2014 McGuire Safety Fly In

Wow, I was invited to participate in the 2014 McGuire Safety Fly In.  A great day of flying, safety, and adventure!  My brother, Dean, would join me today as were actually authorized to fly to and land at McGuire Air Force Base!  The morning was beautiful and Dean and I were so excited as we set out on prepping N926GZ for the days adventure!  Once airborne we contacted McGuire Approach and were i mediately approved for direct to downwind for runway 24.  Switching to tower we were directed to report base for 24!  Approved for landing, we turned final and descended down to gently land on 24.  The line of planes was exciting and interesting!  Wow!

Can you believe some one actually flew into McGuire with this!  It was just such a site!  It was just so exciting to see all these planes sitting on the Tarmac and seeing mine right there with them!

After a short welcome we were taken out to experience a KC10 sitting ready for our visit.  The long walk up put us at an altitude of its own!  Dean especially liked the boom operating chamber in the back!  The KC10 was awesome!

After the kC10, we were bused out to the tower for a view from the operations center!  The personnel was so friendly and knowledgeable!  We really enjoyed the visit here!  Then it was over to the C17!  Wow, what a plane!  This was just fantastic!  A huge bird that really is impressive!

It's amazing that this plane gets off the ground, but she does and she does it in style!  We were privileged to see one arrive at McGuire while coming out of the tower and it was just spectacular!  Sitting in the cockpit and seeing the heads up monitor screen which gives you all the information you need without looking down!  Wow!  Well, we weren't done yet!  We still had the chance to go to TRACON!  This was the highlight of the day for me!  I could spend the whole day sitting and listening to these guys work their magic.  What a day, so it was time to go back and wrap up the experience and have some lunch.  Since we had to file a flight plan to depart McGuire, that was pre done for us in the beginning of the day.  All that was necessary was to take the bus out to the planes and board up to depart!  The weather had turned a little sour, so we were going to depart in a little rain.  After a quick run up, we were cleared to Runway 24 and off we went.  Just a short ride home and South Jersey was in our sights!  What a simply fantastic day!

How to Work and Play at thenSame Time!

There are days when things just seem to come together and today was one of those days!  It gives you a warm feeling to know that sometimes things work out just right!  Saturday we had to go to Pottstown, PA for business, but unfortunately, some paperwork wasn't completed properly and someone had to go back on Monday to retrieve it.  Well, as the Boss, the buck stops here so I got the responsibility.  But wait, did you know there is an airport just five minutes away from Pottstown Memorial Hospital?  Heritage Airfield, (KPTW) is a beautiful airstrip and after a quick call on Sunday I found out that they also offer a courtesy car, well truck they said.  Monday mornings weather was fantastic and when my wife offered to hold down the fort while I made the trip things were looking good.  They only thing left was for the hospital to call me to tell me that the paper work was ready.  That call came around 9:45 am, so it was off to South Jersey Airport for me.  A quick for fuel while I did he pre-flight and by 10:45 I was wheels up and calling MaGuire Approach.  MaGuire quickly switched me over to Philly Approach would cleared me direct through the Class Bravo at 3,500 feet.  Then city of Philadelphia was looking beautiful off to my left!

It wasn't long before Philly allowed me to go up to 4,500 where the air was smooth and clear.  The trip to Pottstown was just 35 minutes by air, which really beats an hour and a half drive, and before you knew it, I was starting my descent to Heritage.  In the clear air the field stood out just across from he twin stacks of the Limrick Station.  The steam showed me the winds were calm, but the turbulence was a little choppy and I came down to pattern altitude.  A quick little turn and I was down wind, base an final at Runway 28!  Still a little high we used the whole runway as I rolled off the end and over to the FBO.  I just can't say enough about the guys from Penn Airways at Heritage.  They parked me and chocked the tires, then when they found out what I was doing, they tossed me the keys to the courtesy truck, which was a brand me Ford F-150, and would even charge me the landing fee.  Of course I took good care of them!  A few minutes later I was at the hospital and had my paper work in hand.   A stopped for an Ice Tea and to top off the fuel in the truck and then right back to Heritage.  

     In minutes I was back up in the air and talking to Philly Approach.  It was just so beautiful up there it was a shame I didn't have anyone to share it with.

     Philly had a lot going on, but the controller still accommodated me by having me fly direct to North East Philly, (KPNE), and then direct to South Jersey!  I couldn't have asked for more?

     I crused a long nicey with the auto pilot on just enjoying the ride and the view.  Before long I was over PNE and turned direct to South Jersey.  With no one in my way, Philly asked me to report the field in view and on a day like today, at 3,500 feet, South Jersey was plain as could be.   I came down to pattern altitude over Cherry Hill and headed in on the 45 for the downwind for 26 at South Jersey.  Still bumpy down low, but on a day like today that's to be expected.  Downwind, base and final it was almost hard getting 926GZ to drop out of the air.  I decided to go around just for practice and lined up again for a smooth glide to the runway.  Departed 10:45 and arrived home from Pottstown, PA at 12:30 pm.  Not bad if I do say so myself!  Enjoy your days, even the good ones!

March Madness Pilot Style

They may say the "eyes of March are upon us", but for a Pilot, when a day comes along like this Saturday, the Pilot's eyes are skyward!  Saturday, March 1st, was just a beautiful day with the winds calm, the air light and the sun shinning!  A men's conference at my church afforded me the opportunity to find a friend who really wanted to fly and the next thing you know, we were planning a trip!  South Jersey Airport was rolling with the sound of propellers and Carl Vogel and I were anxious to get going!  After a thorough pre-flight, 926GZ was ready to go.  Carl was so excited about hearing everything about the plane!  We did a complete run up and after watching a few other planes land, we were ready to depart runway 26 at South Jersey (KVAY).  The air was so light we almost jumped off the runway!

So with the wind in our wings and the earth below, we glided skyward and headed to the south.  After a spin around the pattern, we decided to take a trip down to Cape May (KWWD) for a quick stop and go!  With a few clicks on the 530 and a push of the auto pilot, we were on course for Cape May.  Carl really loved all of the interaction of instruments and coordination that was taking place within the cabin.  I can remember how overwhelming it all seemed early on in my training and now it comes natural.  Still, having some one in the plane with that much interest gives me the opportunity to verbally explain things and allows me to polish up with my knowledge and proficiency.  This really makes the trip useful and fun for both the passenger and the pilot!

As we crossed over the Delaware Bay, the homes below were a fabulous sight to behold.  So many homes dotting along the coastal beach.  The air was smooth and clear and as we gently descended towards Cape May, Runway 19 came clearly into view!  There would be a slight crosswind on the landing, but that's good practice too!  The radio's were quiet as we slowly descended down the glide slope! A slight crab as we settled in over the numbers and floated down the runway!  After moving off the runway onto Taxiway A, we headed over to Runway 28 for departure.  This would give us a beautiful lift off right over the Delaware Bay and then a slight turn north and we would be on our way home!  My Cherokee 235 leaped off the runway and we waved good-bye to Cape May.  Carl snapped some more pictures and got a fantastic shot of the bay!

The ride home was with the wind and we crused along at about 125 knots ground speed!  We were in no hurry and we were enjoying every moment.  As we slipped along we enjoyed each others company and pointed out the different sights below.  Atlantic City, Philadelphia, Hammonton and the Atlantic City Expressway.  Before long we were getting close to the lakes of Medford and Carl began looking for his home in the Lake Pine section of Medford.  We could see Shawnee High School off to the east and we crossed over Little Mill Country Club.  In just a short few moments we came upon the sight of Cranberry Pines School in Medford.  Carl got all excited as he began snapping pictures and looking for his home. Soon enough I heard him find his home and the camera snapping away!  

We'll the sun started to set as we enter into the pattern at South Jersey on the crosswind.  It really was a shame to have to come down.  Days like this are just so much fun to fly.  The sights and views are just sometimes hard to explain to those who have never experienced it.  We headed down wind along the runway and gently turned base and then final.  Runway 26 spread out in front of us and awaited our soft touch down!  On the ground, safe and sound!  Until the next time, this is Diggerdavid, your Captain saying, "keep your dreams alive and live your life to its fullest!"  

A January Trip!

Well, I realize it's been a while since I have posted here, but the flying action has been far a few between.  In November I found the opportunity to go up with a CFI and do my Bi Annual Flight Review and did a little flying in November!  Well finally I found the day and the friend, Bob Brown, to go up and enjoy a day of flying!  Bob is a Pilot and a good friend who loves to fly with me.  Our plans were to meet at the South Jersey airport, KVAY,  for a trip down to Cape May with some approaches on the way!  A stop at Cape May for lunch and then a short hop home.  The day was clear and sunny and the wind was light and variable.  

Bob Brown and I prepped N926GZ and settled in for start and warm up.  Our flight plan to do the RNAV 18 into Woodbine Airport, (KOBI) and then go missed and set up to do the RNVAY 19 into Cape May Airpot, (KWWD).  The RNAV 19 for Woodbine begins with the Cedar Lake VOR so once we were settled with MaGuire we headed south towards Cedar Lake.  MaGuire approach switched us to Atlantic City approach and we were all set.  The approach into Woodbine was perfect, and after going missed we climbed and headed over towards the missed approach point and prepped for the RNAV 19 into Cape May.  Another perfect approach put us right down on the runway and a short taxi to the ramp.  Time for lunch!  The Flight Deck is a great place to go and eat!  The place looks great!

Well, after a great lunch, it was time to do some more flying.  I decided that a low flight over the coast would be worth the trip!  Runway 10 was looking great and that would put us right out over the coast.  After a short run up it was time to take the active and head on out.  The wind was in our favor and the air was light and crisp.  The sites we worth the trip!  The frozen bay and coastline was absolutely beautiful!  Up over Wildwood, then a turn to the north with Avalon and Stone Harbor off our left wing gave us spectacular views at 800 feet.  We watch the waves gently roll in and out as we slipped over the coast.  The Ocean looked like glass as the gentle swells rolled to and fro.  There were very few people on the beach and the scene was like something out of a dream.  

Over Sea Isle City, we turned to the West and headed back inland towards Woodbine.  Once over Woodbine we picked up Atlantic City Approach again and decided to shoot one more approach back home to South Jersey.  Atlantic City switched us to MaGuire Approach who authorized us for the RNAV 26 approach back into South Jersey.  Since the winds were favoring Runway 8, as we approached South Jersey we swung to the downwind and did a nice landing onto Runway 8.  Another wonderful day of flying.