48X - Airport Manatee

Florida summer weather, I woke just before the sun came up to check the computer for my daily forecast. Blue sky in the morning, clouds developing by noon, thunderstorms later in the day, the same forecast I've seen all summer long. One variable was mist or fog in the early hours, which we had today. It would burn off by our ETD of 9:00am. Marcel called as I was on my in to the airport. I had started the commute early to get ahead of the school buses and wanted to get a jump on the preflight. I confirmed that it was a "Go".

He arrived before the preflight was completed. Already knowledgeable about the Rotax 912 ULS, I took some time to point out some of it's idiosyncrasies including letting him experience the infamous "burp". We pulled her out, parked our cars and climbed in.

All ground operations were normal. Marcel made a nice takeoff from RWY23 and we picked up the highway to the fly the 30 minutes south to Airport Manatee. The trip required good airmanship because we were sandwiched under the 1200' shelf of the Tampa Class B and near to cell phone towers reaching well above 1000'. Marcel has a light touch and did a very nice job of controlling Sally while picking out landmarks along the way.

Runway Information

Runway 7/25

Dimensions:	3120 x 100 ft. / 951 x 30 m
Surface:	turf, in good condition
Runway edge lights:	low intensity
Runway edge markings:	RY 07 AND 25 THLDS MARKED BY THREE GREEN LGTS AND ONE BUCKET ON EACH SIDE OF RY.
	RUNWAY 7		RUNWAY 25
Latitude:	27-38.496667N		27-38.615000N
Longitude:	082-31.476667W		082-30.913333W
Traffic pattern:	right		left
Obstructions:	32 ft. trees, 729 ft. from runway, 110 ft. left of centerline, 23:1 slope to clear 8 FT TREES 90-100 FT S OF RY CNTRLN FULL LENGTH. ACFT HANGARS 135 FT L OF CNTRLN FIRST HALF OF RY 07. ACFT PARKED 100 FT R OF CNTRLN FIRST 1/3 OF RY 25.		15 ft. brush, 364 ft. from runway, 80 ft. right of centerline, 25:1 slope to clear

Marcel made a good landing and I took the plane back to taxi over to the FBO. This a nice little airport! About 50 airplanes of all types on the field in hangars and covered tie downs. Great fuel prices, this place is a gem. As we walked the line I met Shayne, a Facebook friend who was working on a beautiful Jabiru. The four place airplane has the rear seats removed to allow it to be LSA compliant. This one was already has ADSB in/out installed.

After our visit we took off and followed I75 north again staying below the Class B. I did a little demo but mostly we just chatted about aviation and enjoyed being in the air. I talked Marcel though the landing checklist and watched him make a beautiful landing back at KVDF. 

What a wonderful way to spend a summer morning.

Video Notes: 48X

"Landing on grass is like walking in comfortable slippers" ~ Marcel Rivard

Tips for landing on grass.

Punta Gorda: KPGD

No Go.

I hate that. Sally was ready. We had an interesting event to go to. I had a pilot who had never flown in an LSA to fly with me. Less than an hour away. But the weather was "iffy". At 8:00am the thunderstorms were already crossing the coast up to the north. Many cells were popping up east of us. Tampa was fine, Punta Gorda was fine, but in-between blotches of heavy rain were starting to show up on radar. And it was forecast to get worse as the day wore on.

No Go.

I told my passenger we would try another day. I decided to drive the hour and a half down I75 South. I double guessed my decision the whole way down. I could see blue skies and to the west quickly building cumulous monsters. To the east mostly blue with a thin low scud layer. I could have done it. Only a thirty minute flight. But I have learned to abide by my decisions. Make it then put it behind you. I arrived just in time for the session.

LSA Sport Pilot Flight Instruction

This presentation will familiarize Flight Instructors with Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) and Sport Pilots. Upon completion, participants will have knowledge of this subject and directions to rules and other sources of important information. Light Sport Aviation continues to grow and it is essential that the nation’s certified flight instructors and other aviation professionals become involved.

About 30 CFIs and pilots were provided a good presentation by Dick Solar, a CFI and Sport Pilot Examiner. I'm sure I will be able to use him a future resource.

So Sally stayed in the barn this time. I had her out yesterday to get some exercise and insure she was ready for the trip today. All systems are working well. My updates haven't caused any unforeseen compatibility issues. 

And it's nice to have her in a dry hangar out of the Florida sun and rain. It was raining really hard by the time I got home.