Newport News for our Anniversary

Mary and I are celebrating our 18th wedding anniversary today!  Wow, my bride has put up with me all that time, amazing. I love you Mary.

As noted in my last post I worked through the numbers for our short hop to Newport News, VA. The numbers say drive the GLC300 Benz, the life is short attitude says to fly the plane. Mary and I decided to hell with the rental costs and use the plane to save time and make the trip enjoyable. 

I logged on to Enterprise, the FBO page and secured an intermediate SUV for one day at $103. Our ride will be waiting at Rick Aviation once we arrive.  

The weather is looking perfect for our flights to and from. The front that managed to push its way off the coast should provide smooth rides and a good view over the peninsula.

 

Departure Time

We’re off around 9:45,VFR, and heading for the first fix on my flight plan.  Upon checking in with Patuxent I asked to pick up my clearance to Newport News, PHF. I was cleared to six thousand direct Snowhill (SWL) then as filed. 

I climbed through a layer and rode along on top with scattered below us for a short distance. The layer closed up and we were plowing along through the IMC until letting down for Newport News. 

Patuxent and Norfolk approach were both excellent today. Eventually Norfolk handed me off to the tower after pointing me direct HASBA and I confirmed I had ATIS Bravo. I was set up for the ILS 25 and would suspend the procedure turn for a straight in.  Approach also cleared me for the visual before switching to the tower. 

I checked in with the tower, visual two five, and was cleared to land. I was pointed right at the airport and could see the light brown patch clearing but not the runway surface through the haze. As the runway view cleared I set up to land. Winds were just off centerline and calm. A made a very nice landing and taxied for Rick Aviation. Mary secured our rental and I supervised our fuel order and arranged for a hangar overnight. 

It was a short drive to the Hampton Inn at Oyster Point, maybe six minutes. I checked us in and then we went out for a very light lunch and a fountain soda for the bride. 

We had some time to relax before getting ready for dinner. Susan came over to our hotel suite and we had fun catching up for a few hours. 

The plan is for dinner at Steak & Tonic. This place has quite the menu, including Japanese Wagyu beef, Prime beef, Elk, Ostrich, Bison, Camel, and Kangaroo. I’ll stick to the good ole US raised prime beef, thank you. FYI this dining experience is on the high end $$$.

Dinner was excellent. We had a group of seven, I was surrounded by five lovely ladies and one beautiful bride. We all had a fun time.

It was a short ride to the Ferguson center, arriving early in time to get to our seats and settle in for the show. Our seats were very good with the only issue being the third and fourth in from the isle. It was a game of musical chairs as everyone filed in with farthest seats in the row the last to arrive as the show started. 

Thankfully it was a short ride back to the hotel after making our way out of the Ferguson Center parking garage. We said our goodbyes to Susan and headed up to our room. Mary and I were both tired after a long day of flying, dining, and the show. 

 

The Return Home

I filed last night and did my NOTAM and weather follow up this morning. It looks like +20 knot headwinds heading north. At least the winds are forecast straight down the runways at PHF and OXB. I decided on a VFR flight north and got a squawk from Newport ground for flight following. No videos of the flight home, Mary and I just wanted to the enjoy our ride home together.

It was a fun flight home this morning. We had a pair of Grumman E-2 Hawkeyes pass by our right side once we crossed the bay, and then as we passed Wallops a NASA C-130 passed right to left under the nose.  Headwinds the whole way from 29 high to 20 knots steady. It was a  smooth ride until we let down for Ocean City. It wasn’t the worst ride but it was pretty bumpy. I made a really nice landing and taxied for the hangar. We’re home. 

Fun overnight anniversary celebration with good friends, good food, fun entertainment, and the love of my life.