Friday Morning (3/2/12)

After leaving without the hangar key I finally got settled and headed east. Sunrise is getting early so by 7:30 the sun was up and the air warm. It felt good to push the airplane out and get ready to fly -- it feels like months but my last flight in 24286 was 20 days ago.

Tie down, prime, check controls, rotate prop, mags to left, throttle cracked, throw prop. On second throw she caught and ran strong. Flip mags to both and set idle for 1100 RPM.

After two minutes I reduced power to idle (600 RPM and untied the tail. Back up to 1000 for a minute, then to idle, remove chocks, climb in.

Flight controls free and correct, trim set, taxi to -- where?

Winds aloft were light from the east. The airport was quiet. A takeoff on 10 makes more sense -- downhill, with a wide open field off the departure end. Runup, idle check, one last review, taxi to centerline, hold brakes, apply full power -- good. Release and soon we're flying.

Pitch for 60 and watch the earth shrink below, the engine sounds good and temps and pressures look good. It's a bit noisier than the SportStar but is still familiar. I depart to the south and then west.

The air is smooth and mostly clear, the sky bright with the sun higher than it's been in a while. The engine sounds strong and indicators are as expected. I point the nose west towards the ridge that parallels Route 30 between Lancaster and York.

I do the usual fly-by over Mount Joy, then head south towards the Susquehanna. The River is full after recent rains. I follow it through the ancient gorge by Chickie's Rock, then overfly McGinness Airfield. Back out over the river I decide against flying too low -- Geese, ducks, and gulls are everywhere.

Willow Valley resorts, Willow Street, PA

Main Street, Mount Joy, PA

Mount Joy

New School building under construction south of Mount Joy

Haze over farmland. Winter Wheat adds welcome green to the overwhelming brown palette