Florida

Yesterday was one of the weirder flights I'd had in a long time, and was a "first" on a couple of levels.  I posted the story on Facebook so I'll copy that here, but after that I'll post what I've since learned.

I went to pick up my clearance this morning, all I got back was something along the lines of "There's an edict, 1917, current time 1027."  I sat there, confused, and I think I asked to say again, and got the same thing. No clearance, I didn't know what they meant, and my brain was just...not...so after a giant pause I came back, keyed the mic and just said "I...don't know what to do with that."  Nathan called up and asked for the clearance and they gave it to him, then said the same thing about estimated departure at 1917.  I got a little more info then about the NAS having an issue and he couldn't release me or do anything about it until 1917.  Nathan says "You mean like five hours from now??"  And the controller said yes, and there was nothing he could do on his end, and we could expect to not be able to pick up our IFR and be released for 5 more hours.  Out of Kokomo.  Ooooookay.

Next up, make sure you have enough fuel to go low across the country in a turboprop.  Then look at the weather and make sure you can stay VFR all the way across the country.  Look up airspace and see what may be an issue, restricted, etc.  We called up and said we were just going to go VFR, and the controller said "Good luck". 

Bombing down to Florida at 17,500', dialing in nearby ATC to listen in, using the VFR sectional charts, changing baro pressure along the way, and around Atlanta I call up 122.1 and listen on the nearest VOR and talk to Flight Service like this is 1995.  Talk about old school.  Flight service says Kissimmee says they aren't experiencing any delays now, and I should contact Atlanta to see about my IFR.  I contact Atlanta, and our flight plan has now timed out of the system, but I could go back to Flight Service and file in the air.  By this time I'm only an hour out anyway, so FORGET IT, we'll finish the job VFR.   Avoiding airspace, and getting below the cloud deck that was reported at 1500' right at Kissimmee at the time, we came on in for a landing.

And that's how I made the most confused non-standard radio transmission of my life, made an impromptu unplanned 800 nm VFR cross country doing 330-350 kts groundspeed into some cluttered and busy airspace in a turbo-prop, and talked to Flight Service off of a random VOR, in one day. 

The trip home? Fine.  IFR at FL280 like a normal person, with almost no work whatsoever all the way home.

So when I got home, I posted about it on a controller page and my own.  On the controller page they're like "traffic" and "this is normal" and "I don't know why people are surprised".  It got a little irritating; I asked our local controller that I know, if he has ever in his career given out an "EDCT" out of Kokomo or any surrounding airport they service.  And he said no, never.  And I in almost 30 years here, have never gotten one.  So no, it's not normal.  Come to find out, low staffing numbers plus increased traffic due to the Daytona 500 and the snowbirds, and rocket launches to the east closing down routes, caused the delay.  See, there's an answer. 

When I got home, Steve, Kaylee and I met AE at Pastarrific and had a nice dinner together, came home and watched the Olympics.  I was tired even though I spent most of the day sitting--having to concentrate for several hours to not goof up will do that to you.  ;)

Today was...barely getting the Wordle done in 6 tries, catching up on laundry and dishes, muting "How It Is Made" when the voice gets too irritating, and working on the last of the scholarships I need to judge.  And resting.  And watching the wind blow.  And wondering if the person taking the airplane out today in these winds should be doing so.  You know...not much of anything.  ;)

The plane looks big--and a palm tree. ;)

Just cruising.