Around the Patch

The engine started normally and I was going through the checklist waiting for the oil to warm up. Suddenly motion whisked by in front of the prop and I quickly reached for the switch. One of the golf course maintenance guys was in a cart going to a nearby hangar to get some mowing equipment. You never know from where a hazard might come.

The weather has been good so I have been out and about. I spent an hour over at Quakertown practicing landings, including so much needed no flap landings. Harry changed the oil (3 liters of Aeroshell) and we purged the fuel line to the fuel pressure sensor. A half hour in the pattern at Butter Valley with three full stop landings proved that the work was successful and Sally was good to go.

I made a solo run down south to KEVY and 58M. A little bumpy under the clouds but a fun trip just the same. I especially liked Cecil County, a nice little runway right next to the water. They're building a beautiful new FBO there, and a comment on the AOPA Airport Directory said that a crew car is available to go eat at the Marina in town.  I'll be back.

I spent some significant time in the hangar cleaning Sally. The outside always needs to have bugs removed, but I also paid attention to the engine compartment. (I'm still cleaning out the "residue" left by the birds last year. I'm not done yet but made significant progress.)

Today I headed north to N82. Departing Butter Valley I decided to fly over the house. I could see my wife on the back porch waving, so I rocked my wings to acknowledge.  Kind of fun. The flight took me over Allentown and the new construction "hole" for the hockey arena. I didn't ask for Flight Following but was listening to approach and tower while in the vicinity. Approach has two frequencies, one for traffic above 300', and below.  I couldn't remember which one to use and when I used my 696 to pick the frequency it cautioned me that since I was above 3k I should use the other. I really like that GPS. The air was smooth an silky above 4000'. I enjoyed following the often traveled path through the Water Gap, along RT209 to Milford and Port Jervis. The visibility wasn't great but I could see well enough to recognize the old landmarks. Just a touch at Sullivan County then headed back home.

Clouds building in the local area so I decided to try and climb above them. I was clear at 8500'. Winds were exactly off my right wing and I wondered if going down a little would give a tailwind. It didn't really help much, but then again I wasn't really in any kind of a hurry. I made my position call and made a nice landing at 7N8, a good way to finish a trip.