Around the 'Inner Circle'

[Neptune]

I finally got off the ground on a flight around the 'inner circle' of the US.

 

The Jabiru 230 is running like a well tuned Aussie clock.

 

If I could wrangle it, I'd like to fly around down there. Was in Perth and Canarvan for about 2 years in the mid 70's and absolutely love the place.

 

I left Spartanburg, South Carolina on the 15th. First stop was at the Jabiru Assembly plant in Shelbyville, Tennessee for a new landing light.

 

Was off at 9:30 next morning for Columbia, Missouri. In fact, I'm still here and from the looks of the wind, I'll be here till Sat. 20-30 knots of wind is not fun landing.

 

Next stop in North Platte, Nebraska to see the son and his family. Then to Minneapolis, Minesota to vist my sister. Then to Chicago to visit my late wife's 2 son's and one of her brothers. Then back to Spartanburg to rest up for a trip around the 'outer circle'. That one will be a long one, from coast to coast and northern border to Florida.

 

Sure could go for a cold 'Black Duck'!

 

N709J

 

 

[Guest Mad Dave]

G'day Neptune,

 

Sounds like a great trip. I was recently in the States and flew an Arrow from Florida to San Fran. Found flying in the States to be great fun, and the airports were all top notch even "out in the sticks".

 

Have fun.

 

Dave

 

 

[dazza 38]

Thats Great Neptune, keep us informed

 

 

[Neptune]

Into North Platte

 

Hi All,

 

I had to lay over in Missouri 2 nites. The weather broke early this morning and the bad stuff went North. Left Columbia, Missouri at 8:20 CDT. Ceiling was 6500 scattered with wind boxing the compass. The further west I got the higher the ceiling till it was the Jab's ceiling at 15K. Took a bit to get way up but was an experience. Not troubles at all. Then the plane was spec'ed out I had an O2 system installed for 8 hours for 2 people. Since I'm forced to go it alone I wil get about 14 + hours of continuous use.

 

Landed at a small field in Beatrice, Nebraska for a break, top of the tanks (empty one) and recheck the wx. Nice lil place to stop. Took 1 3/4 hours to finish the flite into North Platte, Nebraska. (total air time 4.9 hours. The son and family where at the field waiting for me. The 2 Grandsons, 6+7 where very excited to say the least. I think landing in a small plane had wee a bit to do with it

 

Logbook times add up a lost faster when you do go xcountry of 200+, 339 and 414 nm. I haven't done this much xcountry time in the P2V Neptune in the 60's Guess, that dates me...

 

Plan is to stick around here till Tues or Wed and head out to Minnesota

 

Soon as I can figure it out I'll post a few pics, may by a video. I rigged a camcorder mount and vidio tape the flights.

 

I am bout to become pumpkin unless some one is up to some 2 up.

 

More later

 

N709J

 

.

 

 

[Neptune]

Almost done on the first round

 

Back again,

 

Been a busy 3 weeks. Finally made North Platte, Nebraska and stayed a total of 9 days. The last 3 unintentional. The battery was dead as a door nail!! When I landed, I had put my Grandsons in the Pilot and Pax seats. When the one in the pilot seat was removed, and he wasn't very willing, his foot hit the master switch and I didn't catch it. Had to order a battery from Denver, Colorado. It did give me an excuse to spoil the Gkids rotten!! Being a grandparent is great!!!! --Wind em up, get em on a sugar high and give em back to their parents!! Pay back can be fun.

 

Left North Platte for Minneapolis on a beautiful morning. Blue skies, a few clouds a 10,000 and a bit of a tail wind for a change.

 

Spent a couple of days with my sister in Minneapolis and headed for Chicago. Had a bit of bother approaching Waukegan airport. The prez was in the area and had TFR's from Milwaukee to south of Waukegan. First time I flew into a TFR. Turned out to be a non issue, I filed a flite plan and contacted the TFR approach control, got my transponder code and they gave me a straight in to base. Had good time with my wife's 2 sons and one of her brothers. She would have enjoyed in more than anything. Got the legal stuff done with the barrister and lit out towards home

 

.

 

5500 feet all the way from Waukegan, IL to Clarksville, Indiana. Another good day of weather!!

 

Tomorrow is supposed to be more good weather. I'll be up at 6, preflight and be in the air about 9am for the 2 1/2 hour last leg of the first Odyssey. Hope the cats haven't forgotten me.

 

The Jab performed flawlessly all around the large circuit. (The dead battery doesn't count) Hummed away at 115 cruise at 2800rpm for 3 or 4 hours at a crack. The Jab has about 100 hours ttl time. I did the first 50 hour check at 70 hours so the trip has added over 30 hours of x country time. This trip the oil consumption was about 2 oz every 3-4 hours and fuel burn was 4-5.2 GPH.

 

I feel a bit sad that the first round is over but it's time to go rest up for a week or so. I left on Jun 13 and will hit home on July 3, just in time for the 4th of July.

 

Next trip is a short one down to Florida, about 3 hours +or-.

 

Till next time

 

Neptune

 

N709J

 

 

[Guest JRMobile]

Neptune

 

Thanks for the update - sounds like a great trip, cant wait for the photos.

 

Cheers

 

John

 

 

[Ballpoint 246niner]

Excellent read Neptune, just tapped into this one- very envious.

 

 

[Neptune]

Home Again

 

Hi All

 

It’s over, at least this trip.

 

I left Clarksville, Indiana at 8 am on July 3rd. The weather guessers said it would be clear below 6500 ft. WRONG!! About 45 minutes out the ceiling dropped to 6000 and thick haze. I did a 360 to check the visibility and turned back to Clarksville. I wasn’t about to fly low over tiger country mountains. I waited 2 hours hoping that it would clear. Called the weather guys and they said nothing had changed but they had one pilot report that the weather up there was closing. I told him I had made that report and he was the same one I talked to on the radio. I checked the southern route for weather, filed the flight plan and headed out at just before noon. The original flight was to be about 3 hours, this one ended up being 5 hours 10 minutes. I had to go around the south end of the mountains and then back northeast to Spartanburg. I landed a bit after 5 pm. It was the longest flight to date. I spent Monday morning cleaning 2500 miles of bugs off the windscreen. The cats finally forgave me on Tuesday.

 

To answer BlackRod about the choice of the Jabiru -- Last summer my wife and I decided to look into a light sport aircraft. She was unable to travel by car, van, RV or commercial aircraft due to health issues. We looked at many designs, Remos, Paradise, low wings and high wings, anything that might fit the bill. It had to carry 2 adults, a couple pieces of luggage AND have room for her collapsible wheelchair. The Remos was too small. I talked to the Paradise people and found they couldn’t/wouldn’t put in a 3rd door. Then we found the Jabiru 230SP. It was just what was needed. Could carry what we needed, a full fuel load AND it already had a third door behind the pilot’s door. I called the factory in Shelbyville, Tennessee. They sent a demo plane with a lady pilot, Katie, down for a demo flight. It fit very well. The bottom of the door sill was about an inch to high for the wife, but Jabiru was going to make a second trip down with different sized cushions and were going to measure for built in hand grabs for her. Everything was falling into place. Unfortunately, my wife passed away about 2 months before the plane was delivered.

 

I found her flight plan under her chair and the first part of it is now complete.

 

Next trip is coming up

 

Neptune

 

N709J