Flying Summers Brothers
Colin and Adam take to the air

Saturday, August 22 2009

Westward ho!

KMMU – KCAK – KCMI – KSPI

(Part of the lost trip report.)

MORRISTOWN

Our departure out of Morristown was our first return-to-field event as a family. (I had done this once with Art in the plane taking off out of Long Beach after service.) The truth is, I expected the plane to misbehave a little since it had been sitting for a week. Well, that and I always expect the engine to quit at any moment. That’s what I am planning for. Read the rest of this entry »

Friday, August 13

South to Civilization

KTVC – KACB – KGKJ – KMMU

(Part of the lost trip report.)

After our incredibly, almost-theme-park-like stay in Traverse City, we needed to return to New York City, where Nell would meet us. We had a small cooler of salmon to drop off at TW’s, definitely worth driving to the airport for (plus, I had left my computer bag at his cabin and he offered to bring it up). I spent a lot of time in the FBO’s hangar with their roll of speed tape (aviation’s version of duct tape), sealing the two coolers so that they couldn’t possibly open. It still made me nervous to stow a couple containers of fishy ice water in the luggage compartment. Read the rest of this entry »

Wednesday, August 12

Not Even Enough Time to Switch Tanks

KACB – KTVC

Part of the lost trip report.

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Tuesday, August 11

North of Canada... the United States?

CNK4 – KANJ – KACB

Part of the lost trip report.

The time at the Lake was superb. Dexter got very into fishing and, even though he didn’t catch very much, it gave him motivation to see more of the shoreline, other little lakes nearby, and one of the creeks that feeds the Lake. As great as it was, my friend TW kept telling me that his place on Torch Lake would give any lake in Ontario a run for its money, so I started planning our next flight. Read the rest of this entry »

Thursday, August 6

Escaping to the North

KLEB – CYTZ – CNK4

Part of the lost trip report.

The summer is all about the boys seeing some places other than home. The airplane is great for that. So far they have seen nearly every state (we’re missing Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Iowa, and a couple southern ones; I don’t think we’re going to ever have a reason to fly through North Dakota, so we might have to just call that one Canada and let it go). More importantly, they have seen a real variety of places, from college towns to Washington, D.C., the town of Marfa, Texas out in the middle of the high desert, and the non-town of Pontiac, Illinois set amongst infinite cornfields. Next winter vacation is meant to be a flight down to the Keys. I would like to stop in Marfa again on our way there. Read the rest of this entry »

Sunday, August 1

East over the Lakes

KMSN – KIAG – KLEB

Part of the lost trip report.

The thunderstorm line swept over us in the night and dissipated out over Lake Michigan. The breakfast at the hotel was surprisingly good (I have gotten used to trying to find anything edible in an “included” breakfast sort of buffet, not much effort was required that morning). Once we are packed up, the hotel shuttle van took us back to our FBO for departure. Along the way, Nell lamented that we didn’t get anything Wisconsin-specific during our stay and ventured that maybe the cheese is something to write home about. The van driver, a college-aged woman, say that it’s cheap, and that’s good, but that it’s nothing special, just fresh cheese. She then proceeded to give a running commentary about what the party scene was like around the university and how we are lucky to be there when school is not in session. Read the rest of this entry »

Saturday, July 31 2009

West Out of the Rockies

KJAC – KRAP – KFSD – KMSN

Part of the Lost Trip Report.

This was one of my favorite days of flying. It wasn’t easy, but it was an adventure and the whole family saw a lot of country that we would never see otherwise. Read the rest of this entry »

Friday, July 30

KSMO – KHND – 36U – KJAC

Go North Little Plane

Part of the Lost Trip Report.

Our destination is the traditional Pleasant Lake in New Hampshire, but we started our trip with two hours along the route I have travelled most often. We were headed north, more north than we had been in the plane. Nell’s family has friends (Dick and Claire) who summer in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

With the plane all packed, the iPhones charged, the stack of approach plate books stowed within easy reach in the luggage area, and the Kindles loaded with electronic books for boys, we rolled onto Runway 21 and a right downwind departure.

Nell was working with an actress and a producer on a possible series idea, and she needed a morning conference call. The timing worked out for her to do that from Henderson when we landed for fuel. We had practically rolled the boys right into the plane from bed, so it was great that the restaurant at the airport was open. They had a nice brunch (pancakes, eggs, bacon) while Nell used her iPhone and a hallway as a make-shift office.

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