First Flight 2016

Finally the rainy and windy weather clears and I can get 08R out of the hangar. Mary has a dentist appointment this morning so I'm solo today. The plan is to get in the air, enjoy the view and try some FlightStream 210 uploads to my Garmin 530W.

It's quiet at the airport this morning, very enjoyable as I soak up the sunshine and concentrate on my tasks at hand. Every flight requires the reposition of our airport buggy (VW Cabrio) in order to free 08R, its a PITA. Next, the plane, I disconnect my battery maintainer, Reiff preheats and pull the moving blankets clear of the cowl. On to the preflight checks and a detailed once over all surfaces since its been a few weeks since we tangoed.

I closed up the hangar and once again pulled the nose plugs, this time storing them away in baggage until we get to Cape May.  Once buckled in I provide 08Romeo's required prime and in a few blades she's purring along. I pick up the current winds and altimeter setting and dial everything in for departure.

I taxi for departure runway three-two and complete my run up, all systems are go. With the advance of the throttle I call out air speed alive, all gauges green. 08Romeo feels good and sounds good! The density altitude was -2000 and temps around 30*, 08Romeo was a climbing machine leaving OXB behind us.

I keep the coast off my right wing tip while pointing the nose for Cape Henlopen. On a previous post, More Buttonology,  I showed how to create a user waypoint on the 530W and mentioned the ease of utilizing the iPad and Foreflight. Drag the magenta line with your finger tip to the desired location, if not a specific point requested by ATC, then select the coordinates and there it is, right in your plan. Next I selected ((+)) to upload to the 530W.

The plan transferred without a hitch along with the user waypoint.  The Garmin 530 did change the name from the Foreflight coordinates to CX006.  The flight plan looked complete so I continued for KWWD.

It really was smooth today as I flew along making mental memories of the beautiful coastline below.  A quick peek up the Delaware Bay rewarded me with a string of oil tankers that looked like little toys and a clear view of the Salem nuke plant cooling tower, forty five miles, absolutely outstanding!

Since I was busy enjoying the view I now had to circle down in order to land at Cape May. When I finally did turn final I knew I was still high, I'm thinking this should be fun. I had slowly pulled the power so as not to shock cool but I now needed to completely take power out. Adding two notches of flaps, I even started to slip the last mile and a half trying to loose altitude.  No luck. I made a radio call advising a low pass only and with a plane waiting to depart runway one zero I climbed out, entering a left down wind for one-zero.  The departing plane climbed out and I turned final making a nice landing.

I had a chance to catch up with my former coworker Joe C, the guy that takes all the nice shots of 08Romeo. We chatted a bit and then he gave me a tour of the construction work that's ongoing...cue up the dream music...I missed the field work, I felt at home, insert needle scratching across a record sound.  Yikes, somebody slap me, I'm retired and don't miss any of the attached aggravation with projects. Joe dropped me back off at the terminal and I headed in for breakfast. Good eats, I just couldn't finish all that food.

I did a quick walk around 08Romeo then saddled up for Ocean City. I would climb out of Cape May and climb on station until reaching 6,500 then cross the bay. Once again the view was gorgeous and the ride smooth.

Once safely across the Bay I let down for 4,500 and watched the coast line pass by. I like to do the what if scenarios and look for a place to land.  Today would have been the beach or the ocean highway, watch out below!

08Romeo is rock solid and I make my familiar position calls at ten and five miles. I sailed across mid-field and made a left turn for the ocean entering the down wind for runway three-two. Another good landing, intentionally long, for the last taxiway close to my hangar. Total for today 1.4 hours.