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A Day Trip to Dry Tortugas

tc1234c

tc1234c

Well Known Member
Three months ago Vlad asked about the procedure to fly to the Dry Tortugas National Park. It seems that no one has done it in their own airplane (at least not posting) and not quite sure about how to do it. Together we have been planning the trip for a while. Finally, he showed up at my place the day after Thanksgiving. On Saturday morning he called up FSS (1-800-WX BRIEF) and filed a DVFR flight plan. Basically, the plan begins at Marathon Key (KMTH) and ends at Marathon Key. The route of flight is EYW then Dry Tortugas and return. ADIZ penetration at EYW radial 270 and 16 nm at 1430Z. We were given a squawk code of 1212.

We jumped into his RV9A and departed Spruce Creek (7FL6) at 7:30am (1130Z) and heading south. At 9:30 am (1220Z) we were over Marathon Key at 4,500'. Vlad called up Miami Radio on 122.6 and opened our defense VFR flight plan. After the flight plan has been opened, he called Miami Center on 133.5 for flight following. We were given a different Squawk code. After that we just continue our flight due west until we saw Dry Tortugas. After two passes around the islands we headed back. As soon as we cross the ADIZ Miami Center called and gave us Marathon Key altimeter setting. We were pleasantly surprised as how easy it was and how helpful ATC were.

We just want to share with you our experience and for those who dare to venture over water and cross ADIZ here is an example to follow. For the rest, let us share with you some of our photos.

At the time of this writing Vlad is on his way back to New Jersey. He will add his comments after he gets home.
 
Flight plan and flight track

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Let the trip begin

At 7:30 am we did not have blue sky and sunshine but we had beautiful clouds and ground fog.

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A few tall towers were avoided with the aid of GPS and eye balls.

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Soon (1hr 40 min) we passed Everglades and come upon the bay.

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Marathon Key is under us. Time to open flight plan and call for flight following.

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We saw the Aerostat in the sky but my camera could not pick it up due to the glare on the canopy. It is supposed to be at the center of the picture.

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Fly toward Key West VOR and due west.

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16 nm west is Marquesas Key and the near side is the boundary of US ADIZ. Since we already have our flight plan opened, we can just fly through it.

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Dry Tortugas

15 min later we spot Dry Tortuga. Without the morning haze we could have spotted it much earlier.

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Fort Jefferson comes even with moat! It was definitely built in a different era.

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Further west is a small island with a light house. Being a keeper there could be very lonely.

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Return to main land

Mission accomplished and time to head home. We had a 1430Z ADIZ appointment (penetration time). With his superb flying skill Vlad made it within three minutes.

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Miami Center had us watching an Aerostar doing a slow GPS approach before we land. Vlad had to pull power back to keep pace with the slick twin below us.

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A minutes walk to a Cuban seafood place and had nice whole fish and Cuban coffee lunch.

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Great flight! It's beautiful out around the Tortugas. Used to be some bombing targets out there too.

Question: How did you get the screen print off www.skyvector.com? I haven't broken the code on that one.

Thanks!


Lee...
 
Lee,

First I run Picasa 3 on the computer then go to SkyVector to make the screen dump (Ctrl-PrtScn). Now go back to Picasa and the screen dump is in Project/Screen Captures. Click on the file and I can crop it. All my pictures posted here are hosted on PicasaWeb (now Google +). I use Picasa on my PC to load pictures to Google+.

http://picasa.google.com/
 
Vlad is making good progress home and I look forward to his additions to the story!

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Passed over 53VG at 14:15 local time​
 
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Well I dont know about the rest of you, but VLAD is an inspiration. Does anyone else fly as much, to different places as he does?
Keep it up Vlad.
Tom
 
That was a great Thanksgiving weekend! First time for many years I had a Turkey day off. Then three more... Let's use them.


Day 1 was spent with a pleasant company. Tony's family invited me to dinner I planned to fly in but then decided to take my Mini for a ride. Professional chef has a pride in his work.








Professional eater and Tony's copilot he was actually second in line after me.







Good time was had and memories shared. I drove home in good mood.
 
Day 2 started early. Preheat and briefing, the coordinates of secret bunker memorized and course to the southwest was set. Stayed lower do you see where headwind is? Just over 3,000 feet.





Over Mid Atlantic FlyIn platzdarm





and after AOPA HQ





I turned slightly to the left keeping a good distance from the Red Circle of Washington, DC. Did a mocking bombing run on a secret compound owned by a friendly RVator. Bob the Skyking even recharged his mid century handheld radio to deviate me off course but I was super precise and saw him on second run. Bob promptly surrendered and brought ransom to nearby airport.







Here it is. Desert made by SkyQueen delivered by SkyKing. I don't need a flight attendant.







We chatted a bit then I left. Heading to Barnwell, SC for cheap fuel and another great meetup.





When I got closer to KBNL I heard another experimental on the move to the same airport. Who is it? It's not Gary Palinkas for sure, different pitch and different N-number...
 
Great writeup

Guys,

Good job on the write up. That is a beautiful area. What a fun way to spend thanksgiving. Vlad, you gotta come out to see the Rockies some time. We will fly up to Salida and go to Amicas http://www.amicassalida.com/ Ok pizza, great beer.
 
Gary was already at Barnwell, SC. He was visiting relatives in Augusta, GA just couple RV minutes from KBNL.






Then a beautiful RV9A landed and who you think was the pilot?






Joe, the Marine I met at Sun-n-Fun 2009 when I was a volunteer with a sheet metal shop. Beautiful, very nice RV9A he bought recently.


Joe fueled and left but Gary and I crabbed a crew car and went to town. We went to Hardee's but when Gary said he was buying it was too late to divert to a steakhouse. He wasn't feeling well I so he said :D


We took off as a flight then Gary peeled off.






It's a beautiful day in Georgia.







I couldn't score this island it's private. It's listed as 1,000 feet but look at this a Space Shuttle could land. Anybody knows what island is it?







But I scored this one. Jekyll.











After enjoying Florida landscape I landed at Palatka, refueled, changed the dress code and made a final leg to Spruce Creek FL, a vibrant community of aviators. Arrived just in time for their Tree Party and a Gaggle Flight airshow...







to be continued...
 
Great writeup! Great pictures too, I spotted the Boy Scout camp off Sugarloaf Key that we attended a couple of times.

I see no sunken pirate ships were spotted.

Thanks for taking the time to share.
 
Vlad, your island there is Barbour Island. I don't know much about it, other than that I've flown over it a number of times, on my way to and from Florida, and every time I say "That looks like a great place". The Georgia coast is really interesting.
 
Gaggle

To be fair to my Flight I have to post a different picture. The gaggle photo was the initial join up. It was a bumpy night and the first time I was on the ground watching. Usually my 9A is the only RV in the flight. A few times we had three. In this picture there is none.

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Hey SkyKing Bob, how much of that delicious looking desert do you think Vlad had for me when he arrived. :D

Vlad said:
Here it is. Desert made by SkyQueen delivered by SkyKing. I don't need a flight attendant.



Click to expand...



"Hey Gary, Roubles don't work. Can I borrow your credit card" :)


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Joe Britt couldn't make it to lunch with us but I got a nice pic of his beautiful -9a before he departed.

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I must not have heard the departure briefing correctly. Vlad stayed low and I meandered to his right until breaking off for Augusta. No food pics. Next time. Sharky's on-the-Pier and grouper wraps. :D



Ted, GREAT PHOTOS. I wish I could have joined you guys for a 2-ship. Maybe next year. See you at Sebring this winter.


.
 
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Island hopping

Well, another spot for us to explore. Good thing it's so close to us here in the desert SW.
Looks like y'all had a wonderful trip. Bravo!
 
tc1234c said:
Miami Center had us watching an Aerostar doing a slow GPS approach before we land. Vlad had to pull power back to keep pace with the slick twin below us.

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A minutes walk to a Cuban seafood place and had nice whole fish and Cuban coffee lunch.

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Click to expand...

This must have been back at MTH (Marathon), right? SuperDave and I flew down to the Keys yesterday to grab lunch (and because we had nothing better to do) and thoroughly stumped the nice lady working in the FBO at KEYW as to where this restaurant was. We showed her the picture and everything. After sweet talking our way out of the $15 facility fee, we decided to grab lunch at Everglades City instead. On the way, Dave spotted something weird down in the water. We descended and circled twice, eventually realizing that some sort of marine mammals were standing themselves on the beach. A few were all the way up on the sand, and their friends were close behind. The news today filled is in as to what we were looking at. http://miami.cbslocal.com/2013/12/04/pod-of-pilot-whales-stranded-off-everglades-natl-park/
 
RBD said:
This must have been back at MTH (Marathon), right? SuperDave and I flew down to the Keys yesterday to grab lunch (and because we had nothing better to do) and thoroughly stumped the nice lady working in the FBO at KEYW as to where this restaurant was. We showed her the picture and everything. After sweet talking our way out of the $15 facility fee, we decided to grab lunch at Everglades City instead. On the way, Dave spotted something weird down in the water. We descended and circled twice, eventually realizing that some sort of marine mammals were standing themselves on the beach. A few were all the way up on the sand, and their friends were close behind. The news today filled is in as to what we were looking at. http://miami.cbslocal.com/2013/12/04/pod-of-pilot-whales-stranded-off-everglades-natl-park/
Click to expand...

Indeed it was KMTH. By the way, KMTH also charge $15 for landing if no fuel was purchased.
 
Spruce Creek

Spruce Creek! A place of aviation magic and a sample of dream life. Ordinary mortals can't just land at this private Florida airport. They have to obtain a special permission from a Creek resident. They park at designated spots and under the canopy they have to put a paper displaying their phone number and address where they are staying.

I've known Ted for years. He transition trained me in his RV9A before my first flight and he flew a chase when I made that flight. I started building my RV when Ted was flying his famous cross countries. If somebody told me 5 years ago I would be flying to Dry Tortugas with Ted in right seat I wouldn't believe it. And here I am now at Ted's house enjoying excellent food and great company talking about things quite few people can understand.

Every Friday there is a Tree Party at Spruce Creek. Residents and guests are gathering by the runway, bringing own dishes and aperitifs and watching Gaggle Flight show. Gaggle Flight is a formation of airplanes with different performance. Very impressive. Ted is a member of the Gaggle and first time he didn't participate. Either it was too windy and bumpy or he had his ration of flying today. David and Ted flew to Marathon and around Miami Beach.












Here comes Sky Goddess flown by a Skyprince John.












John is everywhere. If you land on a grass strip somewhere in Vermont look around he is there with a Cub squadron.











We went to bed early Friday night. Tomorrow Ted and I will fly to Dry Tortugas NP and back in my ship. Nonstop. Weather forecast is looking very interesting.
 
Saturday morning. A call to Southern Florida FSS conversed close to this.

-Good morning triple six beekei here...
-Morning. Is it Vlad? Silver RV9?
-Wow brilliant memory Sir. I would like to file DVFR.
-Is it what you do on regular basis?
-No first time actually.
-ooookay...

In couple minutes I was all set. In great mood and with wrong metric ADIZ penetration time. Minutes were ok just hours wrong. Ted was suspicious but didn't interfere. All that FSS talk got me wondered. 1. Was it the same briefer I called a month ago with questions about DVFR? 2. Could there be an RVator who reads VAF on daily basis? 3. Or do they have such an advanced Lockheed Martin computers able to spit right info in nano seconds?


Long story short up we went. Typical morning Florida weather VFR near perfect.





Wow what a runway? Any idea which way to land and takeoff?







Funny things they have in Florida. They grow antennas at farms like citrus.






They have a vast areas looked like hard surface but infested with boa pitons and monster crocodiles. They call those marshes a funny aviation name Ever Glides. Glad Ted was with me and showed how to get out of there promptly.





Happy fella.






The flight was super cool. We competed who will locate the Aerostat first and both times Ted won. He knew where exactly it was I guess.


Passing Key West and heading further west. Siberian RV10 and I rode my MINI to here in 2010. I know he is watching my tracker.










Further and further west we go no land is visible anymore on any side...









And finally Atoll of Dried Turtles! I spotted it FIRST! Ted was busy with camera gear.



 
Thing of beauty is Fort Jefferson and adjacent islands. Captivating scenery. I am glad Ted was with me. He reminded about time otherwise I would have circled and circled and circled.







There is even a heliport by the fort. And a moat. In case of emergency it's a good spot to land. You may overrun a bit and shallow water will be your EMAS.












On the way back we met a tourist speedboat still paddling its way to NP. We rocked the wings they waived.






Back to the CONUS. As soon as we crossed ADIZ Miami center advised us of radar contact and asked intentions. Marathon we said.











I asked Ted can I just join long final and got a stern look. Niet! Pattern by the book! Landed happily gladly payed $15 facility fee, closed DVFR flight plan and walked to a Cuban restaurant.







Dish was fish and it was good. Topped with nice shot of cuban coffee and walked back. Two bicyclists passing by... are you guys from that RV? Yep. I am the President of an EAA Chapter at XXX and I am building RV9... started fuse now... Wow... Sorry forgot your name Sir.


Jumped in climbed out. Muchos traficos on a sunny Saturday. Out and up.











We hid above the clouds from those reptiles in Ever Glides. We don't see them they don't see us win-win.



 
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Fueled at Airglades airport for $4.59 per gallon of LL.






Then took a tour of different farms and unique airfields.




















Landed at Spruce Creek satisfied and full of memories. Spent quality evening listening about Ted's son David new SyFy book he is about to publish. I love fantasies and can't wait for that novel David if you read this.


Next morning the drill was the same. Make sure you don't conflict with resident traffic at Spruce Creek. They are very hospitable the yellow guy let me go first.







By Dayton Beach







over Fort Boast







and via couple of states I dropped low and penetrated the defense line of 53VG I saw the NORAD Commander staying on the field pointing something to the sky. He thought I was a drone. No, drones live there.






That's how I spent my Thanksgiving weekend. First T-day off for many years.
Did I mention I went to FL for a free BFR? No? I did.
 
Another awesome trip report!

My family and I were lucky enough to spend a couple days at 7FL6 last summer, what a cool place. Good people, lots of cool airplanes, great food at the Downwind, it was hard to leave. Next time I'll have to try the Tortuga thing!
 
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