Afternoon Go!

I was able to leave the office early (we're in the midst of a move so no phone and no internet means not much gets done) so stopped by the airport on the way home. When I arrived skies were mostly clear and winds were light and variable. I pulled the airplane out and it started on the first throw.

She ran smooth and steady at 1000 RPM, so I hopped in and taxied towards the runway. I decided to roll around on the turf to see if it was soft or wet -- it was both, so today I'll be landing on pavement.Not my preference, but we can't have everything!

Climbing into the haze

7 minutes on the timer, runup, everything checks out, check the sky, roll out onto the runway, straighten out, hold brakes and apply full power. The brakes can't hold much past 1700 RPM so I release and we start to roll. RPMS indicate 2200 or so and oil pressure is still good. The speed increases and after one skip I'm climbing at 65 MPH. I pull the nose up and keep it climbing. I catch a whiff of burning something but it passes quickly.

Hmmm.

There are moments -- usually early in a flight -- when I wonder, "What am I doing up here?" This is one of those times. The engine sounds fine, the ground is slowly receding downward as I climb, the gauges indicate what they ought.

But that slight whiff reminds me that things can go south in a hurry, and I need to be prepared. I glance around and laugh at the embarrassment of riches all around me -- miles and miles of emergency landing fields with few obstructions. The feeling subsides and the smell does not return. Oh well.

The view from up here

Up here the visibility is poor -- maybe 5 miles in flight. To the east its clearer so I head that way, enjoying the view. There's plenty of farmland out this way so I keep it low. I find a cell tower and do a very nice 8 on pylon, keeping the wingtip nailed on the tower.

That felt good.

Looking north towards Reading, PA

Haze moving in from the west

I find a nice wide field of winter wheat and do a low pass. Down here the Chief feels fast. A nice zoom climb back to altitude and some more steep turns. I fly around a while enjoying the view from up here. But its getting dark as a high overcast covers the sun. I head south and fly over Route 30, then follow it west.

The airport is quiet and I enter a left downwind mid-field. The base and final are a bit off but I get lined up and descend steadily at 50 MPH towards the numbers. I float a bit and gently touch down on all three points. It wasn't perfect so I taxi back for another go. The second landing isn't better, but both are gentle and straight so I suppose I should be happy. Taxi back to the hangar, shut off the fuel, run it up to 1500 RPM, then back to 1000 and let it run out.

On days like this it's really nice to have the airport so close and the airplane ready to go!