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A Beautiful Easter Flight



 
 
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  #21  
Old March 28th 05, 02:05 PM
A Lieberman
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On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 05:11:37 GMT, Pete wrote:

Sure I can, like going to church with my friends and family to celebrate the
resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Flying is great, but its not
everything.


Hmm, doesn't take a building to celebrate any holiday. I think I like
Jay's way of celebrating better. With FAMILY.

Heck, here I am in Mississippi, my wife in Ohio, the weather at best is
crap, I was suppose to fly up there and meet her up there for Easter, and
now this front has hung up in the Appalachians.

I figured no problem, get up there today, but the weather Gods had
something else to say.

Well, maybe tomorrow. It appears to be severe clear in the forecast,
though it will be a very short visit, as more thunderstorms are expected on
Thursday.

No matter what weather setbacks I may experience, it still is a privilege
to fly!

Allen
  #22  
Old March 28th 05, 02:10 PM
Grumman-581
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"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:scT1e.10888$NW5.10055@attbi_s02...
Whaddya do for Collins?


They were originally wanting me up here for a project dealing with the
Apache's avionics package, but when Lockheed got the contract for the
Presidential helicopter, things got shuffled around and they ended up
bringing me up here for the Cabin Electronics System (CES)... I've heard it
referred to as the "Pimp My Jet" project...


  #23  
Old March 28th 05, 03:08 PM
Jay Honeck
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They were originally wanting me up here for a project dealing with the
Apache's avionics package, but when Lockheed got the contract for the
Presidential helicopter, things got shuffled around and they ended up
bringing me up here for the Cabin Electronics System (CES)... I've heard
it
referred to as the "Pimp My Jet" project...


Cool! We've talked about doing a "Rockwell-Collins Suite", both because
they are so close by to us and because of their amazing history of aviation
innovation. I'm sure we could snag a ton of memorabilia for the suite
without lifting a finger.

Still, somehow the name just hasn't caught on. We need to make it sound
more romantic, somehow...

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"


  #24  
Old March 28th 05, 03:16 PM
Dave
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OK.... Jay, I will re-balance things here...

Friend & I took off in our 172 just at sunset (Easter evening ?), to
WATCH the sunset..(clear sky), flew around till dark so he could see
the lights of the city (his 1st time night flight)

Did a couple of landings (feeding my currency) and tucked it back in
the hangar..

He said the landing, among all the strobes, VASI's and all the other
lights (greased a 10 knt Xwind) was about a "10" on his "cool things
to do" meter...

As many time as I have exercised this "privilege" , I never tire of
the ground falling away under me ...

Dave

On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 05:28:56 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

Why bother relating your story to Easter if the day means nothing to you ?
Wait, I see, if you emphasize how you're going flying on Easter, then you
can throw darts at KPDC's FBO for having the gall to be closed.


Ah, yes. Once again we are reminded that there are those amongst us who
will find the worst in the best, no matter what.

Between the two fatal accidents here today, and your post, I don't know
which is more depressing.


  #25  
Old March 28th 05, 04:21 PM
SFM
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Nice story Jay.
I am just a couple of hours east of you and we had an entirely different
Easter flying experience.
I departed 3CK which is 30mile NW of Chicago Saturday morning with the
intended destination of Smith Field in Fort Wayne Indiana. Saturday morning
was MVFR to VFR in the Chicago area with IFR and icing condition in Northern
Indiana improving to MVFR around noon that day. So our plan was to take the
172 first to Morris for some breakfast, recheck weather and decide to push
forward, wait it out or go home.

Around 10:30am things were looking better towards Ft. Wayne still and airmet
for icing but the PIREPs were showing no icing below 6000 which is where the
OATs that were reported to finally be at 0C and the while ceilings were low
(900 to 1200) there were tops at about 3000 with the next layer at 5500MSL.
So we decided to push on.

Upon take off I could not raise departure to get my clearance and the vis
was going down so I was just starting to begin a turn back to the field and
try the cell phone when I was finally able to get Chi-Center on the radio
got my clearance and climbed to 4000MSL.

For the first 45 minutes we were between layers with a distinct blue band
visible way off in the distance in every direction except in my direction of
travel. The OAT was 3C, I kept an eye on it and pushed forward. As we got
just past the OXI VOR we got into full IMC but the OAT was still 3C so again
I pushed on but got out approach plates for a couple of alternates incase
some ice started forming. I talked to Flight Watch and a the only recent
icing report was for 7000 feet and thing would improve as got closer to Ft.
Wayne.

But about 10 minutes after that the temp started dropping and clear ice
began to form. The 172, I have been told, will hold a lot of ice but I never
intend to see how much. So at the first sign of ice I asked for lower since
I knew that in this case higher was colder, I got 3000MSL but it was still
0C and there was still trace ice forming. I'll take the safe road and knowin
g it was warmer behind me I asked for diversion to Valparaiso were there is
a nice airport with an ILS on runway 27, this set me up almost for a
straight in approach..

Within 2 minutes of turning around I was back into the warmer air and the
little bit of ice that formed was gone. I was still in IMC and shot a
perfect ILS breaking out 400AGL, landed, and hung out at the airport lounge
for 2 hours until it warmed up at Ft. Wayne.

At about 1pm all along the route of flight things had warmed up, no icing
reports but still low ceilings, we departed and stayed at 3000MSL, which
had warmed up to 2C and when we got to Smith we broke out a few seconds
after starting the approach.

On Easter We departed VFR but hit some IMC around the southern Lake Michigan
Areas but we had filled IFR and were well above the low layer with high
cirrus above. When we lost that low layer around Joliet the air got really
rough, like you describe and we could not find any smooth air. So we bumped
our way home and landed. My wife said it was the first time she felt like
she was going to throw up in an airplane.

Scott

--
------------------------------------------------------------------
Scott F. Migaldi, K9PO
MI-150972
PP-ASEL-IA

Are you a PADI Instructor or DM? Then join the PADI
Instructor Yahoo Group at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PADI-Instructors/join
-----------------------------------
Catch the wave!
www.hamwave.com


"I can accept that Bush won the election. What I have a hard time
swallowing is that I live in a country where more than half the
population is willfully ignorant, politically obstinate, religiously
prejudiced, and embarrassingly gullible."

-------------------------------------
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:zEJ1e.112246$Ze3.15858@attbi_s51...
We wrapped up a quiet weekend at the hotel (holidays are usually slow in a
college town, since no one is actually *from* here), and the weather
couldn't have been better. Sunny skies, light winds, temps in the upper
50s, and expected to hit the 70s tomorrow.

But where to go? We wanted to do an Easter Brunch somewhere, but our

usual
haunts were closed, and the greasy spoon diner in Lone Rock -- normally a
favorite -- just didn't seem up to the stature of the day.

Mary struck upon the idea of visiting the Black Angus, located in Prairie

du
Chien, WI (PDC - http://www.airnav.com/airport/KPDC ) . This grand old
restaurant, located right across the street from the airport, never
disappoints, with its old-fashioned soup and salad bar, excellent service,
and great steaks. And landing in PDC is beautiful in any season, with the
airport located at the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers.

We figured that the Angus would surely be having an Easter brunch of some
sort, but it seemed that a phone call was in order, just to make sure that
food would be waiting at the other end of the flight. Digging out our
spanking-new copy of the AOPA Directory, we were surprised to find that

the
Angus is no longer listed in "the Bible" (as we irreverently call this
indispensable book.). I suppose someone forgot to fill out the

paperwork,
or maybe the owner got in a snit with the airport manager? Who knows?

Second surprise: No answer at the FBO. Amazingly, this municipal airport
was closed on a Christian religious holiday -- welcome to small-town
America!

So, we launched "blind", but with the assurance that we could always call
the nearby casino and get a ride over to their excellent buffet. (A

casino
never misses a trick, Easter or not!)

The flight was surprisingly bumpy, given the sunny skies and calm winds --
until we broke out on top of the haze layer at 5000 feet. Once above it
all, the air was as still as a wading pool, and the kids and I sat back to
enjoy the flight while Mary did all the work.

The landscape unfurled beneath us, and it was interesting to see the mix

of
winter and spring on the ground. From our lofty perch one could still see

a
hint of snow and ice in the darkest forests and ravines, while in exposed
sunny areas the first blush of green grass was apparent. It's easy to see
how it will only take a couple of warm days to make life spring from the
earth anew -- and, boy, are we ready for it!

The pattern for Rwy 14 always takes you perilously close to the bluffs

that
loom over the city, which makes for great sight-seeing and a relatively

high
workload landing. (For sure don't EVER get low landing there at night!)
Mary pulled off a nice greaser with her usual aplomb, and we taxied in to
park next to a gorgeous 1949 Bonanza.

We knew it was a '49, because the owners cousin was right there, and had

to
tell us all about it. The owner himself was no where to be found, but the
cousin had felt compelled to come out to the airport on this sunny spring
day, just to hang out near this beautiful machine, fresh as it was from

the
restoration shop.

I understood completely.

The Angus was open, the meal was excellent, and reasonably priced. After

a
long, leisurely repast, we ambled happily back to the plane, to find that
our neighboring Bo had been replaced by a 2000 Commander 115. This
perfectly stunning machine was owned by a strangely unfriendly couple, who
sullenly said "thanks" to our compliments about their beautiful steed. We
shrugged it off to bad luck at the gaming tables, and got on with our
preflight.

My 14-year old son was "pretend PIC" for this flight home, so I handed him
the fuel tester and let him have at it. Following him around silently, he
absent-mindedly overlooked giving the wheel pant a wiggle, so I pointed

this
out to him. He gave it a gently tug, and we were both surprised to find

the
top two screws quite loose!

Both looking accusingly at Mary, who immediately 'fessed up to having

forgot
to check it earlier, we dug out a screwdriver and tightened the offending
screws down. Knowing that I was the last guy to have installed those
screws, I inwardly cursed myself -- but wisely kept quiet....
;-)

The rest of the preflight went well, and we hopped into the plane. Joey

ran
through the pre-start checklist, and did everything "by the book"

including
startup and taxi. He announced our intentions to taxi to the runway on

the
radio, and stopped at the hold-short line, where he conducted a
picture-perfect run-up.

Rolling out onto the runway, he smoothly applied full power, and we

trundled
down the runway and into the air. With the river bluffs looming in the
distance, we racked it around fairly tightly and proceeded downriver,
admiring the usually invisible campground where the kids and I usually
motorcycle camp each summer.

The bumps were still there, but Joey did an excellent job of ignoring

them,
keeping us on course and climbing. He's been flying all of his life, and

is
just a natural. I had to chastise him a bit for arguing with his little
sister on the intercom -- an absolute no-no while flying -- but otherwise

he
was a smooth stick all the way home.

Cutting loose from Cedar Rapids Approach ten miles out, Joey did the
announcing again as we approached the pattern for an overhead entry to
Runway 30. He spotted traffic off the arrival end of the runway (that
never responded to my radio calls, and eventually disappeared), and

expertly
brought us into the downwind leg before I took over, mostly due to the

bumps
that were making a stabilized approach impossible.

After landing, he taxied us to our hangar, and completed another .9 hours

of
"flight training" that will hopefully make getting his ticket a breeze.

The weather was so nice that we decided to pull the Mustang convertible

out
of the back of the hangar, and clean the plane up a bit. (It sat outside
for a week in Florida, and was really a mess.) While polishing the prop,

a
new neighbor pulled up on his motorcycle, and we happily chewed the fat

with
him about his 5-year-and-counting RV-9 project... The sun was warm, the
winds were light, the music was playing... It just doesn't get any better
than this.

I don't know about you guys, but I simply can't imagine a better way to
spend Easter Sunday. Can you?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"




  #26  
Old March 28th 05, 07:05 PM
Montblack
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("Jay Honeck" wrote)
Cool! We've talked about doing a "Rockwell-Collins Suite", both because
they are so close by to us and because of their amazing history of
aviation innovation. I'm sure we could snag a ton of memorabilia for the
suite without lifting a finger.



I know I'm currently banned from the suggestion box, but...is there a GA
Suite in the works? Kind of a catch all? I think that would be cool :-)

BTW, how many rooms are left to upgrade?

Which Suite is the "wow" favorite these days?


Montblack

  #27  
Old March 28th 05, 07:16 PM
Grumman-581
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Jay Honeck wrote:
Cool! We've talked about doing a "Rockwell-Collins Suite", both

because
they are so close by to us and because of their amazing history of

aviation
innovation. I'm sure we could snag a ton of memorabilia for the

suite
without lifting a finger.


That would be the suite with the aging partition walls, right?

  #28  
Old March 28th 05, 08:35 PM
Jack Allison
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Well, ok, it is Spring so perhaps I should have not mentioned the "W"
word and called it an early Spring storm. Any better?

BTW, nice looking article on your stomping grounds in Air and Space.
Haven't read it yet. So many plane magazines, so little time.



--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL-IA Student-Arrow Buying Student

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth
with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there
you will always long to return"
- Leonardo Da Vinci

(Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail)
  #29  
Old March 28th 05, 09:11 PM
Jim Burns
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I "think" there are plenty of suites yet "un-aviation themed" that maybe a
suite for each GA manufacturer could be created?! (ducking)
Jim

"Montblack" wrote in message
...
("Jay Honeck" wrote)
Cool! We've talked about doing a "Rockwell-Collins Suite", both

because
they are so close by to us and because of their amazing history of
aviation innovation. I'm sure we could snag a ton of memorabilia for

the
suite without lifting a finger.



I know I'm currently banned from the suggestion box, but...is there a GA
Suite in the works? Kind of a catch all? I think that would be cool :-)

BTW, how many rooms are left to upgrade?

Which Suite is the "wow" favorite these days?


Montblack



  #30  
Old March 28th 05, 09:47 PM
Jay Honeck
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I know I'm currently banned from the suggestion box, but...is there a

GA
Suite in the works? Kind of a catch all? I think that would be cool

:-)

No, there is no generic "GA Suite" in the works. Remember, our goal is
to create suites that evoke a specific *era* of aviation history, which
means that we try to find themes that immediately bring to mind the
unique era that they represent.

When you hear "The Mustang Suite" most people immediately associate the
name with a feeling, and an era. Same with the "Wright Brothers Suite"
and the "Stearman Suite."

The "GA Suite" just doesn't do that -- it covers too much ground.

BTW, how many rooms are left to upgrade?


We've got at least three more theme suites planned (we've got 14
finished) -- the Apollo, the Oshkosh, and the Piper Cub Suites. After
that, we're going to take a breath, and reassess.

We've currently got nine of our largest suites set aside for corporate
housing (I.E.: For traveling nurses, visiting doctors, contruction
workers -- anyone who needs a suite with a full kitchen to live in for
1 to 6 months) that are pretty popular -- and those folks couldn't care
less about the aviation theme. (Also, they are the oldest suites, with
standard tubs. They would take big money to bring up to luxury suite,
hot tub standards...)

Which Suite is the "wow" favorite these days?


The Mustang Suite, being our least expensive hot tub suite, is far and
away our most popular suite -- it's full almost every night. EVERYONE
knows the P-51 Mustang, and EVERYONE enjoys looking at the stuff that
Vlado (Lenoch) donated for the suite!

Of our more upscale suites, the Blackbird Suite is probably next most
popular, and the Reno Air Race Suite has been very popular for our top
of the line honeymoon suites.

Interestingly, (or sadly?) the Mustang and Reno suites are
smoking-permitted suites -- which flies in the face of recent smoking
statistics. You would think the situation would be just the opposite,
but there are a lot of cases where the husband (or wife) smokes, and
the wife (or husband) doesn't -- and *they* often request a
smoking-permitted suite.

Personally, after observing our guests for 2 1/2 years, I think the
smoking statistics that are reported are skewed by the fact that
smoking is no longer socially acceptable, and people tend to lie to the
pollsters about their unpopular personal habits. Even though recent
reports put smoking at somewhere around 30% of the adult population, I
think it's closer to 50%, especially if you factor in the "social
smokers" -- those who only smoke when they drink.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

 




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