ntbjounin
Pre-takeoff checklist
Just got back from Tampa.
Yesterday I started my journey by airlining it up to SGF (Springfield, MO), taking a bus down to Branson, and greeting my new steed. A PA28-151 with a 180hp engine in it. I'll put the pics in order. The first one is On the ramp at Branson, MO.
I gave it a thorough preflight, parused all the logbooks, and found everything in order. It was well kept, with fresh oil and a 3 month old annual and it had been flown last week, so that was good to hear. I got in, cranked her up, and did a good runup, looked everything over and then did a lap in the pattern. She climbed like a monkey on speed! I pointed her up for Vy which gave me 1500'a min! In a cherokee! I was not expecting that. My previous cherokee experience was hundreds of flight hours ago, so I dont really remember it exactly. I remember the nosewheel being wobbly on taxi, and not wanting to turn too sharply, all that was true.
So I headed east, over Memphis (photo included), and reached Tupelo, MS. It was nice, and gas was $4.52!!!! (though it was advertised as $4.40... how dare they! lol) Gas stations in Springfield, MO by the way, had $3.14/gallon!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT!!!? Maybe it'll catch on? Anyway, they were nice over at Tupelo, and it looked like they had a little house where pilots could overnight. It's not obvious at all though. It's over by the SS pumps at the FAR north end very out of sight from the FBO or terminal. And off I go again with full tanks! Full tanks... No problem, can you say 1500 fpm? it was impressive. (I did a shortfield takeoff b/c the runway was kinda rough and crappy, it was being worked on).
Anyway, over Tuscaloosa, AL (not pictured, although I got a decent pic of the Hyundai factory and a LOT of cars!), and on to Bainbridge, GA. Night fell, so I got a nice smooth evening ride all the way to touchdown in GA. Took a couple of night pictures, and slept in the pilot's lounge. I had called to ask if there were sleeping quarters, and the guy said feel free to stay in the pilot's lounge, you can get in 24/7 w/ CTAF freq. Anyway, I used their Slow Internet to read some posts by you guys.. and went to bed. Awoke, predawn to go preflight, eat my vending machine breakfast, and search for fuel. FS only at Bainbridge, and they dont open 'til 8am on weekends. So I went down to Quincy, FL! A CUTE little airstrip. (Grassy area could be used as a runway) There are no taxiways to the paved runway, so you just drive along the grass over to the pumps $4.98. Really nice people there even at 645am.
Then off I go to Lakeland! I didnt fill up because he would only be draining the tanks in lakeland anyway. I tried to go min, fuel but safety always trumps my thriftiness. A quick 2 hrs later with the friendly Floridian controllers and I'm on the ground in Lakeland. During my flare the tower says "WELCOME TO LAKELAND". I'm kind of focused at that point, so not really when I want to talk to the tower, but they sure were friendly! I saw it was going to be a long taxi, so I landed long, but it should have been longer, much longer. That runway's huge! No wonder they land 'em 3 at a time at Sun n Fun.
Well, it was another fun trip. Can't wait for the next one!
Yesterday I started my journey by airlining it up to SGF (Springfield, MO), taking a bus down to Branson, and greeting my new steed. A PA28-151 with a 180hp engine in it. I'll put the pics in order. The first one is On the ramp at Branson, MO.
I gave it a thorough preflight, parused all the logbooks, and found everything in order. It was well kept, with fresh oil and a 3 month old annual and it had been flown last week, so that was good to hear. I got in, cranked her up, and did a good runup, looked everything over and then did a lap in the pattern. She climbed like a monkey on speed! I pointed her up for Vy which gave me 1500'a min! In a cherokee! I was not expecting that. My previous cherokee experience was hundreds of flight hours ago, so I dont really remember it exactly. I remember the nosewheel being wobbly on taxi, and not wanting to turn too sharply, all that was true.
So I headed east, over Memphis (photo included), and reached Tupelo, MS. It was nice, and gas was $4.52!!!! (though it was advertised as $4.40... how dare they! lol) Gas stations in Springfield, MO by the way, had $3.14/gallon!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT!!!? Maybe it'll catch on? Anyway, they were nice over at Tupelo, and it looked like they had a little house where pilots could overnight. It's not obvious at all though. It's over by the SS pumps at the FAR north end very out of sight from the FBO or terminal. And off I go again with full tanks! Full tanks... No problem, can you say 1500 fpm? it was impressive. (I did a shortfield takeoff b/c the runway was kinda rough and crappy, it was being worked on).
Anyway, over Tuscaloosa, AL (not pictured, although I got a decent pic of the Hyundai factory and a LOT of cars!), and on to Bainbridge, GA. Night fell, so I got a nice smooth evening ride all the way to touchdown in GA. Took a couple of night pictures, and slept in the pilot's lounge. I had called to ask if there were sleeping quarters, and the guy said feel free to stay in the pilot's lounge, you can get in 24/7 w/ CTAF freq. Anyway, I used their Slow Internet to read some posts by you guys.. and went to bed. Awoke, predawn to go preflight, eat my vending machine breakfast, and search for fuel. FS only at Bainbridge, and they dont open 'til 8am on weekends. So I went down to Quincy, FL! A CUTE little airstrip. (Grassy area could be used as a runway) There are no taxiways to the paved runway, so you just drive along the grass over to the pumps $4.98. Really nice people there even at 645am.
Then off I go to Lakeland! I didnt fill up because he would only be draining the tanks in lakeland anyway. I tried to go min, fuel but safety always trumps my thriftiness. A quick 2 hrs later with the friendly Floridian controllers and I'm on the ground in Lakeland. During my flare the tower says "WELCOME TO LAKELAND". I'm kind of focused at that point, so not really when I want to talk to the tower, but they sure were friendly! I saw it was going to be a long taxi, so I landed long, but it should have been longer, much longer. That runway's huge! No wonder they land 'em 3 at a time at Sun n Fun.
Well, it was another fun trip. Can't wait for the next one!