What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

GA to PA

bsacks05

Well Known Member
We all make the promise to significant people in our lives as we’re building – “I’ll fly up to see ya when I’m finished”. Well, I made good on that promise again when I flew up to Harrisburg, PA with my 11 y/o son Bruce a few days ago.

Here is a little background. I grew up in the Harrisburg/Hershey area and my son was born there, however, we left in 1999 to live in Florida and eventually settled in middle Georgia where we now live. My mother and brother live in PA, my father lives in Bethesda, MD. My vacation days would coincide nicely with the beginning of autumn and the opportunity to take my son back to where he was born. I was also excited to show him where I grew up, went to school, got in trouble, etc..

We had to delay our departure a day and a half due to weather in the southeast. When the clouds finally parted, we left Perry, GA (PXE) around 1pm Saturday. Picking our way through the buildups, we ended up at 11.5k and 150 kts ground speed indicated on the GPS. 2.5 hours later, we bounced into Lynchburg, Va. (LYH) for fuel and a potty break. I must say that I am always impressed by the helpful and professional controllers during my cross country experiences. Those folks, combined with XM music and beautiful aerial vistas make flying your own plane an experience which few can understand.

Leaving LYH, I knew to stay clear of the DC class B and flew direct to the Linden (LDN) VOR which is located on a mountaintop on the edge of the Shenandoah Valley. At LDN we set course for Frederick, MD (FDK) where my father picked us up and took us to Bethesda to visit some more relatives, get some Uno pizza and stay overnight at his place.

The next morning we had breakfast in Frederick and were in the air by 11 am. The visibility was perfect and the plan was to overfly the Gettysburg battlefield on our way to Harrisburg (MDT). We did fly over the battlefield but I really couldn’t ID it from the air and we were kinda close to Camp David (P-40) so I didn’t want to loiter too long in that vicinity and we headed to MDT. I used to drive to Gettysburg from Harrisburg many times in my youth. The trip took 1 hour by car so I was shocked to see the GPS tell me it would only take 15 minutes from there to MDT! Flying rocks.

Coming into MDT we were #2 for landing behind a B737. MDT is on the banks of the Susquehanna River and just a couple miles from the Three Mile Island nuclear plant. Anyone remember TMI from 1979? Anyway, I turned final over the river between TMI and the airport, landed and taxied to the GA FBO to tie down and rent a car.

Our two day stay in Harrisburg consisted of gorgeous early fall weather, reconnecting with old friends, eating at my favorite restaurants, and marveling at how eight years can change a place. We visited Hershey Chocolate World which is located right next to Hershey Park. We also had a tour of the capitol building in Harrisburg which is modeled after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and is recognized as one of the most beautiful and ornate state capitol buildings in the country. If you are ever in Harrisburg, take the free tour. It is time well spent and very informative.
brucecapitolgn7.jpg

Bruce in front of the Capitol

supremecourtra6.jpg

Stained glass dome in the Supreme Court chamber

chocolateworldra1.jpg

Mmmmmmm, chocolate

cheesesteaknc4.jpg

When eating a philly cheesesteak, one must position one's pinkies just so...



The next day, after lunch along the river, we departed MDT and wagged the wings to my brother who came down to see us off. We skirted the DC class B and maintained 8.5k as the heavies passed above and below us on their way to Dulles or Reagan Intl. A quick pit stop at LYH and we were headed home on the 2.5 hour leg to PXE. My son and I would occasionally get a chuckle from one particular Charlotte controller who obviously enjoyed his job!

We touched down at PXE around 6:15pm. I must say that is it a VERY satisfying feeling to land at home after a long, successful trip. It was the same feeling I had after our trip to the Bahamas earlier this year. We tucked “Catalina” into her hangar and patted her nose. A good bath is in order before the next flight. Lunch in Pennsylvania and dinner in Georgia, what a fabulous airplane.

Here are some obligatory numbers:
1317 statute miles, 64 gallons of avgas, 6.7 gph, typical cruise speed was 150kts.
 
Last edited:
Next time your around let me buy lunch!

Hey Bruce!
Nice trip report:) next time you head up let me know I'll buy lunch!
I am just a hop skip away at S37
 
Bruce,
I was born in Hershey and grew up around the Harrisburg area. Mom still lives on the West Shore, and I flew a friend's RV-8A for a visit a few years ago.

You old enough to remember when MDT was Olmstead AFB? Sometime in the early 60's my Dad built a warehouse on the base. One day he asked if I wanted to go to work with him; I was maybe 7 years old. I said sure, not knowing he had a surprise in mind. Turned out the warehouse site was in a quiet corner of the base and tight up against a genuine USAF junkyard; nothing but a sagging chainlink fence between me and heaven.
 
Dan,
I do know that MDT was Olmstead AFB. In fact, I graduated from the Harrisburg campus of Penn State which is located in buildings which were part of that base.
I forgot to mention that my first airplane ride was at the airstrip across from Hershey Park and at the base of the hill below Hotel Hershey. That had to be around 1972. Of course, the airstrip was closed in the late 70's. I must have been six or seven years old but I still remember quite a bit about that trip. It was probably no more than 15 minutes but must have left a lasting impression on me!
Bruce
 
Last edited:
Nice write-up Bruce.

Sorry I missed you in PA. Next time! Kept trying to find an excuse to fly down to Georgia, but the weather that week didn't hold.
Never enough time is there.

Never flew at Hershey. Would have like to! Too bad they closed it. We did end up on the runway tubing/sledding down off Milton Hershey Hill.

Andy
 
Back
Top