Coastal Flight and One Approach

It is a beautiful day here at the beach in Ocean City, MD. Mary had a hair appointment and I wanted to attend the Operations meeting at the clubhouse. The community where we live recently change landscape companies and so far it's not looking to good. I wanted to attend and voice my opinion and find out what's what with the new company. Once the landscape business was addressed I hightailed it for the airport.

Ivan from CAVU was at the end of my hangar row washing a Pilatus PC12. This plane had exhaust stains down the copilot side past the cockpit, I'm sure the same on the pilot side. It needed some TLC and Ivan is the guy to take care of it.

I tugged 3 Tango Charlie out after completing my preflight and fuel check. I was showing 41 gallons on board after our hop home from Newport News. I set up a few cameras and taxied out for runway three-two once the oil temps came up to their happy place. 

After completing the run up I made my call for departing three-two and a voice came back and said hi Gary. I was clueless and responded with a questioning, hello? The voice belonged to Les from the Beech Aero Club, he was inbound in his Sundowner, for a full stop having work to take care of here locally. 

I launched and climbed out on the base leg of three-two, pointing 3 Tango Charlie North up the coastline. The plan was to fly the coast up to Cape Henlopen then turn for the RWY 22 GPS approach into Delaware Coastal.

The beach north of Indian River was spotted with vehicles, surf fishing has begun. The rest of the way north had a few specs (People) enjoying the sand, sun, and surf.

I set up the GPS for KGED and the GPS 22 Approach, flying direct to HUVOX. I had the autopilot set up and right on time 3 Tango Charlie turned out bound for the procedure turn. I didn't want to go out over the bay four miles so I disconnected GPSS and spun the heading bug for the inbound course. I made the mistake of reengaging the GPSS prior to entering the fly next leg command so 3 TC wanted to fly to HUVOX and do the procedure turn again. I quickly disconnected and flew the heading bug inbound while I set up to fly the next leg.  I'm a rusty pilot when it comes to buttonology. 

The rest of the approach went well, hand flying down to the point of a low approach followed by a missed climb out. I made a call advising I was departing the area to the south and with that headed back to Ocean City. The pattern at OC was quiet as I crossed midfield and entered the left down wind for two-zero. I made a nice landing and taxied back for the hangar.