Kevin Sweeney
New member
Hulett WY
We left last Thurs to take the grand kids back to NC, two boys ages 2 and 4. Older one is plane crazy, younger one I'm not so sure ( or I wasn't ).
Three days going, mostly because we didn't want to put them in any bad weather and ruin the trip.
Stopped in Storm Lake IA and was surprised to find a water park at the hotel, great way to wear out kids.
Bloomington IN next then on to Southern Pines NC. One day to see the family and now we are on our way back.
A funny thing happened on the way to the forum..........
Flying VFR ontop at 6500 ( with FF ) we find our forecast is not getting better ahead but worse, soon we are at 8500 then 10500 and seeing CB's out the window ahead coming up out of the under cast. I swore I would never be one of the VFR into IMC pilots. Ever. But here I am.
Called in to center ( just as they were calling us) asking for nearest. They gave us Julian Caroll ( pardon the spelling) 11 miles to the north, loaded into GPS and headed down, fast. 9000ft descent in 11 miles IMC over eastern KY.
Popped out of clouds 1200ft in rain, but there is a flat black spot right there. Alignment is right and we are down.
Taxi past 2 10000 gallon fuel tanks and park. There is one hanger open and a guy comes out looking rather surprised that a plane is on the ramp.
We told him we would be staying and would take a fill up and a car to get to a motel for the night. He smiles and says they haven't had fuel there since 2006 and they don't have a courtesy car, for that matter there are no rental cars in town either!
Looking around I realize that there were no numbers or centerline or any markings at all on the runway.
Next to the airport, and I do mean right next to the airport is a large new looking brick building our new friend says is NOAA weather station. We went over and met some of the best people ever. After they stopped laughing they fed us arraigned for someone to come up from Jackson and pick us up. Recommended a motel( pretty much the only motel) and gave us the most through ( although unofficial, and they made that very clear) weather briefing ever.
We are still traveling, currently doing the Bourbon tour in Frankfort KY, and it is fun.
I didn't write this to try to show I'm a great pilot, actually the reverse, I learned just how fast and how easy it is to get past you own comfort and safety limits, and hope you never have to learn from experience.
Kevin and Bonnie
Three days going, mostly because we didn't want to put them in any bad weather and ruin the trip.
Stopped in Storm Lake IA and was surprised to find a water park at the hotel, great way to wear out kids.
Bloomington IN next then on to Southern Pines NC. One day to see the family and now we are on our way back.
A funny thing happened on the way to the forum..........
Flying VFR ontop at 6500 ( with FF ) we find our forecast is not getting better ahead but worse, soon we are at 8500 then 10500 and seeing CB's out the window ahead coming up out of the under cast. I swore I would never be one of the VFR into IMC pilots. Ever. But here I am.
Called in to center ( just as they were calling us) asking for nearest. They gave us Julian Caroll ( pardon the spelling) 11 miles to the north, loaded into GPS and headed down, fast. 9000ft descent in 11 miles IMC over eastern KY.
Popped out of clouds 1200ft in rain, but there is a flat black spot right there. Alignment is right and we are down.
Taxi past 2 10000 gallon fuel tanks and park. There is one hanger open and a guy comes out looking rather surprised that a plane is on the ramp.
We told him we would be staying and would take a fill up and a car to get to a motel for the night. He smiles and says they haven't had fuel there since 2006 and they don't have a courtesy car, for that matter there are no rental cars in town either!
Looking around I realize that there were no numbers or centerline or any markings at all on the runway.
Next to the airport, and I do mean right next to the airport is a large new looking brick building our new friend says is NOAA weather station. We went over and met some of the best people ever. After they stopped laughing they fed us arraigned for someone to come up from Jackson and pick us up. Recommended a motel( pretty much the only motel) and gave us the most through ( although unofficial, and they made that very clear) weather briefing ever.
We are still traveling, currently doing the Bourbon tour in Frankfort KY, and it is fun.
I didn't write this to try to show I'm a great pilot, actually the reverse, I learned just how fast and how easy it is to get past you own comfort and safety limits, and hope you never have to learn from experience.
Kevin and Bonnie
