The End of Falcon Field

We were able to sleep in some this morning, and I picked up Jordan and his son at the hotel and took us out to the airport around 8:45 am. We got one flight in this morning, with a photographer.  JP was doing a check flight with a head guy, so those two were in BOB, so I went in the back of Jordan’s.  If I’m going to ride in the back of a C-45, it’s going to be one where I don’t have to wear a flightsuit.  ;)

As soon as we took off, we could tell it was going to be a ride. The winds were gusty, the skies were cloudy, the air was turbulent, and it was a work out. It made me laugh because I could sit back there and watch everybody else sweat, and be completely relaxed myself, because I fully trusted Jordan up there. I don’t say that about a lot of people.  But it was fun.  But coming back in, the winds were a direct crosswind, swapping from headwind to tailwind, and up pretty high, close to 20 kts.  I’d have been puckered making the landing myself. I need to go up and practice in BOB with winds.  I just haven’t had the chance.  I checked out in it when it was calm, that’s just what we had.  Twin Beeches are known for being tricky in wind. I need to feel that without getting in trouble. I think the most I’ve had it in is like 12-15 knots. Anyway, so I wasn’t sorry to not be flying for that landing, with all eyes on you.

Shortly after we landed, the T-6s all grounded themselves for winds.  A C-47 was coming, but he canceled for winds.  So two of the C-45s decided to go home, Jordan and the guy from Virginia.  The clinic was over.  JP and I stared at the weather a long time.  The winds in Kokomo right now are 50 knots, which is not even a question.  Later they were supposed to drop below 30, right about at dark.  Ceilings were marginal here and there, so we’d have to scud run or illegally file IFR just to get on top and back down.  Headwinds were fierce, so...fuel stop guaranteed.  Might have to no matter what, but still.  All combined, we decided to stay in Atlanta overnight and go home tomorrow, when the ceilings are clear, and the winds are normal breezy and not hurricane breezy.  Partly we just wanted to get home, and we should have been able to pull it off, but gosh.  So instead we live to fly another day.

My friend James H and his son Stan came with their wife/girlfriend and stopped in and said hi for a few minutes. Twas good to see them.

I’m headed back to the hotel to turn in a little early, and get up and head home.  One more big flight in BOB to go.  Then back to work...