I'm now a grandfather :-))

[1964-M20E]

Well having a plane, a Mooney to be exact, and an instrument rating worked out very well.  I'm now officially an old fart my first grandbaby (grandson) was born in Orlando yesterday 7-11-12 11:15am EDT.  Mommy and little Mason are doing fine.

I got a call 5am CDT that they were at the hospital.  I filed an instrument flight plan NEW to ORL got my stuff together  with wheels up at 07:15am CDT landed 11:45am EDT 3.5 hours of flying.  I was able to be there shortly after Mason was born. GA is great.  The flight was not a perfect VFR flight but it was a perfect IFR flight mostly visual. The IR made the flight much easier and less stressful also having flown this route VFR and IFR before also helps.  I was able to fly around some heavy rains and thunderstorms only flying through a few clouds between OCF and ORL and a little light rain in Orlando.  The Ifly  720 and skyradar worked well I could see the rain on the Ifly and see the buildups out the window.

Looking at a TS from the outside at 11k feet is quite impressive I would not want to investigate the inside of it though.

[MooneyMitch]

Congratulations on both, your grandson and your Mooney flight.

[Seth]

Congratulations on becoming a Grandfather!

The IFR Rating really does open up the sky.  You finish a lot more flights without having to worry about routing around a storm or passing through a cloud layer, getting stuck on top, etc . . . It turns your airplane into a true traveling machine - but remember, especially as a Grandaddy, don't push a bad situation and if you can't make it due to weather, wait until the next day.

Again, congrats!

-Seth

[aviatoreb]

Quote: Seth

Congratulations on becoming a Grandfather!

The IFR Rating really does open up the sky.  You finish a lot more flights without having to worry about routing around a storm or passing through a cloud layer, getting stuck on top, etc . . . It turns your airplane into a true traveling machine - but remember, especially as a Grandaddy, don't push a bad situation and if you can't make it due to weather, wait until the next day.

Again, congrats!

-Seth

[1964-M20E]

Thanks

Yes I have had times before where I watied and extra day to get better weather.

[mooneygirl]

What a great story!  Have Mooney will travel.  I am about half way through my IFR ticket.  I know it will open up a lot of opportunities.  Congrats on the new addition.....maybe a "future Mooney pilot!"

[PilotDerek]

Now that was a true Mooney mission! Congrats!

[1964-M20E]

Quote: mooneygirl

What a great story!  Have Mooney will travel.  I am about half way through my IFR ticket.  I know it will open up a lot of opportunities.  Congrats on the new addition.....maybe a "future Mooney pilot!"