Sean is ready to go. Waiting for Garret and Maddie. N929X all packed at the hangar.
We got back from Oshkosh on Thursday and were scheduled to go on vacation in Nags Head, North Carolina on Saturday with four families. I had told my wife the last time we drove the 8 hour drive to the Outer Banks that I would never, ever make that drive again. Our compromise was that she would drive and I would bring the plane. We would then have it down there for fun side trips during the week. The flight is only 90 minutes from Philadelphia in the Velocity.
As a bonus, I had always wanted to visit and get pictures of the plane at First Flight Airport. This is actually at the monument where the Wright brothers first flight took place. I had also heard about a little island called Ocracoke, which is kind of the Carolina equivalent of Key West, that can only be reached by boat or plane.
We unpacked the plane, cleaned, refueled and repacked. Nancy and Katie left at 3 AM on Saturday morning in the SUV. Sean and I slept in, had breakfast and drove over to the airport. We were meeting our flying friend Garret, who had also gone with us to Oshkosh, and were also taking Maddie, one of our friend's daughters.
The plan was to depart at 9:00 and arrive at 10:30, about when Nancy would get there in the car. Maddie's parents would meet us at the airport in Manteo, then give us a ride to the beach house in Nags Head, about 15 minutes away.
We take off right on time. Maddie and Sean settle in to check out the scenery. We head over Salisbury, Maryland, then southward to avoid the restricted airspace around Washington.
We see Nags Head as we cruise along at 2,000 feet. We will circle the house to let them know we are there, then land at First Flight. After we check out the monument and get some pictures, we will call them and meet at Currituck County airport in Manteo, only a 5 minute flight away.
There it is - First Flight and the Wright Memorial. I've wanted to fly in here for years. I like the idea that we've been to both aviation Mecca at Oshkosh and the birthplace of aviation in the span of a couple days. I love the winglet against the monument backdrop.
I want to make this a good landing as the runway is short and carved out of a stand of pine trees, with power lines at the departure end. This can make for a turbulent final approach and a very exciting departure, especially as it is in the 90's and very humid today.
On the ground at First Flight. We meet a nice couple who have just flown their 172 in for a visit. They came from Virginia - at 120 knots- and are very envious of our flight time from Philadelphia.
We make the quick hop over to Currituck County in Manteo. We pull up to our tie down... right next to another Velocity. I have never landed anywhere to find another Velocity just randomly at the same airport. What a coincidence.
Garret and I took the plane out the next day to do some low photo passes along the beach.
Look just over the end of the pier
Hello boat!
Second pass southbound
The house was great, the water was fine and... I'm not really a beach person. Midweek, I convinced Nancy, Garret and our friend Tara to fly down to Ocracoke island with me for the morning. It was really hot and the idea was to get down there, have breakfast and get out of the very small runway before the full heat of the day.
Here are a few shots of our departure.
Early morning fuel up.
Tara's first time in a light plane
Garret and I start up
Taxi to the end of the runway. Right at the water's edge.
By noon, it's time to head back to the airport and head home. Despite the wicked heat and humidity, the plane took off with four of us and half fuel with no problem.
Ocracoke ramp
View over the stake on climb out. Note propeller arc over runway.
Before you know it, it's time to head home. One of Sean's friends, Nathan, rode home with us. We again made it in 90 minutes. When I called Nancy to let her know we had landed safely, she had not even made it off the island due to heavy traffic and was on the road for 7 more hours.
We had lunch at the airport restaurant and took the boys home.
That's true. On the way home from Oshkosh one year, we diverted to Galesburg, Illinois to avoid weather. There was no Velocity on the ramp, but Dave Scharfenberg and family were informed by the airport that we were there and came out to greet us. They were leaving that day to fly their Velocity to Colorado, so we got it out and took pictures together before they departed.
2 comments:
Didn't you run into Dave Scharfenberg (N424DS) randomly once? Or maybe that was leaving KOSH so it didn't seem as random?
B
That's true. On the way home from Oshkosh one year, we diverted to Galesburg, Illinois to avoid weather. There was no Velocity on the ramp, but Dave Scharfenberg and family were informed by the airport that we were there and came out to greet us. They were leaving that day to fly their Velocity to Colorado, so we got it out and took pictures together before they departed.
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