Mid-April; Seattle WA to Des Moines IA ---
Uncle B and I took off from the Mooney Base at about 0830 Monday morning (14 April) for "points East". Flying at 13,500, with a tail-wind sometimes in excess of 50 knots, we arrived in Billing MT about noon-thirty to refuel. We landed on a 5,000 foot runway rather than the "regular" one which was 10,000 feet. This minimized the cross-wind -- and associated gusts -- so that I made a decent landing.
After refueling, I was instructed by Ground Control, to taxi to the long runway for Take-Off. The wind had not subsided -- in fact, if anything, it had grown stronger and more gusty! As the Mooney gained airspeed down this long runway, I suddenly became aware that it was being pushed toward the right turf! A quick sequence of logic, and a glance at the airspeed indicator, led me to instinctively pull back on the yoke and prematurely "lift" the aircraft into the air; the stall warning screamed at me, but the Mooney continued to accelerate as I eased off on the yoke and allowed it to remain airborne.
In retrospect, [and next time!] I should have used the left rudder to steer into the wind, instead of steering toward the skid [automobile tactic!].
With continuing blue skies, we landed in Spearfish at about 1500 that afternoon -- again aided by the tail-wind at 13.5k. We rented a car [A Subaru, Heidi!!] and went to our motel from where we contacted our Cousin, Bitsy. Another Cousin Kay was there, and after a short visit, we all went out to dinner at a casino/restaurant where they served pot roast and delicious Rib-Eye steak -- medium rare!!
 |
| Jack, Bob, Bitsy, Jim, Ann, Kay |
The next day, Tuesday, Bitsy had arranged for a "Cousin Party" which included Cousins Jim and Ann, and Ann's husband Jack. We all returned to Bitsy's place to have a delicious German-Chocolate style cake with ice cream. More visiting until Jack and Ann had to leave for their home at about 1800 that afternoon/evening.
Wednesday morning at sunup found Uncle Bob and I up for an early breakfast and a study of the weather. It had turned overnight into a gray day, not unlike Seattle. However the clouds were fairly low at about five thousand feet with an obviously sunny day above. After fueling up -- now with a little sunshine coming through the breaks in the clouds -- I took off for Des Moines. Bob vectored me around to remain in sight of I-90 and other identifiable points on the ground below. We topped out at 15.5k to clear the tops of all the clouds below us and giving us a smooth flight. In just over four hours we landed at Ankeny IA; a tail-wind at that altitude helped us along.
Ankeny Airport is NNW of downtown Des Moines. The winds on the ground when I landed were about 25-35 knots, but almost directly from the South -- runway 18, on which I landed, is magnetc South, so there was little cross-wind with which to contend. However, there were eddies of wind as I approached touchdown which moved the airplane left and right making the landing (on the runway!) an interesting challenge. Bob says I am a better pilot than he, but I don't believe it; he has much more experience, both in the Mooney and in the air.. Nevertheless, any landing from which the pilot and co-pilot walk away smiling is a good landing
We rented a car [a 'miniature "baby buggy" of a Chevy -- you would stick out all over, James!] and drove to Aunt Hazel's house where we were welcomed royally -- and with her typical "left-handed" chiding me about not calling when we landed so she could come pick us up.
Today (Thursday), we did some shopping and thought about where we fly tomorrow -- or Saturday. The winds have subsided and this afternoon in Des Moines has blue skies again.
More in coming days!!
I landed at Ankeny IA -- a few miles NNE of downtown Des Moines.
No comments:
Post a Comment