2022 Year in Review

By The Numbers:

Total Time     1504.5
ASEL 2022        52.9

Complex          51.3/232.9

Cross Country    44.0/942.6

IMC               1.5/40.5

New Airports: (2)

KLUL - Hessler-Noble Field, Laurel MS

KGYH - Donaldson Field, Greenville SC

Flights of Note:

Vero Beach Get-Away

Mary and I decided we needed some warm temps and quiet beach time so we packed up and headed south to Vero Beach, FL. Loved Vero, great food, no traffic, very quiet and relaxing.  We already made reservations for March of 2023.

Mary and her friend Jen

Lunch in St. Michaels

Mary and I made the short hop to St. Michaels MD to meet with our friends Les and Nahia from the Beech Aero Club. We had a fun time and good eats at Limoncello.

HGTV's Home Town,  Laurel MS

This trip has been on our bucket list.  Finally, on the third attempt we were able to make the flight. Absolutely beautiful weather all week with plenty of exploration and good eats along the way. 

Group shot with Erin's Mom, Karen

Day Trip, Outer Banks

Nags Head has been one of our favorite places to visit over the years. Our last get-away was back in 2016. Mary and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and day trip to Manteo and Nags Head. Great flight, and fun time exploring the Roanoke Island Festival Park. 

Newport News, Happy Anniversary!

Mary and I decided we would take in a show at the Ferguson Center in Newport News, VA. It was our 18th wedding anniversary and we just wanted to get-away and enjoy an evening out.  WE had an excellent dinner and the show did not disappoint. I also broke 1500 hours!!

What’s in store for 2023? 

The same as every pilot, dreams of many more hours. The airplane is good, no updates on the horizon.

Mary and I plan on heading back to Vero Beach in March for a week vacation in warmer temps. This trip I hope to catch up with my brother and the ladies are planning a tour of the Historic Tuckahoe Mansion of the Coca-Cola heiress Anne Bates Leach.

A return to Boston is in the works to visit family and friends some time in the Spring. As for the remainder of the year there is nothing solid, yet. We do have some travels in the works but the details still have to be worked out.

It does look like we will attend Oshkosh, although not for Airventure, instead, the Annual BAC Fest. Since we'll be in the area we'll some how make an overnight or two at Mackinac Island and visit our friend Jeff and his family in Michigan. 

Mary and I wish all our readers a safe and Happy New Year!

Complete The Mission

A few weeks ago Mary and I decided to drive to Wilmington Delaware so we could visit family for the holidays and add in a side trip to Media Pa for me to complete the Pennsylvania permit process. We ended up driving since we canceled our two night stay at our favorite, the Montchanin Inn. 

The original planned visit was cut short due to our Ziva girl receiving treatments for her doggie version of the human ALS or Lou Gehrigs disease. We did not want the sitter to have to deal with Z in case she took a turn for the worse.  Some have asked why we didn't fly. We saved a rental car fee and Mary's GLC 300 gets 28 MPG, that's way cheaper then flying and renting.

Todays Mission Plan

Fly to Wilmington, KILG, and secure the courtesy car (Van) from FlyAdvanced for another trip to the Media Courthouse and retrieve my plastic 5 year permit. 

We took care of the new pup, Lucy, and the two cats. Everyone was secure (Lucy in a crate) and cats out and about. I had the pre-heats on overnight so 3 Tango Charlie was ready to go. It's been awhile since I started after an overnight preheat so I had to rethink the process. I did a regular cold start and I flooded the engine. After a series of pops and misfires 3 Tango Charlie finally came to life. I had to crank in the shutdown (lean) setting. Mary just looked at me, I figured I would see how the run up goes.

Once the idle was set and mixture now happy 3 TC purred right along. The run-up was perfect and we launched from runway two-zero. It really felt good getting back in the air. 

The flight north was forty minutes and I was directed for a straight in runway one upon arriving at ILG. I did a one eighty on the runway and taxied for FlyAdvanced shutting down in front of the main hangar. Mary secured the courtesy van while I ordered ten gallons of 100LL at $7.93 a gallon. Yikes!

The drive wasn't too bad until we hit the blue route RT 476, then it was a parking lot until our exit. I pulled the van over to the curb on a side street at the Courthouse then Mary and I did the fire drill routine switching seats, but I didn't get back in the van. I walked up to the courthouse, entered, emptied my pockets and still set off the alarms. Who didn't see that coming. I got the body wand and was free to go, not too bad after all. I handed over my letter and receipt to the very nice lady at the window and she went to get my permit. Easy peasy, I'm headed out of the building. 

Mary picked me up on the same corner and we switched seats so I could drive back to KILG. A lady pulled up next to us and said you can’t park there, I said relax, we're switching seats, and she drove off.  When I got in Mary said what is she the meter maid...I love my bride. 

I made a quick stop to top off the courtesy van and my bride grabbed us each a cold drink at Wawa. Once I parked the van (land yacht) we settled up the fuel bill and headed for home. 

When we arrived the house was still intact, Miss Lucy was still in her crate, and the little princess did not leave any "gifts".  Not bad for only ten weeks old.

Saying Goodbye to our Ziva

Sadly, Mary and I had to say goodbye to our baby girl, Ziva Diva. Ziva was 9.5 and was stricken with degenerative myopathy the canine version of ALS in humans.

Thanks to Lisa and Greg who provided her Magna wave treatments that gave her relief for three weeks. Unfortunately this disease has no cure and can advanced rapidly as it did with our girl.

We were overwhelmed with the staff at VCA Vet clinic. The techs that had always made a fuss over our girl all came in and sat with us and Z. One of the techs got a call that we were bringing Z in and came to join us on her day off.

Ziva was finally allowed some Hersey kisses and after playing with the first one determined they did taste good and ate at least three or four. When all the techs gathered Z wagged her tail for the first time today, she was happy.

Hopefully our Roxie girl and Maggie will be there to welcome her, I told her to watch out for her buddies Inky, Jake, and George.

We will miss her, and the house immediately felt empty when we came home with no happy face and tail wagging to great us. Tomorrow will be another day of firsts. I’ll miss that wet nose poking under the covers to let me know it’s time to get her breakfast ready.

Rest easy princess, we love you.