ScottM
Taxi to Parking
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2005
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iBazinga!
You will first have to forgive me for the lack of pictures. I spent the week prior to banjo camp in DC and I was photo'ed out.
This was the second banjo camp that I have attended. This one was held at the Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI. It was close enough to fly and too far to drive.
The camp started at 2:30pm last Friday so along with a friend I loaded up the Warrior and headed out. The WX last Friday was not to be great and it was to get worse all weekend so I really was worried about first getting there and then getting back. But the midnight forecasts looked good for departure and return. At around 3am I was awoken by thunderstorms and wondered if they would clear out enough for me to make the flight. When I did get up there was just fog. And I mean FOG! Visibilities were about 1/4mile bu that was right at dawn, there was little wind but I figured as the sun came up it would clear.
We got to the airport and preflighted, the fog had been lifting and we had at least 1 mile of vis with the airports near us reporting 1.25mi vis. Good enough to depart but what about alternates? To south it was clear so I decided to leave. I had to call Chi-Approach to get a clearance. They actually asked me when I would be ready to go so they could fit me in. I was sitting at the hold shorts and ready to go as soon as they released me so off we went.
I entered the clouds at about 200AGL and we were in the blue at 1500MSL (about 500 feet of fog). Started our heading to the south for our fly around Chicago airspace. Finally got into centers airspace down at Peotone but they would not let me on course due to arriving Midway traffic. This whole time we above the cloud deck and it was picture perfect. Eventually cleared direct to LAN. As we got closer the skies started to darken with rain showers. No song of convective activity on the scope. All that was on the radio was a UPS driver in a 757 ignoring ATC instructions. ATC kept asking him to turn on course and he said he would in a few minutes but kept going whatever direction he wanted. I am not sure what he was up to but ATC was getting mad, or at least they sounded mad. Vis had degraded to less than 5SM so I started setting up for an approach into 28L. I was headed in from the SW so I knew it was going to be long set up. ATC then asked if I wanted to try a visual and they would vector me for a down wind, if I did not see the airport they would keep vectoring me for an ILS.
I accepted and soon as the airport so I requested the visual and made a nice landing, pulling up to a GS V, Citation, and Falcon parked on the ramp. The only FLIB was a Baron. Tie downs were rare but I found one tucked in a corner of the transient ramp. After digging out the rings on the tie downs I had to use my own ropes as the FBO did not have any. They really just cater to jets and have no real idea of what us little guys need. But they were friendly enough.
On Sunday it was time to fly home. I had hoped to stay through the morning sessions but a call to the WX brief told me I had a small opportunity to get home.
There was a line of severe storms in western Michigan extend from north of us into Elkhart, IN. There were also storm to the east over Detroit and some stuff forming to the SE. Flying home looked doubtful. There was on small chance and that was to fly south a ways and then west. Fort Wayne was in the clear and it was MVFR the whole route form Lansing to there. So we loaded up and headed south. It was a pleasant flight with dark skies both east and west of us. An occasion cloud below but MVFR. We landed in Fort Wayne to check WX again and things were looking good. One small cell on rain to our west that we could punch through and then nothing but blue skies to home. Or at least that is what was reported, we would find out later that things change quickly.
After a 20 minute stopover we loaded up and headed off. FSS had lost our flight plan but ATC was happy to do a pop up for us. They even remarked how many times of late they are having to do pop ups because of FSS screw ups. One of the routes I was hopping to take was of the lake front. My pax was new to flying and she would have enjoyed the sights. But as we approached to the rain it was obviously heavier to the north so we diverted a bit south. The WX that day was all moving NNE so best ot avoid having it catch up to us.
Again a real smooth ride even though there were cumulus clouds. Nothing lightening related on the storm scope and lots of smooth ride reports. As we got handed off to center I started hearing a guy up north by the Kelso intersection having some issues with heavy rain. Kelso is 1 mile from my airport of 10C. I started thinking I may have to divert and got things ready. But as we turned north at JOT, the SW side of Chicago it was severe clear all tot he north and east. The west however was dark with clearly heavy rain coming down. I opted to keep going as it looked clearer to the north and we were still getting a good ground speed.
The storm scope was painting a few strikes a little over 50NM away and 10C was 498.NM aways. Again I started planning for a diversion. I figured DuPage, 3CK or even C81, but since I could still see my destination area ahead in the clear I pressed on.
At about the DPA area I was handed off to my last approach controller. He asked if I could see the rain to my west and if I had a scope, yes to both I replied and asked for 20 degrees deviation to the east. No problem and he said anything I needed. It was about then that the scope started showing lightning within the 50NM circle and our smooth ride got a little bumpy. I lost about 300 feet at one point and told ATC of that, he let me down to 2500. I was right at the edge and knew if I could just go a mile or two I would be out of it. It was still clear and the storm was to my left. I soon cleared and ATC remained very helpful. Chi-App told me to stay with them, and I could take whatever action I need to stay in the clear. I was thankful and I could see my airport, told them so and then canceled IFR. We landed, pulled up tot he hanger and by the time we had the plane it the rain started. Could not have timed it better. To the south there was a thunderstorm that formed but we were well past it. Our turbulence around DPA was it getting rolling. I really would not want to be anywhere near a mature one!
It was great weekend of flying and picking. I got to play with a couple of guys that were really good. I took a class with a woman who used to play with Grandpa Jones and she had a workshop on his music. That was a blast to play some of his songs. Mike Seeger was there but I opted not to take a class with him. Reports were that he was doing some really advanced stuff, well past my talent level. We were also treated to a performance by Wade Mainerd. Wade is one of the last people from the early 20th century that learned and played the old fashioned way, he taught himself. He was one of the first people to be recorded when they started recording country music. He is 100 years old, still playing and funny as all heck!
This was the second banjo camp that I have attended. This one was held at the Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI. It was close enough to fly and too far to drive.
The camp started at 2:30pm last Friday so along with a friend I loaded up the Warrior and headed out. The WX last Friday was not to be great and it was to get worse all weekend so I really was worried about first getting there and then getting back. But the midnight forecasts looked good for departure and return. At around 3am I was awoken by thunderstorms and wondered if they would clear out enough for me to make the flight. When I did get up there was just fog. And I mean FOG! Visibilities were about 1/4mile bu that was right at dawn, there was little wind but I figured as the sun came up it would clear.
We got to the airport and preflighted, the fog had been lifting and we had at least 1 mile of vis with the airports near us reporting 1.25mi vis. Good enough to depart but what about alternates? To south it was clear so I decided to leave. I had to call Chi-Approach to get a clearance. They actually asked me when I would be ready to go so they could fit me in. I was sitting at the hold shorts and ready to go as soon as they released me so off we went.
I entered the clouds at about 200AGL and we were in the blue at 1500MSL (about 500 feet of fog). Started our heading to the south for our fly around Chicago airspace. Finally got into centers airspace down at Peotone but they would not let me on course due to arriving Midway traffic. This whole time we above the cloud deck and it was picture perfect. Eventually cleared direct to LAN. As we got closer the skies started to darken with rain showers. No song of convective activity on the scope. All that was on the radio was a UPS driver in a 757 ignoring ATC instructions. ATC kept asking him to turn on course and he said he would in a few minutes but kept going whatever direction he wanted. I am not sure what he was up to but ATC was getting mad, or at least they sounded mad. Vis had degraded to less than 5SM so I started setting up for an approach into 28L. I was headed in from the SW so I knew it was going to be long set up. ATC then asked if I wanted to try a visual and they would vector me for a down wind, if I did not see the airport they would keep vectoring me for an ILS.
I accepted and soon as the airport so I requested the visual and made a nice landing, pulling up to a GS V, Citation, and Falcon parked on the ramp. The only FLIB was a Baron. Tie downs were rare but I found one tucked in a corner of the transient ramp. After digging out the rings on the tie downs I had to use my own ropes as the FBO did not have any. They really just cater to jets and have no real idea of what us little guys need. But they were friendly enough.
On Sunday it was time to fly home. I had hoped to stay through the morning sessions but a call to the WX brief told me I had a small opportunity to get home.
There was a line of severe storms in western Michigan extend from north of us into Elkhart, IN. There were also storm to the east over Detroit and some stuff forming to the SE. Flying home looked doubtful. There was on small chance and that was to fly south a ways and then west. Fort Wayne was in the clear and it was MVFR the whole route form Lansing to there. So we loaded up and headed south. It was a pleasant flight with dark skies both east and west of us. An occasion cloud below but MVFR. We landed in Fort Wayne to check WX again and things were looking good. One small cell on rain to our west that we could punch through and then nothing but blue skies to home. Or at least that is what was reported, we would find out later that things change quickly.
After a 20 minute stopover we loaded up and headed off. FSS had lost our flight plan but ATC was happy to do a pop up for us. They even remarked how many times of late they are having to do pop ups because of FSS screw ups. One of the routes I was hopping to take was of the lake front. My pax was new to flying and she would have enjoyed the sights. But as we approached to the rain it was obviously heavier to the north so we diverted a bit south. The WX that day was all moving NNE so best ot avoid having it catch up to us.
Again a real smooth ride even though there were cumulus clouds. Nothing lightening related on the storm scope and lots of smooth ride reports. As we got handed off to center I started hearing a guy up north by the Kelso intersection having some issues with heavy rain. Kelso is 1 mile from my airport of 10C. I started thinking I may have to divert and got things ready. But as we turned north at JOT, the SW side of Chicago it was severe clear all tot he north and east. The west however was dark with clearly heavy rain coming down. I opted to keep going as it looked clearer to the north and we were still getting a good ground speed.
The storm scope was painting a few strikes a little over 50NM away and 10C was 498.NM aways. Again I started planning for a diversion. I figured DuPage, 3CK or even C81, but since I could still see my destination area ahead in the clear I pressed on.
At about the DPA area I was handed off to my last approach controller. He asked if I could see the rain to my west and if I had a scope, yes to both I replied and asked for 20 degrees deviation to the east. No problem and he said anything I needed. It was about then that the scope started showing lightning within the 50NM circle and our smooth ride got a little bumpy. I lost about 300 feet at one point and told ATC of that, he let me down to 2500. I was right at the edge and knew if I could just go a mile or two I would be out of it. It was still clear and the storm was to my left. I soon cleared and ATC remained very helpful. Chi-App told me to stay with them, and I could take whatever action I need to stay in the clear. I was thankful and I could see my airport, told them so and then canceled IFR. We landed, pulled up tot he hanger and by the time we had the plane it the rain started. Could not have timed it better. To the south there was a thunderstorm that formed but we were well past it. Our turbulence around DPA was it getting rolling. I really would not want to be anywhere near a mature one!
It was great weekend of flying and picking. I got to play with a couple of guys that were really good. I took a class with a woman who used to play with Grandpa Jones and she had a workshop on his music. That was a blast to play some of his songs. Mike Seeger was there but I opted not to take a class with him. Reports were that he was doing some really advanced stuff, well past my talent level. We were also treated to a performance by Wade Mainerd. Wade is one of the last people from the early 20th century that learned and played the old fashioned way, he taught himself. He was one of the first people to be recorded when they started recording country music. He is 100 years old, still playing and funny as all heck!
