The annual FL trip. - somewhat lengthy

[Arnold]

Well it was that time of year again. Time to load as many family members as possible into the Mooney and head to FL. - Naples to be exact with numerous side trips.

My wife flew to Fort Meyers with the infant (8 weeks old) and I took the 3 year old and the 2 year old and the babysitter in the Mooney. The 20 year old's spring break did not coincide with the tirp this year so she missed out. My wife thinks next year I should fly airlines to Ft. Meyers with her and then rent an airplane in FL for the in-state trips. I told her I have too much fun flying the Mooney. Another problem is that plan would eliminate the visit with sis in NC who is a great cook!

Some basics. The aircraft for the trip is a 1995 M20R (Ovation) with KLN-90B IFR and approach certified GPS typical of 1995 the instrument panel is fairly straightforward 1990's King avionics with a three axis autopilot and an HSI (no flight director). It also has a Garmin 296 mounted on the PIC yoke to enahnce SA. The aircraft has just over 600 hours on it and so is basically new, the leather interior still has that new leather odor. I plan 183 KTAS at 8000' and 16.3 GPH or 174 KTAS at 8000' and 13.8 GPH (the difference between 50 rich of peak and 50 lean of peak). Since I only pay for fuel I tend to fly slower but I did "sprint" for some short distances.

Trip down included stops at KACZ (Wallace, NC) [$3.01] for fuel and a picnic lunch with my sister and Keystone FL [$2.89] for fuel. This second leg was solid IMC from Wilmington NC to s. of Savannah GA. Total enroute time KLOM to KAPF was about 6.8.

Day 2 I flew a round trip to KSFB (Sanford FL) to deliver my baby sitter to her parents home for the week. Starport at SFB has a very nice facility and I truly wanted to buy gas there, but I just could not stomach the idea of spending almost $5.00 per gallon even for as little as ten gallons.

Flew two trips from KAPF to KLNA (Naples to Lantana - just s. of west palm) Once to visit my mom - this included a bit of deviating around T storms -the Mooney has a storm scope but I was able to stay VMC (I was on an IFR flight plan) and get deviations at my discretion from the controller, the approach was a visual. The second trip was to meet with a new mechanic who is taking care of the PA-12 which is in St. Croix, the mechanic happened to be in So. FL the same time I was.

Flew to KCLW (Clearwater) for a lunch meeting with a client. Left the two older kids with Grandpa and Grandma for nearly 8 hours (long lunch) and wife and infant went with me. Grandpa was NOT a happy camper when I returned nearly 2 hours later than I had said I would.

That was all of the week in FL. Trip home it was severe clear from KAPF to KLOM we left KAPF at about 10:15 AM, stopped at KSFB to pick up the babysitter, stopped in St. Augustine after the 3 year old vomitted - she missed the bag - yuch!!. Cleaned the girl, cleaned the aircraft. Then finally arrived in Wallace NC again for another great picnic lunch with my sister at about 1500. While there a PT-6 powered Malibu came and went. They were headed back to Allentown after a stay in the Caymen Islands and had stopped in Key West before Wallace. They added about 103 gal of fuel. Presuming they left Key West topped off and topped off at Wallace, then they only used about 45 gal more than I had used in the Mooney, but of course I had three take offs and three climbs to altitude v. their one. We left Wallace at about 1700 and 2:04 later (I was in sprint mode) arrived KLOM.

Total trip including picking the airplane up near BOS and delivering it to BOS (and not including my BFR and IPC I did just before leaving BOS) was 24 hours with 3.0 actual IFR and no approaches.

Not a bad week of aviating just wish I could it more often.

 

[HPNFlyGirl]

Wow you take your babysitter with you?

Does your babysitter like to fly?

WILL BABYSIT FOR FREE FLIGHT!!!!!!!

 

[Arnold]

Wow you take your babysitter with you?

Had to, wife was on US Air , 20 year old was already done with spring break, someone needed to tend to the kidlings.

Does your babysitter like to fly?

Actually she does, but this was not a "fun" trip.

WILL BABYSIT FOR FREE FLIGHT!!!!!!!

Now wait a minute and think about this. The babysitter sits in the back and is responsible for child care, including feeding, playing, changing the 2 year old's diaper and supervising them when we are on the ground. She spent several hours with a 38lb 3 year old sleeping in her lap. She twice had to clean up vomit en-route. She was not allowed to complain, but I was - tough job babsitting in a Mooney for 15 hours or so.

I had much more fun than the babysitter - but she did get a free ride home for a week and she did get paid well.

Why aren't you RDUGirl?

 

[HPNFlyGirl]

Why aren't you RDUGirl?

I am originally from Westchester.

 

[Len Lanetti]

The babysitter sits in the back and is responsible for child care, including feeding, playing, changing the 2 year old's diaper and supervising them when we are on the ground. She spent several hours with a 38lb 3 year old sleeping in her lap. She twice had to clean up vomit en-route. She was not allowed to complain, but I was - tough job babsitting in a Mooney for 15 hours or so.

Arnold,

Nice work rules! ;<)

All,

RE: Missing the bag...try the Hefty Scrap Bags...they are a nice size with a large opening...the ones with vanilla scent help. BTDT

Len

 

[Arnold]

Arnold,

Nice work rules! ;<)

All,

RE: Missing the bag...try the Hefty Scrap Bags...they are a nice size with a large opening...the ones with vanilla scent help. BTDT

Len

I actually had a brown paper grocery bag inside a plastic grocery bag X 2 and the poor girl was feeling so bad that when she went to vomit she just dropped the bag a got herself all dirty. When we landed in St. Augustine it was all I could do to talk her into keeping her under pants on until we got to the bathroom. She was standing on the wing stripping off clothes even though it was only about 60 out and windy. But she is a trooper. We filed a new flight plan and cleaned all things up and she gladly climbed back in the plane for yet another leg. She is a really good kid.

 

[Len Lanetti]

We filed a new flight plan and cleaned all things up and she gladly climbed back in the plane for yet another leg. She is a really good kid.

On a few trips my older boy David has had issues. He made several trips without a problem but had something like 3 in a row where he got motion sick. For a long time he wasn't keen on going flying. He'd would go on a trip if we were going for a long weekend but was not interested in just going for a ride. That changed a few weeks ago when he asked if he could tag along when I took the plane up early one morning. :<)

Len

 

[ScottM]

Arnold,
Did you have a hard time picking up your IFR clearence off of Lantana? Last couple of times I could not get anyone from Palm Beach Departure to talk to me .

 

[Arnold]

Arnold,
Did you have a hard time picking up your IFR clearence off of Lantana? Last couple of times I could not get anyone from Palm Beach Departure to talk to me .

All the departures were in adequate VFR so I did not perceive a problem, though I did get one remain clear and standby that took a minute or two to resolve.