8/22/2012 & 8/27/2012 - “What The Hell Are You Doing Here?”

Since about May of this year, I had this trip planned. My Dad's Cousin, Kenny, and myself are (as you know about me) licensed pilots. Well, my father's birthday was August 26. I wanted a nice big surprise for him. So, I thought, since I have my pilot's license, why not go surprise him! That, I did!

The Trip To...

Originally, I was scheduled to leave KRYY on 8/23, but I was able to get the plane early, so I departed from KRYY on 8/22/2012 at around 1PM with 653KB and a full tank of gas. Issues began at first flight. I departed from runway 9, which is the one I really wanted.

Thanks to Google and CloudAhoy, you are able to see my exact course (within reason) thanks to GPS technology (even though GPS Sat 24 has been out of service for about 12 months now, that's not really going to affect me any.) Below the big blue line was my course from KRYY to KPTB. A 400+ mile trip...

I was able to get to a cruise altitude of 3500 feet... for awhile. Headed northbound knowing that there were storms in the North Carolina area that I was going to have to look out for.

I was able to get flight following all the way from Cobb to Petersburg. When I flying north of Greenville and Spartanburg, I did see towering cumulus forming around me. This was a bad sign as they started to get lower and the turbulence started to pick up. Just south of Cleveland, SC I had cumculonubus storm clouds on both sides of me, but at a far enough distance to keep it legal for me to fly. At all times, I was still in the legal parameters to fly VFR.

Over Lake Norman, ATC advised to me: "653KB, at 1 o'clock you will see traffic, a Boeing 757." I was still at 3500 and he was at 4500 descending to Charlotte. He was so close to me, I could easly read: "US Airways," and see which shades were open and not. A few moments later, "653KB, at your 11 o'clock you will see traffic, a Boeing 757." ANOTHER US Airways Boeing landing. I was also given wake turbulence warnings, but was not hit by any. After passing Lake Norman, I had to start to descend to avoid the clouds, with ATC's permission, I went to 3,300 feet.

Near Salisbury I had a major traffic alert. An aircraft took off from KRUQ and was cutting in front of me... he came out of nowhere... even ATC was caught off by surprise. "(alarm blaring in the background) ... (screaming, and fast) 653KiloBravo... Traffic Warning! Traffic Warning! Fast approaching aircraft at your 1, moving right in front of you, your altitude. Take invasive action!" Me... calm voice "Have the aircraft spotted... taking action. 653KB." Right when ATC had called my aircraft I had the plane spotted. I was able to keep my distance from him. It was pretty intense.

Just southwest of Greensboro, I had to descend to 3000 due to clouds. At all times through this flight, I must mention, I stayed VFR and remained within the FAA legal limits. At no times did I break any FAR rules. Now, when I was approaching Greensboro airspace, I was told, that I didn't have permission to enter their airspace. I was going to have to go around it. That's no problem. But, if you notice below, around the "85" Interstate marker, I got pretty close to Greensboro. What happened was, there was a strong shower right in my path, so ATC gave me permission to divert into their airspace to avoid that area. After passing it, I got back on track over Burlington, and continued my route to Petersburg.  

When I entered Virginia, you can see that I followed I-85 for awhile. Not intentional, it just happened that's what my course was. When I entered southern Dinwiddie I broke off as I was 15 minutes out and had the airport in my sight. I called Washington Approach to them know, and to end my flight following and switched over to the Traffic/Advisory Frequency for KPTB (122.7)

Winds were favorable for runway 5. So passed over Sutherland and a bit of Lake Chesdin. Over the rock quarry, and motorsports park, and made a smooth landing at KPTB.



Kenny was able to get my father to the airport 30 minutes before I landed. When I stepped out of the plane, I was greeted with "What the hell are you doing here?" As he wasn't expecting me to be in the plane. (Kenny told him, he had bought a plane, and it was being flown in.) It was a great birthday surprise for him.

While in Virginia, I was hoping to take both Kenny and Dad on a flight. I was planning on going to Manteo, NC (Nags Head) but both days we were planning on flying, the weather wasn't going to allow it.

I was orginially suppose to return to KRYY on the 28th, but due to a cold front/stationary front drapped over the area and with Tropical Storm Isaac coming in from the Gulf bring more mositure and strong winds it was decided to actually come back on the 27th. Good move, because from NC to FL is drapped in IFR conditions.

Current METAR as of this writing:

KRYY 281147Z 08008KT 6SM -RA BR OVC010 23/22 A3004

Current TAF as of this writing:

KRYY 281141Z 2812/2912 10009KT P6SM -SHRA BKN006 OVC010
     FM281500 09012G18KT P6SM VCSH SCT010 OVC020
     TEMPO 2820/2824 4SM -TSRA BKN025CB
     FM290000 11005KT P6SM VCSH SCT020 BKN040
     PROB30 2900/2906 5SM -SHRA
     FM290900 10004KT P6SM VCSH BKN008 BKN015

So, yeah, it was a good decision to come back yesterday instead of today.

The Trip Back...

Due to a technical error, some of the return flight wasn't captured.

Due to a somewhat low ceiling my intended cruise alitutde was 4500, but I only made it to 2500.

Unfortunately, at that height, ATC lost me on radar when I got near the Virginia board. I was told to call Durham in about 10 miles to see if they could pick me. Luckily they did. I prefer to have an extra eyes in the sky. The photo below is a dam, I believed, associated with Lake Gaston. Below that photo is another of an old rock quarry northeast of Greensboro.

The two maps below are associated with this paragraph. So going back, I'd have to go through the Charlotte Airspace again. I couldn't be promised it due to traffic volume, so I decided to go north of it. Well, when ATC saw my turn to the west, as presented below, they question what I was doing. They then told me, I could go through the Class-Bravo airspace if I wanted. This would save me about 20 minutes. I took them up on the offer, and you can actually see the sharp line to the southwest that I took. The map, is a VFR Sectional of the airspace that I cut through.

Just west of Spartanburg, I saw these birds flying up at me. I was thinking they were going to go back down or fly pass. Well, they did, except one. One small bird flew directly into my wing. I felt the shutter of the plane, and heard the sound of the bird hitting the metal of the plane. I started scanning my instruments for any abnormalities, felt the flight controls... everything was good, seeing if I was leaking gas, etc. After I determine that everything was still good, I tried to look forward as much as I could to see if he was still stuck on the wing or if there was any damage. I couldn't see any. The photo below the map, is a antenna farm on top of Paris Mountain. (I believe that's the mountain.) At this time in the flight, I was hitting a ground speed of about 130 or so knots. We were traveling!

Over Lake Keowee (upper right on the map below) flew right over the Oconee Nuclear Power Station.

My approach into KRYY...

Overall, I was extremely happy with the trip. I was pretty happy with my piloting skills, and my cockpit management skills. Would I do it again? Yes, but I have definitely learned that I need to get my IFR rating.

Happy Flying!