Finally gonna fly to VJI

[Morne]

Finally gonna fly to VJI - FLEW IT (pics)!!!

Just over a year ago I started learning to fly so that I could fly to VJI for business. It is either a 6.5 hour drive or a 2 hour flight. Looking at the weather for Wednesday morning it should be decent.

My only concern left will be for the return trip Thursday. Still too far out to have any certainty but we'll see. Not the end of the world if I have to wait out weather, which I have done before.

It is kind of like the completion of a New Year's resolution. Just thought I would share.

 

[alfadog]

Just over a year ago I started learning to fly so that I could fly to VJI for business. It is either a 6.5 hour drive or a 2 hour flight. Looking at the weather for Wednesday morning it should be decent.

My only concern left will be for the return trip Thursday. Still too far out to have any certainty but we'll see. Not the end of the world if I have to wait out weather, which I have done before.

It is kind of like the completion of a New Year's resolution. Just thought I would share.

Wunderground is nice for extended forecasts

http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/hdfForecast?query=VJI

No guarantees, of course, but worth a look.

 

[poadeleted20]

There is also the MAV MOS graphics site.
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/mdl/forecast/graphics/MAV/index.html

 

[nddons]

There is also the MAV MOS graphics site.
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/mdl/forecast/graphics/MAV/index.html

Why have I not seen that site before? That's awesome.

 

[Morne]

Flew it!!!

Didn't actually go until Thursday due to other complications. Went down and back in one day.

Thursday morning was great until about an hour before I was set to leave. Then the morning mist formed and visibility tanked from 8sm to 3/4sm! Needless to say, I waited for it to improve prior to launch.

Got up into the air and loved the sight of where the mist was still clinging in patches along the ground. As I got into West Virginia, that became more pronounced:

Passing near Logan County (WV) airport I just had to take a picture:

Lovely, if not inviting, terrain:

Gratuitous panel shot:

A valley full of fog/mist:

And yet clear as a bell just to my west:

Quaint little towns nestled in the mountains not far north of VJI:

Night flight home panel shot:

I feel very accomplished having done the trip that I envisioned when I started flight training. Not having to sleep away from home was wonderful. Got down there, did my business and got home all in one day!

The radar on the way back looked...interesting. Lots of awfulness far to the west and east, but just scattered precip around my route of flight. While I had done 10,500' coming down I selected 7,500' for going back, since there were some 9,000' clouds forecast along the way. Kept a sharp eye on my strikefinder but not a single hit within 100nm of me.

Indy center is VERY BUSY in the morning, much less so between 9 and 11pm!

I swear I land better at night now than during the day...

 

[kimberlyanne546]

I love the way the fog hugs the shapes of the peaks.