that. I took this climbing out above 15,000'. So, Seneca Falls, New York, by Syracuse, has a lovely little airport called Finger Lakes. When we got here, we pulled up to the self-serve-only fuel pump, D got his rental car and took off, and I went out to fuel up the 340. I got the right aux tank filled and was working on the right main when I glanced over and saw three guys standing in a line watching. I don't know if their chivalry was bothering them or if they were just curious to see how I'd do with the task or what, but the last time I turned around they were gone. ;) I went back inside, and the whole airport was a ghost town. Doors locked, lights off, nobody home. I went to the computer--no internet access. Went to the TV--must require something special to get the channels in. No courtesy car. My quote for the day is "True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment." ~William Penn. It's a good thing, because right here today, I have hours of true silence. ;)So after awhile I fired up my hot spot on my cellphone and pulled out my iPad. At one point a guy came in who was picking up his airplane from its annual inspection, and he saw me typing on my keyboard and iPad and started asking me questions. Twenty minutes later he said "I am SO getting one of those." That's happened more than once. I remember the biz jet guys at Quad Cities saying the same thing after they played with ForeFlight and the iPad for a little while. :) It's hard to beat for efficiency, ease of use, and handy features.
A bit later in the afternoon, a representative from the airport board stopped in and talked my ear off for an hour. Friendly fellow, local doctor, used to fly a C-172, asked me what they as a board could do to improve the place. I said a beat up car to go get something to eat would be helpful, and he agreed and then said that it was county run and nobody wanted to pay for a car for rich pilots out playing around. That was good for another 20 minute conversation on public impressions of general aviation. Well, this rich pilot has had crackers, M&Ms and water to eat all day, after driving to the airport in her 1995 Jeep with 220,000 miles on it. :D Ah well, wouldn't want to ruin an impression of wealth perpetuated by a nice airplane on the ramp. :)
I was sitting here, looked over and saw a "Fly-Low" news magazine, something I've never heard of, and looking at the cover I suddenly realized that not only did I recognize that plane on it, I recognized that exact photo. It was the T-28 I did the photo shoot with Greg in the T-6, over the lake, by Lost Nation, OH. And there was the backseater with his bright orange shirt, all of it. I said to the air around me, "Hey! That was me!" Well, not me, but I flew around and burned gas so somebody else could take a pretty picture of another somebody else that could have a pretty picture. Not very logical of me, is it? But I still enjoy it, what can I say? And I think it's neat to walk into an airport in nowhere, Mississippi and see a picture of Nathan's airplanes, or walk into an airport in nowhere, New York and see a photo I was a part of taking on the cover of a magazine. I'm easily amused, I guess. :)
I worked on my formation quiz again for awhile today. A lot of the ones that are left, I'm just not sure what specific answer they want. I think most of the rest of the ones I can do, I have done. See, that's how quiet it was out here. ;)
The flight out and home was one of those nice ones. At one point ATC told me there was an area of moderate precip at our 11 o'clock, etc. D and I looked around at the severe clear and blue skies, and laughed-the rain was below us. That doesn't happen in the RG or the Saratoga. ;)
Long day, good, uneventful trip where everything worked the way it was supposed to. I like those.
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