Gryphon's Aeire

Today I am flying to Salem and Houston, MO.

I plan on getting some new pictures of places I have already been.

Here is the Radio information for my flight.

Weather Brief

I called flight service and got my VFR flight briefing.

Today I was going to fly to southwestern Missouri and add some new airports. It didn't work out that why.

I was going to go to Lamar Muni, Cassville Muni, Jerry Sumners SR-Aurora Muni, Branson West Muni-Emerson Field, M Graham Clark-Taney County, Branson, and Boone County.

This would take care of about half of the airports I have left unvisited in Missouri. (There are 11 total left.)

Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate. All week they have been forcasting isolated or scattered thunder storms. Yesterday, we got heavy storms in the afternoon, including 1 inch hail. Not something I want to worry about while flying.

I had told Jenny I would check the weather Sunday morning and decide if we were going to fly or not. Saturday, I decided I didn't think I wanted to do a 6 to 7 hour flight with a stop for fuel and get back around 18:00. I was afraid there would be storms on the way back and we might have to put down somewhere to wait them out.

Instead I thought we could do a shorter flight and practice some VOR navigation so I planned a flight from Spirit to Salem, Missouri and on to Houston, MO. I have been to both but could use some new pictures.

Houston is where I broke down once when I flew Ben and Lucas down to visit their grandfather.

After Houston, I planned on using VORs to return to Spirit. The total trip would be about 214 miles and take about 2 hours.

Sunday morning, the weather looked ok, but there were thunder storms forecast again for the afternoon so I decided to make my shorter flight.

I called Jenny and let her know and then called and got my VFR Pre-Flight Briefing.

Winds were from the northwest, clouds were from 3,500 to 8,500, thunder storms possible after 2 O'Clock.

I got my stuff together and headed for the airport, with a stop at Lion's Choice for some lunch.

When I got to Air Associates of Missouri, Paul was working the desk and Jenny was checking the weather.

I got the book, reviewed it and headed out to the plane to pre-flight. Everything checked out fine.

I had updated my checklist for the Turbocharged Cessna 182, adding a few new items and rearranging a few others.

While I was checking the fuel, Jenny came out. She did her walk-around and an abbreviated pre-flight. Both she and Paul check on their own. They don't just take it for granted that I didn't miss anything. I like that.

When we were ready, we got in.

There was an RV-4 on the ramp. I'm not sure what he was doing as he moved around the ramp a bit and did several run-ups.

We moved towards the taxiway and I did my runup. I checked the electric trim. It worked fine.

I moved closer to the taxiway, got the current weather and called Ground. I said I was at Air Associates, with Lima, ready to taxi for departure to the southwest. I had to call twice but was cleared to taxi to 26Right via Echo. I acknowledged and headed out after entering my flight plan in the autopilot. I forgot to do this last time and Jenny entered it for my once we were in the air.

At the hold short line, I called Tower and said I was at 26Right, ready to depart. Tower cleared me to depart 26Right, southwest turnout approved. I acknowledged, rolled onto the runway and we were off.

The ATIS was reporting clouds at 8,500 feet. They were more like 3,500. I climbed up to 2,200 feet and leveled off.

I told Jenny that since the clouds were so low, I wasn't going to get flight following as I didn't know if they would be able to see me on radar. We would just listen to them. She agreed.

When I tried setting the autopilot, it held for a bit then kicked off with an error. At that point, the electric trim wouldn't work. I could manually change trim, but couldn't do it with the thumb switches. They had worked on the ground, but not now. I tried re-enganging the autopilot and the same thing happened so I would just be hand flying today.

I flew along trying to hold my altitude at 2,200 feet. I didn't do very well. I was up and down. Normally not much more than 200 feet, but still. I commented on this and said I didn't know if it was me or flying so low over the hot ground with rolling hills below us. Jenny said it was both, me and the thermals.

As we flew along, there were numerous spot showers. I adjusted to keep from flying through the heaviest but used a couple to wash off the windshield.

It is 76 miles from Spirit to Salem. 15 miles out I got the weather from Vichy, about 20 miles away. (Neither Salem or Houston had weather reporting.) The winds were from 250 at 7. Visibility of 8, light rain. I trusted the winds to be about the same, but didn't see any rain between us and Salem. (The rain was over Vichy.)

8 miles out I reported inbound for touch and go on runway 17. This would give me a 60 degree cross wind, but it was light so I wasn't worried.

I adjusted to better enter a left downwind for the runway, reported as I went.

I reduced power, put in flaps and reported my turns before doing a nice touch down. Flaps up, power in, and I was back up. I reported airborne off 17, staying in the pattern, left traffic, Salem traffic.

I went around 2 more times. My approaches were a little flap. The actual touch down was ok, but the approach wasn't so hot.

After the third one, I reported airborne off 17, departing the area to the southwest and headed for Houston, 24 miles away.

Houston sits on top of a hill with a steep ravine and hills on the approach end of runway 16. I figured the winds would be a bit squirly and I was right.

I reported inbound for touch and go on runway 16, Houston.

On my first approach, I thought I would slow down to handle the possible wind changes as I flew over the ravine and hills. As a result, the approach wasn't very good. Jenny complimented me on the flair. I wasn't as flat and did a better job on the flair, but I wasn't thrilled overall.

Flaps and power and I was back up again. I reported airborne off 16, staying in the pattern, left traffic, Houston traffic.

The second time I kept my speed up more, about 80 knots on final, flaired ok, and touched down nicely. Much better.

Back around a third time, another good landing, and I reported departing the area to the northeast.

From here I planned on flying to the Maples VOR, then the Vichy VOR, Forestel and back to Spirit (18 miles, 34 miles, 47 miles, and 15 miles).

Instead of just using the GPS, I dialed in the first VOR, switched the heading indicator to track it. I asked questions about Instrument Flight and how this would differ if we were on an IFR flight plan. Not much, just a few differences.

We spotted the VOR from 5 miles out. When I reached it, I turned and headed for the next VOR. I had to adjust a few times as we progressed to stay out of some heavier rain showers but did a good job of holding altitude and heading.

Listening to Center and Approach, we heard other planes deviating to avoid weather as well.

When we got to the Foristell VOR, I couldn't quite see the airport, but I could tell where it was.

I checked the weather at Spirit. It was reporting, wind from 240 at 5, visibility of 10 miles, clouds 6,000 broken.

10 miles out, I called Tower and said I was 10 to the northwest, with November, inbound for landing. Tower said to make right downwind for 26Right. I had been expecting that so I acknowledged and continued in.

I heard tower talking to other planes and heard Tower clear another plane to land on 26Right as we were entering our downwind. I didn't see any other plane but called Tower and said we were on right downwind for 26Right. Tower said he thought he had cleared us to land. He said he couldn't read his own handwriting. He cleared us to land 26Right. I acknowledged.

Jenny and I both decided the last call to the other plane had really been for us, just using the wrong call sign.

I flew parallel to runway 26Right, saw a plane waiting at the end of the runway, made my turn to base, checking the other plane was still waiting and touched down nicely.

I slowed down and turned off the runway. Tower was talking to someone else so I waited before calling saying we were clear of the runway.

Tower cleared me to the ramp via Echo. I acknowledged and pulled forward.

To be fully past the hold short line, I was halfway across Echo already. I just pulled forward and I was on the ramp.

I parked right where I had left from. While I got my times and cleared out the plane, Jenny tied down the right side of the plane.

I got out, tied the left and tail and headed inside.

A nice 2.3 hour flight.

Sky looking west

Scattered, but not at 8,500

N655BB
2009 RV-4

Rain Showers

Salem Memorial Airport (K33) at Salem, MO

On final for runway 17

On downwind for runway 17

On base for runway 17

On final for runway 17

On final for runway 17

On final for runway 17

Houston Memorial Airport (M48) at Houston, MO

Entering left downwind for runway 16

On final for runway 16

On final for runway 16

On final for runway 16

On final for runway 16

South Central Missouri State Correctional Center

Near Licking, MO

More Rain Showers

Missouri River

Looking North

Sky looking west

Here is the airport weather information from my flight.

Here is the inflight weather information for my flight.

Here is the waypoint information for my flight.

Because of my diabetes, the FAA wants me to monitor my blood sugar 30 minutes before flight, during, and 30 minutes before landing.

Here are my readings.