still added a few miles to the route, but it was an easy route to fly.

As usual with this time of year we were bucking some headwinds flying west so I filed for 4000 feet. That kept us under an overcast layer and punching through a few small clouds every now and then.

As we approach NAS Whiting Field the clouds at our altitude started to increase so we were cleared to climb to 6000 feet which put us on top for a while. Even though the headwinds were a little stronger, the increased altitude was liked by the engine and our increased TAS easily offset them.

We had high hopes that Mary would quickly fall asleep after we took off since it was past her nap time. Unfortunately she didn't want to cooperate and became quite an unpleasant handful for Mom! Finally she relented and fell asleep in Mom's lap.

As we cleared Florida and approached Mobile, AL we were back in the clouds for about 10 minutes. At least it was a very smooth flight and with Mary asleep and Abby watching her DVD player, we cruised along in peace.

As we approached Gulfport, MS we flew into clear skies and prepared for our descent and arrival into New Orleans.

As we descended into New Orleans Lakefront Airport (KNEW), we could see some rain showing up to the west on XM weather. We could also hear the controllers diverting planes around New Orleans main airport (KMSY) due to heavy rain in the area. We flew through a very light shower on approach and easily arrived into the airport well before any weather did.

The ground crew at Flightline First marshaled us to the front of the FBO and stood by to assist with any of our needs. We felt like the Clampett's unloading the plane, but JP kindly said he'd seen much worse for fewer people! They called a taxi for us and like it had all been pre-arranged were were loaded in the taxi, the plane was secure, and they were taking care of our fuel order as we drove off. Their service and assistance was excellent!

We checked in to the hotel, had an easy, quick bite at IHOP down the street, and went to bed. Tomorrow is going to be a long and exciting day!

Quick Afternoon Flight With Abby

2011-12-15T21:04:00.000-05:00

The weather forecast is favorable so we will fly to New Orleans tomorrow for Abby's dance competition. To get ready, Abby and I made a short hop this afternoon over to Palatka (28J) for some "cheaper" fuel for our trip. It was a very pleasant flight and we even got to enjoy some city lights at dusk upon returning to Craig Field.

It's so good to be back in the air! Tomorrow will make 3 days I've flown in the last 7. Life IS good. I'll post about our trip when we get back.

Back In The Air!

2011-12-09T17:39:00.001-05:00

My medical finally arrived in the mail yesterday. I sent a text to Pete at work and we met up in the early afternoon today. After a thorough preflight we jumped in the plane for my first engine start in two months! Unfortunately my left side seat belt pulled out from below when I went to tighten it! Oh well, after five minutes it was properly reattached and we went through the start up sequence again. The engine roared to life and we taxied to RWY 5 for a VFR departure.

The run-up, VOR checks, and take-off were great and we departed to the south and eventually turned west while paying very close attention to everything since a lot of maintenance and down time have occurred since the last flight. With everything working great we proceeded on to Ocala (KOCF) for lunch.

Everything running smooth!

We had some huge,tasty burgers at the Tailwind Cafe and departed back for Craig Field. Enroute we flew over Jumbolair Aviation Estates and you could see John Travolta's house with his Boeing 707 parked in front (sorry no pic). We had a smooth flight back. The oil temps still seem to be a little higher, but the oil cooler overhaul appears to have helped a little. We'll keep an eye on it. The new audio panel worked great. I have a lot to learn about it, but so far so good. I LOVE the new panel layout. It is exactly what I wanted and put everything in a nice clean and usable presentation. Next flight will be in days, not weeks or months!

**Pete took a few pictures so when he sends them to me I will post them.

Great News Today!

2011-12-05T15:39:00.001-05:00

After pretty much being on the road for two weeks for Thanksgiving and work, I was extremely disappointed to come home and not have my medical waiting for me in the mail. I called the FAA today to plead, cry, bribe, or whatever I could to get it, but before I could do anything they told me I was cleared on December 1st and my medical was in the mail!

I also haven't seen the completed panel project since it was finished around Thanksgiving. So after work I made a quick dash out to the hangar to check it out. It looks great! I can't wait to go fly this week and check out the new layout.

Here is a list of what was done:

Upgraded the audio panel and intercom to a PMA8000BT which upgrades us to one unit with stereo and Bluetooth
Swapped the KX155 Nav 2 radio and indicator to ones with glideslope capability
Removed the Argus Moving Map and ADF receiver
Moved the Strikefinder to the pilot's side of the panel for easier viewing
Placed the Garmin 496 portable GPS in a panel dock
Installed a handheld VHF plug to access the plane's antenna with the handheld if needed
Installed a 12V power port between the rear seats for passengers
Relocated a few other minor items
The engine monitor was upgraded this summer

I'll try to get better pictures soon, but here is an initial before & after set:

Before

After

Grounded.......grrrrrr! A T D

2011-10-13T19:43:00.000-04:00

So I went to finally go take a friend flying two weeks ago and the plane wouldn't start. I didn't think it would be the battery since I just installed a new Concorde sealed battery a few months ago. So over to the maintenance shop I walked and after a few tests it was determined that my started gave up the ghost. It's not an unusual repair, but of course since I have air conditioning all the brackets for the a/c and alternator surrounding the starter had to come off to get it replaced. It was an agonizing event just to watch and pay for.

By the next afternoon, the plane was fixed and I was back in the air and made a quick jaunt to get some cheaper gas. I got home and got all my paperwork ready to visit my Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) the next morning for my annual Special Issuance (SI) renewal. I have had a SI for the last 7 years due to sleep apnea and keratoconus. It has never been too much trouble to deal with. My original SI was good for six years and every year the FAA would send the same letter and authorization back that said I was cleared to fly and to resubmit my stuff again next year. The letters also always said I could either save money and send my reports directly to the FAA or I could go to my AME and he could reissue for another year.

Since moving to Jacksonville I had not found an new AME until last year when my physical was due. So this year I decided I would pay the fee and see him so I wouldn't have to wait on the FAA again. WRONG!!! I always tell people,"A T D" which stands for Attention To Detail. Well I didn't take my own advice and just read the FAA's letter last year that said I was good for another year, resubmit by Sept 30, and blah, blah, blah. Well the blah, blah, blah part was new and said I must send this years reports directly to the FAA, the new SI is only valid for one year, and an AME no longer has any authority to help. Grrrrrr!

So here I sit, waiting to get that nice letter back in the mail like I do every year except this time I waited too long and I'm grounded until I get it!

Never the less, I decided to take advantage of the down time. I have been chasing some higher oil temps for a while. All other temps are great and we checked the oil cooler lines and the vernatherm seat during the annual in June. All the other usual suspects checked out OK, but I couldn't find anything in the aircraft's logbook that anything had ever been done to the oil coolers since new in 1977! So off the coolers and vernatherm came and they are off to Pacific Oil Cooler Service for overhaul.

I am also having a minor avionics upgrade and some panel rearrangement done. I really didn't want to spend this money yet, but I felt it was best to take advantage of the forced downtime so when the plane and I are both legally ready to fly, it will be set up and running a little better than she has been. I'll post pictures and details when the work is done. The rest of you..........get out there and enjoy this awesome weather!

The Plane Is Now Home Too!

2011-09-10T10:09:00.001-04:00

I was dreading the drive back up to Chattanooga, TN to recover our plane, but then I realized I still had some frequent flier miles I could use on Delta. The weather was forecasted to look pretty good yesterday and my partner agreed to cover the light schedule at work so I purchased a ticked and committed to the plan.

Just North Of Jacksonville On Approach To Atlanta

I took off from JAX at 0830 and after a 1 hour layover in Atlanta, I was on the ground in Chattanooga at 1130. I intently watched out the window during the flights so I could see what kind of clouds, if any, I would have to contend with on the flight home. It always seems to me that visibility in the Atlanta area is pretty lousy, but it was pretty good yesterday and I could see StoneMountain and downtown Atlanta on approach. It only looked like some scattered clouds between Atlanta and Chattanooga, so I was feeling really good about the flight home.

Wilson Air Center picked me up from the commercial terminal in their shuttle and brought me back to their FBO. I paid my fuel and tie down bill. It was $10 per night and I got a night free with the fuel purchase. One important note: the parking fee is from the Chattanooga Airport Authority and only collected by the FBO. You will get the same charge at the other FBO on the field. There were no other landing or ramp fees. Because of the inclement weather from TS Lee, they had put our plane in their hangar for a bit at no extra charge.

When I arrived at the Wilson Air Center, this 1944 Beech-18 was preparing to depart. They took off while I was conducting the pre-flight on 4RM and the sounds coming from the two radial engines was awesome.

Shortly after takeoff I was cleared on my assigned route up to 7000 feet. This put me comfortably on top of the scattered cloud layer in nice smooth air. I even had a tailwind for a while and was enjoying 155 knots at 65% power burning about 14 GPH. Not too shabby! Atlanta would not let me through their airspace again so I flew direct Athens then direct home.

"Hold Short For Landing Traffic" Downtown Chattanooga

Just south of Macon, GA the clouds started to show up again and the haze layer below started to thicken up. It got a little bumpy on approach to Jacksonville due to that front to the south pushing back up north, but after a few minutes of being vectored around, I was cleared for the visual approach to Runway 23 at KCRG. Safely on the ground and 4RM put away, our Labor Day adventure was officially complete!

This cloud looked like you could surf it! The haze returns

JAX International Approaching KCRG from the North

My work: Naval Station Mayport

Chattanooga - Day Two

2011-09-07T16:42:00.000-04:00

We all got up, ate, and were ready by 10 am. Wow, and on a Sunday even at that! Unfortunately I forgot to check the hours to the children's museum until we were ready; only it didn't open till noon. No worries. We just piled in the car and headed up to Lookout Mountain to see some sights.

We drove around for a bit, but didn't stop to check anything out since Mary fell asleep for a nap and we thought it would be best if she got a little more rest. Kristi had travelled here when she was 10, so she decided to continue driving around while Abby and I took the Incline Railway back down the mountain.

Kristi and Mary picked us up at the bottom and we all headed for the Creative Discovery Museum. Once we arrived, we ate some lunch in their cafe before heading inside for all the fun and excitement.

Abby quickly settled in to the first set of activities with various water features and a huge playground structure.

Kristi took Mary and headed for the 4 and Under Only area where Mary was finally allowed to roam free and explore.

Abby and I next went upstairs on the roof to check out some of the outside activities. You can see from one picture below that our hotel really was right next door and just up the hill was a baseball stadium. More on that later.

Next we went to the other side of the rooftop area to check out the lookout tower and their bee hive exhibit.

After a while we met up on the second floor where they were having a special Bob the Builder exhibit. Abby and Mary both played a while and really enjoyed this area.

Eventually Mary had enough, but Abby was still having a great time so Kristi took Mary back to the room for a little rest. Abby and I played a little more outside before we went back downstairs to see some of the exhibits we passed up earlier. They had an area to learn about music and instruments, dinosaurs, and electricity.

Abby and I finally left just before they closed and went back to the room. We all took it easy for a bit before our last major activity. Abby and I went to a minor league baseball game! When I saw the downtown layout and hotel location on Google Earth before the trip, I noticed the stadium right behind the hotel. After a quick search, it is AT&T Field and is home to the Chattanooga Lookouts which is a minor league team for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sure enough they were having home games during the Labor Day Weekend so I knew we had to go. Abby and I made it to the game just in time for the National Anthem. We bought Lower Box seats and sat in the 4th row right behind home plate. Yup, big spenders here! The seats were $8 each and Abby and I had a blast enjoying our first baseball game together. We had popcorn, a slushie, a hotdog, nachos, more popcorn, a slice of pizza, and a coke. Yeah for stadium food. The even had a huge fireworks show after the game!

Needless to say, Chattanooga, TN is an awseome place for a family vacation. There are still things left we did not get to see. Next time I'd like to explore Lookout Mountain more, take a river cruise, and visit their zoo. A good time was had by all.

Chattanooga - Our First Full Day

2011-09-07T14:52:00.000-04:00

Our hotel was running a breakfast/room special for an extra $4 per night which was a no brainer for us. They had a breakfast buffet and you can also order from their grill. I had an omelet that was really good and the girls enjoyed some tasty pancakes, milk, bananas, and of course a box a Fruit Loops!

After everyone ate breakfast, got cleaned up and dressed for the day, we walked a whole two blocks to the Tennessee Aquarium. The main exhibits are in two separate buildings on the riverfront. One building is for the "Ocean Journey" and the other is for the "River Journey".

We started out in the Ocean Journey building where you begin at the top and work down. Located at the top was a large tank where you could pet sting rays and small sharks.

Abby was super excited about the next exhibit. Also located at the top of the building was the aquarium's Butterfly Garden! There were a lot of pretty butterflies and if you were patient, they would land on you!

From there we went and sat down on one of the landings so the girls could have a snack. We moved on to the penguin exhibit and Mary made it known she was pretty much done and ready for a nap. Kristi took Mary back to the hotel while Abby and I continued to tour the aquarium.

The Spider Crabs were huge! The kids could duck underneath and come up in the middle to view all the crabs in the tank. They also had an amazing jellyfish exhibit. They had all kinds of these beautiful creatures.

From there you get to walk through this huge descending maze that surrounds their large tank. They had tons of different fish, sharks, rays, and sea turtles swimming around. There were so many different places to enjoy the views of the creatures it was amazing.

Once we were done with the Ocean Journey building, Abby and I sat down for some lunch. We found a place to sit in the park that surrounds the aquarium and found ourselves with a treat. A young, modern Bluegrass band called The Barefoot Movement was performing and we sat right in front to enjoy. They sang some old-time Bluegrass favorites and some of their own songs as well. They are very talented and their songs were just awesome; so I bought their CD. I don't think I've ever played any type of country music for Abby and I took joy in just watching her sit there enjoying the experience so much she just wanted to stay put!

None the less, it was time to move on to the "River Journey" building. We started off downstairs where they provided some animal encounters. We got to pet a turtle and a Corn Snake!

From there, we took the escalator up to the top of the building and saw all the exhibits that had to do with the fresh water side of aquatic life. We saw lots of turtles, snakes, and alligators!

We also saw some pretty amazing freshwater fish. There was one tank with some nice size Rainbow Trout like the ones I used to try to catch on the Truckee River! This building also had an elaborate descending maze that took you through various exhibits and continually passing by the various levels of its large tank.

Kristi and Mary came back after we were done. We sat with them while they had some lunch and enjoyed some more of The Barefoot Movement. Afterwards we all went back to the hotel to rest before dinner. I'm glad the hotel wasn't far because my dogs were barking!

We ate dinner at Rio Picante because we thought Mexican food sounded good and it was close by. The service was great, but the food left a little to be desired. After diner, we walked half a block back towards the hotel and went to the Tennessee Aquariums IMAX Theater. We had bought flex passes earlier in the day so we could choose the show and time at our leisure. We decided to see Ultimate WaveTahiti since Abby is now surfing at home and I always enjoy the views of the South Pacific.

We weren’t sure that Mary would make it through the movie, but we sat way at the top where we could let her run free a little. I did manage to see most of the movie while I chased her around, but I was glad Kristi was able to sit and enjoy it with Abby since she missed part of the aquarium tour earlier in the day.

After the movie we went back to the room and went straight to bed. It had been a long, but very fun day. Chattanooga is really cool! On to day two.

Chattanooga - Just Getting Warmed Up!

2011-09-07T12:35:00.000-04:00

We landed Friday evening around 6:30 pm and taxied up to the brand new Wilson Air Center FBO on the west side of Lovell Field (KCHA). We were marshaled straight to the front of the building and were promptly given the "red carpet" treatment on both sides of the aircraft! They helped everyone out of the plane and then promptly took all our "stuff" to the rental car that they had ready for us with the air conditioning already going. We unloaded the plane, covered her up, signed the arrival form and fuel request and headed for our hotel. Before we got too far they had already moved the aircraft to her parking spot and were in the process of fueling her. Wilson Air Center provided us friendly and prompt service!

We checked in to the Hilton Garden Inn Chattanooga Downtown and then went looking for some dinner. I chose this hotel because of it's perfect location relative to the things we wanted to do. All the major family attractions are within easy walking distance of the downtown/riverfront area.

We found Big River Grill & Brewing Works and even though it was already a hopping Friday night, we only had to wait about five minutes before we were seated. The food was pretty good and the service was prompt. They brought the girls' food out quickly since it was getting late for all of us. I don't drink beer much anymore, but since we were at a brew house, I had to try their Southern Flyer Light Lager! It was pretty good. It definitely hit the spot after a long week at work and a nice afternoon flight up for some vacation!

After dinner we walked back to the hotel and settled in for the night. We were all excited to figure out what we were going to do for our first full day in Chattanooga.

Made It Home Safe.......Without The Plane

2011-09-05T22:32:00.000-04:00

We had a great Labor Day Weekend in Chattanooga, TN. Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate for our planned flight home today. I had been watching the weather since we arrived, but TS Lee made itself known a little more than expected. It was forecasted to to bring occasional rain, but when we got up it was HEAVY rain!

I checked the forecasts again, and they continued to call for light to moderate rain, but that was not the acctual conditions. The METAR at Chattanooga Airport was reporting 1/2 mile visibility and 200 foot ceilings with heavy rain and fog. Not exactly something I want to fly in, especially with my family aboard. Knowing I have to be at work tomorrow, I made the only decision possible; to drive home.

We checked out of the hotel, exchanged rental cars and hit the road south. The weather was pretty nasty for driving also. We spent over 9 hours in the car today, but all things considered, everyone did pretty well. Even with Mary being confined to her car seat all day, she didn't completely melt down. The main thing is, we are home safe.

Looks like this coming weekend will be nice so if I can get my partner to cover me at work, I'll drive back up and get our plane. Oh yeah, I'll work on the pictures this week and do the write-up on our visit as soon as possible.

Back In The Saddle

2011-09-03T21:59:00.000-04:00

We haven't made a trip with the plane since Spring Break. It has been a long, busy, but fun summer filled with dance, a few local family trips by car, an annual inspection with extra maintenance issues thrown in, and of course work. Anyway, with the combination of the Labor Day weekend and me not having to work, we made a last minute decision to go somewhere.

Friday afternoon, when Abby got out of school, we loaded up the plane and headed for Chattanooga, TN. It was a fairly uneventful flight. We weren't allowed to fly over Atlanta so we had to spend a few extra minutes going around their airspace via Athens, Ga. Anyway, Chattanooga looks to be a very exciting family destination. Stay tuned for the full write-up.

From Chattanooga, Labor Day 2011

Hurricane Irene Pictures From The Bahama Beach Club

2011-08-26T18:10:00.001-04:00

Craig Roberts posted a link on AbacoForum.com of some pictures he took from the Bahama Beach Club in Treasure Cay. It looks a little messy, but damage appears to be minimal and clean-up efforts as you'll see are already underway. Here is a link to his photos: Craig Robert's Pics

Hurricane Irene Updates For The Abacos

2011-08-26T11:57:00.001-04:00

You can access the Abaco Forum for situation reports. Then click on the "Main Discussion Forum" then click on "Hurricane Irene Situation Reports".

Praying For The People Of The Bahamas

2011-08-25T14:07:00.000-04:00

Hurricane Irene has already caused widespread damage to the Southeastern and Central Bahamas. It looks like the eye may have passed right over North Eleuthera this morning and is targeting The Abacos today. The predicted track puts Irene right over Marsh Harbor and Great Guana Cay. This would put the eye just to the east of Treasure Cay, but I'm afraid not far enough east to limit the effects.

We had actually started to make inquires to go back to Treasure Cay for the upcoming Labor Day weekend prior to Irene forming way out in the Atlantic. We might still go depending on the aftermath of today's events. Anyway, we are praying for all the wonderful people of the Bahamas. Sidney, we hope to see you very soon! Stay safe.

Today's midday satellite image overlaid with our normal flight path to Treasure Cay:

Please Vote For Our Blog

2011-06-07T19:06:00.000-04:00

We have been bogged down with the end of the school year, work, and Abby's busy dance schedule lately and to top it off the plane is now due for its Annual Inspection. Unfortunately we will be unable to make any trips soon. Hopefully we'll be back in the air and posting about some more adventures before too long!

In the meantime, our blog has been placed on Babble.com's vote list for 2011Top Travel Blogs for Families. If you like our blog, please follow this link: Top 25 Travel Blogs for Families and scroll down or search for our blog and vote for us!

Thanks in advance and we hope everyone’s' summer is starting off great!

Spring Break Was Awesome !!!!!

2011-04-11T15:45:00.043-04:00

We all had a great time. This was our longest stay yet and was still entirely way too short! I'm so glad we were able to share Treasure Cay with some of our family. They were so impressed that when they got home they started trying to figure out how soon we all could go back! Here is what really made positive impressions on them: the beach, the people, the great food at the Bahama Beach Club, the beach, the grocery store, the amazing blue water, the beach, the ease of travel to get there, the weather, the condos, and of course the beach!

The weather was really nice for our whole stay. The winds had picked up later in the week, but Treasure Cay beach is normally situated quite pleasantly in the lee. A front came through on Thursday which brought a little rain and some cool temperatures, but by mid-day Friday, it was clear and sunny. The only issue the wind really caused was for one of my dive trips to be cancelled. I got to go a least one day, so I was happy.

The Sanddollar Dreams condo is still perfect. This has now been our second stay there and we still feel it is truly the best place to be in Treasure Cay. Not that you would find any crowds there, but it is just far enough away from the "center" of town to give you more privacy and you are just a quick cart ride away from any place you want to go.

If you pick up the local paper, The Abaconian, you will find the local tide tables. We spent part of every day around low tide out at Sandy Point. Abby and I enjoyed snorkeling again, my dad looked for shells, and some just sat in the shallows soaking it all in! It's has something for everyone.

Abby was so excited to get her hair braided Island Style! If you go down to the bike shop, you can find a really nice lady to do your hair. Abby managed to keep it for over a week and it really made for telling stories when she got back to school. I also went in to the hardware store for the first time this trip. I was surprised to find a nice selection of gift/tourist items that are at quite a discount compared to some of the other shops. There aren't a lot of choices on where to shop in Treasure Cay, but I'll save money when I can!

Every once in a while we would just take the golf carts and cruise around to check out the area and some of the beachfront homes. I found this "little" gem, Camelot, not far from our condo. It is only $4.9 million; anyone want to float me a loan? I'll let you stay in the guest house.....

We all left for our homes on Saturday. We took off around 11:00 am for Fort Pierce, FL (KFPR) and our family caught the 4:00 pm American Eagle flight to Miami. We really lucked out with the flying weather for this trip. During our stay is when Florida was ravaged by storms for a few days that included the tornado that hit Sun' n Fun. Luckily we never saw any of that severe weather.

The flight to Fort Pierce was perfect. Since this was our first flight to the Bahamas in the Lance, one of my focal points was the fuel management/planning for this over-the-water trip. We were lucky on our very first trip in the Arrow to get avgas in Treasure Cay, but it has not been available since If you need fuel, Marsh Harbor is the closest airport with avgas. We did that before, and even though it is only about a 10 minute flight, it will easily add an hour to your travelling day. We loaded up the plane to max gross weight and departed Jacksonville with 85 usable gallons on board and landed with about 45 gallons remaining. That left us with about 2 1/2 hours on board taking in to account another take off and full power climb to cruise altitude; more than enough fuel to legally and safely make the little over hour flight to Fort Pierce to clear customs.

We departed VFR out of Treasure Cay (MYAT) and set our heading for the Freeport VOR. As we climbed through 6000 feet I was able to easily pick up our IFR clearance from Miami Center and we were quickly cleared as filed to KFPR at 8000 feet. Departing MYAT, I file direct ZFP BR62V ANGEE direct and it works every time. I know I could probably get direct ANGEE from Treasure Cay, but I still like flying over Grand Bahama Island before getting out over open water. It also seems to be standard to get an initial decent clearance to be at 4000 feet, 20 miles southeast of ANGEE. The VNAV function on the GNS 530 makes this a no brainer. It wasn't long after passing West End that we could see the Florida coast line. Visibility on this trip was great!

We cleared Customs without issue and then enjoyed a nice lunch at the Airport Tiki. It looks like there is only one FBO left at Fort Pierce so without any competition, the gas prices were pretty steep. The good part is, they do provide a good service. They will tow your plane from the Customs ramp to their ramp and our plane was promptly fueled as requested so when we were done with lunch, we were off on the last leg home without delay.

A few items of note I learned from this trip:

1. I'm still really glad we got the Lance for so many reasons. She took good care of us.

2. Don't bring liquor with you. Buy it in the Bahamas. It was even cheaper than the Duty Free store my dad used in Miami. A "Costco" size bottle of Bacardi rum is $15. Gotta love it!

3. It is now $20 per person departure tax. Used to be $15. It is still free for kids under 6.

4. Having our Bahamas Immigration Cards filled out prior to arrival sure made made things quick and easy. We got a new stack of cards on our way out, all you have to do is ask!

5. Get in touch with dive shop as soon as you can if you want to dive. Their trips can fill up quick. You can even email them before you arrive to set things up. I'll do that next time.

6. eAPIS was a little easier to use than last year since now you can save passenger information for future manifests.

Dive Pictures From Treasure Cay

2011-04-05T13:09:00.007-04:00

I'm still working on photos to finish up my trip report from Treasure Cay last week so in the mean time here are some dive photos: (Note: This slide show doesn't work on the iPad. Click here to go to the web album)

I bought a new dive camera before this trip so I'm still figuring things out. So far I like it. It is the Sealife DC1200 Elite Kit. This is the first time I've ever used an external strobe. I need to learn the proper strobe aiming techniques. I just need to get to the Bahamas to go diving more often!

Spring Break 2011 - Back to Treasure Cay, Bahamas

2011-03-27T21:57:00.000-04:00

It's Abby's Spring Break this week and we decided many months ago we were coming back to stay at the Sanddollar Dreams condo in Treasure Cay, Bahamas. It is the first time flying the Lance to the Bahamas and she did great! I had removed the middle row of seats to gain some payload capability that we desperately needed to support our week in paradise. On Friday, as a test, I did all my eApis and international flight plan filing using the iPad. I worked great and since we have wireless here at the condo, I'll be able to get everything done for our departure just as easy.

We left the house yesterday morning around 8:00 am and we were loaded up and rolling down Runway 32 at Craig Field shortlly after 9:00 am. In no time we were cruising down the coast at 6000 feet enjoyoing the smooth morning air. We turned out at Melbourne and shortly after going "feet wet", we climbed to 7000 feet. About 45 minutes later we were over West End on Grand Bahama Island. I was surprised that with all the smoke and haze in Florida I was able to still just barely see the coastline of Florida when we first caught sight of the Bahamas.

After crossing Freeport, we made our final turn towards Treasure Cay. About thirty minutes later we were in the pattern overhead and had a decent landing on runway 14. My two worst landings ever have been at Treasure Cay. The winds are almost always a crosswind, and it swirls or gusts so much, experiencing a little bit of wind shear seems to be the norm. I kept my speed up this time knowing I had a long 7000 foot runway to use and still felt wind shear effects, but we settled down easy on the runway and taxied to the ramp. From startup to shutdown in paradise was 2.8 hours. Not bad at all!

The ramp was only about half full. There still is no avgas available at Treasure Cay, but we have more than enough to make it to Fort Pierce when we depart. We acquired extra immigration forms from our last visit and since we had everything pre-filled out, we made it through Immigration and Customs pretty quuick. Sidney was already there waiting for us, so as soon as Abby and I got the plane tied down and covered, we were all on our way to the condo.

My Dad, stepmom, and her mother are joining us on this trip. They all flew in commercially aNd we were able to find them another condo in our complex so we can be together. We were all finally together by dinner time and enjoyed a wonderful meal at the Bahama Beach Club. Saturday nights they have an all you can eat BBQ dinner served family style. We had pasta salad, potato salad, coleslaw, corn on the cob, BBQ beans, garlic toast, ribs, chicken, pork chops, and cake. Yes we at it all and them some! Of course the rum punch made it all go down pretty easy.

Delayed Due To Weather

2011-03-14T15:34:00.000-04:00

We had planned to fly home today, but Mother Nature had other plans. After a great weekend with family and friends along with some decent weather, a frontal system blew through last night leaving unfavorable conditions for our flight home. There is, in my opinion, an impassable line of thunderstorms this morning to the southeast and the temperatures have really dropped creating warnings for moderate icing conditions aloft from here to the other side of the cold front. It has been IFR conditions here all day with low ceilings and reduced visibility at times in drizzle.

I don't mind flying in the clouds, in the rain, shooting approaches, and dodging thunderstorms as long as I can see them and remain well clear. What I will not do is tangle with embedded thunderstorms or icing and both of those conditions will remain an issue for the rest of today. So I called my boss and made the safe and only decision; we are staying put for at least another day. Hey, at least we get to help celebrate Logan's 6th birthday today!!!!

Off To Arkansas For The Weekend

2011-03-12T11:33:00.126-05:00

We have had this trip scheduled for a while. The plan was to take off Friday morning and fly to our cousins that live in Cave Springs, AR near Bentonville. My wife's best friend and her husband drove up from Dallas. We always have a good time with them since there are other girls for Abby to play with and we finally get to enjoy some adult socializing.

After our trip to Greenville, I wasn't sure how soon the family would be ready to fly again, but we all jumped back in the saddle and it worked out great. We did change a few things. We moved Mary's seat to the rear row next to Kristi. This worked out really well. Since she was right next to Kristi, it was easier to calm her when needed and she even slept most of the first leg! This also meant Mom got some sleep too. We also swapped strollers to an umbrella stroller. This takes up a lot less room and fits nicely in the forward baggage compartment allowing us to get two large suitcases in the aft luggage area again! Mary still won't wear her headset much, but we'll work on that as she gets older.

We took off just after 9:00 am. I knew we would be fighting some strong headwinds, but at least it was a smooth ride. We were trueing out around 155 kts but only averaging about 120 kts most of the time.

There isn't a lot of scenery like hills and mountains to enjoy on this flight, but I did find some things of interest see. Some of the patterns and colors of the farm fields below were pretty cool. The circular fields over southern Alabama looked like they had been afflicted with mold spots.

It took us a little over three hours to get to Meridian, MS (KMEI); our favorite stop when flying west to visit family. Mary woke up just prior to landing and was in good spirits. A really nice change from past experiences.

After getting some fuel and enjoying some hotdogs, popcorn, and ice cream, we were back in the air for the 2nd and last leg to Bentonville (KVBT). The headwinds were a little less on this leg and we finally saw our ground speed inch towards 140 kts. I liked flying over the Mississippi River and seeing all the towboats heading upriver with their barge tows.

We were about to partially repeat our previous adventure with some forecasted moderate turbulence, but we were all better prepared this time. During the last 30 minutes of the flight we bounced around a little as we flew over the Boston Mountains of northwest Arkansas. This time I slowed to maneuvering speed, which gave a much gentler ride in the bumps and only added a few minutes to the flight. The surface winds at our destination were reporting 19 kts gusting to 24 kts, but unlike Greenville the winds were only 20 degrees to the right of center line. They have a really nice 4000+ foot runway, but unlike our 150' wide runway at home, KVBT's is only 65' wide. Plenty of room, but a little different visual representation on approach. It was a sporty approach and landing, but we safely arrived, got the plane unloaded, secured, and met up with our family.

Well, it was a long day, but everyone and the plane did well. Let the weekend of fun and laziness begin!

Greenville, SC - The Ups and Downs

2011-02-26T14:29:00.336-05:00

Having a three day weekend with Presidents' Day finally gave us an opportunity to take the plane and get out of town for a little trip. Since the weather looked cooperative, we decided to head north to Greenville, South Carolina (KGMU). With our Embassy Suites and car reservations made, we took off Saturday morning around 9 and found ourselves enjoying lunch at a Red Robin in Greenville by noon.

We had a little bit of a head wind to deal with, but Abby settled into a book, Mary explored the cabin keeping mom busy and frustrated at times, and I enjoyed the smooth ride northbound. It's very hard to keep a 14 month old cooped up for any length of time.

The visibility was quite poor, but about half way through our flight we managed to cross a little front. After a few minutes of IMC in the frontal clouds, it was a drastic difference in visibilty for the better on the front's back side the rest of the way. In no time we had a visual of the Blue Ridge Mountains ahead and then our destination.

Kristi had been suffering from a sinus infection and as much I tried to plan an early, gradual descent, the final few miles of our approach were quite painful for her. Luckily it didn't last long.

After lunch we decided to head downtown to see what we could find. I had read a little about the area and had some ideas on what I'd like us to do, but we really had no set plans. One of the places I wanted us to visit was The Children’s Museum of Greenville. We found it without any hassle and even found a parking spot right in front!

We found all kinds of cool things to do. The museum had three separate floors and a really exciting array of hands on exhibits that both Abby and Mary could enjoy.

On the bottom floor we found some water play areas. They had one set up so babies could just sit in chairs to splash and play around. Mary managed to get pretty soaked, but had a blast. Abby enjoyed the other water exhibit where she played with little boats in a river and also "engineered" some piping to redirect the water as she saw fit. I think this was both of the girls favorite area.

When you first enter the museum, there is an intricate plexiglass climbing structure that goes from the second floor up to the third.

The Space Shuttle simulator was my favorite. If you sit in the left seat you can try to dock the Shuttle with the International Space Station. If you sit in the right seat you can test your Shuttle landing skills. Abby made a somewhat successful approach and landing to Runaway 33 at the Kennedy Space Center. Hey, at least we both walked away from it!

After the museum we left and checked into the hotel and then went to dinner at Papas & Beer, a Mexican restaurant not far away. The food was pretty good, but of course going out to eat on a Saturday evening is always a battle with crowds. The restaurant was very busy and as well behaved as I like to think my two kids are, Mary definitely let us know she was done for the day! We tried to enjoy a little bit of dinner, but ended up just getting to go boxes and went back to the hotel to call it a night.

All vacations can't be perfect. Unfortunately, Kristi awoke around midnight to find our hotel room had bed bugs! We spent the next few hours changing rooms and trying to get resettled hoping to get some sleep. Other than seeing a few things in the press, we were very ignorant to the bed bug epidemic that has resurfaced especially within the travelling community. We quickly became educated via the internet on what to do and how to deal with it. As frustrating as it was, the hotel made good efforts to remedy the situation and kept in touch with us during the rest of our stay and even once we returned home. I really don't want to write a whole section about bed bugs, but I highly recommend checking your hotel room for evidence prior to "moving in" and reading here and here for more useful information.

We did all manage to get back to sleep at different times and woke up in time to have the wonderful cook-to-order breakfast buffet that Embassy Suites provides all their guests. After breakfast, we got cleaned up, dressed, and headed out to explore the area some more. We decided to head towards the Blue Ridge Mountains and just drive around to see what we could find. Our first stop was a huge granite rock overlook called Bald Rock.

Next we drove on to Caesars Head State Park. From there we enjoyed the overlook views of the lowlands and granite outcropping of Table Rock State Park across the valley. Abby took turns taking Kristi and me for short hikes. We stopped at a Publix supermarket earlier and bought some sandwiches, chips, and drinks for lunch. We found some picnic benches and enjoyed our lunch with some spectacular views.

Mary has finally started walking in the last few weeks, so I guess it wasn't wise to try to confine her to the car and stroller for a day filled with driving around and sight seeing, but she did pretty good. Oh well, at least we did find an area she could walk around for a little while.

After lunch we continued up the road and into the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area a little more . At the end of one road was YMCA's Camp Greenville's Symmes Chapel called Pretty Place. This old outdoor chapel was interesting with amazing views of the valley below from the pews. Apparently, it is a popular spot for weddings and we could see why.

Before getting back to Greenville, we did manage to find ourselves in North Carolina for a bit. We travelled through DuPont State Forest and stopped at one spot to take a little hike to Hooker Falls.

Sunday was a long, but good day. We had dinner at IHOP, which I know isn't fancy, but it was easy and kids eat free! When we got up Monday, the weather was clear, but with high winds that were forecasted to only increase in the afternoon. We abandoned our plans of going to the zoo and decided to just head home.

The flight home was very unpleasant and in hindsight we should have just stayed another night and come home Tuesday morning. I had already forewarned my family that the high winds would make things a little bumpy, but I had no idea what was in store. After a bumpy crosswind take off we leveled off at 5000' This put us occasionally in and out of clouds with light turbulence. Although "light" might not seem too bad a description, it can become very uncomfortable after a while. I asked for and received a clearance up to 6000' in an effort to get above the clouds. Just before we leveled off in the clear, the plane got thrown pretty good near the top of a cloud as we encounter stronger winds aloft. This momentary encounter with moderate to heavy turbulence put a pretty good scare in all of us. I asked to continue to 7000' and we finally found smooth air with a final cruising altitude of 8000'. Now the aft cabin was a mess with spilled drinks, Abby threw up into a bag (luckily we were prepared), and I was frustrated with myself that I had put my family in this unnecessary situation and was just looking forward to getting everyone home. I didn't do anything technically unsafe, but I should have realized that the prevailing weather conditions were not going to make for a comfortable or enjoyable flight. I will NOT do that again! At least everything settled out eventually and even Mary enjoyed the views outside for a while.

We successfully completed a trip to a new place, but it was an adventure literally filled with ups and downs. The General Manager from the Embassy Suites called me at home the next morning to check on us. He let me know because of the inconveniences we experienced they were reversing all our room charges. He also asked us to come back and stay again as their guests. I told him we definitely would and I look forward to taking him up on his offer. We hope next time to visit the zoo and the downtown parks and shopping areas that looked pretty cool.

I want to ensure that I share the true realities of our travels even when things don’t go exactly right, but I don't want to deter anyone from the wonderful world of general aviation. We are still blessed to be able to do these kinds of things and we learn every time new things to consider and how to do it better. I think the family has now recovered and we WILL make more trips soon. I was very impressed with what Greenville had to offer for visiting families, and I look forward to our return.

Moving Day

2011-01-29T20:47:00.000-05:00

When we bought our first plane, I debated the expense of a hangar over a tie down. I'm lucky compared to some because I had a choice and without regret we chose the expense of a hangar. It's nice to have the plane protected from the elements, secure, and also have an area to store our plane stuff with it. We have been renting a hangar from one of the FBOs for the last three years.

When we bought the Lance, I was worried that it wouldn't fit, but I took plenty of measurements and it did; barely. I only had about 6 inches of clearance on each side of the stabilator. It was also a little hard to get around the wings so usually I just pulled the plane out of the hangar a little to conduct my preflight checks as well as load luggage.

A few weeks ago my instructor mentioned to me that he knew a few owners of the larger condo hangars that had some empty and might be willing to rent. Sure enough, about a week later a kind gentlemen called me up and we agreed to meet to check out his hangar. It is perfect! It's large enough to allow me to walk around the Lance while completely inside, it has a large, motorized bi-fold door, and the rent is a little cheaper than what I had been paying to the FBO. I spent the afternoon getting everything moved and now 4RM is secure in her new home. I am a very lucky guy!

Reached A Milestone - Sort Of

2011-01-29T09:52:00.001-05:00

With my BFR and IPC complete, I had an opportunity to just go for a joy ride yesterday. I wanted to cruise a little and let the engine recover from the workout on Monday. I chose to fly up to Hazelhurst, Georgia (KAZE). I picked it because it was just far enough to enjoy level cruise flight and listen to the XM radio for a while, I had never been there before, and the fuel price was reasonable.

It was a nice 45 minute flight each way. Hazlehurst is a nice airport and the manager even met me on the ramp and fueled my plane for me. After a short stay and a Dr Pepper, I flew home. During part of the trip I flew through the shadow of contrail which due to the haze I could see it in the air and on the ground. I thought it looked pretty cool. The pictures don't show it very well.

So now the milestone. I have filled up my first log book! I thumbed through it a little to reminisce about my flying "career". My first flight was on February 27, 1996 as I started my private pilot raining in Hayward, CA. Here a few items from my log:

Soloed: March 26, 1996
Private Pilot: May 7, 1996
Instrument Rating: December 16, 2008

Total Flight Time: 468.8 hours (did not fly between June 29, 2002 and September 6, 2007)
Actual Instrument Time: 56.8 hours
Number of Landings: 727
Instrument Approaches: 150

It never ceases to amaze me how my flight activity grew exponentially once I became an airplane owner. I am blessed to have made all those adventures that are accounted for in my log book. I wonder what cool adventures will fill my new book!

Finally Back In The Air!

2011-01-24T20:20:00.002-05:00

Work, weather, and life just got in the way of flying lately and on December 31, 2010 the 2 year requirement for my Flight Review came due. At first I really didn't mind. I got two quick flights in just before the end of the year and even managed to install a preheat system to deal with these frigid Florida winters. Yeah.....you heard me right. It's been just plain cold by anyone’s standard and a few times those 20 degree days were the only thing keeping me from flying. Well not anymore!

I spent the New Years' weekend installing the Reiff Standard Preheat System which includes an oil sump heater and 6 bands to individually heat the cylinders. I had this system on the Arrow and loved it. Now when it's freezing outside, my oil and cylinders are sitting around 100+ degrees. Ready for a short run-up and flight!

Anyway, since then the work schedule has been hectic again and what few days I've had available didn't mesh with my instructors'. That changed today. I'm tired of sitting and watching the days roll by so I used a vacation day and got it done! Not only did I get my Flight Review done, but we also combined it with an Instrument Proficiency Check. We spent the afternoon doing various maneuvers and procedures. I spent most of the flight time under the hood while we did some holds and shot 6 instrument approaches; 3 ILS, 1 VOR, and 2 GPS approaches. JAX Approach was kind enough to work us in for 2 ILS approaches at Jacksonville International Airport. My first approach there had me following an Airbus so I kept us a little high on the glideslope and landed a little long, which successfully kept us out of the wake turbulence.

It was quite a workout, mentally and physically, but it felt good and as we quickly jumped from one evolution to the next I felt like I was getting back into the groove. My instructor agreed and with my logbook endorsed I'm good for another two years!

5 in the Plane!

2010-11-25T11:40:00.043-05:00

My mom is visiting for Thanksgiving so we decided to "fly out" for dinner last night. This was the first time we've had five people in the plane and our Lance performed great! We went to Palm Coast to eat at Hijackers. It has been abnormally warm, even for North Florida weather. Even though the temps are pleasant, the early afternoon flight down was a little bumpy at first, but it settled out pretty quick. Shortly after leveling off at 5,500', we started a gradual descent for the field. Mary did ok, but she really doesn't like being confined to her seat or wearing her hearing protection. The noise isn't to bad so I'm not worried about it right now and other than take-off and landing, she is allowed to happily roam the rear seating area.

We found some nice seats outside and Abby quickly set off for the playground. Since our last visit they have added some nice new swings and teeter-totters. The food was great again. This time I tried their Pasta Carbonara, Kristi had a Chicken Quesadilla, my Mom had the Fried Shrimp Platter, and Abby of course had chicken tenders with fries. I think Abby's favorite part was that her meal came with Oreo cookies! The portions were sizable enough that we all had some leftovers to bring back and enjoy later.

After dinner, while the family strolled on the flight line, I taxied the plane over to the self-serve fuel pump. We loaded up and after a short run-up we were back in the air for the short 25 minute flight home.

The air was smooth and we cruised up the coast and enjoyed the views from 2,800'. The shadows made by the setting sun were pretty cool and we flew right over St Augustine prior to landing back at Craig. It was a nice afternoon of food and flying and I'm thankful the idea for it all came from my wife! Life is good.

HAPPY THANKSGVING EVERYBODY!!!!!

Made The Jump To An iPad

2010-10-21T10:52:00.044-04:00

I bought a Sony PRS-505 eBook reader two Christmases ago in an effort to find an easier and better way of carrying and using instrument approach plates, IAPs, in the plane. I subscribed to Reader Plates which packaged all the IAPs and AFDs into an easy to use format that was downloaded every 28 days. Although the screen size is a little smaller than the actual print IAP version, I found it very easy to use and a great asset in the cockpit.

I have been following the aviation uses of the iPad for a few months now and after selling some things on eBay and saving my birthday money, I finally made my purchase. I'm always looking for a way to save on purchases so I bought a refurbished iPad online from the Apple store. It was $50 cheaper than a new one, but it carries the same warranty, so why not? I still had to pay the sales tax, but it came with a new battery, outer shell, and free FedEx shipping from China. It actually arrived a few days earlier that forecasted.

One of the first things I did was to install the ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD app. This program is amazing! I now have my IAPs and oh so much more. I now also have VFR sectional and IFR Enroute charts, a full AFD, flight planning & filing, weather images and forecasts, and more. The interface is very easy to use and you can easily zoom in and move around on any chart and approach plate seamlessly. I downloaded all the charts and IAPs so when airborne, I'll be able to easily access them even though I won't have a wifi connection. It only used a little over 4 GB.

Another cockpit advantage of the iPad is the ability to download all my aircraft owner's manuals and pilot's guides in PDF format that can be accessed anytime in flight using the iBooks app. I also plan on finding a way to put my checklists in the iPad too.

I bought a leather case for it off Amazon.com and also installed an anti-glare screen protector on it. I like the case, but you really have to take your time installing the screen protector. It will show any little piece of dust that gets trapped underneath. Overall I think both accessories are pretty good and a must have to protect your investment.

I think any pilot would recognize the tremendous usefulness of the iPad in flight, but I like that I won't need to travel with a separate computer anymore. With a wifi connection I can surf the Internet and access my email quite easily. In an effort to test its interface, I used the iPad to write this blog entry and I have to say it worked very well. I still had to use my PC to publish the photos, but I'll be able to do that on the iPad someday with the camera interface kit. Like the new saying goes," There's an app for that!" and everyday I continue to be impressed with what I can do with this new toy!

First Family Trip in the Lance

2010-09-10T09:27:00.029-04:00

After bringing home N424RM, work and life seemed to constantly get in the way of flying. Kristi even started asking if she was ever going to get to fly in the new plane. I didn't get to fly again until August 31st for a short hop to get some fuel in preparation to make a Labor Day trip to visit our family in NW Arkansas.

It was hard to believe that our first flight in the new plane would be a cross-country trip, but at least we'd be trying to get used to it in style! We loaded up Saturday morning and were ready for departure just after 8 am. As my wife got comfortable in the back with all that new room, she promptly asked if there was a partition that could be raised like in a limo and she wanted to know how soon the beverage cart would be around! Oh we're so spoiled now.

We departed Craig on an IFR flight plan and we were cleared direct to Meridian, MS (KMEI) at 6000 feet. The flight was smooth and we worked with the controllers to find an altitude with less headwinds to no avail. Abby and I settled in up front while Kristi and Mary explored the back; and I mean explore. Mary now had room to roam which kept momma busy instead of just sitting back and relaxing in her seat. Mary did manage a very short nap at one point so I did catch a glimpse of Kristi stretched out with her feet up and reading a magazine.

Three hours after staring up in Jacksonville, we arrive at our fuel stop. I got my first compliment on N424RM as its owner from the ground controller after we landed. I'm really starting to enjoy this plane the more I get to know her! I love Meridian Aviation, the FBO at Key Field. We had been there last summer on our way back from Dallas. They have inexpensive self serve fuel ($3.75/gal), a big ramp, and nice lounge facilities where you can enjoy complimentary hot dogs or chili dogs, ice cream, drinks, and more. We were on the ground for about 45 minutes till we departed for Bentonville, AR (KVBT). Again we were cleared direct at 6000 feet and settled in for the flight.

Nikki, Landon, and the girls were waiting for us when we arrived. They saw us fly over and land. Abby couldn't take her eyes off them as we taxied on to the ramp. She was so excited to finally get here and play with her cousins! Kristi and I were excited too! We unloaded, covered up the plane, and headed off to enjoy the long Labor Day weekend with our family.

We all had a great time during our visit. The girls played on the trampoline, rode bikes, and played all day long. Landon and I played with our Android phones trying to load new apps and find appropriate ring tones for our wives. Kristi and I enjoyed the evenings outside on the porch with Nikki and Landon while we laughed and talked the nights away. It was a fun weekend that everyone in my family really needed. When Tuesday morning came it was time to go home. The girls were sad, but I promised Abby we'd try to come back very soon. Since we bought fuel, we were not charged any tie-down fees for the three nights we were there. Every little bit helps, right? Thanks Nikki and Landon for a great stay and for taking some of these photos!

The plan was to fly back home via Meridian, MS again, but the weather was not going to allow that. Almost immediately after taking off and checking in with Razorback Departure, we diverted to the east to stay clear of the weather blocking our direct route to Meridian. As we continued east, it became obvious we needed to pick another fuel stop. I requested to divert to Savannah, TN (KSNH) since I was familiar with it from the delivery trip home with Lance. We remained on the northern fringes of the weather occasionally flying through moderate to heavy rain while our 7000 foot cruising altitude kept us between cloud layers. It was a smooth ride and the plane got a nice wash down! A little while later I asked to divert again to get a little closer to home before stopping for fuel so we overflew KSNH and landed at Pryor Regional Airport (KDCU) located outside of Huntsville, AL.

We fueled up and borrowed the courtesy car, a Mercedes no less, to go get some lunch at Subway since that was the only thing nearby. It was nice to have a little break from the plane. Mary had been cutting more of her teeth on this trip and just couldn't settle down at all during the first leg. Nothing seemed to make her happy. I really felt bad for Kristi because there is absolutely nothing I can do to help her. With our tummies full we got back to the plane and took off for home. The weather ahead looked very nice and I looked forward to a direct and uneventful flight.

A little over an hour out from landing in Jacksonville, I noticed in the middle of my instrument scan that the ammeter flicked to zero indicating the battery was not being charged. This was backed up buy the "ALT" idiot light in the panel coming on, the voltage system reading 12V instead of 14.1V, and the "Discharge" light being illuminated in the Volt/Amp digital gauge. I checked fuses, breakers, and reset the Alt switch all too no avail. I then secured any unnecessary electrical load on the system, powered off the 2nd radio, switched the portable GPS to its battery power, and prepped my hand held VHF radio in case it was needed. I promptly informed ATC of our situation and informed them of the back-up equipment ready for use as well as the availably of the onboard back-up generator to make power if needed. I confirmed that we were not declaring an emergency, we did not need assistance, and we'd like to continue on to our destination. For those that don't know, the battery is not needed to keep the engine going and the plane flying. After it is used to start the engine, it is needed to run the avionics, the landing gear pump, and a few other auxiliary pieces of equipment. The landing gear has no mechanical up-locks so even if there is no power for the gear pump, you can push the emergency gear extend lever which releases the hydraulic pressure in the system and allows the gear to extend and lock down for landing. The controllers were great to work with and gave me all the frequencies ahead of time and when to switch over in case the battery didn't last and we needed to use the hand held radio. After all that, the battery lasted the last hour and ten minutes without a glitch and we made a very normal approach and landing back into our home field.

We didn't need to deploy the generator, but for a piece of equipment I haven't given much appreciation to before, since it is a rarity on small general aviation aircraft, I sure am glad now that we have it. You just never know. After we landed and shut down, my suspicion as to the cause for the alternator failure was confirmed: the alternator belt broke. The joys of plane ownership are full of highs and lows. This really was no big deal. Everything ran great, we had an awesome weekend, the belt has been replaced, and we are ready to head out again!

Bringing home our "new" Piper Lance

2010-07-30T11:06:00.112-04:00

After selling the Arrow we were lucky to find a plane that meets our needs fairly quickly. We bought N424RM which is a 1977 Piper Lance. It was located in Salt Lake City, Utah, so plans for another long cross country flight began. After a terrible set of flights on Delta Airlines, I finally made it to Salt Lake City on Wednesday evening. I was lucky enough to have my Mom join me on this adventure, so after meeting at the airport we went and had dinner at Red Robin.

After dinner we met with N424RM's pilot/representative. He kindly let me look over the plane and get the POH/AFM out so I could study it at the hotel. Luckily he is a CFI so we made plans to meet the next morning for a checkout in the Lance. The checkout was fun and I enjoyed flying out to the west of Salt Lake City while I got used to the plane and did some slow flight, stalls, and steep turns. We did some touch and goes at Tooele (KTVY) and even though the Lance is pretty much just a larger version of the Arrow, my landings were so much better right off the bat!

With the checkout and purchase complete, I picked my mom up at the hotel and we went back out to the airport to get the plane ready for our departure early Friday morning. We loaded up and organized the plane a bit and then worked on the cleaning the windows. Priority was to ensure my "photographer" had clean windows for our flight home!

We left the plane at Million Air for the night. They filled my O2 bottle and helped me out Friday morning by letting me return my Hertz rental car with them instead of back over at the commercial terminal.

We took off from KSLC at 0710 and followed Interstate 80 through Parleys Canyon as we climbed over the Wasatch Mountains to our initial cruising altitude of 11,500 feet. As we passed Park City on our right we could see the Olympic Ski Jumps, Bobsled Tracks, and other facilities as well as some hot air balloons. We proceeded NE towards Fort Bridger, then E to Rock Springs and Rawlings, and continued to pretty much follow I-80 to the east side of Cheyenne until our first fuel stop in Pine Bluffs, Wyoming (82V).

Pine Bluffs is in the very SE corner of Wyoming and surprising enough has a filed elevation of almost 1000' HIGHER than KSLC! The self serve fuel was cheap and after using the restrooms and stretching our legs, we departed for Kansas City, which would be our overnight stop on this trip home. While watching the weather on the Garmin 496, I noticed that there were some overcast cloud layers being reported west of Kansas City, so I called Columbus Radio (FSS) and air filed an IFR flight plan. As soon as I switched over to Denver Center, they had my clearance in the system and we were cleared IFR in to Wheeler Downtown Airport (KMKC), located on the Missouri side of Kansas City .

We did manage to dodge and fly through a few clouds enroute to Kansas City, but luckily all the severe convective weather remained well north and south of our track. We had an uneventful visual aprroach and landing into KMKC and taxied over to the city's self serve fuel tanks to top off so we wouldn't have to do it in the morning. We tied down at Hangar 10 who gave us a ride to our hotel. We unpacked and rested a bit before dinner. My Mom and I had a nice walk down to the Plaza area of Kansas City and she treated my to a great steak dinner at the M&S Grill!

After a good night's sleep, we were up early and back to the airport for an early morning departure. I got my clearance and we were wheels up by 0730 heading for our fuel stop in Savannah, Tennessee. The route was clear and smooth. According to the XM Weather, we wouldn't see any weather until just before Savannah (KSNH). As we approached the airport we flew through some low cloud layers and flew the GPS 19 approach breaking out at 1900' AGL for another uneventful landing. Apparently we had just missed the rain.

We topped off and even added some oil for our final leg home to Jacksonville. After a short break, I called FSS and got our clearance out of KSNH for home. In the 45 minutes we were on the ground at SNH, the weather went from almost no thunderstorms east of us to numerous small cells enroute and growing. I have to give my mom some big kudos; she experienced quite a lot of stuff during these two days and handled them very well. One bit of advice that helps: give your passengers a heads up on what to expect before, during, and after a flight. Surprises aren't fun.

I had initially filed for 7000' but quickly ended up at 11,000' so we could remain on top of most of the weather. This also made the towering cumulonimbous clouds, thunderstorms, easier to spot and divert around. The controllers, as usual, were great to work with and we were pretty much allowed to weave our way around the weather as needed all the way to Jacksonville.

It was a calming feeling to make that initial check-in with Jacksonville Center and the JAX Approach controllers. We were cleared for the visual approach into Rwy 14 at Craig (KCRG). We flew through a little rain on final approach, and the passing rain shower had left an interesting visual mark on the runway exactly halfway down. We landed N424RM and taxied her to our hangar that is now her new home!

Kristi and the girls came out to get us after we landed and spent some time looking over our "new" plane. Kristi and Abby both liked the big club seating in the back and Kristi really liked the rear door that makes it much easier for passengers to get in and out of the plane. Of course the really big feature we are excited about........the plane has air conditioning!!!!!

Well, she got us home safe and sound. In two days we flew almost 1700 miles in 12.5 hours of flight time. I look forward to cleaning her up and getting to know her better. Hopefully we'll be making our first family flight in N424RM very soon!

My Mom also wrote her own blog entry. You can read her article to get her perspective on our trip here: Travel Writer Rants and Raves

Sold The Arrow - Looking To Move Up

2010-06-28T22:36:00.073-04:00

When we found out last year that a new wee one would be joining our family, I had to wonder if our trusty Arrow would be able to continue to haul us around. I love flying 27D, but I knew that traveling with my soon to be 3 girls would require more room. We had a great trip to Treasure Cay last month and even though we made the trip fine, we were pretty well crammed in even with packing as little as possible. So I decided a while back that if I could sell our Arrow for a fair price and find a larger replacement within our budget, I would try to make it happen.

I settled on looking at Piper Lances for our next plane. They are basically larger, 6 seat versions of the Arrow. They are a bit wider with 2 baggage compartments and many of them have the aft four-place seating configured in the club seating arrangement; the aft four seats face each other.

Well the requirement of selling the Arrow is complete. She has been purchased by a gentleman in Council Bluffs, Iowa who bought her as his first plane just like I had. He is looking forward to making some very cool personal and business trips with 27D as well as completing his instrument rating. During our discussions about the sale of 27D, I agreed to deliver the plane to him at Council Bluffs Airport (KCBF). The new owner agreed to cover the delivery expenses and even though he thanked me for delivering the plane as a favor to him, I couldn’t have asked for a better way to part with her than to have one more cross-country flight together.

As most of you know, this is thunderstorm season so with looking at a 955 NM trip I planned to leave as early as possible in the day and to only have one fuel stop enroute. I got up Saturday morning at 4:30 am and by 6:00 am I was airborne and headed northwest. Shortly after taking off from Craig Filed, I picked up my IFR clearance from JAX Departure. Not a whole lot was going on in the air at 6 am so I was happy to get a clearance "direct" to my fuel stop in Camden located in northwest Tennessee.

Within 30 minutes after departure, I got to see the full moon set and the sun rise. They were beautiful sites to be had. As I watched the wavy layer of fog slip below me I flew in and out of some cloud layers, but for the most part remained in the clear. As I approached Atlanta, I could see a line of thunderstorms forming to the west of Birmingham, Alabama, but they were far enough away not to bother me. I also enjoyed a little shade from an overcast layer for a while. The shadows and sun rays formed by this layer made for some interesting views.

As I flew past Huntsville, Alabama, I noticed the Saturn V rocket display located at the US Space & Rocket Center. I managed to get a picture and noted to myself that we'll have to put Huntsville on our trip list to check it out. About this time I noticed some clouds dead ahead on the horizon showing some vertical development which match some NEXRAD images now indicating on the 496. It appeared to be about 50 miles north of my fuel stop, but moving south. Not knowing if the weather would remain VFR, Memphis Center offered and I accepted an instrument approach into Camden, Benton County Airport (0M4). As I began the approach, the clouds were well above me, but the visibility had been reduced in some precipitation and the humidity. Shortly after departing the FAF inbound, I had the runway in sight, cancelled IFR with Center, and made an uneventful landing on Runway 22. I taxied up to the self serve fuel island and topped off the tanks. I went inside the FBO to use the restroom and to get a drink and by that point the rain I had noticed earlier had arrived over top. It began to pour and I wondered how long I'd have to stay at before it cleared.

Luckily the rained stopped about 15 minutes later. I went back out to the plane to check the XM weather and even though the areas of rain were obviously closer it was pretty well localized and I decided to depart during the break in the showers and start heading for Iowa. I took off and was able to easily maintain VFR while I contacted Memphis Center again to pick up my IFR clearance for the last leg. I was cleared direct, but I asked to keep a westerly heading for a bit while I got around the weather. The controller and I agreed that if I flew about 50 miles to the west before proceeding on course, that should keep me clear of everything and then I would have no other weather across the rest of my route.

I cleared the weather and proceeded on track to Council Bluffs. I watch the farms of our heartland pass below as well as the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The center controllers kept putting out weather advisories for a line of thunderstorms near Springfield, Missouri. I could see them way off on the horizon to my left and was glad that I wouldn't have to worry about that kind of stuff for the rest of my flight. The only forecast weather for Council Bluffs I was keeping my eye on was the increasing and gusty winds.

As I descended for my destination, I quietly thank 27D for treating my family and I so well for the last 2 1/2 years and asked her to do the same for the new owner. We had a smooth last few minutes in the air together and even though the winds were up, my last landing in 27D was nice and easy. Her new owner was eagerly awaiting our arrival on the ramp as I shut down and greeting me with a refreshing bottle of water. If I remember right, his first comment was that she looked even better than the pictures. She drew a few admirers right off the bat and I knew she was going to be left in good hands.

We are in the process of buying our Lance so stay tuned for all the details and pictures.

Apparently they have had a bit of rain lately!!!!

A Promise Kept - Back to Treasure Cay, Bahamas

2010-06-02T07:46:00.057-04:00

I promised Abby we'd go back to the Bahamas as soon as her baby sister's passport arrived. I never dreamed I'd be able to make good on that promise so soon. After trading duty weekends with my boss we found ourselves looking for someplace to go for the Memorial Day weekend. It ended up being kind of last minute so we got on VRBO.com to see what was available in Treasure Cay. We found a condo available at the Bahama Beach Club and on Saturday morning we were on our way!

We took off just before 9:00 am and were cleared as filed with our now usual route down to Melbourne then to Freeport and on to Treasure Cay. I could see on the XM weather and visually that a thunderstorm was building down south of Melbourne and moving north so I asked for and received clearance to turn towards Freeport a little early. The new route took us right over the two shuttle launch pads and gave a real good view of the shuttle assembly building. The rest of the flight went great. Mary did really well and her ear muffs now fit her perfect. She did manage to grace us with a poopy diaper enroute. I'll have to remember a Ziploc next time. It's hard to get rid of stinky diaper in the middle of a flight! Abby was great as usual too and we were on the ground in the Bahamas after a 2 hr and 45 min flight. We secured the plane, cleared customs, got a taxi, and were in the condo by 12:30 pm.

We had a great time, but being this was our first vacation type trip with Mary, we had to obviously adjust our routines to her. For the most part she did really well and slept fine. The day would usually start with some Fruit Loops (a vacation treat) and then Abby and I would walk the beach in the mornings looking for shells and enjoying the peaceful serenity of it all. We would make sandwiches for lunch and then we'd all head to the pool together.

After we swam awhile, we'd go get dried off and would cruise around in the golf cart checking out the local homes. Some of the beachfront homes are awesome! These trips were usually pretty good for putting Mary to sleep! We ate at the club's pool grill a few times and usually got dinner to go since Mary would already be asleep. Their food is excellent. They also put on a BBQ buffet one night that was really tasty!

Abby's big accomplishment for this trip was learning to snorkel. It also helped her lose tooth number 6! And yes, the tooth fairy does come to the Bahamas and pays handsomely in Bahamian money! It was very special for me to snorkel with Abby and watch how well she did and how much fun she had. We did manage to get out to South Point and snorkel around some rocks together. We found a lot of pretty reef fish and Abby even saw fish like Dory in Nemo (a Tang).

It was a nice short visit and we left for home on Tuesday. Unfortunately Treasure Cay did not have Avgas this time so we had to make the 15 minute hop to Marsh Harbor to get fuel and clear customs before heading back to the States. This added about and hour to the travel time, but as always the folks were very nice to work with and the facilities were great. Abby took a few pictures on this hop.

The flight to Fort Pierce was uneventful. Had to deviate a few times for build-ups and one thunderstorm over Freeport, but the ride was smooth and comfortable. The CBP officer at Fort Pierce was nice to work with. Abby was excited to have her passport stamped again. After having some lunch at the Airport Tiki and getting some more fuel, we took off for home. More build-ups had us weaving our way home, but an hour and half later we were back in Jacksonville after a fun Memorial Day vacation.

Can someone get me another drink with an umbrella in it !?!?!?!?

Daytona Beach Burger Run

2010-05-24T19:31:00.019-04:00

Our ultimate "Burger Run" got tremendously shorter with the opening of a Red Robin in Port Orange. It's located between Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach in a big new shopping area. The closest ones before were a 2 hour flight away. And yes, we'd fly 4 hours round trip just for Red Robin!

We still haven't made an overnight trip with the whole family in our plane. We hope to change that very soon, but we thought a quick flight to Daytona, which would be Mary's 2nd flight, would help us gain confidence in flying with Mary. As for Abby, she's as great a co-pilot as ever!

We took off yesterday afternoon around 2:30 pm and landed at Daytona International Airport (KDAB) about 45 minutes later. It was a nice flight and we were afforded great views of the coast, Daytona Beach, and the Daytona International Speedway along the way. Just off Runway 7L is Yelvington Jet Aviation, a FBO, where we chose to park the plane and have it topped of with avgas. They graciously lent us one of their crew cars and after seeing the wee ones in tow, the lineman was kind of enough to run and bring one of their SUVs right to the plane. Now that's service!

Within 5 minutes of our arrival we were on our way to Red Robin. It wasn't very far; it only took about 10 minutes to get there. We hit everything right. We were seated right away, the service was prompt, and the burgers were great. The best part, as many know, were the bottomless steak fries that you dip in their homemade ranch dressing. Mmm mmm good!

After stuffing ourselves, we headed back to the plane with a to-go order of fries for the FBO crew. It was hard not to keep them for ourselves, but the FBO had Otis Spunkmeyer chocolate chip cookies available to us. A fair trade I think. We were back on our way home about quarter past 5:00 pm and arrived a little after 6:00 pm. Mary did great and we hope to make a real trip very soon.

Staniel Cay, Bahamas - The Flight Home

2010-05-10T18:24:00.046-04:00

We both got a great night's sleep and woke up around 7:30 am. After we took showers and had our morning coffee on the deck, we headed to the clubhouse for some breakfast. We realized that of all the pictures we had taken, we never got both of us in them at the same time. So we imposed on a few folks to help us right that wrong. Breakfast was great as usual, but I just wasn't very hungry. We checked out and settled up our account at the bar and got our bags ready to go. One huge benefit to flying yourself is only being held to your own schedule. Not having to feel rushed to get to the airport or anything else sure helps to alleviate a lot of stress. Leaving the Staniel Cay Yacht Club was tough, but we have to leave in order to come back!

It didn't take long to load and pre-flight the plane. We were wheels up shortly after 10:00 am. Some remnant clouds from the front made for a low overcast layer for about 40 miles, but we had another nice ride and a beautiful flight over the Exumas as we headed back for North Eleuthera (MYEH). We touched down at MYEH about 45 minutes after leaving Staniel Cay (MYES).

White Crown Aviation, the FBO at MYEH, made our departure from the islands a breeze. After submitting our Immigration Cards, Passports, General Declaration Form C7, Cruising Permit, and $15 Departure Tax each, we settled up our fuel bill and called to notify US Custom and Border Protection (CBP) of our flight. They said they had our eApis manifest on file and were cleared for arrival back into the US. I'd say we were completely cleared, fueled, and ready to go in less than 15 minutes. Awesome service! I also asked about their 100LL fuel availability and they told me it would be a very rare occurrence for them to not have fuel as you might find at other airports in the islands. That’s just another huge reason why North Eleuthera and White Crown Aviation make it a perfect stop when traveling to and from the Bahamas.

After a short run up we were back in the air and bound for Fort Pierce, FL (KFPR). Climbing through 6,000 feet, I contacted Miami Center and received our IFR clearance. We were cleared direct ANGEE intersection then direct KFPR at 8,000 feet. Pretty easy. The westerly winds we enjoyed on the way down were still there so those headwinds made for a little longer of a flight home. No worries though. We had beautiful scenery to look at and great music to enjoy while we trudged along. Our route took us just south of Great Abaco and Castaway Cay then east and north of Freeport. As we passed Castaway Cay, we could see the Disney cruise ship at the dock. Just after Freeport we descended to 6,000 feet and then were instructed to be at 4,000 feet 25 NM southeast of ANGEE. After ANGEE we were vectored around a bit for traffic, but in no time we landed at Fort Pierce and taxied to the CBP ramp to clear back into the USA.

After shutting down, we unloaded our baggage and proceeded in to the customs building. The CBP officer was very nice to work with and after checking our passports, Customs Declaration, and luggage, we were cleared and headed back to the ramp to reloaded the plane. We caught the attention of the line-guy from APP Jet Center, formerly Volo Air, and asked him to tow the plane over to there ramp and top it off with fuel. I was very surprised to see them so busy. It took us a while to get our fuel, but it gave me time to check the weather and file our flight plan for our final leg home to Jacksonville.

Forty-five minutes after arriving at KFPR, we were back in the air and headed home. I noticed the XM weather depicted an AIRMET Tango for moderate turbulence along our track once we reached the Space Coast area. Sometimes it's hit or miss if you feel the turbulence when those AIRMETs are issued and it was spot on this time. Although we probably experienced "light" turbulence by definition, the occasional moderate turbulence definitely gave us an interesting ride for about 45 minutes. I slowed to the indicated airspeed for maneuvering or turbulence, about 116 knots. Even though we maintained that indicated airspeed, our ground speed would vary between 105 and 135 knots as we encountered various up and down drafts. Anyway, the views of Florida were great and the Kennedy Space Center was especially clear as we went buy. About and hour and thirty minutes after leaving KFPR, were back on the ground at KCRG in Jacksonville.

Flight times for this trip:

Thursday, 22 April 2010: KCRG --> MYEH --> MYES = 3.9 hours
Tuesday, 27 April 2010: MYES --> MYEH --> KFPR --> KCRG = 5.3 hours

Boy that extra stop and those headwinds sure made a difference, but still way faster both times than if we had tried to do this via commercial airlines! Hmmmmmmmmm.................I wonder when we can go back?!?!?!?!?!?

Staniel Cay, Bahamas - Day Five

2010-05-09T18:23:00.028-04:00

As predicted, the winds had increased and were now out of the west. We headed off for breakfast and found out that maybe around noon we might be able to take a boat out. The winds were forecasted to subside after lunch for a while before the front was expected to come through later in the day.

We decided to take it easy around the yacht club for the morning and enjoyed a hot lunch at the bar for a change. Just as it is for dinner, the portions are fit for a king! I had the Conch Bits with fries and Dad had their Club Sandwich with fries. Delicious! Just as we finished lunch we were told we could take a boat out for a bit, but to stay close. I asked what close was and they said Pipe Cay. Perfect! All we wanted was one more trip to the sandbar.

We arrived at the sandbar east of Little Pipe Cay in about 25 minutes and this time we made it at low tide. We set off looking for treasures, but couldn't help keeping an eye to the north as the sky was looking more and more threatening. We found a few treasures and another Helmet again, but not one we could take since the animal was still in it. Even though we had been keeping a good eye on the clouds, we both noticed the approaching weather was looking a little more ominous and we decided it was definitely time to go!

No sooner were we back in the boat heading south for Staniel Cay did the calm air turn to strong, cold winds leading from the frontal clouds. Our smooth ride was over and the real adventure began. We tried to stay in some of the protected areas, but had to transit some open areas to get back and with the increasing winds and strong opposing currents, the seas were getting angry!

Well it really wasn't that bad, but it sure seemed like it for a while. The Boston Whaler boat we had is unsinkable by design and let me just say we took on enough sea water to give the girl a good go. She preformed excellently and we trudged along safely making it back to the yacht club. My dad may be a retired Army land lubber, but he's a Salty Dog now! I unloaded the boat and dad went up to make sure we got our dinner order in on time. And since we just had quite an amazing little adventure, I suggested to Dad he might want to bring 2 large Rum Punches back from the bar! He graciously obliged. We finished our drinks and took it easy for the rest of the afternoon while we watched the rain and thunderstorms come through.

Our final dinner for our stay was fabulous as always. Dad just couldn't get enough of the lobster, but I decided to go with the steak again. The dining room was a little quieter that night since a lot of folks had left and many of the yachts had departed seeking more sheltered moorings. No worries though, it was a quiet rest of the evening and we enjoyed talking on the porch a little more and began packing for the following day's trip home. As with every night of our stay, I slept very well.

Staniel Cay, Bahamas - Day Four

2010-05-07T10:14:00.032-04:00

Our fourth day at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club found us heading out in search of some new beaches. We decided to cruise out to Sand Cay after seeing it in the distance the last few days. The winds had shifted to more out of the south now so our calm side of the islands started to become more exposed to the weather. No worries, the ride was pretty good and we made it out there in no time. Again, we found ourselves alone on this beautiful piece of The Bahamas. While my dad set out exploring for shells, I went snorkeling.

The beach was amazing and my dad quickly found some new treasures. The Milk Conch shells were everywhere. The snorkeling here was great. I saw some great sponge and coral formations, beautiful fish, a Sea Cucumber and even a Barracuda!
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After spending some time exploring Sandy Cay, we loaded up again and headed north for a short trip to Twin Cay. It was time for lunch so sat out on the beach, enjoyed the views, and ate our wonderful lunch that the yacht club staff had made for us. After lunch, Dad and I ventured out again for our own versions of exploring; he on the beach, me in the water.

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My dad found some tiny treasures and I found a yellow and black striped fish with blue marks on its fin that I had never seen before. Can anyone ID it for me? I even spotted a Bristle Worm as well as a tiny Banded Shrimp hidning in a Sea Anemone. This place is amazing!

After lunch we made the short trip back to the sandbar at Little Pipe Cay, but we were a little late. We had missed low tide and most of the sandbar that gave us all the treasure before, was already submerged. I promised my dad we'd try to time it better tomorrow. It was getting late so we started to head back, but not before another stop at Thunderball Grotto so I can chase the Queen Butterfly fish again with my camera. I managed to get some good shots, but some were closer than I was ready for since she seemed to be chasing me this time!

After some good naps and enjoying the peacefulness from our deck, we headed back to the club house for dinner. Oh yeah, lobster again! We found a boat named "Sugar Bear" moored at the yacht club. I had to get a picture since that is the nickname my wife uses for our oldest daughter! I went ahead and signed up for wireless internet since I wanted to start watching the weather for our flight home and to be able to file our flight plan when the time came. For those that know my Dad, it didn't take him long to start playing Solitaire!

Staniel Cay, Bahamas - Day Three

2010-05-05T22:22:00.043-04:00

We awoke again to another beautiful morning in paradise. Breakfast was great and we were quickly loaded up and underway to see what we could find in the Exumas today! The last major item on the tourist "punch list" was Compass Cay to the north so we decided to head all the way up there first and then work our way back towards Staniel.

After 45 minutes of cruising in the boat, we finally arrived at the Compass Cay Marina. The attraction here is to be able to see and swim with the semi-tame nurse sharks. I was really looking forward to getting some good shark pictures for my daughter. Unfortunately this turned out to be the only disappointment we experienced on our trip. As we approached the docks we noticed signs stating it was $8 PER PERSON to land there! You have got to be kidding me! In the boat we had lunch, rum punch, snorkel & beach gear, water, gas, an emergency radio, and flares. Why would I need to bring any money?!?!?! Needless to say, we promptly turned around and proceeded back out into the mesmerizing blue waters of the Exumas and found better places to see. I'm sure it would have been an experience, but if you ask me, save your money and explore elsewhere. There are plenty of nurse sharks swimming around the docks and cottages of the Staniel Cay Yacht Club; you can enjoy them there.

We cruised down the west side of Pipe Cay and then back inside where we found a sand bar on the east side of Little Pipe Cay. We just happened to find this at low tide in an effort to find an area my Dad could look for shells. We hit the mother load! There were conch shells, sand dollars, starfish, and sea biscuits everywhere. Most of the shells still had live animals in them which we tossed back into the water. We did find quite a few nice shells with nothing in them and they were coming back with us! My dad was really excited about finding a lot of Milk Conch. We also found a few Helmet shells. As we searched along we came by a tiny octopus scooting across the dry area in search of water. We picked it up and took it to the open water where we watched it happily swim away. Well, at least I think we made it happy! We spent quite awhile on the sand bar before heading out. This became Dad's favorite spot.

Our next stop was a short ride across to Thomas Cay where we had lunch. We didn't explore too much, but you could tell this was one of many spots where they harvest conch. The cracked and emptied shells were all over the upper part of the beach. As always, the views were amazing.

After lunch we cruised down to Sampson Cay. Just past the marina we had to get out and walk the boat through the shallows till we were clear on the south side. We then went by Major Spot again, where the pigs are, and marveled at the mega-yachts anchored in the area.

From there we stopped at Thunderball Grotto again before heading back to the dock and calling it a day. Dinner was wonderful again, but we decided to try something different. We both ordered the steak. Boy I thought the lobster was huge. The steaks were just as big, tender, and perfectly cooked. We sure are getting spoiled!

Staniel Cay, Bahamas - Day Two

2010-05-03T22:07:00.057-04:00

We quickly fell into a daily routine during our stay at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club. We would get up around 8:00 am or so and enjoy some coffee on the deck before cleaning up and heading to the clubhouse for breakfast. The breakfasts were great and you could get eggs to order, bacon or sausage, and toast as well as omelets, pancakes, French toast, fruit plates, and more.

During breakfast we would ask for a boat and boxed lunches. For lunch you can get ham, turkey, or tuna sandwiches and they also pack chips, fruit, and drinks in a cooler for you. They also kindly showed me where I can get ice for our rum punch cooler! The placemats at the tables are the same charts/maps they give you to explore the area so by the end of breakfast, we pretty much had decided where we would explore for the day.

After breakfast, we would head back to the cottage, apply the day's first sunscreen, and load up the boat. The weather was great for most of our stay except the last day, but I'll tell that story later.

The first place we visited was Thunderball Grotto just across the yacht club to the north for some snorkeling. Some of the James Bond film Thunderball was shot here. At low tide you can enter the grotto on the east or west side, but the west side is calmer and has a mooring buoy to use for the boats. There are tons of beautiful fish in the grotto, but the first you'll likely encounter is a large school of Sergeant Majors hoping you brought them some treats! There were three Queen Angelfish that really caught my eye with one in particular that was quite big. Their beautiful colors were mesmerizing.

From the grotto we headed north to the west side of Major Spot to see the swimming pigs. No sooner do you round the point and they start coming out of the bushes and into the water to eagerly await you arrival. If you ask the staff at breakfast, they'll put some extra food scraps in you cooler for the pigs and you better not show up empty handed. My dad and I were surprised at how aggressive some of the pigs were. They would put their front hooves up on the boat rail looking for food, but one actually lunged halfway into the boat! Needless to say, my dad quickly found out that having the oar ready to fend off was a must. We gave them our apples, took pictures, and proceeded on our way.

Our next stop was a beach on the east side of Major Spot. We stopped here for lunch and explored a bit. After lunch my dad walked the beach for shells while I snorkeled out to a small reef just off the beach. Right off the bat I found a huge ray! Right next to us was the battered hull of a sailboat that washed up on the rocks. My dad wanted to know how that was possible. On the last day with the only bad weather we encountered, he quickly realized how! Again, I'll save that story for later.

After lunch we headed south along the ocean side of Staniel Cay. Big mistake! It's a little rough and no way to safely beach the boat. If you want to explore those areas of Staniel, take a bike or rent a golf cart and explore that way. We continued south to Bitter Guana Cay where you can find iguanas. Again, another group of "wild" animals quickly came to greet us looking for treats. No worries, dad had his oar ready. The iguanas must only have a short term memory. No sooner do they turn around and leave because they realize you have no food for them, they turn around and come right back like you just arrived! Anyway, we hiked to the top of the hill and took in the phenomenal views. After walking the beach a bit we were underway again.

We found a very small cay on the way back to the yacht club between Bitter Guana and Lumbar Cays that had a very small beach and some reef. It was a jackpot for my dad. We finally found him some shells. While he searched for treasures, I snorkeled out to and around a nearby rock. It's amazing the fish life you can encounter in just a small area. We finished up here and headed back to the yacht club.

Even though we didn't care about time and just enjoyed our days, you do need to be back before 5:00 pm to return the boat and most importantly get your dinner order in! We got back, cleaned up, and took naps. Dinner was wonderful again and course we had to have the lobster. Why not? This place is amazing.