201er's Caribbean Adventure #2

[Piloto]

37 minutes ago, chrisk said:

Jose, you must drive faster than me.   I remember this trip being much longer than expected.  Thanks for the local info on the airports.

Three hours is about the norm. It depends on the way you go. You can go either by the northern route #1 (traffic lights) or southern route #2 and #22. The southern route is more like a highway with no traffic lights. In a Mooney is just a half hour trip that takes you by the Arecibo Radiotelescope. Most road intersections do not have overpass but traffic lights. This slow down the traffic significantly.

José

 

 

 

 

Edited March 25, 2016 by Piloto

[201er]

Made it to Fort Pierce. What started out as an easy straightforward flight was not so easy once we got to Florida. Multiple thunderstorms blocked our arrival into Fort Pierce and the only way in was to go around from the west. There was one point where I had to turn around because of strong turbulence.

Palm Beach approach was very helpful and worked with me to keep the radar and sight picture doable.

Spent an extra half an hour in the air going around the weather. Sometimes I wonder how the heck a "45 minute reserve" could be considered reasonable?

Since I had visual conditions and good alternate fields to the south and west, I pressed on. Just prior to my arrival into Ft Pierce, a new rain shower rolled in over the field dumping heavy precipitation. I was assured it was 5 miles, few at 900, broken 1800 so I flew the GPS 14 approach. Luckily it was pretty smooth. But the precip was so heavy, I did not even see the runway lights until almost 300ft! Had a hard time making out the runway because so much rain had fallen just prior that it sooner looked like a river. Smooth landing, easy taxi to APP, ran inside before the rain resumed. Knees were still shaky a half hour since landing. Good thing I was wearing a diaper. Even better that I never had to use it!

Passing Nassau, I heard Nassau approach putting everyone into holds for the airport. There was an emergency at the airport involving a jet crash. Just learned the details. JetBlue nose wheel collapse:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/jetblue-no-injuries-reported-after-trouble-landing-at-bahamas-airport/

The airport was closed for at least half an hour that I observed until they resumed landings. Again makes me wonder how a 45 minute reserve could possibly be adequate?

Edited March 26, 2016 by 201er

[flyboy0681]

26 minutes ago, 201er said:

Made it to Fort Pierce. What started out as an easy straightforward flight was not so easy once we got to Florida. Multiple thunderstorms blocked our arrival into Fort Pierce and the only way in was to go around from the west. There was one point where I had to turn around because of strong turbulence.

Palm Beach approach was very helpful and worked with me to keep the radar and sight picture doable.

 

Glad to hear you made it in one piece. We've been having some vicious weather here the past day, my town recorded 5.5 inches of rain in one hour last night and today was threatening all day.

The people manning Palm Beach approach are the best, and not because one of them is a good friend of mine. I have met a lot of them when at the facility and they will do anything to help us out, in fact they thrive on it, especially in the summer when TS are in all quadrants. 

I'm supposed to fly with a friend to Great Harbour (MYBG) in the Bahamas tomorrow morning, but I have my doubts.

Welcome to the Sunshine State.

Edited March 26, 2016 by flyboy0681

[Danb]

What a trip from hell, seems like you acquired 10 yrs experience in one week, I hope you'll feel better for Easter.

[Marauder]

Jeepers Mike, you have seen it all. Wonder if it has something to do with bad mojo. Seem to remember something at the beginning of this thread; "Chris, who has no life and is on here all day, can save screen shots of flights while I'm in the air."

Do you have a Stormscope?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Hank]

Just now, daver328 said:

Jos'e,

Hmmmm... ? One could fly over SJ Int'l at say 5000' and use their relief tube ... to express their dissatisfaction with the customs for GA .... 

How about 1500' and deposit some brown lumps?    or would those clog the venturi?

 

[201er]

1 hour ago, Danb said:

What a trip from hell, seems like you acquired 10 yrs experience in one week, I hope you'll feel better for Easter.

I forgot to mention, I was faced with a decision on how much fuel to take in Puerto Rico. I was choosing between 80 gallons and a top off. I calculated that I should be able to easily get there in 60 gallons so 80 would have left a comfortable 2 hour reserve and save me $30 on the price difference between airports. Well you know what they say about having too much fuel... So I topped it in Puerto Rico. So when it came to the fuel situation while dodging thunderstorms, that was one less thing to worry about!

I didn't have a second thought about burning more fuel going ROP to 75% power when I wanted to hurry around the storms while there was an open gap. We arrived to Ft Pierce with enough fuel to make Savannah with a reasonable reserve if the weather forced us to go elsewhere. Thanks Jose Monroy for the extra range.

Edited March 26, 2016 by 201er

[Seth]

Mike-

So sorry you guys got the nasty bug.  I got something here in Maryland two weeks ago and it knocked me down for 36 hours just like you guys and it was a really slows recovery for the next four days.  I was very careful to try to not infect my wife or 9 month old and thank goodness succeeded.  Not a fun time at all - I still can't eat a lot in one setting and am down a good 10 lbs.  Quick way to lose weight!

I personally would have been worried about making the flights you did with how weak I felt.  Glad you made the smart choices and topped off fuel.  45 min reserve is not appropriate on those flights.  A few miscalculations, problems, anything, and you could have fuel starvation.  

The trip started out so well!  It sounds like an true adventure.  Again, sorry about the stomach virus.  

Fly safe, recover, and get rest!  You are still probably dehydrated.  Get some pediolite that you give to babies - much better for you than Gatorade!

-Seth

[mike_elliott]

13 hours ago, Piloto said:

Three hours is about the norm. It depends on the way you go. You can go either by the northern route #1 (traffic lights) or southern route #2 and #22. The southern route is more like a highway with no traffic lights. In a Mooney is just a half hour trip that takes you by the Arecibo Radiotelescope. Most road intersections do not have overpass but traffic lights. This slow down the traffic significantly.

José

 

 

 

 

What I noticed was that both traffic lights and stop signs were compliance optional on the northern route. It helped sharpen these 65 year old reflexes...

[Danb]

I second the thanx Jose!  

Mike are you now telling me I need to go to PR so I can see to drive.

were considering moving near the gulf coast, now PR should be in the running?

[carusoam]

PR has some magical parts to it.

1) Pristine beaches and some wonderful people.

2) Tax laws used to make it a Pharmaceutical manufacturing paradise.

3) Driving there, is more normal than many places.  Bring your GPS!  There are only a few road signs that are important for navigation.  But they can get quickly covered in leafy overgrowth during the spring.

great memories come from a few days spent in PR.

Best regards,

-a-

[Yooper Rocketman]

11 hours ago, flyboy0681 said:

The people manning Palm Beach approach are the best, and not because one of them is a good friend of mine. I have met a lot of them when at the facility and they will do anything to help us out, in fact they thrive on it, especially in the summer when TS are in all quadrants. 

They must have gotten a lot better since I was down there.  I flew my Rocket down to Fort Lauderdale probably 10 years ago for a complete tank reseal and extended range tanks.  I had stopped for a few days in the Orlando area and during my flight from there to FXE I encountered thunderstorms in the sector Palm Beach Approach handles.  I requested a 30 degree turn to the right for thunderstorms, three times over about five minutes, and he would not respond to me.  By the third time, I was clear I needed to turn soon, but he still didn't respond (he was busy, but listening to the communication, he clearly had time to fit me in).  Finally, on the fourth communication I was no longer asking.  I stated " Palm Beach Approach, Mooney 1017L WILL be turning 30 degrees right in the next minute for thunderstorms, whether you acknowledge this communication or not".

He finally replied and approved.  It didn't matter, I wasn't flying through them while waiting for a controller, in a nice dry and warm building, to give me his approval to fly around them.  

Tom

[flyboy0681]

21 minutes ago, carusoam said:

3) Driving there, is more normal than many places.  Bring your GPS!  There are only a few road signs that are important for navigation.  But they can get quickly covered in leafy overgrowth during the spring.

 

 I beg to differ on the driving. Signs are not in English and they are on the metric system. And one thing anyone needs to be made aware of is their toll system. If you are caught without a transponder on a toll road, the fine is something like $100 per infraction. A friend of mine who lives there told me that he got $800 of fines in the mail from the authority and when he investigated he found out the batteries had died in his transponder. He got the fines removed, but they are serious.  Here in Florida, it's toll by plate for those that don't have a transponder and the administration fee tagged onto the invoice is $2.50 per month.

[carusoam]

Flyboy,

you captured my point... (I just wasn't very clear)  'more normal than other places'

The recommendation is to bring the GPS.  Signs in Spanish or English get covered equally in leafy green, making them impossible to read.

Without a GPS...  It can be hazardous to your schedule if you miss your exit and try to navigate back to the plant that is only a mile (or 1.6 km) in unfamiliar territory...

Other places in the carribean, there are French signs, driving on the left side of the road, and road maintenance that seems non existent.  I got to drive in the DR with my passenger yelling in Italian.  Francesco was great for not being able to navigate or be helpful or be quiet...

Route 22 in NJ isn't much better than Route 22 in PR.  They are just different.  High speed until traffic snarls things up. People changing lanes in interesting ways.  Both take time to get used to the expected behavior of the particular community and equally useless road signs...

I have always enjoyed driving in different countries.  You really get to see things that way.  Three places I opted to not drive... Mexico City, Sao Paolo, and Osaka.  

Driving around roundabouts in the UK are scary.  You have a tendency to look the wrong direction for traffic first.  At least all the signs are in proper English.

Driving into Paris late in the evening, I got an automated speeding ticket.  The flash picture was eye opening (blinding or eye-closing?).  That's similar to your PR toll road observation.  A large invoice is probably still trying to catch up to me...  Know that you will have the opportunity to pay these fees the next time you hit the rental counter for a car or at immigration the next time you are entering the country.

Driving through Slovenia, priceless.... My GPS maps didn't cover Slovenia.  I was Too much of a CB to pay for cell service...

Great memories...(thanks )

I'll take PR, any day!

Best regards

 

[flyboy0681]

Just now, carusoam said:

Flyboy,

you captured my point... (I just wasn't very clear)  'more normal than other places'

The recommendation is to bring the GPS.  Signs in Spanish or English get covered equally in leafy green, making them impossible to read.

Without a GPS...  It can be hazardous to your schedule if you miss your exit and try to navigate back to the plant that is only a mile (or 1.6 km) in unfamiliar territory...

Other places in the carribean, there are French signs, driving on the left side of the road, and road maintenance that seems non existent...

Route 22 in NJ isn't much better than Route 22 in PR.  They are just different.  High speed until traffic snarls things up. People changing lanes in interesting ways.  Both take time to get used to the expected behavior of the particular community and equally useless road signs...

I have always enjoyed driving in different countries.  You really get to see things that way.  Three places I opted to not drive... Mexico City, Sao Paolo, and Osaka.  

Driving around roundabouts in the UK are scary.  You have a tendency to look the wrong direction for traffic first.  At least all the signs are in proper English.

Driving into Paris late in the evening, I got an automated speeding ticket.  The flash picture was eye opening (blinding or eye-closing?).  That's similar to your PR toll road observation.  A large invoice is probably still trying to catch up to me...  Know that you will have the opportunity to pay these fees the next time you hit the rental counter for a car or at immigration the next time you are entering the country.

Driving through Slovenia, priceless.... My GPS maps didn't cover Slovenia.  I was Too much of a CB to pay for cell service...

Great memories...(thanks )

I'll take PR, any day!

Best regards

 

You have no sense of adventure, none at all!

[201er]

Nice tailwinds, Ft Pierce to Linden in 6 hours nonstop. But the adventure continues. Looks like someone gear upped on the runway very recently so the airport is closed. Diverted to Central Jersey for dinner while we wait for Linden to clear the runway.

[mike_elliott]

12 hours ago, Danb said:

I second the thanx Jose!  

Mike are you now telling me I need to go to PR so I can see to drive.

were considering moving near the gulf coast, now PR should be in the running?

In Fl, you don't need to see to drive, in fact, it may scare you to see.  "blue hairs driving in my lane" jammin' on the radio, 95 YO's doing 95 in a Bounder towing a smart car with the left turn flasher setting a new distance record for being on.... Its survival down here, bring your A game.

OH, don't bother to get a handicap parking sticker, it will do you no good. Everyone has one.

[carusoam]

201er,

Need a lift?

We have a hotel in town if you want to stay the night...

Pizza n' Pasta has a full bar..! 

let me know...,

-a-

[201er]

27 minutes ago, carusoam said:

Need a lift?

we have a hotel in town if you want to stay the night...

Pizza n' Pasta has a full bar..! 

let me know...,

-a-

Thanks for the offer. We were there waiting for Linden to clear but it seems like they're not gonna get it off today so we got a taxi to Linden.

[carusoam]

201er,

Check your cell for additional details...

-a-

[201er]

4 minutes ago, carusoam said:

201er,

Check your cell for additional details...

-a-

Both our phones died. Just iPad.

[carusoam]

PM sent...

-a-

[Oscar Avalle]

Amazing trip!!! Looking forward to watching the videos!

[201er]

We finally got home. Plane is still in Central Jersey. Weill have to go back tomorrow to get it.

Turns out the runway blocker at Linden is one of you guys! I learned it was a Mooney. Boooo! 

My first reaction when I saw it was that it was a Mooney but judging by the midfield location, I didn't think it was possible. I usually burn through 2/3 of runway and that's with the gear down! Even if it only slid 100ft, I can't imagine getting it on the ground so soon without the drag of the gear!

[flyboy0681]

Me and a friend had our own Caribbean adventure today as we flew to Great Harbour (MYBG) in the Bahamas. For those that have sailed on Royal Caribbean, their private island Coco Cay is just off shore of MYBG as seen in this picture. The other is of a beach on Great Harbour.