Sandra flies again on the 19th and starts planning for her long XC on Thanksgiving weekend. We go out to the airport on the 24th so she can practice some more and find the Mouse hunkered in the back of the hangar behind the 152 and the Debonair. Oh well, come back on the 24th to try again. Since Sandra is the pilot, she does the preflight. When she turns on the master switch, the beacon and strobe do not light. For some reason, the battery appears to be dead. Complete the preflight and pull it out. I move the minivan over and hook up jumper cables. Still no lights, no TC gyro, no fuel pump.
Push it back inside and start troubleshooting. The battery appears to have good voltage, but I pull it out and we take it over to Mark Artizone’s to check. The voltage is good, even under load. Mark puts it on the charger for a few minutes anyway and then we go back to check out some more stuff. We finally determine that the master switch has gone suddenly, completely dead. No flying today.
The weather now goes into the winter pattern. I go pick up a new switch on Friday in a cold driving rain. The first reasonably warm day, I go out and replace the switch that had given 34 years of good service.
The next decent day was 12/29. We go out and I fly around for about an hour then we go to the gas pumps. Sandra takes it out while I walk back to the north end. She goes to the practice area for a while and then comes back for some landing practice. The first one is decent and the second approach looks good but she bounces. To my horror, I see the plane porpoise and come down on the nose wheel. I am silently screaming “Go around! Go around”, as the plane rises up and noses down towards the asphalt the second time. I hear the power coming up, and the second nose wheel contact is mitigated as the prop begins to give the plane some speed. No harm, no foul. The final landing is a good one and she calls it a day.
January 2nd is a pretty day if a bit windy. Sandra sets up lunch in Georgetown with a friend of hers from 25 years ago and we set off. After takeoff, all I can get out of Dallas approach is a flight following squawk code and “remain clear of the Bravo”. No problem, we go around the east side and climb to 4500’ over Lancaster. Our ground speed drops nearly 10 knots from 3500’, so we go back down. We paddle on and after a small deviation over Salado for jumpers, set up for a straight-in at Georgetown.
Karin and her daughter soon arrive and we head for town and a meal. After a couple of hours, it is time to head for home. We make much better time with the wind behind us and have no trouble getting routed across Redbird to Love to home. Our groundspeed going down was 91kts and coming back was 123kts.
As of Jan 1, I am now the South Central Regional Director for the Beech Aero Club. That covers NM, OK, TX, AR and LA.. My first act is to try to set up a fly in for the monthly Tex-Mex lunch at DTO (Denton) on Feb 28. On Feb 15, we flew over there to check it out. Nice setup. I dotted all the I’s and crossed all the t’s and there were 6 or 7 Mice scheduled to be there. But the weather as well as the wind was mid 30s. No-go, we cancelled on Friday afternoon and re-scheduled for Mar 28.
March 18 was a pretty day, but windy. We were both antsy, so we flew to McAlester for lunch. Nothing special, we ate decent hamburgers in a small café in downtown. The groundspeed going was 127 and coming was 88. That was a windy day.
By the first of the week, weather was not looking good for Saturday and it only got worse. On Saturday, it was mid 30s (wind and temp), the wind was out of the west and there was a solid overcast at about 2500’. I didn’t cancel it this time, needing to get it off the books. We drove over and were the only visitors in attendance.
April is annual month and we want to go to Sun ‘n’ Fun this year. So we do the annual first. We have 2 things in addition to the routine items; replace the CHT probes and the vacuum is running very high. I ordered new probes and started in. On the 14th, I pulled it out for the test flight and just as the engine caught, I noticed that the floating portion of the panel looked strange. All of the shock mounts on the right side had separated and it was tilted to the right. I took off and flew around for a little while, then gassed it up for the first leg to SnF. The vacuum is still high and follows the rpm, even with all new filters, so that will have to be fixed as well as the panel mounts before we go.
Go home and order the panel mounts and check with the Mouse Guru about the vacuum problem. The regulator is stuck and I can maybe free it by spraying some lubricant into it. On Thursday we go out and I crawl under the panel to remove the foam filter on the regulator. It crumbles in my fingers as soon as I touch it. The regulator will have to come out, if for no other reason than to get all the crumbles out of it before lubing it. What the heck, call Tex Air and order a new one. After doing tremendous damage to my hands, I finally get the old one out.
The panel mounts arrive Friday evening, but we have a family reunion to go to on Saturday. Not knowing how long it will take for the mounts and the regulator, I go out on Sunday to fix the panel. It is only a little difficult with only a couple of “oops!” to contend with. Monday morning, I called Tex Air and they have the regulator in hand. Get on my horse and go get it, then out to the airport to put it in. After a couple of “gotchas”, it is in. Pull the bird out and fire up. Nothing I do will get the vacuum gauge over 5lbs, so this is fixed. Next stop, Sun ‘n’ Fun!
Sun ‘n’ Fun
What is Sun ‘n’ Fun? It is the second largest General Aviation event in the US. Only AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI is larger. These two events are the Mecca’s for all private pilots. One should attend at least one if not both of them at least once in their lifetime. Sun ‘n’ Fun, held in Lakeland, FL, has the advantage of having a large number of good airports within 20 miles. It is located right between Tampa and Orlando, so it has a large tourist industry which means plentiful accommodations.
Our plan is to leave here Tuesday the 21st, spend that night in Alabama and arrive in the Lakeland area on the 22nd. By Sunday, the weather is looking good and only the vacuum regulator still needs to be fixed. Plans are finalized and we start packing.
Day 1, Vicksburg and Troy, AL
We are away and headed east at 9:15AM. Dallas holds us at 3500 until we are past Ray Hubbard, then up to 5500’. Smooth air and some scattered puffies all the way to Vicksburg with a good tailwind. We go just north of Shreveport and over Monroe and start down for KVKS. With the tailwind, the Mouse doesn’t want to come down and I have to do some serious S turns to get to pattern altitude. Sandra says that she could tell when I caught up with the airplane on downwind. We floated a little long, but survived the landing. 300nm, groundspeed 124kts.
The FBO is being gutted and remodeled, so the facilities are in a trailer. I order fuel and we take the crew car into town for lunch. We ate downtown at a place where you sit at a big round table and serve yourself from a lazy Susan. Good soul food. Then back out to the airport for leg 2.
We are off about 1:15 and climb back to 5500’. This time, it is only fairly smooth and there are more clouds. A line of rain is supposed to move across our destination between 2 and 3, leaving gusty winds. We drone over Quitman, MS and into Alabama. The Camden and Pine Hill MOAs are active, but Moody clears us across them at 5500’. We see a couple of fighter jets maneuvering northeast of us and watch clouds coming down way to the east. We never catch up with them and the sun is shining on Troy when we get there.
But the wind! It is 340 to 360 @ 14G29. This will get your attention! The tower directs us into a left downwind for 32, and as we turn base, the airplane seems to actually stop right in midair. Nurse it onto final and speed up, slow down, speed up, slow down. Only two notches of flaps and about 10kts more speed on final is mandatory, but the approach is still hairy. Finally touchdown and skip from left main to right main several times before the Mouse stops trying to fly. That was at best an arrival, not a landing. 252nm, groundspeed 118kts.
Order fuel and make arrangements for a tie down for the night. The Enterprise guy takes us back to their place and during the car checkout, they can’t get the trunk to latch. Transfer everything to another car and drive the 1.5 miles to the motel. I’m still so wound up from that landing that I have to walk around the motel twice before I come down. Freshen up and watch the news then out to dinner.
The best recommendation is Yanni’s Steak House in the same center as the Enterprise office, so that is where we go. The food was good and reasonable, but not memorable. Back to the motel, check email etc and then to bed.
Day 2, Gainesville, Bartow and Lakeland.
The flight to Gainesville will be only a little over 2 hours with the expected tailwind, but we will lose an hour going into the eastern time zone. We pack and eat breakfast (the motel waffle maker was broken, but I made do), then call Enterprise. They have someone to return us to the airport, so we go “turn in” the car and ride to the airport. The FBO has the plane returned from the tie down area and fueled. After preflight and briefing, we lift off at 9:15.
We know the tailwind is real as our groundspeed climbing to 5500’ is over 100kts. Level over the scattered puffies, we show speeds from 145 to 150kts. The air is smooth and we comfortably drone on over Blakely, GA, turn 25 degrees to the right over Valdosta. and into Florida. We pass about 5 miles west of Lake City and begin a descent into Gainesville. The tower puts on a right base to 29 and in the crosswind, we land as well as we can. 238nm, groundspeed 133kts.
We are back in the air again, shortly after 2 and headed south. The tailwind is gone, but the air is still smooth. There are a few clouds and south of Ocala, we see large fires near the gulf. We listen, chuckling, as some yahoo argues with Jacksonville about going into Lakeland. He is finally told to do what Jax tells him or cancel IFR, now who else needs service? South of Inverness, we have to dip down to 5000 to get under the plume from the fires, But the rest of the trip into Bartow is routine. Bartow gives us a right base to 27R, clear to land, caution, wake turbulence from landing Lear jet. The approach is good and just before touchdown, we hit his bubble. Balloon up several feet and lose all our airspeed. We are deposited firmly on the runway and exit at Taxiway F. 108nm, Groundspeed 108kts.
A “follow me” picks us up and guides us to a tie down right under the tower. The follow me guy helps us throw our stuff on his golf cart and after the plane is secured and pictures taken, he takes us to the FBO. Sandra picks up the car while I check in with the FBO.
Due to arrangements made and revised up through Monday night, The plane will stay in Bartow, 15 miles SE of Lakeland, and we will stay in Davenport, 50 miles NE of Lakeland. The principal reason for staying in Davenport was the availability of a time-share condo that we could have for free. But we didn’t have confirmation on it until 8:00PM Monday night. While waiting for confirmation on the condo, I had found a room in Bartow and made car arrangements, etc. there. It will make for some distance, AKA mileage on the rental car, but the price (free) is right. On the drive from KBOW to Davenport, I call Doug to check on events for tonight and our tickets to Sun ‘n’ Fun. A group is meeting at 6:00 for dinner at the Texas Cattle Company in downtown Lakeland. And Doug will bring our passes with him. Find the Condo and check in. It is PLUSH! 2 bedroom, ground floor full kitchen and Jacuzzi. After checking in and getting driving directions to dinner, we just have time to relax for a few minutes before heading for Lakeland.
Off of I4 onto US98, and the right lane comes to a complete stop. We finally squeeze into the left lane and a block later discover that the right lane is all trying to get into the Popeye’s. Why, on a Wednesday night?
There were 8 of us for dinner and Sandra and I each had as good a steak as we have ever eaten. Along with the usual banter of pilots gathered anywhere. It broke up around 8:30 and we headed for Davenport, back up 98. The line trying to get into Popeye’s is still there. We hit a supermarket on the way “home” to get breakfasts for the next 3 days. After a soak in the Jacuzzi, we retired for the night.
Day 3, our day at Sun ‘n’ Fun.
We had no problem finding Sun ‘n’ Fun, but no one knew how to get to the Yellow parking area. We finally got parked where we were supposed to be and joined the throng. First order (after a liberal application of sunscreen) was to verify where the BAC gathering spots were. After a little wandering, we found the Type Club Tent and the BAC table where we would be “working” tomorrow. Then along the exhibitors areas to the “Oak Tree” sitting area “sponsored” by BAC. After sitting there for a while, we browsed some exhibits, then looked for lunch. We were seduced by the “London Broil” sandwiches, which were as good as they smelled.
Back past the tent and to the ice cream stand for strawberry shortcake. REAL strawberry shortcake, yum! Hit some more exhibits on the way back to the Oak Tree to watch the last air show of the day. Then stagger back to the car and join the creeping traffic jam getting out. The restaurant is about 5 miles east on Pipkin Road, but the entire world is currently paddling east on Pipkin Road. The drive takes nearly 30 minutes.
We finally make it to the 7-11 across from the restaurant to clean up a bit (lordy, sunscreen tastes awful when you are rinsing it off your face.) Then across the street to the Bonefish Grill. Yes, the same chain as the one in Henderson, NV where we had to have help getting back into the car.
The group numbers over 30. The food and fellowship are both equally excellent. The only complaint is that we are at one long table with half of us on a bench along the wall. There is no way to talk with people other than those across from you or next to you. In defense of Bonefish, there was another large party there also (Garmin folks) and this arrangement was probably the best they could do. The service was efficient and fast and the food matched our memory of Nevada.
The gathering began breaking up around 8:00 and by 8:30, we were on our way back to Davenport for the night. The route back to I4 takes us up 98 again and tonight there is no line at Popeye’s. Home to the condo to do laundry, tired, dirty and stuffed. What a great day it has been!
Day 4, The BAC Table and the night air show.
Our shift at the BAC Table is 11-3, so we leave Davenport about 9:30. From what we learned coming back from last night, we are going to take Polk Parkway around to Highway 37 and then west on Pipkin. Big mistake! Polk is a “turnpike” with a tollbooth every 3-5 miles. It cost us $4.00 in tolls to get to 37. But we were at the Type Club Tent well in front of our start time.
There was little business going on. We had less than 5 visitors in 4 hours. But we could see much of the flight line and most of the aerial performances. About noonish, Sandra went in search of lunch and brought back a barbecued pork sandwich and a large glass of iced tea. With the refill I got when I took the tray back, it lasted the afternoon.
When we were duly relieved at 3:00, we made a break for the internet café to check mail and then got ice cream to take to the Oak Tree. Shortly after 4, we started making our way back to the car to beat the exit rush. We explored our way around to the area where we would watch the night air show. Then we had time to kill until 7:30.
We stopped at a QT to clean up some and as we were getting back into the car a couple pulled up to a pump in a 1956 Ford Fairlane Sunliner. Top down, it was immaculate and simply gorgeous. We waved at the woman as we pulled out. We slowly drove around the shopping center parking lot behind the station and as we were working our way back to the street, we see a group of classic cars with the Ford pulling up amongst them. We stopped and went over to drool on them. The 1940 Chevy was nice, but none of them compared with the Sunliner.
We drove up the west side of Lakeland and spent nearly an hour sitting in a park by a small lake. We decided that we only wanted something light for supper tonight, so we found a Subway. We returned to the Hilton for the air show just after 7:00. The promised observation deck was closed (Someone made Hilton a better offer), but they had set up chairs, tables, grill and bar in a corner of the parking lot. This was not as good as the deck would have been, but better than those people parked on the large vacant lot next door.
At dusk, the show started. First, a single T6 performed an aerial ballet. Then a pair did formation aerobatics. For this show, the planes had lights mounted so that they shone into the smoke stream, giving the appearance of them trailing a white plume. Next, came four T6s who put on a really good show. We also watched the Army Golden Knights do parachute jumps with flares. At 9:30, we said our goodbyes and headed for Davenport.
Day 5, to the Keys.
We check out of the condo and head for Bartow. After the normal stuff, we get the bags to the plane, preflight and load up. Taxi over to the fuel pumps and load some gas. We depart from 9L with a right turnout at 10:00 and climb to 5500’. There are scattered to broken clouds below us, but lots of useable ground visibility.
We pass over La Belle, just east of Fort Myers and can almost see Lake Okeechobee through the cloud breaks. The girl handling Approach has trouble reading Com 1, but crossing Alligator Alley, we are passed to Miami Center and they have no trouble with Com 1. Must have been her problem, not ours. We pass east of Everglades City and over the mangrove swamps. These continue as we fly over the coastline and then over the open water at East Cape, leaving the clouds behind. We can already see the clouds over the Keys, 22 miles away.
The line guy takes us back to the FBO and we check in while Sandra picks up the car. We drive back out to the plane for the bags and then head for lunch. On the FBO’s say so, we go to Keys Fisheries. This is a strange spot. It is a building on a pier and you place your order at an outside window. Instead of a name, you give the the name of a TV program which they use to announce that your order is ready. (I think we used NCIS) It was interesting to listen to what was being called out, everything from Green Acres to The O’Reilly Factor. The food was simply excellent.
Tummies full, we head for Key West. What a mess! It is Saturday afternoon and parking downtown is not available for less than $20.00. There is a slowly moving traffic jam on every street, exacerbated by bicycles, scooters and golf carts. We make a few pictures and head back for Marathon.
When we check into our motel (Banana Bay), we learn that they have their own private beach as well as pool, boat basin, etc. Why didn’t we just vege out here and skip the mess in Key West? Sandra goes out while I check email and the long range weather. It ain’t looking good for Texas next week. The decision is to just continue on our original schedule until we can’t.
We eat dinner at Castaways, another boatyard type place on the desk clerk’s recommendation. We shared a patio table (and some of our seafood) with one of the most accomplished feline beggars we have ever seen. If you could deny her pleadings, you have no heart.
After dinner we drove up to the upper end of the island and then got stopped in the worst traffic jam we have seen before we could get back to the motel. There was a building fire about 1 ½ blocks from where we stopped and they had to roll the fire hoses across the highway. No traffic went in either direction for over an hour.
Day 6, Miami, up the east coast and Lake City, FL
Our morning leg is to be up the keys, over Miami (with Miami Approach’s permission) and up the coast to Fort Pierce for lunch. This will be about 200nm, but we will have about a 20knot headwind until we turn north. After breakfast, we check out of the motel/resort and head for the airport. We drive out to the plane and load the baggage, then I preflight and we push the plane to the pumps. Sandra takes the car back to the FBO while I pump gas and then Taxi to the FBO.
Get my briefing and make one last potty stop and we are in the air about 9:45. At 5500’, we are above the few clouds at 3000, but they become more numerous as we approach the mainland. Over key Largo and Barnes Sound, we turn north and Miami soon brings us down to 2000’ then over Biscayne Bay, down to 1500. They send us across the bay and out over the water off Miami Beach. Sandra makes video and pictures as I try to hold altitude and position as instructed. Past the north end of Miami Beach, we come on-shore and back up to 2500. Continuing just onshore, we go back to 3500 over Fort Lauderdale for the rest of the way into Fort Pierce, passing over all the familiar names; Pompano Beach, Boca Raton, Palm Beach and Port St Lucie.
Fort Pierce directs us into a left downwind for 09 in front of a Sierra arriving from the east (Paul Werbin, I presume). Again with the gusty, double digit winds and a firm landing. 189nm, Groundspeed 100kts.
We taxi into Volo Aviation and shut down. I order fuel and we eat lunch in the on-field restaurant. After lunch, I call FSS for a new briefing. I ask for VFR from FPR to Lake City and the briefer starts in with the TFRs and NOTAMs for Lakeland and Orlando. I stop him and say that we will be continuing up the coast to Saint Augustine before turning inland. That simplified everything.
By 1:45, we are in the air again, continuing up the coast at 3500’, past Vero Beach and Melbourne. We fly over Space Coast airport and Titusville with the Cape Canaveral complex just off our right wing and on towards Daytona Beach. We know that the racetrack is just north of the airport but discover that it actually abuts the airport, nestling between the N-S and E-W runways.
Major sightseeing done, we go up to 4500 and our ground speed picks up. Over Saint Augustine, we turn west and head inland. Very quickly, we can see right down the runway at Lake City. Drop down to pattern altitude and fly straight into the downwind for 10. 222nm, groundspeed 116kts and another landing into gusty double digit winds. Am I ever going to get a break? After some negotiation, we are given the crew car for the night. We have reservations at the Hampton, so we go check in. The motel is nearly new, and very nice. After freshening up a bit, we went to dinner at Cedar River Seafood. Pretty good, but not spectacular and then after a detour by TCBY, back to the room for the night.
Day 7, Destin and then into the weather.
We have now come up against the current weather situation. The high pressure system that has produced the gusty easterly winds that we have seen for the last 6 days is absolutely stationary over South Carolina, and it is huge and strong. It is blocking any cold fronts from following the normal pattern east. As a result it has been cloudy and rainy over most of Texas and most of the time, the clouds and rain extend over Louisiana into Mississippi. Today’s flight will take us into MS.
Lunch is intended to be in Destin, FL and our original overnight was to be Brookhaven, MS. I get only a briefing for Destin, intending to update it after lunch and we take off about 9:45 EDT. We climb to 4500’ and drone west. Just past Tallahassee, the clouds ahead of us get higher than we like, so knowing that we will go the last 50 miles or so into Destin at 2500 or less, we go down to get under them.
Sure enough, we are told to maintain 2500 just east of Panama City. With Tyndall AFB to the left, we pass directly over Panama City and across the bay. Because of the scattered puffies over the land, we get over the water just past Panama City Beach. The air is also smoother over the water. Just past Panama City Beach, we are turned over to Eglin Approach for the transition to Destin.
On the sectional, the corridors into Destin look intimidating. Being accustomed to using flight following and transiting Class B, how hard can it be? There is an on-line FAA course that covers this route and I took it before we left Texas, so here we go. Just past Phillips Inlet, I get the current Destin ASOS and report that to Approach. We are told “Altitude at your discretion, report Destin in sight.”
We duly report the airport in sight, enter the downwind to 14 on the normal 45 and are released to the Destin CTAF. Another firm landing in double digit gusty winds. 204nm, 118kts groundspeed.
Our tummies think it is noon, but the clock here says 10:45, now being back to CDT. We get the crew car and suggestions for lunch, then head for town. The place we choose is nice, with patio seating overlooking the boat basin. It being Monday and very windy, there isn’t much boating going on, but the view is great.
Back at the airport, the friendly briefer and I discuss options. Our intent is to get as far west as we can, so we brief for Natchez. If we can make that, we will try for Natchitoches for the night but even Natchez looks highly doubtful.
Departing Destin requires a clearance from Eglin approach, so we fire up, get Destin ASOS and call them. The clearance only takes a few minutes, and we are taxiing out when Unicom calls us. I think about it for a second and reply, “Destin, Four Lima Bravo. Did I forget to pay for the gas?” It is a long taxi to 14, so we go to a secure channel and I give them the credit card data and a sincere and sheepish apology. The lady assures me that it happens all the time. It is the second time it has happened to us.
Our clearance is at or below 1000’, right turnout and contact Hurlbut Tower. We stay over the surf line until past Navarro Bridge and get clearance on course to 4500’ We go across the bay, just north of Pensacola Regional and head for the Semmes VOR, just north of Mobile. About Loxley, AL, we can no longer maintain VFR at 4500 and are cleared to 6500’. We are there just before the north end of Mobile Bay and see the USS Alabama just as it goes behind a cloud. A few minutes later, I look over my shoulder at the interstate below and there it is again on the other side of the cloud. Sandra hands me the camera and I take a couple of pictures.
Soon after crossing into Mississippi, the overhead layer begins to drop. I quickly check the ASOS at Hattiesburg so we have an escape and then request lower. Center gives us “Altitude at your discretion, maintain VFR.”, and we go down. We are under the overcast at 2800’, but it is bumpy and the visibility is at best marginal. Hattiesburg it will be, so we tell Center we are diverting. They caution us about the restricted area at Camp Shelby and we can see it on the GPS, so we struggle around the southwest corner of it and can soon see Hattiesburg.
We enter a left crosswind and land on 13. Actual distance, 176nm at 113kts. Considering the last 50 miles and that further west will be more of that, I am done for the day. The FBO quickly produces an Enterprise minivan and after making arrangements to hangar the Mouse, we head for town. We quickly find a room at the local Hampton for a good rate and check in. Checking the weather indicates that we will not be able to go west tomorrow, but may be able to get closer to home on Wednesday.
The consensus recommendation for dinner (FBO and Front Desk) is the Crescent City Grill. When we arrive, it looks expensive, but a check of the menu says otherwise. The food is excellent. I have crawfish, fried and etouffe and Sandra goes for what they call the Cajun Enchilada, a flour tortilla stuffed with shrimp, crab and crawfish, drowned in a creamy sauce with dirty rice. Both dishes were excellent and after driving around town a bit we returned to the motel for the night.
Day 8, what to do when you are stuck in Hattiesburg, MS.
After a hearty breakfast, a careful analysis of the weather indicates that we would not be able to get any further west than Natchez, if we could even get that far. That ain’t worth the trouble. We need to do laundry, so we find a Laundromat in the jello pages and head out. With all our clothes clean again, we head for the only item of interest in the area; The Mississippi Armed Forces Museum at Camp Shelby. Twelve miles down US49, onto the Military base with confusing directions to the Museum. We find it and boy, are we glad?
It is probably the best organized and presented museum we have ever seen. The exhibits begin with the War of 1812 and continue through the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. There is a special room for all the Mississippi Congressional Medal of Honor winners with the citations reprinted for all of them. It is a good place to spend some time.
Day 9, home, sort of.
After breakfast, the weather looks like getting across Louisiana will be very possible, but getting home from there may be iffy. I get a briefing to Natchitoches and we check out. With everything checked out, we are in the air at 10:45. 4500 would just barely get us to the cloud tops, so we go directly to 6500’. The clouds below are scattered to broken, but run in bands stretching North-South. It is very beautiful and calm up here. We get a glimpse of the airport at Natchez through one break and downtown Natchez and the river through another. The tops begin creeping up towards us and about 20 miles from KIER, we pick a large hole and descend to 2700’ Wind at KIER is less than 10 and right down the runway. Finally, I get a good landing! 215nm, 108kts groundspeed.
Order fuel, grab the courtesy car and head for Mama’s. Tummies full, it is time to get the prognostication from Flight Service. Straight line would take us over Longview, but there is evidence of cumulus buildups beginning there. We opt to head straight west to Jacksonville and then go in across Cedar Creek Lake. We note on takeoff, that the tops will now be well above 6500, so we level out around 3700’ It is a little rough, and occasionally the visibility gets bad, but nothing to really sweat. We go slightly north of Jacksonville, over the Frankston VOR and are now seeing some clouds below us. The Terrell ASOS still indicates VFR conditions as we pass just west of town, but it gets real bad real quick from there.
We are almost to Lake Ray Hubbard when I suddenly run out of avenues. We come around the west side of a cloud and run into virga. I can see nothing to the north or west, so continue the turn and descend until we are headed back south at 2200’. At 2 o’clock, we can see Mesquite in the sunlight so we close out flight following and divert there. It is good enough there that I do a full pattern. On downwind to 17, I can see a solid wall over the north end of Ray Hubbard. We cannot make Aero Country through that. Pull off a decent landing, taxi to parking and shut down. 204nm, 111kts groundspeed.
So here we are, 30 miles from Aero Country. Looking at the sky in that direction, It looks like maybe we could make it, but the radar image in the FBO says no. Everything from Plano north is having heavy rain. I finally get Dave on the phone and he confirms the radar, it is raining hard there.
Sandra’s nephew, Dean, lives under the downwind to 35 at Mesquite, so she calls him. He would be glad to take us to Plano, but it will be a while before he can get here. I take the FBO golf cart out to the plane to button it up and get the bags. Back at the FBO, I leave them on the cart, since it is 50 yards to the parking lot. But the sky is darkening and the wind comes up cold.
Dean calls for directions just as it starts spitting rain. I bring the bags inside and we wait. Just as he turns into the parking lot, the spitting turns to real rain. I grab as many bags, etc. as I can carry and sprint for the lot with Sandra right behind me. Pile the bags in the back of the Explorer and our bodies in front and we are on our way. Tired and damp, we get to Plano shortly after 7, but we are home.
Thursday, is mostly sunny, with patches of low clouds. There is never a time during the early part of the day when both HQZ and TKI have more than a 1400’ ceiling, So the Mouse stays at Mesquite. Friday is completely cloudy, but by noon, everybody is showing better than 2000’ and forecast to go to 3500 by 3:00. We head for Mesquite at noon and Sandra waits while I preflight. I have to clean an uncompleted bird nest out of the area between the #2 cylinder and the oil cooler, but everything is go and Sandra heads for home. I start up and taxi over to the fuel pumps and put in 10 gallons. Then take off for home. At 200’, there is an area of low visibility over Mesquite, but I can see all the way to the north end of Ray Hubbard, so I stay over the lake. Between Ray Hubbard and the Lavon Dam, I turn northwest and can see the water tanks at Custer and 121. Soon, I find the 1500’ tower SE of Aero country and head for it with the home drome in sight. The landing was a prodigious bounce, but the Mouse is home.
Get the rest of the stuff out of the plane. Pull Sandra’s Trailblazer out of the hangar and put the Mouse in. Hook up the stuff and start the now due oil change. Stop by and talk to Dave for a few minutes then head for home.
The high pressure system still isn’t letting fronts pass here and the weather keeps me from going to the airport to finish the oil change until the next Wednesday.
