Reach for the Sky!

Today was the first time my dad went flying with me since I’ve had my license. Today’s flights took us from Minneapolis Flying Cloud Airport (KFCM), to Chander Field Airport in Alexandria, MN (KAXN), then on to Redwood Falls Municipal Airport in Redwood Falls, MN (KRWF), and back to Flying Cloud.  Total flight time today was 3.4 hours, and 3 good landings! Interesting story about the final leg of the flight though. We were sitting in the A&D building at Redwood Falls, taking a break. I was on my iPad getting a weather briefing, and checking the weather radar. I noticed some severe storms in South Dakota heading our way, but they were still quite a ways out. After planning the final leg of the flight, and filing my flight plan, we hopped in the plane, and were on our way. Climb performance not optimal today… temps in the upper 90′s F, and high humidity.

Once airborne, I contacted Flight Service to activate my flight plan. The flight briefer advised that there was a new advisory regarding severe thunderstorm development. We were at least an hour ahead of the storms, so no problem. When we arrived back at Flying Cloud Airport and got to the hangar. I looked back to the west, and the sky was getting dark in the distance. I pulled out the iPad and checked the weather radar, and what did I see???   The airport we just came from, Redwood Falls, was under a Tornado Warning.  Fun stuff! I guess we got out of there just in time. Oh, and the temperature when we left the hangar to head home……103F. Ouch!

Here are some photo’s from today’s adventure!

Today I just went up for some local flying. Checked out Lake Minnetonka which was quite busy with boaters. Then flew around the northwest and west metro.  Nothing overly exciting or anything, but it was nice to get up in the air for awhile.

1.8 hours in the logbook today.  Hope to get up for some cross-country flights again soon.

Today, the weather was excellent!  Clear skies all around, though a bit windy.  I decided it would be a good day for a couple long haul cross-country flights, and I wanted to add a couple more states to my “landed in” map. Today’s destinations were KGWR (Gwinner Municipal Airport), in Gwinner, North Dakota. Total flight time on this leg was 2.2 hours, and the winds were howling at Gwinner. Once on the ground at Gwinner, we stopped for a break. Got out and stretched a bit, then I hopped on my new iPad and checked weather for the next leg, built a flight plan, and filed it right from the cockpit!  Very cool!  15 minutes later, we started up and we were on our way.

The next stop of the day was KABR (Aberdeen Regional Airport), in Aberdeen, South Dakota.  This was a shorter leg, with 1.1 hours of flight time. The winds a ABR were blowing at 16kts gusting to 21kts. And they were swirling around.  Made for an interesting landing. Once we were down, I called up Quest Aviation on the radio to let them know I was taxiing to their ramp for fuel. They were ready for me, and the line worker marshaled me in to a parking spot.

After a bit of rest in the lounge, watching a bit of the NASCAR race on the big screen, it was time to fire up the iPad2 once again, check the weather, and file the next flight plan back to Minneapolis. All fueled up, flight plan filed, pre-flight check, and we are on our way.

The flight back to Minneapolis was a bit bumpy. We were at 7500ft, with a little light turbulence, as the winds were still quite gusty. 2.7 hours later, we arrived at Minneapolis Flying Cloud Airport (KFCM) where the winds where howling at 20kts gusting to 25kts. Another wild and fun landing in heavy swirling crosswind.

What a long day!  6.0 hours of flight time, and sore from sitting so long. But it was quite an adventure. And as I mentioned earlier, 2 more states added to the “States I’ve Landed In” map.

Yes. It’s Minnesota! Spring has been in a holding pattern just outside the outer marker, just in site, but with no clearance to approach!  Hoping that changes soon!

I did manage to get up for a while today to get some landings in, as well as some local flight around the north metro. I started with a northwest departure from Flying Cloud Airport (KFCM). I headed out over Lake Minnetonka, then north towards Maple Grove. I wanted to get lined up for a straight-in approach to Crystal Airport from the Northwest. This way I could try to see my new office in Brooklyn Park, which is about 2 miles from Crystal Airport (KMIC) just right of the runway 14R approach path. I did manage to snap a photo that turned out decent considering I just reached over with the camera and pushed the button. I didn’t even know if I had a good photo until after the flight.

Aerial view of the new office in Brooklyn Park

So, 1 landing at Crystal, then departed again to the northwest. Once I was out of the Crystal Class D airspace to the northwest, I headed over towards my house in Champlin which is just north of the Gopher VOR (GEP). Circled the house a few times, then headed west, and eventually southwest towards Glencoe. Did 1 landing at Glencoe (KGYL), then headed back to Flying Cloud.

Cleared for straight in approach for runway 10L at Flying Cloud.

Approach to Flying Cloud runway 10L 4-21-2011

The sky was overcast, and it was but hazy at times, temperature around 48F, but it was great to get up in the air. I’m hoping spring decides to show up soon. Also, with fuel prices what they are, flying is getting very expensive.

Drill Baby Drill!!!  ;)

Hoping for some cross-country trips soon!

It was a cold day, with temps around 15-20 F this morning. Pre-flight was cold, cold, cold! But it all worked out. Flew a long cross-country flight today from Flying Cloud (KFCM) to Brainerd, MN (KBRD, then to Osceola, WI (KOEO), then back to Flying Cloud.  A little light chop here and there, but otherwise the air was pretty smooth for the most part.

With the landing at Osceola, I have now added Wisconsin to my “States I’ve Landed In” map!!  Hope to add a few more this spring. Also added another 3.5 hours of Cross-Country Pilot-In-Command time, as I get a little bit closer to the 50 hours XC PIC time I need so I can work on getting an Instrument Rating.

Here are a couple of photo’s I took of a frozen Lake Mille Lacs in northern Minnesota. I’m happy that I had heat in the plane, it was a bit nippy out there. 8 to 10+ inches of snow expected tomorrow! Oh well..

A view of a frozen Lake Mille Lacs in northern Minnesota, from 5500ft.

Another view of a frozen Lake Mille Lacs in northern Minnesota, from 5500ft.

Route of Flight - 2/19/2011 - FCM-BRD-OEO-FCM