Boring Holes in the Sky

Mooney Fan

Mooney Fan

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Indian Mound, TN
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Mooney Fan
I was thinking about the type of flying I do. I'm instrument rated and used to practice approaches on most flights in the rental planes. Now I own a Piper Cherokee 140 (VFR) with single NAV/COM so I have not been doing that type of flying. While it is tempting to use my IPad with Foreflight for Navigation to work some IFR approaches, I know better. Instead, I have been just cruising around. Checking out new fields around the Middle TN and Southern KY areas. Flew a couple LOC approaches on my own to mess around, other than that, its just boring holes in the sky, with ample pattern work. 22 hours on the Hobbs in my first month of ownership and I couldn't be happier.

What type of flying are the rest of you doing? I'm not talking about you guys who are doing this as your job, but the recreational flyer. We all have trips every now and then, but what do you do when you just go and fly?
 
Usually local area once a week or XC within 100 NM. Not IFR current anymore so just VFR stuff...without an iPad and Fore Flight. :eek:
 
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Velocity173 said:
without an iPad and Fore Flight. :eek:
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Hey the FAA can get you for recklessness on that one!

I fly mostly local with a 4 hour round trip xc once a month. Some times more. I have actually found that if im going to fly id rather go somewhere than putt around in the local area though.

Last fall we flew to Live Oak Florida from north MS. When we landed this guy asked where we are from and I told him North MS. He was completely and utterly surprised that we flew our plane that far (3.2 hour flight). He told me he owns a Cardinal RG and rarely leaves the pattern!! I was completely and utterly surprised he would own such a capable plane and stay in the pattern all the time. Oh well if that makes him happy.
 
I try to fly twice a week,mostly breakfast and lunch flights. Fly up and down the east coast twice a year,also do young eagles.
 
Most of the time I just buzz around the local area. Seen it thousands of times but it still hasn’t gotten old. Also do XC’s of sub 100nm every now and then (something I need to be doing more of).
 
I have seen some pretty nice farms in So KY. I can call it practice turns around a point. :)

Thinking about putting some X-Country time in as some of you are doing. I read where the diner at Cape Girardeau Mo is good as well as the old Southwest 737 Parachute Inn over in Walnut Ridge Arkansas. I just enjoy being airborne
 
Mooney Fan said:
I was thinking about the type of flying I do. I'm instrument rated and used to practice approaches on most flights in the rental planes. Now I own a Piper Cherokee 140 (VFR) with single NAV/COM so I have not been doing that type of flying. While it is tempting to use my IPad with Foreflight for Navigation to work some IFR approaches, I know better. Instead, I have been just cruising around. Checking out new fields around the Middle TN and Southern KY areas. Flew a couple LOC approaches on my own to mess around, other than that, its just boring holes in the sky, with ample pattern work. 22 hours on the Hobbs in my first month of ownership and I couldn't be happier.

What type of flying are the rest of you doing? I'm not talking about you guys who are doing this as your job, but the recreational flyer. We all have trips every now and then, but what do you do when you just go and fly?
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When you say VFR, do you mean just not IFR legal, or do you not have any VOR's at all on the plane?
 
Mostly low and slow in the Cub.
But I constantly practicing "skill" stuff, every flight.
 
Mike Smith said:
@Mooney Fan , you know there is a meet up in Knoxville Saturday?
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I do. I was planning to go until my daughter called to say they are flying in from Lihue with our new grand baby. They are arriving tomorrow and it is a surprise for my wife. They are going to walk up on us at the local Dollar General lol.

Hope I survive
 
Mooney Fan said:
I do. I was planning to go until my daughter called to say they are flying in from Lihue with our new grand baby. They are arriving tomorrow and it is a surprise for my wife. They are going to walk up on us at the local Dollar General lol.

Hope I survive
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Now that would make a good video! You must record to get her reaction!
 
Backcountry, exploring new places, lots of research and die diligence, also still go out to my favorite old spots, backcountry really is where the fun is
 
Ryanb said:
Now that would make a good video! You must record to get her reaction!
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I am planning on it. Funny, if she knew they were coming it would have been a-holes and elbows around here for the last week. i think she'll **** her pants when our daughter walks up on us. My plan is to tell her lets grab the dogs and take the backroads to grab a 12-pack.
 
I love flying, but I mostly love it for the utility it provides. I can hardly bring myself up just bore holes in the sky, I need a mission. Flew from Wichita to Peoria a couple of weeks ago for a meeting, leaving for a meeting in Lincoln in the morning, grabbing a pax and going to souix City for a second meeting, Dropping the pax back at Lincoln and will be home in time for dinner. Gotta love the time machine!
 
Topper said:
I love flying, but I mostly love it for the utility it provides. I can hardly bring myself up just bore holes in the sky, I need a mission. Flew from Wichita to Peoria a couple of weeks ago for a meeting, leaving for a meeting in Lincoln in the morning, grabbing a pax and going to souix City for a second meeting, Dropping the pax back at Lincoln and will be home in time for dinner. Gotta love the time machine!
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Yeah it’s pretty incredible. I think that idea alone is what fascinates me about Aviation in general. Being able to get hundreds of miles away from the origin airport in a very short time is mind blowing to me.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I was just given permission to go to Oshkosh.
That pretty much ruins the weather for that week
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What is this "permission" of which you speak? :rofl: Can't wait to see you there! Are you flying yourself in this time?

As for the flying I do - It's mainly traveling. I've come full circle in aviation - When I was first interested in learning to fly, I wanted a Baron. Started flying in a 172, got my instrument in an Archer, flew a 182 a lot, got my commercial in an R182, multi in an Apache (though I might have more Seneca time than Apache time), and got really bored with flying until my logbook started filling with things like Cubs, glider, Stearman, etc. But when it comes right down to it, I was traveling to have these adventures and I was traveling for other things and I hated driving and the airlines and loved traveling via GA.

So, that's what I do. Haven't been doing as much lately - I fly out of Wisconsin and I think I've only gone on two out-of-state trips so far this year (NOLA and KS). But I'm heading to NC in a week, and WY at the end of the month, and I can't wait!

Lately, when I'm not going somewhere, I'll fly around my house to check on the yard from above, do a bit of sightseeing, and pop in a flight plan to one of the nearby uncontrolled fields to shoot approaches in CAVU and get more comfortable with the new gadgets.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I was just given permission to go to Oshkosh.
That pretty much ruins the weather for that week
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Permission? What is this permission thing you speak of?? You are THE CAPTAIN.
We have a right to expect you shall exercise that responsibility. :cool:
.
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And then run for your life.
 
I use the Aztec to go further afield than I used to venture with any of my singles.
But regardless of the airplane GA flying allows getting a perspective on our incredible world from a vantage so few will ever experience.

Although I love good aerial photographs or video, they will never take the place of actually flying a few hundred to a few thousand feet above the ground.
 
Ryanb said:
Most of the time I just buzz around the local area. Seen it thousands of times but it still hasn’t gotten old. Also do XC’s of sub 100nm every now and then (something I need to be doing more of).
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Ditto. Only logged 1.5 hours for May. Hope to surpass that this weekend.
 
May is the worst month so far this year. But I try to fly twice a week, for no apparent reason. Once or twice a month do some XC, again for no apparent reason, all under 250nm. Hoping to make a few longer ones soon
 
Magpie flying. Take off, get to cruise altitude, look for something shiny or interesting on the horizon, fly to it, circle, find something shiny or unusual on the horizon, fly to it, repeat.
 
I have had family here for a little over a week, so no flying and I have the Jones.

Friday I will do a short X-Country, M21-KCGI-KMWA then back to M21. I understand there is a great place to eat at Cape Giradeau (Sandy's Place) so that'll be lunch. 251 miles total

That should scratch the itch
 
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Love the breakfast runs. Mojave, Hemet, French Valley, Gillespie Field and Camarillo are my favorite 30-45 minute flights. Havasu or Sedona if I want to get some quality Zen time in cruise configuration. And Osh again this year...woohoo! :D
 
SoCal RV Flyer said:
Love the breakfast runs. Mojave, Hemet, French Valley, Gillespie Field and Camarillo are my favorite 30-45 minute flights. Havasu or Sedona if I want to get some quality Zen time in cruise configuration. And Osh again this year...woohoo! :D
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They need dinner runs for us night owls. I hate dawn patrol.
 
wilkersk said:
We do afternoon "coffee & pie" at Jefferson County (0S9). Or, sometimes dinner at Friday Harbor (KFHR) in the summer, when it stays light till nearly 10pm.
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Yeah we don’t see much of that around here unfortunately. Bunch of old farts at a crack azz of dawn going somewhere for pancakes. Always freaking pancakes.

If I’m going that early at least make breakfast burritos with green chili! Or at least an omelette.

But I understand the logistics of pancakes. Can be made to order and the mix doesn’t go bad if nobody shows up... sigh. EAA has probably done more in high tech pancake makers than airplane building. Hahaha.
 
N3368K said:
I'm not a fan of the runs anytime, but even less so while I'm flying. The runs makes even a short flight unpleasant...
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That's what an empty flight bag is for. ;) "Don't forget to bring a towel. You never know when you might need a towel."
 
Coffee and pie, great idea. I like that term.

I'm not a morning person. My usual take off time is 10:30 am.
 
Lachlan said:
;) "Don't forget to bring a towel. You never know when you might need a towel."
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Towelie_2.jpg
 
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