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Published: July 17th 2011
Since Regina has joined the trip in Boston on Thusday, we have flown some 8.5 hours in the last two days and have reached Oviedo near Orlando.
On Friday, the flight over Massachusetts was fascinating, but then came the stop in New York. I was quite nervous about that as its very dense airspace. We landed first in Teterboro, the 'standard' General Aviation airport in New Jersey. But that airport has become too fancy - full of business jets and no small single engine Mooney anymore, and it has made it very expensive. One of the handlers recommened to go to Caldwell, the next airport in New Jersey, which has much cheaper fuel and could sell us the needed maps, and a new headset (my old one was completely broken in the meantime). Another flight of only 8 minutes duration, and we found a very friendly smaller airport with many single engine planes, and fuel that costs only $5/gal instead of $8/gal in Teterboro.
And then we did one of the most fascinating flights of the trip so far: the Skyline Route along the Hudson River. Preparation was some work, and during the flight I had to talk a
NY financial district
with One World Trade Center under constructionlot to different controllers, its a very busy airspace with all the helicopters and other sight seeing airplanes, but the view was gigantic.
And over the Statue of Liberty, I requested a 360 turn - 'approved as requested' by New Jersey Tower, and the trip back up the Hudson was also approved, only the East River was not allowed due to traffic in La Guardia - next time. The controller was very friendly, maybe because his wife is from Germany as he told us on the frequency. At the end of the Skyline tour, he asked what else we wanted to do - 'fly to Kitty Hawk, that's great'.
We went this time quite low along the coast (many restricted areas and other controlled airspace around New York and Washington DC), but after some time it became too turbulent at low level, so up to 6500 feet and on to Kitty Hawk.
The First Flight Airport in Kitty Hawk is just next to the Wright Brothers Monument, and that was about 500 m from our Bed&Breakfast, so no problem to walk. And it was a very nice evening, with some swimming in the Atlantic, excellent food and
First Flight sight
with Wright Monument in Background beer in one of the many restaurants.
Yesterday followed the last leg to Orlando, where Steve & Marga were waiting for us in Oviedo. After a refueling stop in New Bern airport (near nowhere), we went IFR at 8000 ft along the coast. There was a danger of big thundertorms near Savannah, but they were still isolated ones and we could fly between them. Arrival in Orlando-Sanford was no problem, and Steve picked us up (but he had a problem to find the General Aviation area - even in the US the small planes are somewhat hidden away).
Then we had a very nice dinner with Steve & Marga, and Steve's sister Alethea and Bhaswati, an Indian PhD student working with Marga. A lovely evening!
We have no direct plans for the next days - its vacation time. And DDN can rest a bit, too. Gilles Labruyére made a nice cartoon for DDN. It actually needs a 100 hrs inspection quite soon.
I have added the track of the trip so far, and you can compare it with the planned trip that I put into the first blog. Of course, I added the leg to Ilulissat
Kitty Hawk today
First Flight sight and airport, and many hotels. In 1903 it was all empty... on short notice, and I did change a few airports around (mainly because Regina had to go to Boston instead of New York), but the actual flight is still quite similar to the planned one.
Total distance is somewhat over 10000 km, and air time is 41 hrs. But more is to come. in the next weeks...
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