In Grande Prairie I met a wonderful retired couple flying their Maule down to Oshkosh from Anchorage, and we split a hotel room for the night. The next day, we waited on weather until noon, then took off as a flight of 2 to Whitecourt, then Red Deer beyond. As Bones said in Star Trek IV, "One little detail..." I can push my plane to cruise at a hundred, and they cruise at a hundred. But they meant knots, and I meant statute miles per hour.
Three and a half hours of slow flight (for them) and pushing the engine at the top of the green while trying to lean and save any possible bit of fuel (for me), we got to Red Deer. If we'd stopped in Whitecourt, I wouldn't have been at all worried about fuel, but then, we probably wouldn't have finished as a flight of two, either. We're both exhausted - them from the extra work of flying slow, me from the work of flying fast. So, splitting another hotel room, and in the morning they're headed for Saskatoon, I'm for Lethbridge.
One other minor detail; I forgot the charger for the radio in the plane. May delay a few hours while I charge it tomorrow. Oops. Too tired to really care right now.
I can relate Dot, flying little miles versus the big miles. It's all in flying little circles and slow S-Turns.
ReplyDeleteForgetting chargers & extra batteries seems to be the mode du jour this year ... I neglected to take both to Fairbanks, a week ago.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about the big vs little / fast vs slow dichotomy, but I'm glad you met some friends along the way.
We're still pulling for you. :)
It's the 'little' things... Take the time to get a good charge on the radio, and a good recharge on yourself!
ReplyDeleteHave a good trip back.
ReplyDelete...and at some pt, check out this article about flying helicopters in Boston. Or, rather, about dealing with the FAA...
http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/2011/06/16/revitalizing-the-u-s-economy-through-government-spending/