Flight to Northern Virginia

rudymantel · Post by **rudymantel** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 3:00 pm

Jane and I flew from Hollywood, FL to Northern VA on Thursday. We left a day early because the WX was foreast to be better- not so. Our first stop, Jacksonville, was still socked in with fog so we landed at Daytona Beach for fuel. (I have a Javelin 18 gal tank and over 6 hours range, but the 170's range is more than my own.) Our next usual stop was Fayetteville, NC but as we approached it the cailing was still on the deck, so we turned back and landed at Charlotte and refueled. Then on to Manassas VA (HEF) where the forecast was for unrestricted vis with a 1000 ft ceiling. It was IMC allmost the entire time from Charlotte to HEF, the last two hours at night. But great tailwind with ground speeds of 135-140 knots. Shot an ILS to 400 ft. with a 35 knot crosswind but luckily the wind was much lighter on the runway.
The following day, Friday, was beautiful !
We're here till approx Jan 1. Will try to pick a better day for the return trip.
Wishing you all Happy Holidays !
Rudy

wa4jr · Post by **wa4jr** » Thu Dec 26, 2002 4:08 am

Hi Rudy! I was coming in to Savannah GA that Thursday. WX caught us off guard as well. Left Chicago with vis at Savannah being 2.5 miles and trending up. When we got within 60 miles, it was down to 1200 RVR. Had to hold up to the Northwest for RVR to come up to 1800 and just squeaked in. If I was in my 170, I would have tried it at 1200 especially if no good alternative was available. I can remember landing at Galveston and Laredo TX in a C-421 in air ambulance work when the vis was WAY down. If you stayed on the beam in the 421 C model with trailing link gear, you could make a reasonalby good landing without seeing much of the runway at all! HA what fun! If I could only do that now. Maybe when my 170 is fitted for full IFR.

While you are in HEF, give me a call. I am just to your west in the Shenandoah Valley...Front Royal (FRR). If WX is nice, would love to meet you at FRR or I could get to HEF if I have time either before or after my next four-day trip! 540-622-2201

rudymantel · Post by **rudymantel** » Thu Dec 26, 2002 1:59 pm

Yes, John, I'll call you- We flew over SAV; only place open in the area was Charleston- Thursday wasn't a great day but Saturday was beautiful and I took my son-in-law and one grandson on a sightseeing flight over the beautiful Shennadoah Valley- we flew over Harpers Ferry as it was getting dark. On return to HEF I called Potomac Approach for radar following and the Christmas spirit was alive and well because they cleared me right thru the Dulles Class B direct to HEF -
Rudy

rudymantel · Post by **rudymantel** » Wed Jan 01, 2003 2:37 pm

We returned to sunny south Florida. Got a late start on Monday, departed Manassas VA at 11:35 AM. Filed for Savannah but 35-40k headwinds made that impossible and changed destination to our usual stop at Fayettville. Beautiful flight but SLOW ! (68 k GS most of the way). Then on to Daytona Beach. Again, slow but pleasant. (75 k GS) 5.0 hours enroute (have 6 hours with Javelin aux tank), last 2 hours at night. Jane was tired so we overnighted at DAB.
Yesterday (Tues) to Fort Lauderdale, again with strong headwinds. Our home airport HWO has runways 18/36 and 09/27.Very turbulent down low with wind gusting 25k from 140 so discretion being the better part of valor I landed at nearby Fort Lauderdale Executive (FXE) on runway 13. OK, I admit it- I'm chicken !
Great trip, good to be back. A Happy New Year to you all !
Rudy