North Carolina

[Av8r3400 1179]

I and a group of eight other LSA flyers flew yesterday from northern Wisconsin to Dayton Ohio on our way out to NC.

We had great weather with good tailwinds. I got up as high as 10,500 for a 30 kt tailwind - smooth as glass!

We're going to spend the day today at the Airforce museum here, then on to NC tomorrow. Maybe.

[akflyer 1427]

Sounds like a nice lil trip!  I am expecting pictures of the museum and a trip report soon!  I know you are getting some sweet pics as you make your way across the country

[Mendlerr 4]

where at in NC?  You may be close to me, I'd love to take a look at some other fox's

[dholly 718]

Headed to Wright Brothers National Memorial at First Flight Airport I believe.

[akflyer 1427]

Headed to Wright Brothers National Memorial at First Flight Airport I believe.

 

I heard Larry already bought all the lobster available there so dont bother showing up Doug

 

[Av8r3400 1179]

We're stuck a second night in Piqua OH due to a cracked exhaust head pipe on an Allegro. Welding tomorrow am.

Spent the day at Wright-Patterson museum. Very cool. Worth the trip.

The weather on the coast is crap, so we may turn south tomorrow. Yet to be seen.

[dholly 718]

Might as well, looks like you'd be scud running through three states of crap if you headed home now!

[Av8r3400 1179]

In Virginia now. Absolutely beautiful mountains. Chilling for a bit at MKJ, Mountain View Airport. Gonna try for Raleigh today.

[dholly 718]

Are you dropping Spots? I just plugged you into FlightAware and got a April 10, 2009 flight from Amarillo, TX to Tucumcari, NM.

[Mendlerr 4]

I wish I could get down there but NC is a big state and the northern coast is about 9 hours drive for me and the kitfox is still grounded.

 

It's a beatiful area though, I especially love Billy Graham and Okracroke airport south a bit on the outer banks.

[Av8r3400 1179]

At Currituck, SC (KONX) for the night. Kitty Hawk first thing tomorrow. Then westward Ho...

Edited 24 Apr 2013 by Av8r3400

[Av8r3400 1179]

Kittyhawk is an amazing place. I highly recommend. Very cool.

We left there with an ailing Allegro, again. We came back as far as a little place called Ralleigh East. We stopped here for gas on the way east and were very warmly welcomed to stay. We couldn't, but now we needed to for repairs. (Welding an Allegro exhaust, again.)

The 12 of us in 9 LSA planes quickly became the talk if the neighborhood and a BBQ was on. 24 chickens in the East Carolina fashion of vinaigrette based BBQ!! What great people there are in our country! We spent the night there and with a bunch of new friends and a freshly welded pipe we were off again.

We did a buzz past Bobby Cox's place (yes, that Bobby Cox) and were westward bound.

Another fuel stop at Mountain Empire, then we made it as far as an awesome little airport just outside Lexington KY, called Cynthiana.

We FBO camped there last night. Now we have the final push home today.

Edited 26 Apr 2013 by Av8r3400

[akflyer 1427]

I am diggin the trip report... now get to posting some damn pictures to go with it!  hahahaha 

[SuberAvid 617]

I am diggin the trip report... now get to posting some damn pictures to go with it!  hahahaha 

Ditto!

[Av8r3400 1179]

Can barely do this much on my phone. Lemme git home to the computer.

[akflyer 1427]

Can barely do this much on my phone. Lemme git home to the computer.

 

Hey buddy, we all got excuses, we want results and we want them NOW  

 

tap tap tap.. yeah, thats my foot tapping the floor till we get pics! 

 

OK Truth is I may be a bit jealous cause you guys have places like that you can fly to and check out cool shit.  Here we have mountains and wildlife and while those are breath taking at times, its not like hearing a P51 at 100 yards or being able to get up close and personal with planes of rich history!

 

[Av8r3400 1179]

Okay, so honestly I didn't take much for photos on the trip.  All I had was my phone.  I did take a few, but we had our chapter photographer with us and she took over 700 photos.

 

Here's a couple...

 

Proof that I got there.

 

My good friend Dave and his "Sputzee" Avid-Kitfox Hybrid

 

Most of you guys have all kinds of mountains to see, but for us flat-landers they are pretty novel

 

This was the morning of our last day out.  Cynthania KY.  The morning fog rolling off the river next to the airport, packing up the tents

 

This one is for Doug.  East Carolina BBQ Chicken or as they say "Pickled Chicken, Cabbage and Taters"  Yes it was really good.  One of the guys at this little airport (East Raleigh, NC) ran off, got his big charcoal grill and 24 chickens and promptly threw us a party.  It's not every day, 12 crazy yankees show up in 9 light sport planes.

 

This last one is for Leni.  Anyone know why?

[akflyer 1427]

Okay, so honestly I didn't take much for photos on the trip.  All I had was my phone.  I did take a few, but we had our chapter photographer with us and she took over 700 photos.

 

Here's a couple...

 

 

IMG_0635.JPG

This last one is for Leni.  Anyone know why?

 

Cool Pics Larry.  I like the hybrid!  I love the early morning fog pictures.  I have some good ones of my son on his sled carving up fresh powder in the trees that has to be my all time favorite riding picture!

 

My pocket camera I bought especially for flying went in the drink (fugi water proof my ass!) and my cheap ass has not replaced it so I too have been stuck with nothing but my iphone to take pics.  It is amazing how good the pics look on the phone screen then when you put them on the computer they look like they were taken with a 1st generation digital cam. 

 

Pick me coach, I know the answer!   

 

[Av8r3400 1179]

Our throng included:

1 - C85 powered Champ (Crew 2)

1 - Allegro (1)

1 - Rans S7 (1)

2 - Rans S6 (2, 2)

2 - Kitfox IV-1050 (1,1)

1 - Avid Mk IV (1)

1 - Avid/Kitfox Hybrid aka Sputzee (1)

 

This is the route we took:

 

Saturday 4-20

 

KRRL - My home

KSTE - Picked up the rest of the flock

C29 - Picked up the last pilot and rearanged some seats - First broken exhaust pipe welded (Sputzee)

1C1 - Gas Stop

7I2 - Gas Stop - I got into the mud with my plane and made it dirty like a plane should be...   )

I17 - Stop for the night - Rental cars there - spent Sunday at the Dayton Air Force Museum - Found the second broken pipe (Allegro) so we had to stay to Monday AM to get it welded.

 

Monday 4-22

 

KGAS - Gas Stop - Pre Mountains

KMKJ - Gas Stop - Mid Mountains

JNX - Alternate stop due to strong crosswind at the primary airport.  We had a few low time pilots with us and didn't want any wrecks. - Spent an overnight here. 

 

Tuesday 4-23

 

W17 - Originally planned stop for Gas - Did Bojangles Chicken for Lunch.  Good stuff.  Fixed the brakes on the Allegro.

KONX - Overnight stop - Found cracks in Allegro pipe again.

 

Wednesday 4-24

 

KFFA - First Flight Airport - Destination and Objective of the trip.

W17 - Gas and Overnight Stop - This is where they threw us a BBQ party, just because.  Welded the Allegro pipe again, fixed a blown brake line on the S7.  Super nice people!!  I would travel to this place as a destination again.

 

Thursday 4-25

 

COX - This is the private airfield owned by Bobby Cox.  We didn't stop, but we all did a pass down his runway and wave.

KMKJ - Gas Stop.  This is another beautiful airport with a great staff.  They gave us a ride to the local diner for lunch.

KGAS - Gas Stop and decision point on where we wanted to overnight again.  There was a weather system going through so we chose to go a different way from here.

0I8 - Overnight stop.  My first Avgas of the trip.  Nice little airport and friendly staff.  Found new cracks in the Allegro exhaust  (see the pattern?)

 

Friday 4-26

 

4I7 - Unscheduled potty stop.  Threw some gas at the Champ.

1C1 - Gas Stop

KRYV - Unscheduled weather stop.  Had lunch and waited out the weather.

KRRL - Back home.

 

 

20.0 hours total time.

Edited 28 Apr 2013 by Av8r3400

[dholly 718]

Cool trip! Visiting Kitty Hawk is on my Bucket list and, like AirVenure at OSH, flying there in your own homebuilt just seems so right. I sure do look forward to the time when I can take a few week long (or longer  ) flying adventures each year.

 

And yes, I read sigs!

[Av8r_Sed 82]

Sounds like a great trip, Larry.  I hope you can post a link when your photog puts up her photos.  

 

Next time, let me know if you're heading East.  You flew right by my home base on the way out.

[SkyPirate 8]

pretty cool,..down by my old stomping grounds in NC w17 isn't too far from southern national speed way where I use to race,.I was near NCA just outside of LeJuene