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Kansas City to Jamestown, VA

crabandy

Well Known Member
I had posted in the RV "weekend" section initially, but thought a little more detail was in order. It really is an amazing airplane, people think you're full of "it" when you're gassing up and answering their questions about where you came from/where you're going on HOW MUCH GAS?

My Wife has never been a small airplane fan but us builders can be persistent, past couple years she's really been ok with riding in the RV with a destination in mind. I'll always give her the "spouse" briefing of the flight (mostly the ride conditions) and she knows where to find the ETA on the GPS.

We had made plans to visit my wife's sister in Virginia, the girls were doing a 5K and the BIL and myself were doing the 5K followed by a half marathon. With our newest additions (twins) I suggested we go commercial, she said no way. I suggested a rental 4 seat, she said take the RV7. I know I need to build a 10.....

I was a little doubtful but I bought a bunch of different car seats and got to work . Found a set that fit and modified them to a 4 point tie down, 2 to the front seatbelt anchors and 2 to the rear baggage bulkhead and did several test flights with my twinsies. This was after one of their hour long "test" flights, couldn't believe how well it worked for entry/exit and inflight. It is in no way in comparison to a full and proper crash test. In theory its better than holding them in your lap on an airliner or similar jumpseats in other small aircraft.

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Decent amount of room for 2 little gallon size scrunch bags between the car seats and seatbacks. Diapers squeezed and another gallon scrunch bag between the carseats. Toolkit under my knees, running shoes dangling from the slider rail. Room was definitely of more concern than weight.

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A little halfway there in a 3.4 hour leg to Danville,KY. It worked well with the Twins' morning sleep schedule. Nice airport/car/restaurants/people etc. A couple hour break also worked well with the twins schedule.

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Went IFR the second leg mostly for the busier east coast stuff, it was MVFR and supposed to clear to VFR which it did. I always expect a handful of unknown fixes when getting into ZDC.

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The BKN layer broke up nicely by the time we got to KJGG 3.1 hours later.

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Our 5k and half marathon was cancelled due to flooding concerns from the remnants of Ian moving northward, weather ended up ok except Friday.....go figure. The BIL and I did a consolation 7.5 mile loop around Langley AFB instead.

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Plenty of Seafood, Breweries and distilleries.

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Don't forget the beach.

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Tried to juggle time with my wife's sister/weather/twins schedule as best we could. We launched outta Williamsburg/Jamestown about 12:30 eastern after an extra thorough preflight into gusty northern winds and 600 OVC. My biggest concern was east coast busy airspace (wasn't by the way) and high circling mins at my departure airport meant my emergency plan after departure meant I was shooting an approach into KPHF and I needed to be ready.
Normal departure and chill ATC with only 1 extra assigned fix made it an easy hour IMC followed by some on top and between skimming the bases.
Heading SW at 8000, I believe it's Mt Mitchell and the Ridgeline to the east just poking through the tops of the clouds.

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We managed to visit Roy and CaptSandy's new project and they got to meet the twins. We were running low on outfits and Lina is wearing Beau's camo.... And thanks for the Sandwich, it was delicious!

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What a view they have from their front room! You can't tell from the pic but the mountaintops are well into the cloud base. Another RV driver might recognize their hangar in this pic, I swear I didn't drip any oil on your concrete....

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1 more fuel/potty/milk stop and we're on our 3rd and last leg of the day. Moon is up and reflecting off the wing.

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Sun setting out the front.

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A decent landing right at civil evening twilight to finish off this trip, 5.9 hobbs time for the day.

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Showing 12.4 hobbs for this trip and 92 gallons of fuel for taxi/takeoff and average 160 KTAS cruise in the 6000-8000 range @ 7.4 GPH.
 
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Well done, great trip, Thanks for sharing the Pictures...means it really happened, lol
JGG is a favorite local lunch run.....but your boil bowl looks delish.
6 hours flying in the RV a day means you are much younger....3+ is hard on us old guys.
 
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I appreciate your post. Great trip and unique car seat solution!

I learned to fly at JGG back in the early to mid 1990's. Spent lots of money there between training rentals and lunches. I think it was the golden days for that airport. It was full of life then, great place to just be an airport bum. I lived just a couple miles away and so I spent many evenings and afternoons sitting on that porch watching takeoffs and landings.
Was up there this past summer for the first time in many years. Not nearly as nice and lively as I remember it...still a great little airport though. I've never found another that compares!

Love the hearing protectors! I remember doing the same thing when mine were little. Muffs way to big but they work!

I sure do miss the seafood up there

Thanks for sharing a fun trip!
 
Loved it Andy! My twins are 28 and one is married now - they won't fit in back...

Great pics and story - what an adventure!!
 
Great write up and pics!

I’ve got to ask though. Where was your aspiring aviatrix during this trip?
 
Thx Bob and Blw2, really liked KJGG and it was nice to experience the same midwestern hospitality at an east coast airport.

Vlad, Thanks! Someday we’ll run into each other……

Pete, tell me twins keep getting easier!

Steve, she was managing the rest of the household and doing the normal school/XC stuff and (hopefully) staying out of trouble.
 
Remarkable planes and remarkable people

The RV-7 is a great, efficient traveling machine and a wonderful community is part of our RV experience. Andy and his family are very nice remarkable people. CaptSandy and I were honored that Andy made time to stop and say hi on his return flight.

We met Andy and Miya around a campfire at the Petit Jean about 6 years ago. I “knew” Crabandy from VAF and was happy to actually met him. And Myia introduced us to GAINT marshmallows! We are now good friends.

It was great to meet April and the twins. Now the only member of the Crabtree clan we have not met is their oldest daughter.

Photos of Andy’s plane with our house/hangar project in the background and with me holding Beau.

Regards,
 

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