Trips I've taken

[Kent Ashton]

I am getting old. Getting out and going places seems like a bit a hassle these days; it is certainly easy to stay home.  But when I look at maps, study airports and check train schedules, it gets the juices flowing to go somewhere, which, after all, is why we build these airplanes.  I will post some trips I've taken and maybe add to them.   Maybe it'll get your juices flowing to go somewhere, too.

 

Savannah -  What a wonderful town!  I was first introduced to Savannah when we got weathered-in there trying to return VFR from Florida.  We landed at the Savannah International airport (KSAV), parked at the FBO and stayed in a motel within walking distance.  We took a cab into town for several days until finally giving up a renting a car to get back to Charlotte.  Savannah is full of history; I enjoyed simply walking along the waterfront and looking at old buildings that were once wharves and warehouses for the cotton trade.  A special treat for me is to see a huge container ship going to the Port of Savannah.  The waterfront is rather touristy but the buildings have not changed and it's easy to imagine the pre-civil war past.  It is a beautiful city for walking with good museums.  Since then, we have returned, hosted by a friend who made reservations each year at the Savannah Music Festival.  One year we saw James Brown; another time, Wynton Marcalis.  It is an excellent festival with lots of variety.

http://www.savannahmusicfestival.org

 

I believe we parked at Signature in KSAV.  It was nice and not too expensive.  I see there is a second FBO there now.  I always read the FBO comments at Airnav.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/KSAV

 

After our first time, we landed at Fort Stewart-KLHW which has become a joint use airfield in recent years and our friend picked us up.  It is a little far from downtown Savannah but has a new terminal building and self-serve gas.  Easy in and out around the Ft Stewart airspace.   It might be a good choice with an Uber into town.

 

If you have taken a good trip, describe where you landed and how it went.

[Kent Ashton]

Washington, DC -  Ha!  Not _downtown_ Washington, I am saving that for a gyrocopter trip!

 

However we flew into Manassa Regional a few years ago which is inside the Washington SFRA.  http://www.airnav.com/airport/KHEF

To fly into the SFRA you have to take a course and get a certificate  https://www.faasafety.gov/gslac/ALC/courseLanding.aspx?cID=405

There are some special filing requirements summarized here  

https://www.faasafety.gov/files/gslac/courses/content/405/1310/170301%20Kneeboard%20-%20DC%20SFRA%20Checklist.pdf

 

Anyway, I got all my ducks in a row and filed VFR from N.C. to the "Fluky gate".  When I showed up and made contact with approach they'd never heard of me so I had to land outside the SFRA at Warrenton and refile.  As I recall, you cannot file a SFRA flight from the air.  No big deal; we did not have to get out of the airplane.  This time approach let us in and it was like any other airport.

 

Manassas is a good choice because the Manassas train station is just a short walk from the airport.  We took the train into Alexandria and stayed at a hotel there and took the tube each day into Our Capital.  Pretty easy connections.   https://www.vre.org/service/map/

 

On the flight out of Manassas, Washington Departure did not pick up our squawk and told us to return to the airport.  By that time I was almost to the SFRA boundary--the boundary is only 6 miles SW-- but the authorities won't let you do that.  I thought I would have to land again and sort it out but somehow back in the Manassas pattern, DC approach got our squawk and let us depart.  Fun trip.

Edited October 8, 2017 by Kent Ashton

[Kent Ashton]

I had a tour in Germany  in the 80s and joined a glider club.  A great experience.  I already  had the glider rating from a tour in Las Vegas but never did much with it.  Frankly, I found it much scarier than flying fighters.  I never really got confident in gliders.  Flying around the airfield was just fine but going cross-country;  Whoa, scarey!.  The Germans were very friendly and welcomed me into the club; the old-timers in the club regularly flew 600 km triangles around southern Germany:  On a Saturday they would fly from Stuttgart to the Swiss Alps, to the Inner German border (border with the old E. Germany) , and back.   One time I went out to fly a 30 km triangle to get my U.S. license upgraded to a German license and landed out about five miles from the field where I took off.  The Germans had to come retrieve my glider.  Very humbling.  It is still a wonder full cheap way to fly.  I wish I had a site nearby.

 

I have been watching this fellow's posts lately on Youtube.  

[Barry]

"I have been watching this fellow's posts lately on Youtube."

 

Me too. Found them a few months back. Extraordinary. Must be nice to live so close to mountain lift.

[Jon Matcho]

I have heard -- and I believe it -- that if you can fly a glider you can fly just about anything.

[Barry]

" I wish I had a site nearby."

 

How nearby?

 

http://piedmontsoaring.net/

 

From my home in Huntersville, just short of an hour...

[Kent Ashton]

Boston - A question on the Cozybuilder's list reminded me that we flew into Norwood once (KOWD) and stayed at a Hilton in Dedham a little north of the airport.  The hotel picked us up at the airport.  From then on it was a short walk each day to the Dedham Corporate Center light rail station.  The hotel was reasonable.  That's the kind of trip I like.  Give it a try sometime but maybe not this time of year.  :-)

http://vfrmap.com/?type=vfrc&lat=42.191&lon=-71.173&zoom=10

[Kent Ashton]

Flew to Sun n Fun for a couple days. Only saw one other Cozy (Del Shier), a couple of EZs and Lance Hooley’s jet EZ. My plan was to sit by the airplane and talk canards with interested persons but then they run you off Homebuilt parking as early as 11:30 to clear the area for the stupid airshow. Gheesh! Anyway, i met a couple of guys from the internet. It was nice to talk in-person.

 

Easy-peasy getting in and out this year and saw a 15-20 kt tailwind going back home.

 

SnF is disappointing these days. Saw lots of expensive kits and certified planes; not much for the hard-core scratch builder. My friend showed me some new ADSB stuff from uAvionics. I tried the $100 headphones from Wicom and will buy a pair.

 

Robert Harris of EZjet fame in Covington, TN said he has 20 canards under repair or restoration at his shops. He said a lot come with zero documentation and wiring is a big puzzle. Now there’s a fellow who’s got some stories!

[Kent Ashton]

correction: uAvionix

[Kent Ashton]

DROVE to Kenosha, Wisconsin to see some relatives this weekend.  This is about a 3+30 trip in the Cozy but two days and a night in a motel by Subaru.  The weather was just too bad over the Appalachians to get out of N.C and still pretty bad on return.  I don't think I would have filed IFR even if I was current.  Normally I would just put the trip off a day or two but the wife had a family reunion scheduled so we had to be there.   Sure makes one appreciate the airplane.

On the way back, an SUV drifted way over into my lane and gave us a fright.

We spent a night at Grissom Air Reserve Base near Peru, Indiana.  It's an old Navy and SAC base, originally Bunker Hill AFB.  Now the larger base has closed but a smaller part is home to a Reserve tanker squadron.  It has a really nice outdoor air musuem with a B-58 Hustler, among other aircraft.  Worth a stop.