Gryphon's Aeire

All my checks were fine. The fuel wasn't full, but there was plenty for my flight.

While I was finishing up, I heard a plane call Ground and request clearance to taxi for departure to the west. They said they were at the west ramp, where I was. I looked around and saw him at the far end.

He got his clearance and taxied past, headed for runway 8Left.

I called Ground and got my clearance and I followed him.

I watched him take off and called Tower. I said I was holding at 8Left, had landing traffic in sight, ready to depart to the west.

Tower told me hold and I acknowledged. The landing plane was another Cessna 172. It landed and turned off, before Tower cleared him to parking.

I waited, expecting Tower to clear me to take off but it took him awhile, he talked to 3 other planes in the area or departing on the other runway before finally clearing me to takeoff, left turn out approved.

I took of on a a runway heading of 080 degrees and my inital course was 298 degrees so after I took off, I basically flew the downwind past the airport and headed for Mexico.

I climbed up to 3,000 feet and flew along, listening to St Louis Departure. I didn't call and pick up flight following. Mexico is 62 miles from Spirit so I didn't think it was worth the effort but I did want to listen for any other traffic in the area.

It was bumpy, but severe clear. I could probably see 25 plus miles.

I have no idea why this lake is this way. It looks like the arcs from a circular irrigation systems but I don't know why the lake would be this way.

Mexico Memorial Airport (MYJ) has 2 runways, 06/24 and 18/36. With the wind from 160 at 10, gusting to 19, I planned on using runway 18. It was the shorter runway, 3,199 x 50 vs 5,501 x 100 but I 3,200 feet is plenty.

I was approaching from the southeast so I was set up to enter my left downwind for runway 18. I reported 10 miles out, inbound for touch and go on 18. There were other people on the radio, but no one at Mexico.

I did 4 touch and gos. There weren't too bad. There were 2 wind socks, one for each runway. The automated weather was reported from the other wind sock. It was more of a crosswind on 18/36. The gusts didn't help either.

I tried varying amounts of flaps and was fine with that but wasn't the best with the actual touch down and rolling down the runway.

Bowling Green is 30 miles from Mexico. I climbed up to 3,000 feet and flew along.

There are some town names that you come across in multiple states. Vandalia is one of those. Here is Vandalia, MO.

Bowling Green Municipal Airport (H19) only has one runway, 13/31. It is 3,204 feet long by 50 feet wide. The runway isn't the biggest problem. It is the prison near by.

Approaching from the northwest, I was going to have to over fly the runway to enter a left downwind for runway 13. This would make me fly over the prison. I didn't want to risk that at 2,500 feet so I adjusted a little to the right and reported I would be entering a left crosswind to a left downwind for touch and go on 13. It wasn't a very square crosswind, but close. I flew the pattern, reported my turns and did my first touch and go.

This time the wind was still reporting 160 at 11, gusting to 15. This meant a 30 degree crosswind. I did better this time. I don't think it was as gusty so I had better approaches and touch downs.

I did 4 touch and gos before departing to the southeast. The runway heading is 13, so 130 degrees but it is actually 134 degrees true. My heading back to Spirit is 147 degrees so I didn't have to adjust much after takeoff.

As I was departing the airport, I spotted this below me. You never know what you might see when you are flying around.

I thought the sports complex near Spirit was the big one in the area. Not too far away, (only a few miles - by air) I spotted this other one. Lots of soccer fields.

So I could practice more crosswind landings and to end up with an even number of landings, 2420, I did 4 touch and gos and 1 landing at Spirit of St Louis Airport (SUS).

The wind was blowing from 180 at 12, gusting to 18. Since the runway is 26, that meant an 80 degree crosswind.

The first 2 were ok. The wind was gusting again so my approaches weren't really smooth, but they were ok.

Other planes were landing and departing on the other runway, 26Left, so I had to be carefull to not overshoot my turn to final and stay out of their way.

As I was taking off from my fourth touch and go, another plane reported 6 miles, inbound for landing. Tower told him to plan for right downwind for 26Right, the same runway I was using.

When Tower cleared me for the option, I told him this would be to a full stop. He asked me to make close traffic and told the other plane he would be number 2 and to extend his downwind.

I turned base and final early and got down faster. I had been landing somewhat long, close to or just after the 1,000 foot markings. This time I wanted to land shorter so I could get stopped and turn off at the first exit to clear the runway.

I touched down fine, but was fast and had to step hard on the brakes. I almost missed the turn but ended up getting slowed enough to make a wide turn to the exit. I was down and clear before the other plane was close.

I pulled in and parked and shut down the plane.

I noted my times and cleared out the plane. I wrote the times on the tach sheet, left the book in the plane, locked it, and tied it down before leaving the key in the box as I had been told.

The gate to the parking lot is secured with a bike lock that you dial in the combination to open. I opened it went through and locked it behind me.

Here is a picture from the parking lot, looking towards the Control Tower. A few high wispy clouds, but still a beautiful day.

Although I didn't get to take Derek, and it was bumpy, it was still beautiful day and a nice day to fly.