Flight Log 11-Apr-10a

I plan on adding 5 new airports in Wisconsin then back to Schaumburg, IL (06C) for lunch at Pilot Pete's.

Weather Brief

Today I am flying to Wisconsin to add some more airports and stop for lunch at Schaumburg, IL.

I will be flying with Jenny. I have flown with her a few times, but we have never stopped for food, just fuel.

When I got to the airport and told her where we were going, she said she was looking forward to it as she has never flown in the Chicago area.

I headed out to the plane to do my pre-flight inspection. Full fuel and everything looked good.

When I had got my Flight Briefing, the weather was forecast to have some high clouds and haze.

We got in the plane and I did my checks, called Ground and said I was at Air Associates with information Charlie, ready to taxi for departure to the northeast.

I forgot that they normally do the run-up on the ramp so when I reached the end of the taxiway, I turned and made sure my slipstream wouldn't be hitting anything and did my run-up and final checks before pulling up to the hold short line.

Tower cleared me to depart, right turn out approved. I acknowledged and taxied onto the runway.

At about 1,000 feet, I turned northeast. I leveled off at 2,000 feet and when I was about 5 miles from Spirit, I called St Louis Approach and requested flight following to Juliet Victor Lima (JVL - Janesville, WI) at 7,500 feet.

Approach gave me a squawk code and told me to climb and maintain 3,500 feet. I acknowledged and started my climb.

Before I got there, Approach cleared me to 7,500. I acknowledged and continued climbing.

It wasn't acting what I would call normal. Jenny tried and it was acting up but she finally got it to do what we wanted.

We were cruising along at an airspeed of 128 knots (147 MPH) and a ground speed of 140 knots (161 MPH).

As was forecast, it was very hazy. It is 249 miles from Spirit Airport to Janesville. There were a couple of times I thought we would have to descend to stay out of the clouds but it never got that bad.

We flew along, being handed off from St Louis to Springfield, to Peoria, to Chicago Center, to Rockford Approach before being turned loose and told to contact Janesville Tower on 118.80. I acknowledged and switched.

I told Tower I was 10 to the south with information Romeo, inbound. I would like to do 3 touch and gos then depart to the east.

Tower told me to plan on runway 4, report 1 mile. Jenny and I thought 1 mile was silly as if we weren't in sight by then, it was almost too late.

I had the airport in sight so adjusted so I could do a straight in for runway 4.

When I was 1.8 miles out, I called Tower and reported 1 mile, final for 4. Tower cleared me for the option, left traffic on the go.

I came in and did an ok touch and go. Flaps and power and I was back up. I turned left and went around the pattern.

There was other traffic and I had to adjust my downwind a little longer but it was fine.

I did a second and third touch and go before departing to the east. 3 not great but not bad touch and gos.

Once I was airborne and headed for the next airport, I switched radio frequencies, checked the weather, and 10 miles out, reported inbound for touch and go on 18.

When I was doing my pre-flight, this airport concerned me since the description said "Asphalt in failed condition."

I approached from the west and entered my left downwind for runway 18. As we flew along the runway, it looked fine to me. Old, but not all broken up.

I reported my turns and did my first touch and go. The runway was bumpy, but I've landed on worse.

I reported airborne off 18, staying in the pattern, left traffic. I did 2 more touch and gos. Pretty good.

It is 14 miles to East Troy so I was a bit rushed departing and getting set up for the next airport.

Burlington Municipal Airport at Burlington, WI is only 7 miles south of East Troy so it was really rushed. It took us a bit to find the airport but once we did, we were almost to it.

I did 3 more touch and gos then departed to the southeast to Westosha 11 miles away. 3 airports, almost in a straight line, 18 miles from first to last.

When we got there, I didn't see anyone flying, but there were a bunch of planes parked at the airport. It looked like several Cessna 152s and some 172s.

Schaumburg is located under the Chicago O'Hare airspace. I had to stay below 1,900 feet to remain clear.

I called Chicago Approach and got flight following. I wanted the extra eyes to help me stay safe.

Jenny had never flown in the Chicagoland area and liked seeing all the big planes we could see flying into O'Hare.

There was other traffic into and out of Schaumburg but we reported inbound and I did a nice landing.

We taxied in and shut down in the Guest Parking, right in front of the main building.

We went inside and told them we needed fuel. They asked if we needed it right away and I told them we were going upstairs for lunch. They said they would take care of it.