A fine day for flying today at Brown Field, if a mite windy for fledgling Champ-drivers like myself. It's really too bad I didn't have the camera with me when I went out with Bob for about 30 grueling crash-and-dashes in the morning... while taxiing, I saw the Red Bull MiG departing, then a Missouri ANG Herc arrived and taxiied in...  then the B-25 Executive Sweet was waiting behind me as I did our run-up... yeah, it's too bad. 

     


But I got signed off to solo the Champ (boo-yaahh!), so I booked it for some flying after lunch, and made sure to bring my Kodak. I can't ID this lovely, but it was awesome to be sharing the ramp with her.


Beginning taxi:

     



Tail just coming up on takeoff (from the next runway after the one seen):

     


Did I mention... Booyah!!  (?) 
The Champ is quite sprightly with only one soul aboard, but it also gets batted around more.  Kinda perilous handling the camera, but I had to try. I would have smiled but my mouth was too dry.
Here I am bumping along downwind, abeam the tower. I was flying left traffic off 26L (the nearest runway).

     

It was getting blustery, so after 4 circuits I decided to be discreet rather than valorous. Thought about going out for some maneuvers, but I was afraid the wind would get stronger (which it did, after I landed).
But it's all good- got in "three to be legal", and I'll take her up again soon enough.



Here's a glimpse of that C-130, with a nice Navajo in the foreground.

     


This Beech 400 was looking good... the pax were having lunch at the Landing Strip (Cafe and bar; ask about their chicken fingers ).
You can see one of the wretched creatures known as a "corporate pilot" huddled in the doorway, waiting.  Looks glamorous, doesn't it?

Way to go, Sean!!!

  Great shots!!

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Well Done indeed. I'm proud of you.

Excellent stuff.. thanks for sharing...  I'll bet that "chauffeur" wished we was dragging a tail, that day 

Keep this up and you'll FORCE me to go up to Marysville and get tail-current 

Side note:  I'm going to lead a flight of three club planes up to Mackinac Island, Oct 6-7.. for a fall color tour. We're gonna base that night in St. Ignace. I know it would be quite a flight from NJ (if you're even back by then), but it'd be a great x-country, and great fun...   And Mobius... depending on the colors and weather, we might go as far west as Sturgeon Bay....   Just a thought 


**It IS the better part    **

Brett_Henderson wrote on Sep 24^th, 2007 at 7:33am:


Okay, you asked for it...
I have no plane access back home at the moment, but  I now know of a Champ for rent near me, and I'm thinking I will keep flying that into the winter while I prepare to either go with a club or buy a plane.
I am going to kidnap you in the Champ. You've been warned. 
The view alone will get you thinking, and not just for sightseeing. Very, very unlike a Cessna. And you can fly full-out with the window open.

Of course, you will not really appreciate it until you go up with an instructor and get to try to land it. It's addictive.


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I may not be home by then, but if I am, come down to Greenwood Lake or something and pick me up...?

flyboy 28 wrote on Sep 24^th, 2007 at 8:54pm:



Maybe... but I'm still looking for a Champ for rent in that area. I'll keep you posted.