Birthday Flight

I made plans to fly on my birthday and the weather was going to cooperate. Mary let me know that people we met through the American Mastiff Facebook page were going to be in town and that we would meet up Saturday. One add on was the husband is very interested in flying and I was going to take him up for a short hop, a discovery flight of sorts. The best part is Mary and I would get to hug all over an American Mastiff like our Ziva girl. So plan B is skip my Friday birthday flight and instead fly Saturday. 

Saturday  12.9

The couple we were going to meet with canceled because their Mastiff was having white blood cell count issues. We wish Bear a speedy recovery, we would have loved hugging on him.

I turned the preheats on remotely at 5 am and made it to the airport by noon. I completed my preflight and sump prior to opening the hangar door. When it was time to get the fan turning 3 Tango Charlie wouldn’t even turn a full blade. I tried a few more times and then she came to life. I have no clue since the battery minder was showing full charge and the JPI confirmed 13.9 volts. 

I taxied out for runway two-zero and launched into a beautiful day.  The plan is to fly up the coast, enjoy the view and then turn around over Cape Henlopen and come home, maybe shoot a practice approach before landing. 

The flight was great and I set up for the RNAV GPS 14 approach into Ocean City. There was plenty of activity today. I even had one plane coming head on , same altitude, while shooting the practice approach. ADS-B is a real life saver.

I ended up breaking the approach off and point south to fall in behind two other aircraft that were also inbound to land on two-zero. I was now number three even though the aircraft that was number two offered me a chance to enter ahead of him. I respond no thanks I am just enjoying the sunshine, his reply, he was too. I made a nice landing and taxied for the hangar. Once 3 TC was tucked away. I made the lunch run pick up then headed home.