It’s Todays Flight for 2025

[jeremyc209]

Already posted in the West Coast group but here's Burning Man at ~3000 AGL, taken yesterday

 

[N201MKTurbo]

I was having dinner with my wife last night and said we should go somewhere this weekend. She said that sounds great. So I reserved a hotel in Grover’s Beach CA.

We got up this morning, packed a bag and headed to the airport. This is what I Found:

I knew they were going to work on the ramp, I thought they were just going to seal the cracks. Oh, well.

[Ibra]

3 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I thought they were just going to seal the cracks

Did they find some Roman's empire remains? (a British joke or excuse everytime someone digs and leave it that way) 

Edited September 6 by Ibra

[Sue Bon]

Yesterday I flew to Augsburg, outside of Munich. There were many firsts for me. The first first was the NOTAM for Augsburg (EDMA) stating that overflight is prohibited due to bomb disposal (exhibit A).

The second first was getting the call, "free of storks" on climb out. At my home airport, we have an offset approach due to a stork sanctuary. Yesterday there were at least three of these flocks circling next to the runway and possibly directly over and around the grass runway. The photo is the best I could do from the taxiway. I counted about 70 in that flock, so there were at least 250-300 storks total flying in our airspace (exhibit B).

The third first was this factory I saw in Germany in the middle of the forest. Maybe @MatthiasArnold knows what it is. Strange location; hundreds of employees (exhibit C).

I had a fourth first, but I can't remember what it was. Anyway... interesting day!

[Fly Boomer]

4 hours ago, Sue Bon said:

I had a fourth first, but I can't remember what it was.

The fourth item is:  This is the first time in life that you can only recall three items on your list.  Happens to me all the time at market.

[MatthiasArnold]

https://www.google.com/maps/place/AUTOKONTOR+BAYERN+GmbH/@48.2093695,10.2422981,624m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x479bfccc28d7597f:0xab777d33c65ae655!8m2!3d48.2096824!4d10.2412281!16s%2Fg%2F1vn_xynh?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDkwMy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Autokontor Bayern - just a trader & storage of used cars (somewhere in the middle of nowhere ;-), street address:

Autokontor Bayern
An der Lehmgrube 1
D- 89290 Buch

The address translates to something like "By the clay pit", so obviously the terrain of some ancient pit.
That might be the reason why they are allowed to have such a business right within a forest (in Germany).

And maybe they also store some new cars, where production was higher than demand ;-)

Best,

Matthias

 

[Ibra]

3 hours ago, MatthiasArnold said:

That might be the reason why they are allowed to have such a business right within a forest (in Germany).

By the time you reach that place, you have no other choice than buying, otherwise you are not going back 

Edited Monday at 06:10 PM by Ibra

[MatthiasArnold]

Sounds a little bit like „Hotel California“:

“You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave“ ..

[Ibra]

Sunday was a great day to visit Microlights MULM expo (LSA machines) in France, I am very impressed by the new shinny "250 ULM/LSA": they can fly at FL250 or 250ft agl doing 250kts speeds, unfortunately at 250k€ they are still beyond my budget, I can get an Ovation or Encore for that price 

Return flight was done IFR over Paris, we wanted to overfly Disney, our flat and see Melun airshow from 7000ft but ATC want us at 5000ft before being vectored away: two Pitts were using all the airspace in their RAT at the way to 5500ft !! 

Kid waiting for the "mini-train"

Route over Disney in East of Paris,

Disney,

On ILS for Toussus (LFPN)

Edited Thursday at 09:08 PM by Ibra

[Marc_B]

Happy Wingtip Wednesday!  Flying back from SLC; turns out an easy and friendly Bravo. Had to deviate a a little wx but a fun and pretty flight back to CO.  Starting to see “hints” of the fall colors coming in the next 2-3 weeks!

 

[DCarlton]

3 hours ago, Marc_B said:

Happy Wingtip Wednesday!  Flying back from SLC; turns out an easy and friendly Bravo. Had to deviate a a little wx but a fun and pretty flight back to CO.  Starting to see “hints” of the fall colors coming in the next 2-3 weeks!

 

I see you’re in a K but what route do you take from SLC to CO?  Would like to find a good fall day to do it in my F without getting too high for too long.  Would like to get from SOCAL to WY without going down low through ELP.  

[Marc_B]

9 hours ago, DCarlton said:

I see you’re in a K but what route do you take from SLC to CO?  Would like to find a good fall day to do it in my F without getting too high for too long.  Would like to get from SOCAL to WY without going down low through ELP.  

ATC routing for me (I was IFR and this was assigned): KSLC FFU V134 PUC V208 MTU BARGR V4 GLL KGXY flying at 15,000.  I'm not sure if the routing up to BARGR was because I was at 15k or just to keep me out of the way for DEN arrivals (arrival gates are in the 4 corners NW/NE/SE/SW).  They usually give me an arrival (BARGR V4 GLL was given by Denver center in flight).  In general if IFR, ATC likes to keep you at 16k and above going through the meat of Colorado...but they don't always have to.

On the way out to SLC they assigned ROCKI7 EKR SPANE8 KSLC at 16,000.  Took off on vectors and past Denver was given direct ZIMMR (which is right around Rollins Pass).  The freeze line was around 15-16k and a cloud layer ahead with bases right at my altitude, so I asked for, and received, 14,000 for the western half of Colorado on.  Completely clear below.

Lots of mountain passes make mountain flying in Colorado passable even for the normally aspirated.  But with NA, you sometimes have fewer options so you just need to pick better weather/larger weather windows.  The best way to learn more, get locals knowledge, and learn the ins and outs of Colorado is to take the Colorado Pilots Association Mountain Flying Course.

Regardless if you take the course, the website linked above has more info about Colorado Mountain Passes.  Additionally some pilots just use Victor airways to help guide planning...i.e. V244 is a great airway that only keeps the MEA at 16000 crossing the Sangre de Christos, but you can use Monarch pass to stay a little lower if needed.  Many of the airways have lower MOCAs.

In general, my rule of thumb is that with Colorado mountain flying you need to check surrounding weather and winds.  If the passes and the surrounding areas around have >25 kts wind, that's not a mtn flying day.

As a final suggestion, my friend and CFI/CFII @MarcJohnson also would probably be happy to set up a time to take you mountain flying in Colorado.  He flies a M20K, but has lots of Mooney experience in other NA Mooneys and is based in Colorado Springs (COS).  A September/early October flight around Colorado makes for a beautiful flying day with the changing leaves...a stop in Leadville (LXV) to get your "highest airport in North America certificate" and a stop down in Salida (ANK) for lunch along the river makes an awesome day!

[DCarlton]

3 hours ago, Marc_B said:

ATC routing for me (I was IFR and this was assigned): KSLC FFU V134 PUC V208 MTU BARGR V4 GLL KGXY flying at 15,000.  I'm not sure if the routing up to BARGR was because I was at 15k or just to keep me out of the way for DEN arrivals (arrival gates are in the 4 corners NW/NE/SE/SW).  They usually give me an arrival (BARGR V4 GLL was given by Denver center in flight).  In general if IFR, ATC likes to keep you at 16k and above going through the meat of Colorado...but they don't always have to.

On the way out to SLC they assigned ROCKI7 EKR SPANE8 KSLC at 16,000.  Took off on vectors and past Denver was given direct ZIMMR (which is right around Rollins Pass).  The freeze line was around 15-16k and a cloud layer ahead with bases right at my altitude, so I asked for, and received, 14,000 for the western half of Colorado on.  Completely clear below.

Lots of mountain passes make mountain flying in Colorado passable even for the normally aspirated.  But with NA, you sometimes have fewer options so you just need to pick better weather/larger weather windows.  The best way to learn more, get locals knowledge, and learn the ins and outs of Colorado is to take the Colorado Pilots Association Mountain Flying Course.

Regardless if you take the course, the website linked above has more info about Colorado Mountain Passes.  Additionally some pilots just use Victor airways to help guide planning...i.e. V244 is a great airway that only keeps the MEA at 16000 crossing the Sangre de Christos, but you can use Monarch pass to stay a little lower if needed.  Many of the airways have lower MOCAs.

In general, my rule of thumb is that with Colorado mountain flying you need to check surrounding weather and winds.  If the passes and the surrounding areas around have >25 kts wind, that's not a mtn flying day.

As a final suggestion, my friend and CFI/CFII @MarcJohnson also would probably be happy to set up a time to take you mountain flying in Colorado.  He flies a M20K, but has lots of Mooney experience in other NA Mooneys and is based in Colorado Springs (COS).  A September/early October flight around Colorado makes for a beautiful flying day with the changing leaves...a stop in Leadville (LXV) to get your "highest airport in North America certificate" and a stop down in Salida (ANK) for lunch along the river makes an awesome day!

I flew into KPUB many years ago but flew up the east side of the mountains from KABQ.  It was a rough ride the whole way and there was definitely a mountain waves across ABQ.  A mountain flying class would be a good experience.  

[Marc_B]

1 hour ago, DCarlton said:

A mountain flying class would be a good experience.  

I think the CPA course is well run and you can also sign up for a flight with an instructor as well.  I picked up instructor at Longmont, flew to Kremmeling (20V), overflew Eagle (EGE) over to Aspen (ASE), then to Glenwood Springs (GWS) which is shorter runway with terrain around and fun, the over to Leadville (LXV)...unfortunately the FBO was closed and I had to get a "certificate" the second time I landed there.  Then back over to LMO to drop off instructor. 

If you're coming in from out of town they reserve all the next day flights for the traveling students.  Otherwise you can take the course and then schedule a mountain flight with an instructor at your leisure.  I'm a CPA member but not affiliated with the course, and definitely thought it was worth my time and training dollars!

[Hank]

Somewhere over South Carolina. Despite the appearance, this is not a lake, just summer haze and low clouds.