Gryphon's Aeire

Return to Spirit from Litchfield after trying to avoid some weather.

Here is the Radio information for my flight.

I did a nice landing on runway 27 and reported when clear of the runway.

We were looking for a parking space with tie down ropes to hold the plane if the winds were as strong as reported, or even less.

There was one spot with ropes, but it only had 2. The right wing and tail. We took it.

While I got my times, Paul tied down the plane and went and checked out the building. You had to use the CTAF code to open the door. Inside there was a nice little lounge with a computer screen showing the current local weather.

There was a mouse, but no keyboard. You could see the current local information, but you couldn't look beyond that.

Paul used his new phone and checked the weather. The storm was still coming but was off a ways.

We waited around a few minutes then decided to try to get to Litchfield. Paul said there would be more there if we had to wait a while and that would put us a little more to the north and hopefully the storm would pass us sooner.

Back to the plane and we were off.

This time we did only minor checks of the plane before starting. We had seen a few other people around one of the buildings, but no one had come anywhere near our plane.

I started it up and reported taxiing for departure on runway 27.

I did do a runup at the hold short line. Everything checked out fine.

I reported back taxiing on runway 27 before entering the runway. I taxied down, turned about, got lined up, reported taking off, runway 27 and with full power, was up in the air again.

We were on the ground for 24 minutes.

Litchfield is 27 miles from Vandalia. I climbed up to 2,500 feet and flew along. We could see the rain coming. It wasn't a solid wall, just scattered cells where you could see the rain underneath.

I checked the weather at Litchfield. It was reporting Calm, skys 4,800 scattered.

Since I was coming from the southeast, with a calm wind, I decided I would use runway 36. That would let me land on the long runway (4,003 feet vs 3,901 feet) and just turn off and be at the ramp. If I used 27 I would have to taxi all the way back and if the storms got there too soon, I wanted to be in and tied down.

10 miles out I reported my position and my plan to land on 36, Litchfield.

I adjusted my heading to get lined up for runway 36. It ended up being a pretty nice landing.

I have been here 27 times before and made 86 landings or touch and gos, but I have never gotten out of the plane.

Paul told me where to go and when we were looking for a tie down, there were several with good strong ropes for all three tie downs.

Paul was glad. He said he didn't want to come back and find the plane blown onto it side. I said I was sure he didn't since he was the Pilot in Command. I still don't have my medical so he is technically in charge.

I got my times and we tied the plane down before heading inside. It wasn't raining yet, but we could see rain cells just to the west.

Again, there is a nice pilot's lounge. It has 2 computers you can use, another showing the current local weather. Snacks for sale. A couple of couches and chairs with some aviation magazines.

I checked my blood sugar again. It was reporting 95 so I bought a Ding Dong and ate it.

Paul checked the weather and it looked like the storms were breaking up.

I called Lisa and there was nothing happening at her house. She said it had gotten windy, but they never got any rain.

I wandered outside to look at a plane parked in front of the building. I was partially covered, but the nose art showed a bullet with arms and the name Die Silberkugel so I am guessing it means The Silver Bullet.

As I was looking around, the sky was already clearing. The dark clouds were passing by and it was clearing to the east. We didn't get any rain.

After a few more minutes, Paul and I decided to head on back to Spirit. Checking with the computer, it was showing clear at Alton and Spirit.

He asked if we wanted to file IFR to go direct of just VFR and see what happened. I said I didn't care, it was up to him.

We decided to just fly and see what happened and headed back to the plane.

I got the current weather. Now it was reporting the wind from 190 at 4 so I planned on using runway 18, the opposite of what I landed on.

When we were in the plane and ready to go, I reported taxiing for departure off 18, Litchfield.

Before our runup, the engine seemed to be running a little rough, but during and after, it seemed fine. Probably just a little carbon buildup that burned off during the runup.

I reported airbore off runway 18, departing the area to the southwest.

We ended up being on the ground for 30 minutes.

Click to read about the outbound flight from SUS to LOU

Click to read about the return flight from LOU to VLA

Click to read about the return flight from 3LF to SUS

Vandalia Municipal Airport (VLA) at Vandalia, IL

N8560T - 19xx Cessna 182
Used by Arch Skydiving

N9838Z - 19xx King Air
Used by Arch Skydiving

Main Building

Clouds headed for Litchfield, IL

Rain coming

Getting closer

and closer

Litchfield Municipal Airport (3LF) at Litchfield, IL

Clouds over the airport

Clouds over the airport

N48SX - A 19xx Z - named Die Silberkugel (The Silver Bullet)

Mail Building

Hangars

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.