rzbill
Well Known Member
Travel plans went awry at the last minute. I had been talking with Macon County 1A5 for a week about coming over on Monday. The last call was on Sat afternoon and the answer remained a laicsidaisical "Sure, come on over". I was concerned but then alarmed when I learned of a NOTAM stating they were full. No parking. I had a back up plan of Jackson County 24A but it was on the edge of totality. No FBO which I actually thought was a good thing. I called Mon AM and they truly said come on. IFR fog has just cleared and plenty of room.
On a whim, I called Bill. He lives on a private strip right in the middle of the path. Left a message.
So, Diane and I were taxiing out with ground control expecting me to go to 24A when I feel my cell phone vibrating in my pocket. Its Bill. Come on down! Yee Ha!.
Excellent day. What a surreal experience. Very glad to have gone to the effort. Later learned that Macon was clouded over during the event. Whew!
Going home was different too. Asheville was SWAMPED. I was #7 once they got it sorted. I dropped off Di and then cranked up to commute to work. Took 30 minutes to get through the conga line and in the air. Never had that before.
In the air I swear it was like Ripon but everybody at different altitudes and directions. Asheville set me up for flight following. Handed me off to Atlanta. That poor man. I never got a word in. He was calling collision warnings constantly. Refusing new flight following just like Greensboro, DC center and others. It was a madhouse. I've never seen my ADSB traffic lit up like that. I had to scale down to 20 mile range just to get the targets to separate so I could thread between them.
What an exciting day. I'll review the photo's this weekend with Di.
Thanks again Bill!
On a whim, I called Bill. He lives on a private strip right in the middle of the path. Left a message.
So, Diane and I were taxiing out with ground control expecting me to go to 24A when I feel my cell phone vibrating in my pocket. Its Bill. Come on down! Yee Ha!.
Excellent day. What a surreal experience. Very glad to have gone to the effort. Later learned that Macon was clouded over during the event. Whew!
Going home was different too. Asheville was SWAMPED. I was #7 once they got it sorted. I dropped off Di and then cranked up to commute to work. Took 30 minutes to get through the conga line and in the air. Never had that before.
In the air I swear it was like Ripon but everybody at different altitudes and directions. Asheville set me up for flight following. Handed me off to Atlanta. That poor man. I never got a word in. He was calling collision warnings constantly. Refusing new flight following just like Greensboro, DC center and others. It was a madhouse. I've never seen my ADSB traffic lit up like that. I had to scale down to 20 mile range just to get the targets to separate so I could thread between them.
What an exciting day. I'll review the photo's this weekend with Di.
Thanks again Bill!
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