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 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:
![1.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt98%2Fh60av8tor%2FLHI%2F1.jpg&hash=a967f580582737e66c87a8c04a335a65)
Almost on cue, the weather begins coming down over Montgomery, so I pick up my IFR over MGM VOR:
![4.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt98%2Fh60av8tor%2FLHI%2F4.jpg&hash=a0dddd600d7b1afadbac006f30f7e1b7)
Pretty soon I’m over a solid overcast:
![5.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt98%2Fh60av8tor%2FLHI%2F5.jpg&hash=24e465d5108c41b7fe5df0a2bfb502cc)
Closer to my fuel stop, it begins to break up and build up with the mid-day heat:
![6.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt98%2Fh60av8tor%2FLHI%2F6.jpg&hash=6c91cfbbc766a091208474c531b83d35)
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!!
![7.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt98%2Fh60av8tor%2FLHI%2F7.jpg&hash=848da3e06dcdad61f9c9c4e7209b2384)
Can’t miss my field, it’s just past this little landmark on the Louisiana side:
![8.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt98%2Fh60av8tor%2FLHI%2F8.jpg&hash=9be28e861f089e6e71c7ad47fa41c99b)
Welcome to Oak Grove, La. and $3.85 100LL:
![9.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt98%2Fh60av8tor%2FLHI%2F9.jpg&hash=908735b3a804e63630beb48c12261977)
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:
![10.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt98%2Fh60av8tor%2FLHI%2F10.jpg&hash=d657ab5f432d5cfb5342be0eb2984cc3)
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