kimberlyanne546
Final Approach
I want to start a thread, now, before the date arrives.
Here is my situation:
I was invited to attend a "getaway weekend" - March 9 - 12, 2012.
My BF's family, each and every year, pays for a vacation. This includes four generations and is usually held over a Spring weekend at a rental home / homes on the coast. The extended family each year totals between 10 - 30 people, including significant others, dogs, children, babies, and guests.
A few years ago, it was held in Stinson Beach, where my BF and I rented a hotel room (not enough space in the vacation rental). The place was awesome, and the BBQ oysters, walks on the beach, and family activities were great.
This year, I booked a dog sitter for my dog (they are limited to 5 dogs total at the rental home, so mine can't come). I even got the time off work approved (taking Friday, March 9 and Monday, March 12 as vacation days). The plan was to DRIVE to Morro Bay, for the 4-day getaway. It is about 5.5 hours of driving time each way, or 11 hours of driving total.
Flying didn't even cross my mind. Both my old flight school and my new flight school had daily minimums I couldn't meet, plus the weather would have to cooperate. Flying was too expensive and impractical.
BUT - I decided it couldn't hurt to ASK. I knew I would not likely get my first choice, the awesome 180hp conversion 172. The min. per day is 3 hours hobbs. Not gonna happen over a 4-day trip with only 200nm to fly each way.
HOWEVER - I just got checked out in the 150 and discovered I had been the only one to fly it in a week. Of the 4 CFI's at the school, only one was small enough to do check outs in the tiny thing, and of all the pilots who fly, roughly 5 or less are "regular" renters of the plane.
I approached the owner of the flight school today with my request.... first asking for the 172 (denied), then asking for the 150 (approved).
SUCCESS!
Now I am on to phase two of my planning (learning more about the airplane itself).
I have the time off, and a plane reserved, and no "get there itis" (it is a group vacation, we have days and days of "wiggle room" for weather, we can always drive if needed).
Is this really happening? Am I finally going to see my pilot cert "pay off"? We could fly there in about 2.5 hours - less than HALF the time it takes to drive.
I have already made arrangements to meet with the owner of the flight school this week. He will be working late most nights and is going to let me "plug in" the plane's GPS so that I don't drain the battery. In the case of the 150, it is a yoke mounted external handheld GPS, so that should be easy.... and it will save me time / make me safer on my cross country in March.
In addition, I have bought the POH from the school for $18 and plan to create my own custom checklist from the one they have in the plane. I also want to fly a few more times to get even better at my 150 mad skillz.....
Phase three will be my "research phase". I would like to stop, mid-way, for lunch and a refuel.... I'm thinking Hollister. Far enough away to avoid all the Bravo / Charlie nonsense, and, according to the flight school, some of the nasty MOA areas. Plus I wanna stretch my legs and not sit in a 150 for 2.5 hours. Then again, I don't know if Hollister has food but I can always pack a sandwich. Another thing I need to research is where to land for real. As in, where to park the plane for the 4 days.... San Luis Obispo? Oceano? I need to make some calls and crunch some numbers. Everyone there will be driving, so no issues about us getting picked up from the airport, but at the same time I don't want to inconvenience anyone too much.
Phase four will be the actual flight planning, and of course the "outs". Alternates, what-ifs, etc. I've already told the BF to use the words "weather permitting" with his family and have warned him that the commitment to piloting an aircraft could shave 1-2 total days off our vacation due to the coast / winter weather conditions.
Here is my situation:
I was invited to attend a "getaway weekend" - March 9 - 12, 2012.
My BF's family, each and every year, pays for a vacation. This includes four generations and is usually held over a Spring weekend at a rental home / homes on the coast. The extended family each year totals between 10 - 30 people, including significant others, dogs, children, babies, and guests.
A few years ago, it was held in Stinson Beach, where my BF and I rented a hotel room (not enough space in the vacation rental). The place was awesome, and the BBQ oysters, walks on the beach, and family activities were great.
This year, I booked a dog sitter for my dog (they are limited to 5 dogs total at the rental home, so mine can't come). I even got the time off work approved (taking Friday, March 9 and Monday, March 12 as vacation days). The plan was to DRIVE to Morro Bay, for the 4-day getaway. It is about 5.5 hours of driving time each way, or 11 hours of driving total.
Flying didn't even cross my mind. Both my old flight school and my new flight school had daily minimums I couldn't meet, plus the weather would have to cooperate. Flying was too expensive and impractical.
BUT - I decided it couldn't hurt to ASK. I knew I would not likely get my first choice, the awesome 180hp conversion 172. The min. per day is 3 hours hobbs. Not gonna happen over a 4-day trip with only 200nm to fly each way.
HOWEVER - I just got checked out in the 150 and discovered I had been the only one to fly it in a week. Of the 4 CFI's at the school, only one was small enough to do check outs in the tiny thing, and of all the pilots who fly, roughly 5 or less are "regular" renters of the plane.
I approached the owner of the flight school today with my request.... first asking for the 172 (denied), then asking for the 150 (approved).
SUCCESS!
Now I am on to phase two of my planning (learning more about the airplane itself).
I have the time off, and a plane reserved, and no "get there itis" (it is a group vacation, we have days and days of "wiggle room" for weather, we can always drive if needed).
Is this really happening? Am I finally going to see my pilot cert "pay off"? We could fly there in about 2.5 hours - less than HALF the time it takes to drive.
I have already made arrangements to meet with the owner of the flight school this week. He will be working late most nights and is going to let me "plug in" the plane's GPS so that I don't drain the battery. In the case of the 150, it is a yoke mounted external handheld GPS, so that should be easy.... and it will save me time / make me safer on my cross country in March.
In addition, I have bought the POH from the school for $18 and plan to create my own custom checklist from the one they have in the plane. I also want to fly a few more times to get even better at my 150 mad skillz.....
Phase three will be my "research phase". I would like to stop, mid-way, for lunch and a refuel.... I'm thinking Hollister. Far enough away to avoid all the Bravo / Charlie nonsense, and, according to the flight school, some of the nasty MOA areas. Plus I wanna stretch my legs and not sit in a 150 for 2.5 hours. Then again, I don't know if Hollister has food but I can always pack a sandwich. Another thing I need to research is where to land for real. As in, where to park the plane for the 4 days.... San Luis Obispo? Oceano? I need to make some calls and crunch some numbers. Everyone there will be driving, so no issues about us getting picked up from the airport, but at the same time I don't want to inconvenience anyone too much.
Phase four will be the actual flight planning, and of course the "outs". Alternates, what-ifs, etc. I've already told the BF to use the words "weather permitting" with his family and have warned him that the commitment to piloting an aircraft could shave 1-2 total days off our vacation due to the coast / winter weather conditions.
