Reach for the Sky!

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

Well, after a crazy winter full of snow, snow, and little more snow, I finally managed to squeeze in a flight.  I have had the worst luck with scheduling this winter. It seems every time I have one of the planes booked, it snows that day. The weather is starting to turn nice now, so hopefully I will be able to get up in the air more.

Today, the weather was a little gloomy early on, with occasional light sprinkles, cloudy, with some icing conditions above 3000ft. I decided not to try a cross-country flight, and just stayed in the pattern for some landing practice. While on my 3rd round in the pattern, I noticed the skies were clearing up nicely, so I decided that the next take-off would be a departure to the north/northwest. After take-off I was vectored south, then west for traffic, then cleared to the northwest. I went out over Lake Minnetonka then north towards Maple Grove. I stayed just west of I-494 to avoid the Crystal Class-D airspace. I circled a friend’s house a couple times before heading southwest towards Lake Waconia. There I flew over the lake, then turned east back to Flying Cloud Airport.

So overall, not too adventurous, but I got 4 landings in, and did a little sight seeing. It was nice just to get up in the air again.

I’m back on the schedule for next Saturday as well, and the weather forecast is good, so hopefully it works out.

Another 1.5 hours in the logbook, and Total Time is up to 52.0 hours.

Today, I took one of my Nephew’s up for his first flight. We went on a cross country flight to Mason City, IA. It was a nice trip. The sky was clear when we started, though as we got closer to Mason City it started to cloud up a little bit. Then on the return trip, we had a long line of clouds following us. They were still high enough though that I was able to get to 6500ft on the return trip, which was a good thing because Minneapolis Center (I was on flight following) was advising of several aircraft in close vicinity to me, all about 3000ft below me, and same heading. One of the aircraft was directly below me at 3600ft, and following the same course.

Only took a few photos on this flight. I was hoping to take some video, but I forgot to pull out the video camera!

Next flight will hopefully be in 2 weeks if the weather permits.

Here are some pics from this flight:

11/27/2010 Winter in Minnesota during a flight to Mason City IA

11/27/2010 Aerial view of the airport in Albert Lea MN

11/27/2010 Aerial view of one of the many wind farms in southern Minnesota