Stayed local

The plan was to head out early for a Beech Aero Club get together in Quonset RI (KOQU).  I've been watching wx and decided to file my flight plan last night in hopes of a better morning outlook today.  It was doable to get out of Wilmington this morning and was looking ok for the destination but along the way was dotted with ceilings of 200' which didn't leave me a warm and fuzzy for any emergency outs.  Yes, I do have my instrument ticket but I am still building on my minimums for time in actual. This would have been a single pilot IFR flight in very busy airspace through NY's bravo. Brains won out over testosterone and I decided on a local hop instead.

By the time I launched from home ceilings were just 2800' overcast which was consistent the whole route to Cape May, NJ.  I dialed in some tunes on xm and turned on the auto pilot for some practice.  traffic was non-existent at cape may, I was it, all of it.  I entered a left base for runway one zero and made a nice short field landing with a turn off on the first taxiway.  I pointed 08Romeo towards the terminal and taxied close to the barricades to check out my construction project.  It was really wet with plenty of standing water.

I turned around next to the Air Station museum and taxied back to runway one zero for departure. I made a call, rolled on the runway and was soon climbing out for 2,500.  I dialed in KMIV, Millville and listened to Millville radio tie things up as usual.  There was a Mooney inbound from the north side entering the left down wind for runway ten, I planed on following suit.  I made my call to cross mid-field south to north and enter a left down wind for ten and that I had the Mooney over the numbers.  I was all by myself again and put another soft landing in the book.

I taxied over to the ramp at the Flight Line Cafe' and secured 08Romeo.  I decided on breakfast while I was here then would bug out for home. My typical two over medium with bacon, hot tea and grits went down ok and I was out as fast as I came in, just seven bucks lighter. As I walked out to the plane I noticed a CAP flight Cessna parked next to me with its wing covering over my wing tip. Nice, real nice and I guess I'll whack my head since the other guy can't park even with another 45 feet or so left between him and the other side of the ramp. It took all I could to keep my mouth shut until he had the youngsters buckled in and the door shut, then I had to ask why in the hell did you park so close, next time leave some room.  He totally ignored me, he walked away....sigh....jackass...why oh why can't I mount a gun on my plane ????

I waited for "maverick" to get his CAP flight Cessna clear then I got 08Romeo started. I gave him plenty of room and decided to follow a gorgeous Mooney out, that way there was some buffer and the urge to switch to guns wouldn't be as bad. Millville radio was their typical self, no need beating that horse again....or still.  I launched for home and made my calls departing the area to the north. The wx really turned into a great day and I'm glad I got to knock out some landings while checking on my projects.

Today I make my call to the tower at around ten miles out as I always do.

ME: Wilmington Tower, Sundowner 6708Roemo
ILG: Sundowner say intentions (in a slightly miffed tone)
ME: 6708Romeo 10 SE, inbound full stop, whiskey, 2000 level
ILG: Make straight in rwy three two
ME: straight in three two, 08Romeo

I made sure the frequency was clear then asked if I had missed something with the say intentions request, not used to hearing that upon check in. I was told they want all the information at one time, it's a time saver, it's what they like. Hmmmm....oooook. I said not the normal procedure anywhere else i fly but just wanted clarification and thanked him.

What gives, are we not required to "establish" communications prior to entering class delta? "Establish" to me does not mean give them the who what when where on the initial contact.

Just wondering if I missed some change or have I been wrong all this time. What do you CFI's teach out there? I know what I was instructed to do.

Sec. 91.129 — Operations in Class D airspace.
(a) General. Unless otherwise authorized or required by the ATC facility having jurisdiction over the Class D airspace area, each person operating an aircraft in Class D airspace must comply with the applicable provisions of this section. In addition, each person must comply with §§91.126 and 91.127. For the purpose of this section, the primary airport is the airport for which the Class D airspace area is designated. A satellite airport is any other airport within the Class D airspace area.

(b) Deviations. An operator may deviate from any provision of this section under the provisions of an ATC authorization issued by the ATC facility having jurisdiction over the airspace concerned. ATC may authorize a deviation on a continuing basis or for an individual flight, as appropriate.

(c) Communications. Each person operating an aircraft in Class D airspace must meet the following two-way radio .

(1) Arrival or through flight. Each person must establish two-way radio communications with the ATC facility (including foreign ATC in the case of foreign airspace designated in the United States) providing air traffic services prior to entering that airspace and thereafter maintain those communications while within that airspace.