Return to the sky

It's been a very busy spring. I took a new position as a senior Solutions Architect with Perficient working in the Exton, Pennsylvania office (and at various client sites within 100 miles of Exton).

For three months I commuted each Monday morning from Western Pennsylvania to Exton until we could sell our house and move. The market is as bad in Fayette County as anywhere else, so after very little activity and no offers, we put the house up as a rental.

We finally discovered a very nice apartment complex in Mount Joy (Crest at Elm Tree) and moved in June 8th (at 94 degrees, it was fairly hot to be moving furniture!)

Of course all this commuting and moving cramped my flying time, so I logged only 2 hours from April to June!

We returned to Fayette County, moved some more stuff from our house to storage in my hangar, and spent June 11th celebrating our grandson Luca (1) and our son Nathaniel (21) birthdays. Sunday I met Bill and we flew the C205 from VVS to WAY for an annual.

I've reconnected with some former students from my LCS teaching days and a couple have expressed an interest in flying. Jeane's husband Curtis has a C150 at Smoketown (S37). After some weather and conflicting schedule problem we finally had time to fly this Saturday.

Smoketown is a nice little strip tucked in along Old Philadelphia Pike just east of Lancaster. I had flown here a few times and knew the airport, but it's been while.

Curt gave me the background on the airplane, then did a thorough preflight. The airplane could use some P&I but mechanically it is sound.

I said I'd be fine in the right seat and then we did the usual Cessna 150 gymnastics to get in and belted, then started it up. It started on the first flip of the magneto and then hummed contentedly -- an auspicious start.

Curt said, "It's yours!" I said, "Oh, I thought you were going to fly...?"

I didn't argue, pushed in the power and we rolled onto the taxiway.

The airport was quiet. Dark clouds hovered just south and a higher layer obscured most of the sky, but there were no radar returns within 100 miles and the forecast was benign. It was warm already but not hot enough to cause high DA conditions.

A quick runup, all systems go, lined up, elevator down into the slight right crosswind, and rolling. The airplane responded well and we were airborne long before the abort point.

Even though there was a slight breeze there was no turbulence on climb out -- quite a change from Western PA and WV flying, where the slightest wind burbles over every little hill, ridge, and valley ensuring a fun ride for the first 1000 feet. It was my first time in this airplane so I turned right towards large, flat farm fields just north of the railroad tracks along the edge of the airfield. We continued climbing, and I leveled off at 1500'. With full power and level we reached 90 MPH -- not bad (probably not a climb prop on here).

I practiced some steep turns, slow flight, etc to get a feel for the airplane, then we did some sightseeing over southern Lancaster county and the Susquehanna river.

Too soon we headed back, entered a left downwind on a 45, and made a full-flap landing just past the numbers on 28. I was a bit surprised I had the sight picture down -- I was sure I'd be rusty (especially since it's been about a year since I even sat in a 150 and about 10 since I flew one -- and never from the right seat).

We tied down and locked up, then visited with Marlin Horst, airport owner and airplane restorer. He has pristine flying J-3 and Waco, and a Fairchild -71 in being restored. He also showed me a Lycoming O-145 over on the engine pile (discovered and purchased at auction).

Curtis and I scheduled more flying time for his son Rick who is just starting out. It will be fun to do primary training again!

I headed over to the FBO building and got re-acquainted with Mel Glick, now the airport manager (and former owner). No hangars available yet for the Chief but I'm on the short waiting list. We'll see...

I had stuff to do at home so bid adieu and headed west to Mount Joy. But it feels good to be reconnected not only to flying, but to the whole community that forms around our obsession and is best experienced at a small field.