KTDZ - KVQQ

[saracelica]

Thought I'd post about my little adventure to Jacksonville area this weekend. Husband, myself and friend flew the Cherokee Six down to KVQQ. 6.5 hour flight with a quick 15-20 minute biological factor break. Left KTDZ at around 9:30 Trip down was pretty nice over the little Appalachian mountains. (little for the people out West at least) Got to fly through a cloud (relax everyone my friend is a CFII) it was cool! Landed at KTRI (Tri Cities NC). Husband took the second portion. Florida was having it's usual afternoon storms and so we diverted over to Jessup, GA. Friendly airport. The attendant was about to close and she said we could stay as long as we needed inside the a/c building. Got down to KVQQ at 6:30 or so. Beautiful weather and enjoyed the Ocean.

Flew back yesterday. I got the first portion back so I could fly over the mountains! The weather the whole 600nm was CAVU. We did do an IFR flight plan just to make it easier and be in the system.

I think I found my threshold for flying 3 hours (unfortunately my leg of the trip was 3.6 I muddled through but that last 1/2 hour was dreadful!)

Now taking comments. (don't say "leave the CFI at home either" he is the only way my husband felt comfortable going over the appalachian mountains)

 

[denverpilot]

Sounds like a nice trip.

One note: Doesn't matter if your friend is a CFII if you didn't file IFR. Not supposed to be in the cloud.

We'll assume you meant to say, "We picked up an IFR clearance."

 

[Threefingeredjack]

"We skirted some clouds, at the required distance"

Sounds like a great day. 3.6 hours is plenty long for most folks, and I try not to go more than 4. Back in the day 14 wasn't uncommon.....but then we had a head, a bunk and a coffeepot.

 

[saracelica]

Sounds like a nice trip.

One note: Doesn't matter if your friend is a CFII if you didn't file IFR. Not supposed to be in the cloud.

We'll assume you meant to say, "We picked up an IFR clearance."

Sorry we filed IFR both ways. I forgot to mention that part. I was so excited to be back home and was/am still tired.

 

[Morne]

What altitudes did you use? Oxygen any?

 

[saracelica]

9k there and 7k back. No oxygen used. Found out that the bag of processed popcorn (Smart food White cheddar -mmmmmm!) exploded at 7200ft. Popcorn everywhere in the airplane! <sigh>

 

[steingar]

I've had good luck flying to Florida, both trips went off pretty much hitch free. I've had far worse luck trying to fly to Michigan.

I never take food in the aircraft, and I never allow any liquid more opaque than distilled water.

 

[Sac Arrow]

9k there and 7k back. No oxygen used. Found out that the bag of processed popcorn (Smart food White cheddar -mmmmmm!) exploded at 7200ft. Popcorn everywhere in the airplane! <sigh>

Interesting! Now was this microwave popcorn, or was it the popcorn-in-the-bag stuff where the bag exploded?

(Oh yeah, nice trip too.)

 

[saracelica]

Interesting! Now was this microwave popcorn, or was it the popcorn-in-the-bag stuff where the bag exploded?

popcorn-in-the-bag stuff. Ready to eat. I was tempted to call and complain that the bag wasn't noted to not take it above 7k in unpressured aircraft.

 

[Sac Arrow]

7. Set transponder to 1200, altitude encoding.

8. Set altimeter to current barometric pressure, or airport elevation if unavailable.

9. Using a pen or other pointed in-cockpit device, poke holes in all sealed dry prepackaged processed food bags. The Administrator may allow the use of an approved pressurized sealed storage container in lieu of passive altitude venting procedures for transport purposes only. Inflight access to an approved pressurized sealed storage container is prohibited.