4 March 18 N95VT started her first epic adventure under less than ideal conditions. A Nor’easter had rolled through New England on 2 and 3 March 16, 2018 causing wide spread wind damage in Massachusetts and cancelling flights up and down the east coast. In fact Jaimie, Russell and I were returning from a week in Coco Beach and were forced to drive from Newark to Vermont when our flight was canceled on the 2nd. But winds had dropped to a forecast 25kts gusting at New Bedford (EWB) and we started the trip.
Pulling out of the hangar at about 0700 snow started falling as a cell passed over Franklin County and about a 1in of snow quickly accumulated as I gassed the plane and taxied down to the hold short. Waiting out the snow shower took about 20 minutes, then I did a quick shut down to sweep off of the wings and tail were followed by a take-off on runway 1. Just to the south over the lake was the hole in the otherwise overcast clouds I had seen earlier and I was able to climb through without accumulating any ice and picked up my IFR clearance to New Bedford (EWB).
95VT performed flawlessly on the way down and showed 174KTAS at 12GPH while cruising at 9K. Arriving at New Bedford though I was forced to descend through and overcast layer 5.5-3.5K and picked up ice while in the clouds. Landing at EWB was uneventful despite the ice and lack of wind information from the tower. Instead of providing wind information they informed me that they had lost their wing sock and all instruments in 70kt winds the day before though they did suggest I look into the neighboring playground for the one flag that had survived.
EWB to MCZ
After picking up ice on the decent through the clouds I thought Gary and I would need to delay our next leg until there was an opening in the clouds but after consulting with the 6-8 pilots hanging around the Sandpiper FBO they convinced me we could proceed under the clouds and over New York City’s JFK. So we filed VFR and decided to give it a try. After a brief bit of stumbling that only added to Beth’s concerns about entrusting her husband’s life to me and 95VT we managed to taxi out and take off into moderate turbulence. The stumbling included me forgetting to pull the chocks, thankfully noticed by Beth and removed by one of the hanger crowd and then a brake issued that was quickly resolved after resetting the brake pedal on the passenger side which was stuck half-way allowing fluid to flow right by.
The flight to Martin County NC started with moderate turbulence and we proceeded under the 3.5K overcast layer over west Providence Rhode Island toward Long Island and NY City. About 10 nm west of Providence we found an opening in the overcast layer and climbed to 8.5K over the layer. With flight following from NY Approach we proceeded directly over JFK and then turned south direct to Norfolk VA and then Martin County, North Carolina. The overcast layer finally broke up over Northern VA and we were able to see the ground and enjoy the sights for the remainder of the flight. The flight lasted almost 3 hours but we made very good time with ground speeds in excess of 250 mph due to the strong northerly winds and 175KTAS. The landing at MCZ was a bit challenging due to wind gust reported up to 38kts but after one go around we landed safely and taxied to self-serve fuel. Gary was introduced to FBO hospitality as the aircraft manager’s mom arrived and regaled us with stories of the airfield and explained to him crew cars and bunking out in the FBO.
KMCZ to KAMG
After our first leg drama Gary and I decided to break the second leg into two legs making an uneventful less than 2 hour flight to Alma Georgia. With a beautiful FBO adjacent to a golf course and what looked to be a nice inn Alma was a quiet little airport in rural Georgia. The flight down was enjoyable though visibility was slightly restricted due to haze I attribute to the many fires that we flew over.
KAMG to KGIF
After a quick refuel we headed to Winter Haven. Again an uneventful flight some of it over the Okefenokee Swamp we arrived in Winter Haven about 1800. Of note Uber and Lift drivers do not like heading out to the winter haven airport at this time of the day due to traffic and we ended up getting a cab after 7pm. The very nice unintended consequence of this was that we were able to hang out with Steve the FBO line rat who was an avid fishermen and gave Gary and I quite a few ideas for where to fish in the local area.
KGIF to KAQX
With reports of a second Northeaster headed for New England Gary and I decided to wrap up a great week watching the boys play baseball and get a head start on the trip home by leaving Saturday 10 March after the boys headed to the airport after their last game. After turning in our rental car and getting a LIFT to the airport we were able to get airborne about 330pm heading for Allendale SC. We picked Allendale after calling a number of the smaller airports in North and South Carolina and asking about the restaurants they had available. Ollie at Allendale convinced us that Castra Rota in neighboring Brunson S.C. was an outstanding Italian restaurant though we had some serious doubts.
We made it out of Winter Haven just ahead of a front that was moving in from the gulf and landed in Allendale after a beautiful flight that took us over Jekyll Island. Taking pictures of Jekyll to share with Jaimie and to use for our future planning we landed in Allendale after doing an extra circle on final to lose altitude and check out the town. Ollie had left us the keys to the land whale that served as the crew car, we checked into the local Days Inn and started our search for this prophecy of Italian cuisine in rural SC. After a make a few passes up and down the “main drag” and a few text messages with Ollie we finally saw a man waiving us down in front of an unmarked building. It was the chef/owner of Castra Rota, who hadn’t gotten a sign up yet but who Ollie had called to tell were coming in the distinctive late model land whale.
Well there is no doubt Ollie knows great Italian food! The food at Castra Rota was amazingly! The chief was of Italian heritage who had grown up in German and his wife a German was our extremely engaging host. We started with mussels that the chef brought to our table before cooking so we could smell the Atlantic. Followed by amazing pasta dishes complemented by a glass of “donated wine” in roman goblets as they had not yet received their liquor license. As we wrapped up dinner the owner and his wife asked if they could join us and we were engaged for the next 3 hours until mid-night in a wonderful conversation with two very well educated and traveled people.
KAQX to KMFV
After a quick nap made shorter by “springing forward” an hour we blasted out the Allendale for Accomack VA on the DEL-MAR peninsula. We took off into the dark but soon were able to enjoy a wonderful airborne sunrise. Flying over Fort Brag and a new carrier in Newport News Navy Shipyard we were entertained with exciting attractions the whole flight. Though we did get to play dodge the storm again near Rocky Mount NC we easily kept out all but a very light rain. We landed in Accomack County VA around 10am and were greeted by another fun group of airport bums and a very cool VFC12 A-4 Superfox static display that had been there since being flown in when VFC12 transitioned to Hornets in the 90s.
KMFV to EWB
Departing out of AQX we contracted PAX River Approach and headed north. After another really interesting flight that seemed to take us over every Ocean City in America, (VA, MD, NJ) and Atlantic City we were treated by the opportunity to fly over JFK again this time in VFR conditions. Many pictures were taken to include those of the statue of liberty! After what seemed like a rather long leg over Long Island sound (though always within gliding distance of land) we landed back at EWB in winds gusting to 38kts down the runway and found the same gang hanging out at Sandpiper to welcome us back.
EWB to FSO
While Gary and Beth reunited I had N95VT fueled and called in an IFR clearance to FSO. Only two legs of this whole adventure required an IFR clearance and both were between Vermont and Massachusetts. After saying goodbye 95VT and I took off alone again into broken skies and settled into a cruise on top after passing over WPI and waiving to Rob from 8K. Eventually having to climb to 9k to stay above the clouds, Burlington approach coordinated a decent for me over the city. Entering the clouds at 8 and popping out at about 3.5K N95VT again picked up a bit of ice in the decent but the skies were clear all the way up to FSO below 2.5K so I made an amended RNAV 1, going a little west of course to remain clear of clouds and potential ice and made a normal landing on 1 after carrying just a few extra knots to the flair. The runway was clear and the taxiways fine until pulling into the drive for our hanger were we promptly become stuck in the snow. Thankfully Mike was there and plowed me out and help me put N95VT into the hanger. Mission complete! What a great adventure. N95VT proved she truly is a comfortable, fast and safe traveling machine.
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