Go west

With 6 months to go until retiring from the military, I’ve been attempting to get my ducks in a row for the civilian Pt. II of my life – on the list has been getting my ATP-H prior to dishing out resumes. Off to a military friendly 141 operation in Denton, Tx.

I waffled between driving and flying (largely due to the summer convective activity over pretty much my entire flight path. Watching the long-range closely, it was looking promising for flying – 6 hours vs. 2 days… The point of no return – 2 days before my start date – the forecast looked good. Sunday AM, the morning of departure, was a slightly different story. Beautiful at home base, but shortly west – around Montgomery – fairly socked in. My VFR fuel stop in Louisiana was looking good for my ETA. I decided to file an IFR leg from Montgomery forward to an IFR gas stop as back up if needed.

Hard to get a better morning for departure:


Almost on cue, the weather begins coming down over Montgomery, so I pick up my IFR over MGM VOR:


Pretty soon I’m over a solid overcast:


Closer to my fuel stop, it begins to break up and build up with the mid-day heat:


I decide to cancel my IFR (VFR fuel stop much cheaper), descend, and land at my VFR location. Getting low beneath the scattered layer – bumpy and hot!!


Can’t miss my field, it’s just past this little landmark on the Louisiana side:


Welcome to Oak Grove, La. and $3.85 100LL:


I decide to file IFR for the second leg and have to use FSS. Been a LONG time since I filed with a briefer – no WIFI is sometimes the price of cheap fuel in the middle of nowhere - it was almost nostalgic in some sense. Also a price of cheap fuel is not being able to reach ATC at a reasonable altitude.

Luckily I was able to continue my climb VFR until able to get Memphis center and receive my clearance. I initially filed 6000’ but asked for 8000’ in the climb to clear tops. Looks just about right:

I filed a V airway route that kept me fairly north of DFW – my destination being NW of DFW. Probably due to approach corridors, perhaps, I was fairly quickly given the DODJE4 arrival. Only issue with this is that the route took me in a slightly southwesterly direction – the direction that most of the CB were coming from. A look ahead was no Bueno:


Just like icing in the winter, embedded TS is a real concern for summer time IMC. A cancellation of IFR once again brought low, hot, bumpy flight zig zagging around these the rest of the way:


I LOVE anything related to flying, but with all the course deviations due to cells and looking out for the other traffic doing the same, I was glad to land and call it an evening. The RV in good company – I think that may handle the bumps a bit better:


First stop was the grocery store. Mmmm – must be in Texas:


Can’t say I was too choked up about leaving the southeast – ugggghhhhhh:


Got one day of training in before a guy named Bill came for a visit. Timing has never been my thing. More importantly, I was really hoping for no more hardship for the citizens of this fine republic. Can I get some training wheels? A little bit different than the 20,000 lbs and 3500 SHP I’ve been flying for a decade:


The next couple of days were filled with this:


Which was actually a blessing as it gave me the time to focus on some of this (much needed):


Another kink in the plan was the Denton airshow altering the training schedule. But hey, free airshow and some free Tex-Mex courtesy of the FBO:


Unfortunately I had to depart prior to Falcon Flight, but did catch some RV-8 aerobatics.

A couple days and Bill moved on and I was greeted with fair weather for another couple days of training:

I was always taught no hats at the table – I wish I knew about the Texas exception when I was a kid:


I entered the restaurant with a friendly sky and left looking at this:


Ugggghhhh – more delay. Another night in the hotel, another day paying for a hangar and rental car… Finally, albeit a bit longer than planned, the morning came for the check ride. I’ve taken a bunch of check rides, and would like to say they don’t bother me, but to this day, I still get ‘check ride itis’ – and pretty bad, too! Happy to say I kept it under control and got to snap a victory pic with CFII on left and DPE on right:


I’ve eaten plenty of sandwiches in my RV, but this one was especially satisfying heading back home after a successful mission:


Still hours away, but home isn’t looking so hot – or maybe I should say it’s looking too hot:


Think the area has seen rain recently?


Speaking of hot…back in Oak Grove, La:


I’ll buy the feels like 100, but only 66% humidity… Good gosh was it miserable on the ground:


Fuel up and climb as quickly as I can:


Looking much better at 9500. Even though I gained no GS advantage, the cool air and silky smooth ride was well worth the climb:

Carefully watching my 11:00:


Give these guys a wide berth:


I absolutely love it up here. I tell people, “Every time is like the first time”. Some get what I’m saying, some look at me like I’m an idiot…


A better view of Montgomery on the return trip:


So thinking back to this picture – 4 hours previously –


The no wind was great for the flight, not so great for movement of a weather system. All the way from Texas and stopped :30 out. Nothing to do but sit on the FBO porch and enjoy the evening heat and humidity. Hazelhurst, GA:


I was really considering spending the night – been a while since I’ve flown at night, so I did not want to add rain, night, lack of night recency, fitfull sleep the night prior (check ride), and a long day all together. Sounds just like something someone would be reading in a magazine in a couple months Radar was looking good to give me a window to land without rain just at dark. Taking off for the final :30.


Got the RV tucked away and arrived home around 2200. A LONG day, but great day, cause I came home with this:

Awesome, Congrats!!

Thanks for taking us along on the adventure!

Mission accomplished! Good job.

Nice. What a panel.

Welcome back and congrats! Now you need to get ATP/ASEL in the RV-7A. (I'm looking to upgrade to ATP/ASELS and might do half of that in the -9A). I bet you could pass that ATP check ride right now but they might make you do the commercial maneuvers.

Check your PM's.

Booyah!

Great story and pics! Congrats!

Nice talking with you at KAZE

Glad you arrived at Wright safely.

That's how we do it! Commingled

Great post. Almost felt like I went along for the ride (minus the 100 degree temps). Congratulations!