(AFN) IFR to Jaffrey

Jaffrey Silver Ranch (AFN) was the destination of our first official flight in our own plane, so it's wonderfully appropriate that it was also the destination for my first IMC flight. Dean got his instrument rating earlier this month, and was in and out of clouds while training, but I wasn't with him. Today was my first taste of true instrument meteorological conditions--we needed IFR from start to finish. I loved it.

It was a classic, perfect instrument flight... dissolving into mist as we ascended, then a long stretch of being surrounded by nothingness, the whiteness so dazzling I needed to put on my sunglasses... then, for a little while, breaking out above the clouds into blue sky and sun, the fields of clouds below looking like glaciers, looking like the North Pole, their shapes endlessly beautiful. Then down into the mist again... sometimes, gauzy glimpses of the ground... nearing Jaffrey and descending, but still inside the cloud layer...



As we made our approach, Dean counted down, "If I don't see the runway in a mile, we've got to go..." ... "If I don't see it in half a mile, we've got to go..." Where you catch a glimpse of the runway with about 20 seconds left in the video is exactly when we saw it as well--right at the Missed Approach Point at 680 feet above the ground. Dean was literally about 1 or 2 seconds away from applying full throttle, pulling up on the yoke, and going missed. But suddenly there it was, right in front of us. He maneuvered around and we landed, water streaking fine lines across the windows. When we closed the flight plan and climbed out of our plane, it was raining lightly, Jaffrey shrouded with low grey clouds and dreamy with mist.

After a characteristically fantastic meal at an uncharacteristically uncrowded Kimball Farm, the clouds were about 200-300' above the ground--too low to land, but fine for takeoff. Warm and full of delicious leek and potato soup (it just seemed right, given the weather!), our plane likewise full of fuel from the Sawyers' truck (great prices, especially now that we've joined their fuel plan), we took to the clouds once again.

(GED) Flight Deck Restaurant

(Coming soon.)

(SWF) Pacific Aviation / The Bistro

I can't say one bad thing about Pacific Aviation at the Stewart International Airport (SWF) in Newburgh, New York. The FBO is spacious and luxurious, with a beautiful, inviting lobby that welcomes you with warm hardwood and leather chairs, and the personnel is the most solicitous we have ever encountered.

Our first visit together was on a Saturday in February--Dean wanted to take me to Bernard's, where he'd enjoyed lunch a few times with a fellow pilot from work. It was neat coming in on the huge runway (the Space Shuttle can land there in an emergency) behind a 727, and ogling all the lurky grey military transport planes lined up at the Stewart Air National Guard Base as we taxied to the Pacific Aviation flight center. While there were JetBlue passenger liners taking off and UPS cargo planes loading in other parts of the airport, the general aviation scene was quiet, and we were the only small plane in sight. Regardless, we were greeted right away by a friendly lineman, who topped off our fuel tanks from his full-service truck. Gas prices are good, and there's a discount if you eat at the restaurant.

Unfortunately, the restaurant was transitioning to new management and had closed early that afternoon. We didn't mind; it was still enjoyable just looking around while signing the ledger and paying for our gas, and everyone treated us royally, telling us all about the plans for the new restaurant (as well as Stewart's long-term plans for revamping the entire airport) and offering to open up the kitchen and fix us cold sandwiches and fresh coffee. Rick's Runway Cafe in Orange County is so close that it didn't matter about the restaurant being closed, so we told them not to worry about it, and that we'd be back another time to try the new place.

We didn't give it another thought, but apparently the personnel did, because, Monday morning, the airport's General Manager called us on the phone and left a voicemail apologizing for the restaurant being closed early and promising a free lunch for both of us! We were amazed. We don't even know how she figured out our phone number--she must've put some effort into it, that's for sure. Later that week, a gift certificate for two showed up in the mail. Very, very impressive.

Two Saturdays later, we were back to try the newly opened Bistro restaurant. Again Pacific Aviation was very quiet, and we had the place almost to ourselves. The new chef was running the restaurant on his own, and he told us that he'd been there only five days, so was still learning the ropes. There was a very small menu of breakfast and lunch specials, as he hadn't finished creating the permanent menu yet, but it included an interesting variety of creative items like french toast with pineapple, and lobster cakes (a spin on crab cakes).

There wasn't anything specifically vegetarian on the specials sheet, but the accommodating chef said he'd make us whatever we wanted, so Dean asked for a grilled cheese sandwich while I tried the lobster cakes. Eager to please, the chef suggested a garden salad to go with Dean's sandwich, and gave him his choice of whatever kind of cheese and bread he liked. As we waited for him to prepare our food, I admired the clean white tablecloths and nice silverware that gave the place a classy feel. The food was simple and tasty, more like a homemade meal than restaurant fare. My lobster cakes were especially delicious, made from succulent lobster meat including whole claws. I wished they were bigger!

The chef told us everything was made fresh, and that many of the specials were things he'd come up with using found ingredients left behind when the restaurant changed hands. I don't want the stash of lobster meat to run out, but, when it does, I'm sure he'll think of additional tempting ideas! He seemed especially excited about having time to do more baking, and named several delicious-sounding desserts he wanted to feature. It sounds like the restaurant is in good hands. It may be still a little rough around the edges, but The Bistro has plenty of potential.

The Bistro's current hours are Monday through Saturday, 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM, but they plan to extend the hours later and be open on Sunday when the weather is warmer. They're located at the Pacific Aviation FBO, and you can call ahead at 845-567-2601 to check the hours or for more information.

(B18) Alton Bay Ice Runway

(Coming soon.)

NYC Hudson River VFR Corridor

Our home airport's CTAF shares the same frequency as the Hudson River VFR Corridor. Tuned into 123.05 in the air over Meriden, we'd often hear the Hudson Traffic pilots self-announcing their positions as they flew down the river. It always sounded so glamourous and cryptic... "Colgate"--"Empire State"--"GWB"--"Alpine"--"Intrepid"--"Holland Tunnel"--"Governor's Island" and--of course--"The Lady." I couldn't really imagine what it would be like to actually be there with all those planes, flying down the river with the metropolises of New Jersey and Manhattan looming on either side of you, famous skyscrapers level with your windows, circling around Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Crazy! Then one evening in late December, Dean telephoned me and asked if I wanted to fly it with with fellow pilot Chris and his girlfriend Lisa. Of course I said yes.

We stopped for dinner at Rick's on the way, then headed toward the VFR Corridor, where Dean would fly while Chris handled the position announcements. Lisa and I stared out the windows in back, clutching our cameras and craning our necks.

If you're going to make the flight, you need a New York Terminal Area chart, which you should go over very carefully to understand what altitude you need to fly at at various points along the corridor. On the back is a New York Helicopter chart, which shows a bigger zoomed-in view of the corridor. As you fly, you can refer to the visual waypoints to see when you're at step-down points, or, if you have a GPS that shows the rings of the Class B airspace, that will help too. Another great resource to read before you go is Scott Germasie's website. He lists the reporting points that you use for self-announce, and includes photos of what they look like.

In addition to maintaining the correct altitude at the various points along the route, you need to stay over the river and on the right-hand side at all times. There's a decent amount of other traffic--much more than you'd see just flying around normally (our PCAS was going off constantly!)--but, because everyone's sequenced and flying in the same direction (on New Jersey side, southbound, and northbound on the Manhattan side) it's very orderly.

It's also very cool. Lisa and I kept trying to take pictures, but with all the tall buildings in New York, the streets are, in effect, canyons, and you have winds that run down through them, creating turbulence, so it was pretty bumpy, especially since we were so low. I took a million photos, but, since it was impossible to steady the camera, most were nothing but streaks of blurred light. A few came out okay, although it looked even cooler (lots cooler!) in person.

1) First we flew right down the Hudson River corridor and over the George Washington Bridge. We were super-close to the bridge (at about 1,000 ft), and it looked huge.

2) Next we flew past Manhattan. We could see the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, and the Met Life Building--which, like the Empire State, was lit up red and green for Christmas. The city looked really 3D from the side, with the huge buildings close to the water's edge like big black boxes, their windows all alight. It was impossible to photograph these.

3) We went past Times Square and could see down the streets of Manhattan.

4) We could see the big ships in the water, and even read the New Yorker sign on the the top of the historic New Yorker Hotel building. (It's blurry, but you can make it out--that yellow sign between the Empire State Building and the other Met Life Building.)

5) And then we circled the The Lady, at 500 ft. She was so close. Unbelievable!

We still can't believe they let you do this.

Christmas Trip: from Connecticut to North Carolina (and back)

(Coming soon.)

(MIV) Antino's Cornerstone Grille

(Coming soon.)