Len Lanetti
Cleared for Takeoff
I flew more hours this weekend than I have in a single weekend since the kids were born!
Two trips down and back to Ocean City MD ("OXB") from Pottstown PA. Approximately 4 hours in the log book. What fun.
On Saturday, took a friend (Tim) down to OXB on Saturday to get crabs. Scattered clouds between 2,700 and 3,700 kept us low but the heat and the bumps were not too bad for us (my boy David would not have liked it).
Ran the Mooney at 24 squared in cruise. I've decided I like the CHTs better than when I run it at 25 squared. At 24 squared #3 cylinder only runs a little higher than 1, 2 & 4 and none of the temps are close to 400. The speed trade off is probably something like 5 knots.
Tim got to see a few C-5s up close while we went past Dover AFB.
Getting the crabs took more ground time at OXB than expected (see possible ways to speed process below).
Cab fare has at least tripled since I last did a trip to OXB.
We got the crabs at Hooper's Crab house. I spoke with the general manager, Ryan Intrieri, while I waited for our crabs to cook. He said that if people call in advance that he will have the crabs ready when they get to the restaurant. He also said that often someone at the restaurant would be available to deliver the crabs to the airport. This is significant as the cab fare is the same as the crab fare for a dozen large. I will call ahead in the future and shoot for having the crabs delivered to the airport.
Hooper's 411:
410-213-1771
12913 Ocean Gateway
Ocean City MD 21842
GM Ryan Intrieri
After the flight back home Tim's family and mine enjoyed eating the crabs and other good food.
On Sunday we went to the early "speed Mass" (no singing - in and out about 40 minutes depending on long winded'ness of the priest or deacon). After church we all changed into bathing suites, packed a cooler and other beach related stuff and we are off to the airport.
Wx along the route was clear skys with 10 miles plus in haze.
We loaded the Mooney M20C to the gills. 4 people, 4 beach chairs, 1 Igloo Wheelie Cool cooler (with sandwiches, chips, soda water, juice pouches, etc), 1 medium size beach umbrella in carrying bag, 2 kid sand buckets, 6 kid hand implements for working the, 1 mesh bag (of 4 beach towels, 1 beach blanket and assorted extra shirts and such) and 1 sand proof bag (of suntan lotion and assorted other stuff). It is a shame that Mooney's just won't carry anything.
We launch at about 10am. Climb at 25 squared at 100 MPH provides 1,000 FPM climb, 110 MPH yielded about 800 FPM climb and 120 MPH yielded 500 FPM climb (especially if the PIC remembers to hold sufficient right rudder in the climb).
After departure from Pottstown (PTW) I called PHL approach, got permission Bravo for a climb to higher, cooler air. I'm given 3,000 feet as an initial altitude but also given a turn to the southeast (OXB is due south from PTW). I'm thinking the controller is thinking I want to go to Ocean City NJ. Upon reaching 3 I ask if the assigned heading was for traffic 'cause I really want to go south to OXB. That got things straightened out and I was allowed to climb to 6.5. The air was cooler and no bumps. David was fine (he has had airsickness issues in the past - this will make 4 legs in a row where David has not gotten sick
). Matthew was fine too.
Very little traffic. We get to OXB, unload the Mooney and jump in a cab. With tip, cab fare to the beach is $20. After some initial kid issues (I don't want to help, I don't want suntan lotion, the sand is hot and such) everyone settles down to a fun afternoon at the beach.
At about 5pm I call from the beach for a Wx briefing. The Wx is great and expected to stay that way but there is a TFR for a mid air along the route. Heard a brief report on news radio this morning but nothing further.
Trip home was good. I climbed to 5.5 initially. This put us right in the band of haze, visibility was good (I could see the other side of the bay) but higher or lower would have been better viz wise. As I got toward PHL I descended to 3.5 and the visibility improved, the kids were asleep, the bumps and heat not too bad.
Yes, all in all a very fun weekend. Of course, nothing got done around the house - oh well.
Len
Two trips down and back to Ocean City MD ("OXB") from Pottstown PA. Approximately 4 hours in the log book. What fun.
On Saturday, took a friend (Tim) down to OXB on Saturday to get crabs. Scattered clouds between 2,700 and 3,700 kept us low but the heat and the bumps were not too bad for us (my boy David would not have liked it).
Ran the Mooney at 24 squared in cruise. I've decided I like the CHTs better than when I run it at 25 squared. At 24 squared #3 cylinder only runs a little higher than 1, 2 & 4 and none of the temps are close to 400. The speed trade off is probably something like 5 knots.
Tim got to see a few C-5s up close while we went past Dover AFB.
Getting the crabs took more ground time at OXB than expected (see possible ways to speed process below).
Cab fare has at least tripled since I last did a trip to OXB.
We got the crabs at Hooper's Crab house. I spoke with the general manager, Ryan Intrieri, while I waited for our crabs to cook. He said that if people call in advance that he will have the crabs ready when they get to the restaurant. He also said that often someone at the restaurant would be available to deliver the crabs to the airport. This is significant as the cab fare is the same as the crab fare for a dozen large. I will call ahead in the future and shoot for having the crabs delivered to the airport.
Hooper's 411:
410-213-1771
12913 Ocean Gateway
Ocean City MD 21842
GM Ryan Intrieri
After the flight back home Tim's family and mine enjoyed eating the crabs and other good food.
On Sunday we went to the early "speed Mass" (no singing - in and out about 40 minutes depending on long winded'ness of the priest or deacon). After church we all changed into bathing suites, packed a cooler and other beach related stuff and we are off to the airport.
Wx along the route was clear skys with 10 miles plus in haze.
We loaded the Mooney M20C to the gills. 4 people, 4 beach chairs, 1 Igloo Wheelie Cool cooler (with sandwiches, chips, soda water, juice pouches, etc), 1 medium size beach umbrella in carrying bag, 2 kid sand buckets, 6 kid hand implements for working the, 1 mesh bag (of 4 beach towels, 1 beach blanket and assorted extra shirts and such) and 1 sand proof bag (of suntan lotion and assorted other stuff). It is a shame that Mooney's just won't carry anything.
We launch at about 10am. Climb at 25 squared at 100 MPH provides 1,000 FPM climb, 110 MPH yielded about 800 FPM climb and 120 MPH yielded 500 FPM climb (especially if the PIC remembers to hold sufficient right rudder in the climb).
After departure from Pottstown (PTW) I called PHL approach, got permission Bravo for a climb to higher, cooler air. I'm given 3,000 feet as an initial altitude but also given a turn to the southeast (OXB is due south from PTW). I'm thinking the controller is thinking I want to go to Ocean City NJ. Upon reaching 3 I ask if the assigned heading was for traffic 'cause I really want to go south to OXB. That got things straightened out and I was allowed to climb to 6.5. The air was cooler and no bumps. David was fine (he has had airsickness issues in the past - this will make 4 legs in a row where David has not gotten sick
). Matthew was fine too. Very little traffic. We get to OXB, unload the Mooney and jump in a cab. With tip, cab fare to the beach is $20. After some initial kid issues (I don't want to help, I don't want suntan lotion, the sand is hot and such) everyone settles down to a fun afternoon at the beach.
At about 5pm I call from the beach for a Wx briefing. The Wx is great and expected to stay that way but there is a TFR for a mid air along the route. Heard a brief report on news radio this morning but nothing further.
Trip home was good. I climbed to 5.5 initially. This put us right in the band of haze, visibility was good (I could see the other side of the bay) but higher or lower would have been better viz wise. As I got toward PHL I descended to 3.5 and the visibility improved, the kids were asleep, the bumps and heat not too bad.
Yes, all in all a very fun weekend. Of course, nothing got done around the house - oh well.
Len
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