I did fly today...

Jim K

Jim K

Final Approach
PoA Supporter
Joined
Mar 31, 2019
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5,970
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CMI
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Display name:
Richard Digits
Well, actually it was yesterday. I didn't break any "rules", and I certainly didn't break any laws. Everyone I saw (at a distance, of course) was excited to see me. Ok, not to see me, but just to see someone. Controllers were bored out of their minds. Approach switched me to tower at 30mi out, cleared to land at 28mi. I was doing 105kn over the ground. Didn't see another return on ADSB during three hours I was up. It was admittedly pretty rough though.

Added 4 airports to the logbook, bringing me to 24/106 in my goal of touching wheels to every public use airport in the state. Hoping to collect O'Hare while air traffic is down. Maybe next week, assuming that the authoritarians don't find out that there's still someone enjoying themselves.

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Jim K said:
Well, actually it was yesterday. I didn't break any "rules", and I certainly didn't break any laws.
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Congrats on getting out.

Your statement above reminds me of the first question I was asked during my first CFI interview years ago.

"When was the last time you violated any of the FAA regulations?"

The proper answer was, of course, "Most likely during my last flight."

:eek:
 
Good for you,I haven’t found any rules that specifically forbid flying.
 
frfly172 said:
Good for you,I haven’t found any rules that specifically forbid flying.
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If you are practicing social distancing and not taking up people that are not in you immediate household, in 99% of the country there are no restrictions that prohibit GA flying. In fact many orders have explicit allowances for "outdoor activities" if following those guidelines.
 
frfly172 said:
Good for you,I haven’t found any rules that specifically forbid flying.
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Me neither. Which is why I find it so irritating when I listen to podcasts, watch videos, and read forum posts telling people not to go fly.

Now we're hearing stories about people being ticketed for driving around by themselves. I understand and support shutting things down to slow the spread, but some governors and mayors are out of control.
 
Shawn said:
If you are practicing social distancing and not taking up people that are not in you immediate household, in 99% of the country there are no restrictions that prohibit GA flying. In fact many orders have explicit allowances for "outdoor activities" if following those guidelines.
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The county & city here have closed all public parks for the 3 day Easter weekend because officials think that too many people will be enjoying the outdoors on Easter. Don't let the officials know about recreational GA flying, or they will shut down the airports too :(
 
I flew a couple days ago. The airspace around KOLM was reasonably quiet, but certainly not dead. The tower even had me extend my downwind once for incoming traffic. I think they were glad to have the business.

Evidently the self serve pumps down at KCLS were very busy, and will be again today. They're selling 100LL for $2.80 / gallon.
 
I fly solo a good bit of the time,no problem socially distancing
 
I done flew too
it was bumpy through and through
but at no time did I spew
I was a one-man wrecking crew
saw lots of cows, all saying moo
at no time did it smell like poo
when I got back I had a brew
this story, it is true
for listening, I say merci beaucoup
 
rk911 said:
"...Approach switched me to tower at 30mi out, cleared to land at 28mi..."

lololol
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It took me a minute to compose myself before I read back the landing clearance.
 
Went up today with wife for a short X country. Had to double check that my I Pad was tied to the transponder for traffic - and then I found a few others in the air. Flew to PDK - there was some traffic. Flew 2nd leg to Athens GA (AHN). Me and one other guy. Tower basically also cleared me to land as soon as I entered his airspace. As much as I like not a lot of traffic to keep track of, I don't like that I don't have a lot of traffic to keep track of - it just isn't right.
 
I got up for some practice yesterday. First flight in about four weeks.
Brought along my now-housemate, who has been hosting me here in West Virginia for six weeks now (what was supposed to be just a week and a half).

Did a couple of VFR practice approaches (just procedures, no hood) at Clarksburg, and then back to Morgantown. There was a fair amount of traffic around doing the same thing: practice approaches and closed traffic. It was the first nice sunny day in a while, and the next week is looking like it's going to mostly suck again, so I think people who wanted to go keep proficiency all picked the same day to go do it.
 
I went out too this morning. 3 weeks since last flight, almost a record for me. Need to keep the rust off (both my skills and the cylinders!) Luckily I can enter the ramp through and outside gate so no need to go close to anyone. ATC was scary quiet... I had to double-check that I was on freq after silence from Beantown Approach for 10 mins! Finally I called them and they seemed happy to have someone to talk to. Did a hop over to Beverly and did some practice power-off 180 landings and then a nice scenic around Marblehead and back home.

It felt great to be back in the plane, and I really wanted to just stay in the cockpit rather than going back to my house full of folks who would rather not be there!

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Beverly, MA looking south


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Boston over the wingtip in the distance

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Short final for 27 at Beverly

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Eastern Point Light House on Cape Ann
 
I flew Friday morning. It was only half an hour, just enough to make sure the battery was charged up and the airplane was otherwise ready for our scheduled blood run next Friday. Every time I go to the airport now there are more and more airliners parked in storage on the west side of the field. There were some 172s from local indie flight schools in the pattern, but there were none of Lufthansa's many Cirri, Bonanzas or Grobs. I wonder if the German students have all been sent home.
 
I flew Saturday morning. Just long enough to boil the oil and charge the battery. Pretty rough but I wasn't alone, two others were getting ready when I left the airport to go golf.
 
I'm still grounded as my flying club's exec board decided they would shut down operations until....not sure when...
 
cgrab said:
I flew Saturday morning. Just long enough to boil the oil and charge the battery. Pretty rough but I wasn't alone, two others were getting ready when I left the airport to go golf.
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Same here. Rough near the ground but pretty in the air. Shared the pattern with a few other planes.
 
I didn’t fly but was at the airport working on my annual. A lot of people were flying and I was very impressed with how the mix of pilots / aircraft worked together. We had everything from Cessna Citation to a J-3 cub in the pattern together.

They, a Cirrus, and a Barron all communicated well and managed to keep the flights smooth and flowing well. No one had to go around, no one had to do a 360 for spacing, etc. Great job by the pilots and I had fun plane watching.
Gary
 
I haven’t flown in over a week.... I think I am going to start trolling on POA now
 
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