big trip TKI ---> BWI (1100 nm)

spiderweb

spiderweb

Final Approach
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Feb 22, 2005
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Ben
We got in from my big trip from Texas in the Saratoga. Total air time was only seven and a half hours, but we had to land two extra times for the dog to do its thing.

I have pictures, but I have to develop them.

I woke up early and took a picture of myself. Yuck--I don't know if I will keep it.

We took off at 10:30 CST after a big delay leaving my brother's home, and loading the plane. We flew for 2.5 hours and stopped.

At our first stop, in Memphis, I observed two deaf people conversing in sign language. (I have been studying ASL.) It was cool to see how fluently they communicated. I had a cheese sandwich and fries at Wendy's.

Our second stop was Roanoke, VA. We landed at night--LDA 6. The stupid dinner took too long. We spent two hours at TGI Fridays where I ate a very bad sandwich. We didn't take off from Roanoke until 9:30 PM. This was a great chance to practice the BLACK HOLE TAKEOFF. I went through the checklist very carefully before then, and very very carefully reviewed the DP!

We landed at Baltimore just after 11:00 PM. We could have skipped the second stop, in which case we would have landed at 9:00 PM in Baltimore.

Our average speed was about 160 KTAS. We saw as high as 180 knots over the ground.

I am tired.

:-)
 
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How was the flight itself? I mean, come on, you're begging for a bad experience if you go to TGI Fridays!:eek:

What about the Saratoga? How'd you enjoy the aerial part of the trip?
 
flyersfan31 said:
How was the flight itself? I mean, come on, you're begging for a bad experience if you go to TGI Fridays!:eek:

What about the Saratoga? How'd you enjoy the aerial part of the trip?
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Oh the actual flight? I'm not sure what to say--everything was normal and easy. The Saratoga is a 1988SP all decked out with FD, HSI, excellent AP, Garmin GPS, etc. This is the Saratoga I sometimes fly. She, like all Saratogas, is a real princess to fly, and easy on the IFR. I hand flew everything except cruise and initial descent when I put George to work. The views were so beautiful, and there's also a lot to see in the avionics, so I let him fly our cruise. As to routing, after flying the HUBB5 out of TKI, I got the typical direct for most of the trip (thank you, controllers). After ROA, it was all airways and a STAR into BWI. I flew approaches into all three airports--the last two were at night, and ROA is in the mountains.

I loved it!
 
Good job Ben. We've been doing several long trips lately. Its really just a bunch of shorter trips put together. :)
 
spiderweb said:
We got in from my big trip from Texas in the Saratoga. Total air time was only seven and a half hours, but we had to land two extra times for the dog to do its thing.

Now that's what I call a l-o-o-o-n-n-g cross-country! Nice report, Ben, thanks!
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Yep. And now it is time to get current in the TB-20 again!
 
Ben, you haven't lived until you come from Texas in a helicopter! Starting out from MAH, it took 2 1/2 days to get back to N99. MAH is about 300 nm SW of TKI. We kept banging into a slow moving front and the longest day was only 6.5 logged hours!

Day 1: MAH - SPS (fuel) - TQH (overnight) 4.9 hours
Day 2: TQH - POF (fuel) - HNB (fuel) - PKB (overnight) 6.5 hours
Day 3: KPB - HMZ (fuel) - N99 2.9 hours

Average speed 120 KIAS, ground speed about 10 kt higher...

Altitude, 1000 agl except I cleared the ridges at 200-300 agl.

Not only was low and slow a bunch of fun, the flights back from LA gave me enough total helicopter hours and enough R44 hours to take pax in both the left and rear seats (insurance requirement). :yes:
 
Ben, sounds great!

But ince again, Ben has been inthe area, and kept it a big secret.

Give some warning, and maybe we collar Dave S and take you for Italian food and vinegar-laced ice cream.

I sorta think I'd best never let my wife into a 'Toga or Lance, as I might never get her back into a Bo, for all the room.

And Ben: Gaston's is closer to BWI than TKI, so you have no excuse for missing G07!

/s/ Spike

Edit-

I just looked at your FlightAware trace, and you sure did get the direct-to treatment on your departure; such a treat to leave going northeast; I am always going south, and have to be a "vector monkey."

Isn't it great to fly?
 
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RotaryWingBob said:
Ben, you haven't lived until you come from Texas in a helicopter!
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That actually does sound like a lot of fun!
 
SCCutler said:
Ben, sounds great!

But ince again, Ben has been inthe area, and kept it a big secret.

Give some warning, and maybe we collar Dave S and take you for Italian food and vinegar-laced ice cream.

I sorta think I'd best never let my wife into a 'Toga or Lance, as I might never get her back into a Bo, for all the room.

And Ben: Gaston's is closer to BWI than TKI, so you have no excuse for missing G07!

/s/ Spike

Edit-

I just looked at your FlightAware trace, and you sure did get the direct-to treatment on your departure; such a treat to leave going northeast; I am always going south, and have to be a "vector monkey."

Isn't it great to fly?
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Hi Spike! I was only in Plano for about 12 hours, so I didn't even visit half of my family. I promise to tell you next time--sorry!
 
HPNFlyGirl said:
That sounds gross. :vomit: How does it taste? I mean I have heard of potato flake ice cream to make it creamy but vinegar?
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Dave's just fussing about Balsamic Vinegar.

Apparently, not everyone likes it... :dunno: Dunno why? Properly aged balsamic vinegar is like syrup.... I've got some 75 year old stuff that I brought back from Italy a year or two ago. Tastes great - less filling.

Unless, of course, it was a cheap Italian restaurant the served swill....
 
wsuffa said:
Dave's just fussing about Balsamic Vinegar.

Apparently, not everyone likes it... :dunno: Dunno why? Properly aged balsamic vinegar is like syrup.... I've got some 75 year old stuff that I brought back from Italy a year or two ago. Tastes great - less filling.

Unless, of course, it was a cheap Italian restaurant the served swill....
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Bill, it was a very nice eye-talian restaurant, but you'll have to ask Chip and Dave if the dessert was anything other than... well, grunt. :vomit:

I'll defer to them.
 
SCCutler said:
Bill, it was a very nice eye-talian restaurant, but you'll have to ask Chip and Dave if the dessert was anything other than... well, grunt. :vomit:

I'll defer to them.
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I know. I'm just chain-pulling. :rolleyes:
 
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