Flight Log 08-Aug-10a

I am finally getting to make this trip.

I had planned this a while back and didn't get to make it due to weather. On another weekend, the weather looked good up until Sunday morning. The weather at my destination was going to be ok, but the Weather Briefer expressed concern I wouldn't be able to get back into St Louis due to Thunderstorms.

Two more weeks where weather or schedule kept me from flying but today, I finally get to go.

Today everything looks good.

I got my preflight briefing and other than a chance of rain south of my planned flight path, everything looked good. Light winds and few clouds.

On my way to the airport, it looked very hazy. The sky was clear of clouds, but almost looked gray rather than blue.

At the airport, I had to wait for the plane. It was flying back from Nashville. Paul was tracking it via Flight Aware. It was about 20 minutes out, starting it's descent. I told him that was fine.

I went ahead and bought a block of time. This gives me a discount of 10 dollars an hour for the plane rentals.

When the plane finally arrived, there were 4 people on it, 2 guys and 2 girls. They had gone to Nashville for the weekend. The pilot asked if his time was up at 10 or 10:30. This was before Paul or I asked about his being late so he obviously knew the answer.

As he was taxiing in, Paul called and ordered fuel for me. The fuel truck showed up and was filling the tanks while they were still unloading.

Jenny and talked about weight and ballance because I didn't think they were within accetable limits. They made it, but I wouldn't have flown with that much weight.

The plane has 4 seats, but you can't fill them with adults then add luggage.

I told Jenny that I finally had my medical and we talked about making this flight be my flight review.

The flight review is suppose to be at least 1 hour of ground review and at least 1 hour of flight time. Since I have flown more than 20 hours with Jenny already, I knew she knew, and was comfortable, with my flying. Since I have attended 10-12 of the Perpetual Ground School classes, and contributed to the discussions, Jenny and Paul said I had met the ground portion already.

I did my preflight checks and Jenny and I headed for the runway.

I called Ground after doing my run-up and was cleared to runway 26Right via taxiway Echo.

At the hold short line, I did my final checks and called Tower. I said I was at 26Right, ready to depart.

Tower cleared me to take off, left turn out approved. I acknowledged, applied power, got lined up, and took off.

It was very hazy. It was reporting visibility of 9 miles, but I'm not sure about that.

I started my climb up to 8,500 feet. About 5 miles from Spirit, I switched radio frequencies and called St Louis Approach and picked up flight following.

They had me stay at 3,500 feet for a while before clearing me climb and maintain 8,500 feet.

As we got higher, we got above the haze and the outside temperature dropped from 93 (on the ground) to 69 (at 4,500 feet) to 57 (at 8,500 feet).

Looking southwest

It is 186 miles from Spirit to Lamar Municipal Airport (LLU) in Lamar, MO. As we continued west, the haze cleared some but we picked up a layer of clouds around 4-6,000 feet. We were above them.

They were scattered but I was watching to make sure they didn't close in and trap us above them.

I told Jenny that if they were still thick once we passed one ridge ahead, I was going to descend.

After we passed the ridge, the clouds started to break up so I stayed high.

The clouds went away, but some of the haze came back.

Looking southwest

I was using the autopilot and turned it off as I made some climb changes. When I went to turn it back on, it wouldn't engage.

Jenny tried and it wouldn't work for her either.

We left it alone till I was leveled off at 8,500 feet and headed for Lamar.

I asked Jenny if we could pull the circuit breaker for the autopilot and then re-engage to see if that would clear the error. She said we could try it, so I did. I pulled the breaker, waited a few seconds, before pushing it back in.

There were a few warning indications then they cleared and I tried to set the autopilot.

It worked this time and for the rest of the flight.

We also had a problem with the colors on the MFD. They went from green and "normal" colors to an ugly purplish gray. Eventually it cleared and went back to "normal colors.

SUS -> LLU

Distance: 98.8 miles from LLU
Closest Airport: 6.8 miles from AIZ
Heading: 247 degrees
Altitude: 8,500 feet
Air Speed: 111
Ground Speed: 122

We spotted the airport about 12 miles out and I called ATC and told them I had the airport in sight. He told me there was no traffic between me and the airport, to squawk VFR, frequency changed approved. I acknowledged and did as told.

I entered the pattern and ended up being high and fast when I turned final. Rather than force the plane down onto a 2,902 foot runway, I executed a go-around.

My next 3 touch and gos were all fine. I just messed up the initial set up.

This is part of why I try to alway do more than 1 touch and go. Sometimes you mess up, but if I do 3, I have a pretty good idea about landing at the airport.

Approaching from the northeast

On downwind for runway 21

On final for runway 21

On final for runway 21

Sign near airport

Turning final for runway 21

Buildings at airport

On final for runway 21

Hi to Tom

On final for runway 21

The next airport, Jerry Sumners Sr-Aurora Municipal is 42 miles away so I after leaving Lamar, I reported airborne off 21, departing to the southeast and climbed up to 3,000 feet.

After checking the weather and confirming my initial plan, I reported "10 miles to the northwest, will over fly the field and enter a left downwind for 18."

I flew over the field at 3,000 feet and did a right teardrop turn to enter my left downwind.

3 more touch and gos and I was back up, headed for the next airport.

Approaching from the northwest

On final for runway 18

On final for runway 18

On final for runway 18

On final for runway 18

Cassville is only 19 miles away so again I only climbed up to 2,500 feet.

This airport's runway runs east west (09/27) and I was coming from the north.

I checked the weather and the wind was reporting 240 at 3 so I decided to use runway 27.

This meant that I would do an s-turn to enter my left downwind for runway 27.

10 miles out, I reported "10 to the north, inbound for touch and go on 27".

I did 3 nice touch and gos. They were all getting better. The runways were getting longer, but I wasn't using all that I had available.

Approaching from the north

On final for runway 27

On final for runway 27

Branson West is a new airport. It has only been open since March of 2010. It is 23 miles from Cassville and sits on top of a ridge near Branson, MO.

We spotted it about 15 miles out and checked the weather. It was reporting winds from 120 at 4 so I planned on using runway 21.

Around the airport are lots of rolling hills or short mountains. This is in the Ozark Mountains.

The runway was built by topping a ridge and building up the ends to mostly level the runway out.

There is a big drop off right at the end of the runway as well as a large quary near by. (A lot of the quary is underground rather than an open pit like most.

I reported "10 miles to the northwest, inbound for touch and go on 21".

I did 2 touch and gos then reported I would be landing.

The runway is 5,000 feet long by 75 feet wide and has an upward slope when landing on 21.

I touched down nicely and let the plane roll out and slow down.

I turned off at the taxiway and reported clear of the runway.

There is both a fuel truck and self-service fuel pumps. I decided to do self-serv and same some money.

I taxied over and parked next to the pumps. I figured we would be staying to eat lunch so it would give the fuel a chance to settle so I was just going to put 20 gallons in the right wing tank.

As we shut down and got out, a lineman came out and gave us some cold water. It was nice.

While I worked the charge machine, he set up a ladder so I could reach the wing tank.

I put in 20 gallons and then we decided to push the plane to a parking space rather than restart the engine and taxi it.

We parked it near the edge of the ramp and headed inside.

Jenny and talked with the two people there (Jamie Kirley - General Manager) and ate the lunch I had packed.

After lunch, I walked around and took a few pictures before preflighting the plane.