First Flight in February

This morning wasn't quite as perfect as forecast, but it was good enough -- calm winds, high overcast, decent visibility. I stopped by last night on the way home and checked the engine heater and everything was ready. A quick preflight, tie down, prime, throw -- soon the little Lycoming was chugging along happily at 1000 RPM.
I tosse din the chocks and tie down in case I landed somewhere this morning, climbed in, and taxied to 28. Winds were calm but I taxied to the uphill runway to have time to warm up the engine. The runup checked out.

Set up just right of the centerline, gradual but firm power, tail comes up, skip -- flying. We climb easily in the cold air and turn an early crosswind to avoid a flock of geese at about 800' AGL. Downwind, check oil pressure, temps, RPM -- all is a go. I overfly the field and head west.

Morning departure from Smoketown, PA (S37)

Climbing out from S37

Skies clear to the East

Smoketown from downwind for Runway 28

Endless farmland east of Lancaster

Lancaster, PA

Lancaster General Hospital

Clipper Stadium (with temporary ice skating rink in Right field)

Balloon launch near Park City mall

Route 283 in foreground, Mount Joy, PA behind

I climbed to 1500' and overfly downtown Lancaster. On the west side a crew is preparing a balloon for takeoff. I descend to 500' AGL and fly over farmland north of Landisville. Janet lets me know she's outside. I do a couple of orbits over the house and wave.

I headed north low and not-so-slow, enjoying the sensation of speed. It's smooth down low (unusual) and I'm out over the farmland west of Manheim. I think about flying to Keller Brothers and climb to clear the furnace hills but there's a slight change in the engine note - or was there? A quick check shows gauges good, RPM fine -- everything performing as expected.

Well, let's fly level and head back, just in case....

I leave the throttle set to 2450 RPM, trim for level, and call Lancaster Tower requesting transit of the Class D on my way back to Smoketown. I'm cleared through at 2,000. A minute later he asks if I can climb to 2,500...

"It'll take a while, but sure..." I reply.

Once clear of the Delta he thanks me for the climb and wishes me a good day. No need for a transponder, panel-mounted GPS, or fancy communication set -- the exchange accomplished by a 12 year old Sporty's SP-200 handheld transceiver hooked up to a $20 whip antenna.

The engine's running fine. I descend to 1500 and let it fly. Still good. I reduce power to idle, check carb heat -- still good.

Oh well, I have time. So I push the nose down and south towards the farmland east of Strasburg. I fly across the ridge that parallels route 741 and do some hedge-hopping across woods and fields.

Farmland south of Strasburg, PA

Looking north

Haze and a high overcast over Lancaster County

I turn back towards the airport, confident the engine is fine. I enter a left downwind, do a nice low approach 5' above the runway, and pull up for a zoom climb. The next approach is nice and slow and I touch down within 25' of the selected point (it's always past where you think you'll touch down!) I taxi back and takeof -- everything is still fine. Downwind, base, slip, final -- another delicate touchdown on the grass.

Back to the hangar to remove the cowling and do some cleanup and maintenance!