So there we were, 10 minutes from my home field. We were in the area running some errands and I said to Janice, lets go check out the plane. We had not been there in a week or so but little did she know, I had ulterior motives!
I knew the WX was perfect, no wind, a thin cirrus cloud cover low dew point and 60 degrees, it was a little more than an hour before dusk. So we get to the plane and I said, lets take it up for a couple of touch and go's.
Once we rotated, I knew this was going to be a blast. It was smooth as glass, severe clear. The kind of day when you can let go of the controls and close your eyes and not even feel like you are moving.
There were a couple of others in the pattern who we knew and hilarity soon ensued on the CTAF. After a sufficient number of greasers and some runway incursions by some turkeys, we headed off to another class echo just about 20 minutes away for a few more landings. Low passes, landing on one main then the other, steep turns and laughter in the cockpit. The plane was performing flawlessly and I was in the groove. This is why we fly! No plans, no schedules, no agenda, just bopping around enjoying the freedom we enjoy as pilots and flying families.
So we headed back to the home base just as the sun was setting, the airport was all lit up, the sunset off to our left was epic just as we touched down on runway 35. We tied down in dead calm air, a few other pilots were doing the same and we had some brief ramp conversations and headed home.
All in all, a perfect, unplanned aviation adventure that provided us both with some memories we will never forget.
I knew the WX was perfect, no wind, a thin cirrus cloud cover low dew point and 60 degrees, it was a little more than an hour before dusk. So we get to the plane and I said, lets take it up for a couple of touch and go's.
Once we rotated, I knew this was going to be a blast. It was smooth as glass, severe clear. The kind of day when you can let go of the controls and close your eyes and not even feel like you are moving.
There were a couple of others in the pattern who we knew and hilarity soon ensued on the CTAF. After a sufficient number of greasers and some runway incursions by some turkeys, we headed off to another class echo just about 20 minutes away for a few more landings. Low passes, landing on one main then the other, steep turns and laughter in the cockpit. The plane was performing flawlessly and I was in the groove. This is why we fly! No plans, no schedules, no agenda, just bopping around enjoying the freedom we enjoy as pilots and flying families.
So we headed back to the home base just as the sun was setting, the airport was all lit up, the sunset off to our left was epic just as we touched down on runway 35. We tied down in dead calm air, a few other pilots were doing the same and we had some brief ramp conversations and headed home.
All in all, a perfect, unplanned aviation adventure that provided us both with some memories we will never forget.
