Two Pilots & an LSW: Ridin'

Thursday, February 02, 2023

Ridin'

Up in the dark, at 5:30, and the sun hadn't started coming up yet by the time I left the ground. Nick and I were in the Aerostar headed to Harrisburg, Illinois. I'd seen that morning that there was a NOTAM for 100% ice-covered runway, with braking action of 1/1/1. That means, no braking action. I tried to get hold of someone down there, with no luck. Nick, the guy I was flying, texted his guy down there who said "Oh, it won't be a problem. Everything was icy in the morning but it all melted off in the sun yesterday. The NOTAM had been issued at 9 am the day before, and was set to expire at 9 am today. So I couldn't really know. I took off and headed that way. The weather was nice, so when I got close, I canceled and went in VFR. The runway was white, which wasn't a good sign, nor was the fact that on the ground you could SEE the line where the snow and ice was not, and then was, and our airport was just over the line into was. I called in but it was only 7 am there and nobody was there. I did a low pass over the runway, and I'm like...is that just light snow, or...and then I looked over, and the taxiway, ramp, the whole area was one thick, solid, huge sheet of ice. I mean...ICE. That runway was a solid block of ice with a dusting of snow on top. Now I've landed on ice before, but not in an Aerostar where you only have power and your brakes to use for steering on the ground once you slow down enough that your rudders aren't effective. Using brakes on an icy runway is a terrible idea. So I did a go-around on the runway, and went to an airport 20 miles north, where the runway was fine. It was the right place. The lights were on, the heat was up and the door was open, even though nobody was there. On the wall was a clipboard with a set of keys to a courtesy car in the garage. It was perfect. Nick took the car and bugged out, in order to get where he needed to go so he could get back on time. I was left there. There was a vending machine, but it wouldn't take any cash or change, so that was mean. There was a coffee pot but no coffee. Then I found a packet of Folger's instant coffee but had no cup and no way to boil water. At all. Ha. I had brought a bottle of water along with me, so that was good. I was there until about noon our time, 11 am their time, and Nick made it back. I asked him to bring me a snack, which he did, and we headed back to Kokomo rapidly.

I needed to get back, because I had to leave Kokomo by 1:30 pm. So I landed at 1:05, ate a cheeseburger that Steve got for me, topped off the Aerostar, got everyone loaded up, and took off for Burlington, Wisconsin at 1:30, with Jerry K & Jim S and Steve. We were going to pick up a new Citabria that Jerry is buying and putting back to the school. I'm already on the insurance as of today, I was on the phone with Jerry's insurance agent right there at the scene, so I look forward to flying it. The Citabria has always been one of my favorites, and this is a 150 hp one. I'm going to do aerobatics in it, and spins, and some training, and I'm going to enjoy it. Right now it has Big Tires on it, like tundra tires. I've never landed on those before so I look forward to that different experience. It is bright, sunshine yellow and white. Anyway, Steve and I made sure that Jerry and Jim were good, and then we took back off to head for home. Going over the middle of Lake Michigan is always creepy even if you have two engines. And today, the lake is starting to freeze. I really wouldn't want to end up down there.

I landed and ran over to the house and fed Ann, and Steve put the Aerostar away for me. After a long day, I'm beat, but I've been doing a lot of catch up stuff. Answering Glenn about C-45 stuff. Talking to Matt about C-45 training. Talking to Matt & Leon about T-6 training I have scheduled for late April. Talking to Brad about T-6 training in Iowa he wants to do in mid-April. Talking to Jon about being a C-45 pilot to help us give rides on the tour. Sending billing info out from recent flights. You know...stuff.

Kaylee's supervisor told her that she told Kaylee's professor that Kaylee is stubborn and persistent and will go far in this field, but has to learn when to rest and take care of herself. She also said she completely trusts her to help the girls and to know what to do and how to handle crises. So that's nice. :) She's doin' good.