Flying the ICON A5 around the United States

Day 64 - Vacaville to Torrance

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 23:25:34 GMT

Vacaville, CA (KVCB) to

Torrance, CA (KTOA) - August 17, 2019

Original Instagram Post

It was exactly nine weeks ago that I left Torrance airport and set out on a journey around the United States in a very small, not-very-fast amphibious plane.

Over that time I've seen some amazing sights, met a TON of interesting people, had some of the best flying I could've asked for, and definitely learned a lot. But, today it was time to come home.

I left Vacaville's Nut Tree Airport just after 8am. I'd planned to fly by the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco then follow the coast south. Most of the coastline was fogged in, though, so I went for a more inland route that had clear skies and still some pretty great views. I made a quick fuel stop in Paso Robles then down past Santa Barbara and followed the coast from there. The Wings Over Camarillo airshow was today, so there was a TFR that I had to avoid, but otherwise it was surprisingly quiet coming into LA.

Once I got to Torrance things got...weird. There was a LOT of traffic all coming in at once, and from all different directions. I did a low approach and circled back around to land, all while avoiding a TBM coming in fast in the opposite direction, and almost hitting a hawk or eagle or something while I was on downwind. It was REALLY CLOSE!

Ended up high on final and had to slip it in. Not the calm, cool finish I'd hoped for, but it sure wasn't dull! I had some family there to meet me, so we got the plane back in the hangar, unloaded and did some celebrating. I was definitely ready for a drink!

Usually I end these posts with what I'm planning for the following day. All I have for this one is - resting. It's been a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience, but it's also been a long time living out of hotels and eating way too much restaurant food, so I'm glad to be home. I'm still gathering up all the stats from the trip and will post those when they're ready, so stay tuned.

Until then, thanks for following along and - Fly Casual

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This was my third time flying an A5 from Vacaville to Torrance and each time I'd planned to fly past the Golden Gate Bridge and follow the coast down to LA. All three times that plan has been scuttled by the infamous San Francisco fog. It actually extended pretty far south of San Franciso. I flew right along the edge of it with clouds on my right and clear skies on my left all the way to Paso Robles.

When I got to Torrance, the wind was out of the East, which meant they were landing and departing runways 11L and 11R. The thing that throws a bit of a wrench in things is aircraft on an instrument flight plan fly the runway 29R approach and then circle to land on runway 11L. There happened to be a TBM doing this right as I was trying to do my low approach and even though I was using 11R the controller had me turning early to be sure I didn't get too close to the oncoming traffic. It just meant that I had to do things a little sooner than I'd anticipated, but throw in the near miss with a hawk on downwind and ending up higher than I wanted to be on final and the result was probably the worst landing I had of the entire trip. Dammit.

I included some video of the hawk - right around :39 in. I've muted the sound as it was definitely NSFW, but I think you get the gist of my response.

I'll probably do a few more posts to this blog with a wrap up and some final thoughts, but there you have it.

I hope this provided a little more insight into some of the adventures I had. I was limited in how much I was able to post each night, partly by the limits of social media but also by how much time I could spend writing things up.

It's been fun going back through the photos and video and getting to re-live each day. I'm surprised by how much I still remember, so I guess it's good that I got it written down before it evaporates.

One last thought for this day. While this was an amazing journey and I will reflect back on it for the rest of my life, I think it's really important to continue to have new adventures and think of new things to experience.

There's a saying that I heard years ago, I don't know who might've said it, so I can't give proper credit, and I'm pretty sure I'm paraphrasing but it goes something like this:

"Life ends when you stop doing new things and spend your time only dwelling on the things you've done."

Day 63 - Vacaville

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 03:04:01 GMT

Lake Berryessa - August 16, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Well, slight change of plans. Had a minor technical issue this morning that delayed me getting going. So, I had to make a choice - skip the lake and fly home or spend the day on the lake and head home tomorrow. I decided not to end this trip making the less-than-fun choice so I headed out to Lake Berryessa.

The first landing I ever did in the A5 was on this lake in 2016. The water level was 40 feet lower then, but today it's up near maximum and conditions were fantastic.

Landing on the water never, ever gets old and I took full advantage of it. While I was sitting on the lake I was also able to book myself back into the hotel for the night.�� Tomorrow I WILL be heading for home - and this time I mean it!

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This was a perfect way to wrap up my last water ops of the trip. The decision to stay an extra day wasn't difficult. I really didn't want to miss getting some time on Lake Berryessa. I'd had to pass on so many other opportunities over the course of the previous nine weeks. This one I couldn't miss, especially since the weather was so amazing. What was one day at that point, right?

I hadn't been expecting to stay another day, though, so I'd packed everything up and checked out of my hotel that morning. Over the past couple days I'd gotten to know a really nice couple that were staying at the hotel. We kept bumping into each other at the hotel bar each night and I'd said my goodbyes to them the night before. They were surprised to see me show up again that night, so I figured it warranted a picture with them and Orly, the bartender at the hotel.

I also went back to Tahoe Joe's and grabbed a shot of my travel companions. These two little monkeys were a gift from Julie when I left and I'd carried them in my pocket through the whole trip. I took pics of them at various places along the way and would often set them on the bar in front of me wherever I was. People were sometimes confused, but it was a great conversation starter.

Day 62 - Vacaville

Sat, 15 Aug 2020 22:26:11 GMT

Vacaville, CA - August 15, 2019

Original Instagram Post

In honor of National Relaxation Day, I did f**k all today. No flying, no pictures, no exploring. It was hot - still over 100 degrees at 6pm. Looks like this trip is going to end like it started, with a heat wave.

I had dinner at a favorite Italian restaurant, Pietro's. Great food and a fun atmosphere.

I’m going to hit Lake Berryessa in the morning then head out for home. I’ll most likely do a quick fuel stop in Paso Robles and should still get to Torrance by late afternoon or early evening. So close now.

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I went over to the ICON offices for a bit thinking I might be able to do a flight in the afternoon, but they were still wrapping up the maintenance on the plane. So, I just hung out. Eventually I went back to the hotel and...hung out. Not much else to add. It was National Relaxation Day after all.

Day 61 - Medford to Vacaville

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 20:56:39 GMT

Medford, OR (KMFR) to

Vacaville, CA (KVCB) - August 14, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Early start out of Medford this morning. The trade off for having to get up early is some amazing views and light winds, which made for a smooth ride over the mountains. Flew right by Mount Shasta and had some much appreciated tail winds through the valley leading to Vacaville, so I got there by 11am. There was an unexpected welcoming committee of ICON folks on the ramp when I arrived. I was caught up in the moment and didn't get a good shot of all the folks that showed up, but it was a great turnout and was really fun to have everyone there to greet me!

The ICON team is doing some work on the plane today and I'm looking to get over to Lake Berryessa tomorrow for some time on the water.

I'll make my last couple hops back to Torrance on Friday. Can’t believe it’s been two months already!

��

I was tempted to head over to Lake Berryessa on my way to Vacaville and do a few water landings, but I figured the sooner I got the plane to ICON the sooner they'd be done with the maintenance. Plus, I was planning to spend some time on the lake the next day.

My plane had been built in Vacaville in September/October 2018 and I'd taken delivery in November 2018. So, I'd had this particular plane less than a year and put over 200 hours on it - most of that in the previous two months. By some people's standards 200 hours in a year isn't a big deal, but for someone like me who typically flies maybe 2-3 hours a week, it felt substantial. Pretty much every hour the plane had on it I'd been the pilot in the left seat. I suspect that seat has been custom contoured to fit my butt at this point. Maybe that's why it's so comfortable.

I spent a few hours talking with some ICON folks before checking into my hotel. I'd been up to this area a bunch of times previously, so I knew some of the hotel staff and already had my dinner plans figured out.

Tahoe Joe's is a steakhouse chain around Central and Northern California. I started going to the one near the Vacaville hotel years ago, mostly because it was close. It's not an amazing restaurant, but not bad either. The food is decent, good portions and generous drinks. It's a fun place and I typically enjoy sitting at the bar and talking to whoever's there. You definitely can get some real characters.

The other nice advantage is it's within walking distance of the hotel, and I hadn't rented a car. I think I racked up a pretty good bar bill that night, so the walk back was refreshing - even though the temps were still in the 90s.

Day 60 - Eugene to Medford

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 23:02:29 GMT

Eugene, OR (KEUG) to

Medford, OR (KMFR) - August 13, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Got the front tire repaired, but it took longer than expected so I wasn't able to get out of Eugene as early as I'd hoped. That meant only making it to Medford, OR instead of all the way to Vacaville. But, just a few hours in the morning and I'll be there. Looks like another early start.

I almost didn't get a room in Medford. Apparently, @thepianoguys are in concert here tonight and they draw a heckuva crowd. If I'd known, I would've planned to be there.

��

The replacement tire was delivered around 11am. It's a tubeless tire and it took the mechanic two tries to get everything seated properly. As a result, I didn't get in the air until about 6pm.

So, I had two options:

Fly about 2.5 hours to Redding
Fly about 1.5 hours to Medford

I probably had enough daylight to get to Redding, although there was a decent headwind which would've added about 30 minutes to that flight. Plus, I'd be flying over a stretch of mountains in setting sunlight. But, it would've put me closer to Vacaville, which meant a shorter flight in the morning.

Medford was a shorter hop, which almost felt like it wasn't worth it, but again the winds would add 15-20 minutes to that so I'd be arriving around 8pm.

I decided to go to Medford. I had a 50-hour maintenance scheduled in Vacaville, so the reality was I didn't need to rush to get there first thing in the morning. I'd be there by noon, which was plenty early.

The FBO in Medford wouldn't let me take the courtesy car overnight, so I called a taxi over to the hotel.

I didn't end up seeing much of Medford. I really wanted to grab dinner at Elmer's/The Purple Parrot Lounge. It wasn't a recommendation - I just liked the name. Plus, it was right next to the hotel. Unfortunately, they weren't serving food and it looked like they were closing up.

My only other option was Pizza Hut just next door. Glamorous for sure, but I didn't care. I was really hungry. At least they had beer.

I was really starting to feel the end of this adventure approaching, and I had mixed emotions about it.

As I mentioned, I'd had enough of eating in restaurants and jumping from one hotel to another. And I was ready to get back home.

At the same time it was such a thrill to wake up, get in the plane and fly away knowing that I wouldn't be coming back to the same place again but I'd have new adventures and sights to see.

A part of me enjoys living on the road and experiencing different places all the time. I didn't want that to end, but I also DID want to be back home. It was a very confusing set of emotions.

Day 59 - Eugene

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 22:06:16 GMT

Prepping and Planning - August 12, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Got the logistics of the tire replacement worked out today. ICON is sending a new tire overnight and I made arrangements [thanks to the FBO, Atlantic Aviation] to have a mechanic available tomorrow to do the install. ICON sent the necessary documentation for the process directly to the mechanic and I'm tracking the shipment - it left Sacramento this evening and is scheduled to arrive before noon tomorrow.

As long as I was at the airport, I spent some time wiping down the plane and getting the bugs off the leading edges. Once I'm back home I'll do a thorough detailing, but for now it's just basic upkeep.

Last thing was to make sure all the gear is charged up, SD cards are formatted and everything's ready to go for tomorrow. My goal is to get to Vacaville, but that will depend on how soon I'm able to get going after the wheel fix is done. I'll have a day or two in Vacaville and expecting to fly the final leg back to Torrance on Friday. Getting really close now!

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This was another pretty mellow day. I ended up doing more cleaning on the plane than I'd originally intended, but I had the time so figured it was a good opportunity. I could've done more exploring around Eugene, but I enjoyed having a day to pay down my sleep deprivation debt and think back on the journey; everything I'd seen and experienced. It wasn't quite over yet, but I was definitely down to the final stretch.

If I'm being completely honest with myself, I was ready to get home. I enjoy traveling, and doing something unique like this was never boring, but living in hotel rooms and eating restaurant food every day takes its toll after two months. Plus, I hadn't seen my wife in almost six weeks! It was time to wrap this all up.

I 'd also gained about 5 pounds since I left. I tried to exercise when I could, but getting into any kind of regular routine was tough.

I may still consider doing some smaller trips that focus on a particular region or smaller area, but something like this was once in a lifetime.

Oh, I didn't have any photos or video from this day, so here's some landing gear porn for anyone that's into that sort of thing. ��

Day 58 - Eugene and McMinnville

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 22:57:55 GMT

Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum

- August 11, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Making the most of the time here in Eugene. I drove 90 minutes up to McMinnville and the Aviation and Space museum. They have this little plane nicknamed the Spruce Goose there (turns out it’s actually made mostly out of birch). Here are some fun facts that came out of a text conversation I had with my father.

The Spruce Goose has 8 Pratt & Whitney R-4360 "Wasp Major" radial engines. Each engine has 28 cylinders and burns 195 gal/hr. So, multiple that by 8 engines and you get a fuel burn rate of...1560 gal/hr!

Takeoff speed was about 90 mph, and the aircraft had a single flight of about a mile - which would take it roughly 40 seconds. That'd be about 18 gallons to do one mile which works out to about .05 mpg. Not exactly the epitome of efficiency, but that wasn't the style at the time. It was about brute-force engineering and throwing as much as you could at a problem.

Anyway, it's a great museum with lots of exhibits and a whole building dedicated to space exploration. Interesting to compare this with the Museum of Flight in Seattle. Not better or worse, just different.

As I was walking by one area, a particular model caught my eye and I realized it was an RC version of the ICON A5! They had an amazing variety of stuff to look at - too much to go into details. If you ever find yourself in the area, definitely check it out.

No progress on my tire issue today, but I'll pick that up tomorrow and start getting it dealt with.

��

This was a nice, leisurely day. I didn't have anywhere to be and there was nothing I could do to move the tire fix along. So, I took my time going through the museums and chose the scenic route back to Eugene. Between the Boeing museum and this I was definitely getting a good dose of aviation history on the back half of the trip.

The Spruce Goose is an absolutely massive aircraft. Pretty much the entire rest of the museum lives under its wings and fuselage. It was impressive and ridiculous at the same time.

I regularly fly around the Port of Los Angeles and the spot where the Spruce Goose lived for many years before moving to the Evergreen museum. It was an engineering feat just to make the move. They obviously couldn't fly it up there, so it had to be moved by barge and trucks .

The museum does a really good job of showing off all the aircraft, letting you get up pretty close, and providing plenty of history and information. I'd recommend it for anyone who has an interest in this sort of stuff.

Day 57 - Seattle to Eugene

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 23:08:49 GMT

Paine Field, WA (KPAE) to

Eugene, OR (KEUG) - August 10, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Woke up to pouring rain this morning that continued until almost noon. Finally things started clearing up and I was able to get my new friend [and absolutely amazing pilot] Alistair a look at the A5. We weren't able to take a flight, but I suspect there will be another opportunity in the future.

I set off south out of Seattle around 2:40pm with the intention of getting to Eugene, OR for the night. Things were mostly smooth, but some storms built up over and to the west of Portland, which was right along my planned route. I decided to head for Troutdale, just east of Portland. I wanted to make a fuel stop, but there weren't any self-serve options at nearby fields. The FBO at Troutman, Gorge Winds, was open for about 45 more minutes and I was 30 minutes away. I called them from the plane and made sure they weren't leaving early. One advantage of being low and slow is pretty good cellular service in flight. The weather at Troutdale was still decent, but threatening to get ugly, so I did a quick refuel and got on my way.

I had some amazing views heading down to Eugene, with storms over nearby mountains and sunlight shining through clouds. When I landed at Eugene I noticed some weird bouncing as I taxied. After parking, I found damage on the side of the front tire. Not sure when or how this happened, but it means I'm now grounded here until I can get a new tire installed. Of course, this happened on a Saturday, so there isn't a mechanic on duty - and even if there was the chances of them having the exact tire I need are pretty slim. I'll most likely have too wait until Monday to get a new tire shipped in and then get it installed and get on my way. So, looks like I'll be exploring Eugene, OR for a couple days.

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A fitting end to my time in Seattle. This was a stop I was expecting so much from; a well-known seaplane playground and multiple ICON owners in the area. It made me all the more disappointed when things didn't come together as planned. I still had some amazing experiences and got to spend time with friends old and new.

This day was also my wife's birthday. I'd hoped to be back in time, but the earlier delays had made that impossible. She was able to celebrate with friends at home, so I was glad she wasn't alone.

Once the weather cleared up it was surprisingly bright and sunny for my departure out of Paine, but there were still some decent-sized storms to the south that I was heading towards. I had to revise my fuel stop on the fly. There were a few options, but Troutdale was the best option since they had an FBO and were still open.

It was a little close getting out of Troutdale as I could see the storms moving in. I probably had more time than I thought, but I certainly wasn't going to chance it. There wasn't much reason to hang around the Troutdale FBO anyway - they were about to close.

Things cleared up between Portland and Eugene and I had really nice flight with calm weather and amazing views. You wouldn't have guessed I'd started the day sitting in pouring rain.

I think what happened with the tire is that the low pressure a few days earlier may have been a slow leak. I checked the tire pressure during my pre-flight in Seattle but I suspect between my taxi at Paine, landing and taking off at Troutdale and the landing at Eugene it might've lost enough pressure that the sidewall rubbed up against the fork. That's probably what caused the damage. Fortunately, the tire never lost pressure so I didn't damage the fork or landing gear. That would've been a much bigger issue.

The folks at the FBO in Eugene were helpful with getting me connected up with a mechanic. I just had to wait for ICON to send the replacement tire, which would be a day or two.

In the back of my head I was reliving my time in Brainerd and hoping this wasn't going to be a repeat of that. But, the tire was a standard aviation type, so it didn't have the same potential for problems as the muffler.

I did weigh the option of driving down to ICON's headquarters in Vacaville to pick up the tire and bring it back. But, it would've been a 7 hour drive each way so it didn't really make sense.

The FBO hooked me up with a rental car and booked me into a hotel in Springfield (right next to Eugene). I got checked in and grabbed dinner at a brewpub across the street called Hop Valley Brewing .

During my planning I'd looked at McMinnville as a possible stop, since it's the final resting place of the Spruce Goose and they have a big aviation museum there. I'd ultimately ruled it out in favor of some other stops. With this delay I'd have time to go check it out, so I made that my plan for the next day.

Day 56 - Boeing Field

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 23:35:16 GMT

Museum of Flight - August 9, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Had a fun day exploring the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field here in Seattle. It’s an impressive collection of warbirds, commercial airliners and historic aircraft.

There was also a special space program exhibit. They have the Apollo 11 command module, Buzz Aldrin’s helmet and gloves as well as lots of other pieces of spaceflight history. Really cool to be able to see everything up close and learn some new details about how NASA was able to pull off something so incredible.

My original plan was to get to Bend, OR tomorrow as I start working my way down the west coast and back to LA. But, weather is looking like an issue, so I'm thinking I'll head towards Eugene, OR which is closer to the coast and doesn't seem like it'll have any thunderstorm activity.

��

I'd hoped to fly the A5 into Boeing Field to visit the museum but once again Seattle weather sunk that plan. I knew there was a lot to see so I didn't want to wait for the weather to (maybe) clear up before heading out.

In addition to all the aircraft and spacecraft they had at the museum, there was also a whole area that shows the history of Boeing and recreated some of the early woodworking shops.

The one display that really caught my attention was a huge collection of 1/72 scale WWII models made by H. Logan Holtgrewe . There were over 400 models, mostly from kits but some were built completely from scratch - and all done in just seven years. That averages out to one model built every SIX DAYS . The level of detail on these models was pretty incredible considering the speed he must've worked at, even using kits. I couldn't even get the whole collection in one shot. It was multiple display cases across two walls.

So, all in all it was a good aviation day, even if there wasn't any actual aviating.

Day 55 - Seattle and Sanderson

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 15:35:14 GMT

Trying to meet up with other

A5 owners in Seattle - August 8, 2019

Original Instagram Post

More stubborn low clouds today. They never cleared out, just lifted enough around 3pm to allow me and Richard to get up in the air. The goal was to meet up with a couple other A5 owners and get out on Lake Cushman. Unfortunately, it just wasn't in the cards. Between the weather delays and some other technical issues at the airport, we weren't able to meet up. Seemed like fate was working overtime to keep us from meeting.

We did get to see the area where they are decommissioning the naval aircraft carriers and also did a pass near downtown Seattle. When we got back to Paine Field it looked like we were going to get sequenced in front of a landing 747 but I think once the controller realized what my speed was he switched us over to the smaller runway to get us out of the way. Paine Field is also where they are building the 727 MAX and there are a bunch of them in various stages of assembly or holding around the airport.

Tomorrow we're going to go to the Air Museum at Boeing Field. If the weather cooperates, we'll fly down but otherwise we'll drive. Just one more day here in Seattle and then I'll be heading down the coast towards home on Saturday!

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I'd been looking forward to meeting up with some other A5 owners and doing a group flight. I was hoping for a repeat of my experience in the Adirondacks. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't cooperating.

Our plan was to meet up at Sanderson and maybe hop over to a nearby lake. As we approached Sanderson one of the A5 owners was already on the ground and the other was in the pattern. The aircraft ahead of me ended up doing a gear-up landing. No one was hurt, just some very bent pride, but it meant the runway was shut down until they could clear the aircraft. Clearly this was not meant to be, so we headed back to Paine Field.

The weather near the lake wasn't great, so we probably wouldn't have been able to do that anyway. Still, it would've been nice to meet some other A5 owners.

Also, to clarify a few errors in my original post. The aircraft were 737 MAX, not 727 MAX and they are not built at Paine Field. Hey, what do I know, I just like to fly airplanes.

EDIT: I was a day late posting this one. Whoops!

Day 54 - Seattle and Lake Washington

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 22:39:11 GMT

Lake Washington and

Seattle - August 7, 2019

Original Instagram Post

An early morning marine layer delayed taking Steve up for a flight in the A5, but we eventually got out over Lake Washington in the early afternoon. We flew around the north end of the lake so Steve could get a feel for the handling. Then we did a few low passes to check on the water condition. It was marginal and ultimately we decided not to land due to some boat traffic in the area. Still, it was fun having someone else do the flying for a change.

We grabbed lunch nearby in Mukilteo. Nice little lighthouse they have there and the ferries run continuously bringing people and cars back and forth between Clinton and Lighthouse Park.

Tomorrow I’m meeting up with a couple other A5 owners and going to Lake Cushman. The marine layer is looking to make a repeat appearance, but we may still be able to get together in the afternoon.

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This stubborn marine layer was a pattern for my time in Seattle. Once it cleared up the weather was great for the rest of the day, but it meant getting a later start than anticipated. I would've liked to do a few water landings, since that's the thing that really makes seaplane flying special. But, it's not like Steve had never landed on the water. We'd done that just the day before with Alistair in the Beaver.

We were also delayed due to low pressure on the front tire. I hadn't noticed it when I did my pre-flight, but once we had two people in the plane it was clear the tire needed air. Fortunately, Steve had a hangar nearby and a pump, so we were able to add some air and get on our way.

I think this might've been the beginning of a problem that would crop up a few days later. More on that when we get there, though.

Day 53 - Sandpoint to Seattle

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 00:12:24 GMT

Sandpoint, ID (KSZT) to

Paine Field, WA (KPAE) - August 6, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Started the day with an amazing sunrise right out my hotel window. I got an early start out of Sandpoint and had to climb above some smoke from wildfires north of Spokane. Made a fuel stop in Ephrata, WA, which has a decent sized glider port and I think I saw a Catalina PBY rotting in a corner of the airfield. I'd love to be able to save some of these old planes I've seen around the country. Makes me sad to see so many aircraft just withering away.

From Ephrata I climbed up to 10500' for a smooth trip over the mountains to Seattle. Had some great views of Glacier Peak and Mount Baker on the way in.

I was met at the airport by Richard, a long-time friend, and his brother Steve. We ended up riding along with their friend Alistair on a short ferry flight in a de Havilland Beaver from Kenmore Air's base at the north end of Lake Washington down to Renton. What a great way to check out the Seattle area and an amazing airplane. Huge thanks to Alistair, Steve and Richard for the opportunity!

I'm in Seattle for a few days, so planning to hit some of the local lakes and meet up with a couple other A5 owners.

��

I had another mountain crossing to get from Sandpoint to Seattle, but having done a couple other mountain flights I was feeling more comfortable, although not necessarily confident.

Steve was able to get a few shots of me landing. It was nice to see the A5 from an angle I don't often get.

My favorite part of the day, aside from meeting up with some good friends, was the spur of the moment flight in the Beaver.

I like it when aviation is spontaneous and sort of casual. Since it was a short flight there wasn't any elaborate planning. It was a flight that Alistair does regularly, so we showed up, jumped in a plane and took off.

The rest of the evening was hanging out, having a fantastic meal and a few drinks and talking aviation with Alistair, Steve (who's a captain for British Airways) and Richard - and I didn't have to worry about getting up early the next day.

Day 52 - Kalispell to Sandpoint

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 22:07:23 GMT

Kalispell, MT (S27) to

Sandpoint, ID (KSZT) - August 5, 2019

Original Instagram Post

I'll have more days like today, if you please!

Left Kalispell before 8am with just a light breeze and clear skies. The 90-minute trip over to Sandpoint went really well. No major winds and I was able to get through the mountains without having to climb halfway to the ISS. There was some smoke from wildfires burning further to the south.

I followed the Clark Fork River up to Lake Pend Orielle - Sandpoint is at the northern end of the lake and the airport sits right at the base of a 4000' mountain. The views along the river and coming into Sandpoint were spectacular [I'm fresh out of adjectives on this trip, so forgive me if I repeat myself]. I landed, got refueled and made the 30 minute flight up to Priest Lake. Since I'd crossed over into the Pacific time zone, it was still only 9am!

The lake was calm with almost no wind. I worked my way around the whole lake, landing in at least a dozen different spots. I spent a good 2.5 hours on and off the lake, sometimes shutting down the plane and just hanging out and taking in the sights. I would've stayed all day except for needing fuel [there wasn't any available at the lake] and also the boat traffic was picking up. I did one last splash-n-go and headed south for the return to Sandpoint.

Best part is I was back at the airport before 1pm. I spent an hour or so cleaning the bugs off the wings - I'd accumulated quite a collection. Then I got my overnight parking and hotel sorted out and still had time to walk around the downtown area. It's a cool little town that's definitely seeing some revitalization. Lots of new restaurants and shops. Will definitely be coming back here again.

So, yeah, THIS was the kind of day that I'd planned this trip around, and it was wonderful. Tomorrow is a Meat and Potatoes day to get over to Seattle, but I'll be connecting with some friends there and hopefully some more lake flying. ��

I made a promise to myself that Sandpoint was one spot I wasn't going to skip, and I was very glad I stuck to that promise.

I couldn't spend a whole extra day there like I'd originally hoped but I'd adjusted my stops so it was a short hop to get there from Kalispell. That, combined with the timezone change, left me with the whole day to explore.

I enjoyed having plenty of time to splash around on the lake and fuel being the determining factor for leaving instead of the water or weather conditions.

I flew over what I think was a tree farm. It looked like a giant chess board with blocks of trees at different stages of growth. On my way back from Priest Lake I noticed a huge area where thousands of trees were stacked up, so my guess was those all came from that tree farm.

I was very tempted to refuel and go back out to the lake, but I needed to eat at some point. I checked into my hotel, which was significantly nicer than the one in Kalispell. I'd decided to splurge on this one, but the price was still pretty reasonable.

I wandered around the town for a while and found a decent little brewpub ( MickDuff's ) just a short walk from my hotel.

This was definitely another one of the top water flying days of the trip. I think I'm well over 5 now. Guess I'll have to put together some proper rankings for one of my wrap-up posts.

EDIT: Forgot to add a video clip of a water takeoff on Priest Lake. I was doing a step taxi around on the lake then gunned it and took off. Try doing THAT in a boat.

Day 51 - Havre to Kalispell

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 22:58:37 GMT

Havre, MT (KHVR) to

Kalispell, MT (S27) - August 4, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Got out of Havre this morning and had a slight tail wind for a change, which got me to my first stop, Cut Bank, MT in about an hour. I topped up on fuel so I'd have plenty for my trip over the mountains. Kalispell wasn't too far, but I didn't know how much I might have to deviate from my planned path, so I wanted to have a good reserve.

The mountains were a bit lower to the south, so I found a good path over them but still had to climb to 12,500' for part of the trip. I sort of surfed along on the upwind side of a few ridge lines and was able to move from one to the next without getting caught in any big down drafts. It wasn't the most direct route, but it was a great experience reading the terrain and figuring out how to safely get across.

After crossing the main set of mountains everything flattened out into a big valley with several lakes. The view was amazing! I dropped back down over Flathead Lake and found a good spot to set down on the water. It was still only about noon, so I decided to fly around the lake a little more. The water in other areas was getting pretty choppy, so I didn't land, but flew around the whole lake.

I'd originally planned to spend another day here in Kalispell and check out Glacier National Park, but I'm having to cut things short to try and make up for the lost time in Brainerd so I'll just have to come back here and do that another time.

Tomorrow I'm heading over to Sandpoint, ID. It's only about 90 miles, and not nearly as high of a mountain range to cross. I should be able to get there early and then head up to Priest Lake just to the north. I'll be passing through the skinny part of Idaho that's only about 40 miles wide. It also means I'll be back on Pacific time. Last time zone change for the trip!

��

This was probably the day that made me the most nervous of the entire trip. I knew I had to cross the Rockies at some point to get back to the west coast. When I was planning things out I chose the more northern route close to the Canadian border because the mountains weren't as high (relatively speaking) and I wouldn't have to be over them for very long.

The A5 is rated up to 15,000 feet altitude, so I wasn't outside the envelope at 12,500 feet. 12,500 is the highest I've been in a small plane and you don't need oxygen as long as you aren't up there for more than 30 minutes - which I wasn't.

I probably didn't have to climb up quite so high, but I wanted to have some extra space between me and the mountains. I'm funny that way.

It was also important to keep track of the wind direction. Air will rise on the upwind side of a slope but once it gets over the peak it can swirl and create strong downdraft. In a plane as small and light as the A5, even a moderate downdraft can be more than you can climb out of and these weren't small hills I was dealing with. Having extra altitude meant I had more options for getting out of trouble - although I mostly wanted to avoid getting INTO trouble in the first place.

Overall it was pretty uneventful getting across the mountains. I had tried to contact ATC and get flight following but my multiple calls went unanswered. Not sure if they just weren't receiving me or if they were too busy dealing with the commercial traffic going into Glacier National Park. I did have my Garmin InReach Mini fired up and ready, as always.

The airport at Kalispell was really small but they were able to point me to a hotel that was within walking distance and they had a courtesy car. I used the car to get my stuff over to the hotel and grabbed lunch at The Forge a few miles away (really good barbecue!). I couldn't keep the car overnight, so I planned to walk back to the airport in the morning.

The hotel was perfectly fine, but the room looked like a prison cell with cinderblock walls and a window that looked out on...a wall.

When I arrived the police were interviewing someone about a break in or stolen property or something. Turned out to be some sort of domestic disturbance.

Kalispell felt a little bigger than Havre, but not by much. I walked around for a bit and then had a rest back at the hotel.

For dinner I walked over to the hotel next door. It was much nicer than mine, but also more expensive.

Hotels were the biggest expense of the trip and small price differences definitely added up over two months. I tried to save a few bucks whenever I could.

People asked if I thought about camping instead of paying for hotels. I'd considered it but even super-lightweight camping gear added a lot of weight and space - and I didn't have extra of either. Also, the thought of sleeping in a tent for two months did not sound like the kind of trip I wanted this to be. I doubt my back would've survived intact.

Day 50 - Devil's Lake to Havre

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 20:27:02 GMT

Devil's Lake, ND (KDVL) to

Havre, MT (KHVR) - August 3, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Put in a long day today to get from Devil's Lake, ND to Havre, MT. I broke it up with two stops in Williston, ND and Glasgow, MT.

Williston has a booming oil industry and it was strange to see the land evolving from farms to oil fields. Nothing like what I saw in Midland, TX, but it's definitely started to change.

There was some weather coming out of Williston, but it was scattered and easy to get around. I did get the sh!t knocked out of me on the flight from Glasgow over to Havre as the afternoon convection kicked up. Also had a 20 knot headwind that made the fun last even longer. �� To top it off, I executed a less-than-elegant landing at Havre, but walked away from it so chalking it up as a success.

Little did I know, I was lucky to get a hotel room. There's a big PowWow here this week, so almost every place was booked. Had to try two different hotels, and I think I got the very last room in town. Also, on an interesting side note, they have Sinclair gas stations here. I know they were big many years ago, but didn't realize they were still around. Love the dinosaur logo!

Tomorrow I'm off to Kalispell. I'll be heading into the mountains and winds can get pretty sporty through there, so planning an early start...again. I'm now on Mountain time, though, so I pick up and extra hour, which will help. Always easier traveling west.

��

This was a fun and challenging weather day. I t's easier when the weather is just bad - that pretty much makes the decision whether to fly or not. But, when the weather is marginal or changing quickly you have to really examine the entire route.

Storms don't just form and then move along like a car. They evolve as they move and new storms can pop up. I liked that m y ability to anticipate the weather had really improved as I'd progressed through the trip. Like so many things, the more you use it, the better you get.

I didn't spend much time exploring Havre, but it had a sort of old west feel to it - hard to describe exactly what it was that made me feel that way, though.

I walked about half a mile to one restaurant and then had dessert at a diner across the street from my hotel. It had been a long day, and I had to be up and out first thing in the morning, so I crashed pretty early.

Day 49 - On The Road Again

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 23:53:04 GMT

Brainerd, MN (KBRD) to

Devil's Lake, ND (KDVL) - August 2, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Yes! I am out of Brainerd! Nothing personal, but...that’s way more time than I had planned to spend there. Just feels good to be moving again.

I’m very thankful to Adam at Northpoint Aviation for his professionalism and attention to detail and for getting me up and running! Now I can get back to the fun stuff!

Once I had a working airplane again (and we did an engine run to check everything) I headed out to Devil’s Lake, ND. The weather was absolutely perfect. I was worried the clouds would move in, but I had a clear path all the way to Devil's Lake. I’d hoped to get to Minot, ND but I got a later start than I'd originally planned, so given the timing I decided to stop at Devil’s Lake for the night. That also meant I had time to do a couple landings on the lake. It was good to get back on the water, even if it was just briefly.

I’m going to get an early start tomorrow and get to Havre, MT. That’ll put me within striking distance of Kalispell the following day, which is one spot I really wanted to check out. Adventure...on!

��

Once the new muffler had arrived and the mechanic had put everything back together I still felt like something might happen that would make me have to stay in Brainerd. Luckily, that wasn't the case and I was able to get on to my next destination.

I was still behind where I'd planned to be, but the stretch across North Dakota and Montana gave me some options to make up time.

One of my big concerns was getting to Sandpoint, ID. I'd have to cross a substantial mountain range, and doing that in the early morning would be my best shot. So I had to take that into account as I planned out the next few days.

I mention it in the video, but another thing that determined my stopping points was the size of the airport and how late the FBO stayed open. I was actually able to call ahead while I was in the air (my phone was connected through Bluetooth to my headset) and check whether a particular FBO was open late or had self-serve fuel and a way to get from the airport to a hotel. It was one of the advantages of flying low and slow, I pretty much always had cellphone reception.

I was also carrying a Garmin InReach Mini which was tracking my GPS coordinates every 10 minutes and could send an SOS signal via the satellite network if I had an emergency. It was an extra bit of precaution for areas where I might not have normal cellphone reception - like the mountain range I was getting ready to cross to get to Sandpoint.

Day 48 - Groundhog Day

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 23:38:40 GMT

Stuck in Brainerd - Day 6 - August 1, 2019

Original Instagram Post

This is starting to feel like the movie Groundhog Day. Still no good news on the muffler fix. I've started looking at houses here in Brainerd, just as a precaution. ��

Saw a Republic SeaBee taking off at the airport today. They're so odd looking that they're cool. Maybe it's for sale?

Remaining hopeful for a resolution tomorrow so I can get this show back on the road. ��

��

There was an issue with the shipping that delayed getting the parts in for at least another day.

The hardest part of this was that I'd wake up each day thinking I was leaving, so I would pack up, check out of the hotel, catch a ride to the airport and basically sit there for most of the day until it was apparent I wasn't going anywhere. By then it was too late to do anything interesting (plus I didn't have a car) so I'd just go back to town and check back into the hotel.

I was trying to keep a positive attitude while it was all happening, but looking back it was incredibly frustrating and there wasn't anything I could do to make it go faster. But, I did manage to find some humor in it, and I still do. If nothing else, it was an interesting part of the journey.

Day 47 - More Brainerd

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 20:46:46 GMT

Stuck in Brainerd - Day 5 - July 31, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Well...still in Brainerd. Nothing much to share today. Got to the airport and discovered there were complications with shipping the new parts. So, I’m spending one more night with the moose and bears at Arrowwood Lodge.

While it’s frustrating to still be stuck in the same place, the important thing is to not start making decisions based on a schedule. You do what you can each day and be sure to make smart and safe choices. Will see what tomorrow brings.

��

At least I was able to check back into the Arrowwood Lodge, so I could visit with all my stuffed friends again.

One question that I get asked a lot is whether I ever got bored or lonely, since I was traveling by myself. The only time I really felt bored was during this extended stay in Brainerd. I managed to fill some time exploring around, boating etc. but I hadn't expected to be spending so much time in one place with no real means of transportation. If that had been part of the plan I would've made arrangements for a rental car for the whole time and figured out some bigger excursions - sort of like I did in Muskegon. As it was, I'd really run out of things to do in the local Brainerd area.

As for getting lonely? Yes and no. I was always able to find people to meet and chat with, but at this point I was definitely starting to miss being home and spending time with my wife. We'd talked about this before I left and while we're both pretty good at being on our own (I used to travel a lot for work years ago) after eight weeks it got to be a bit much. But, I knew I had some good stops still ahead of me, so I didn't want to get discouraged or feel like I needed to race back home too quickly.

My statement in the original post about making good decisions and not letting the schedule force you into doing something unsafe was referring to some of the recalculations I'd done of my remaining stops. I had a few variations where I realized I would've been trying to do way too much. I had to stop and really think about what would be the smart and safe thing to do, even if it meant missing a particular stop.

The good news was that the extra delay meant the weather would be clearer, so I had a lot more options to work with.

Day 46 - Brainerd, What now?

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 23:21:57 GMT

Stuck in Brainerd - Day 4 - July 30, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Very exciting day today. I did laundry, got a haircut and packed up some items I've accumulated on the trip and shipped them back home.

The high point of the day was seeing an F-18 depart from Brainerd airport. A group of us were right there on the tarmac for the startup, but the takeoff was to the north, so away from the FBO and I couldn't get a good shot with just my mobile phone. Still, cool to be that close to such a powerful machine.

Also, I keep forgetting I am in the land of giant food. I ordered a combo plate for dinner at a nearby Mexican restaurant and was overwhelmed with what was delivered. Empire State Building added for scale.

Tomorrow I should be on my way...finally. My goal is to reach the town of Minot, ND and then have a long flying day on Thursday to get to Sandpoint, ID. That'll get me closer to my intended schedule, although I'm having to skip over a couple places in order to do it. Worthwhile since it's looking like some good meet ups are in the works for Seattle!

��

I hadn't had time to get a rental car the day before because I was up and out to the lake early. I did get one for this day, so I was able to run around and do a few errands. Waiting on the lone Brainerd taxi guy to shuttle me around would've been a pain in the butt, expensive and probably taken the entire day.

After six weeks of traveling, it had become clear that some of the clothes I'd packed initially weren't really necessary. I'd been pretty careful about not over-packing, but I did want to have some contingencies. That had paid off with the hoodie I'd needed around Harbor Springs, but there was definitely some stuff I could eliminate, even if I hit cooler weather. I'd also picked up some souvenirs along the way and didn't feel like lugging them around any longer. So, I packed it all up and shipped it home. It wasn't a dramatic amount of weight, but it was nice to reclaim some space in the cargo area.

I was also overdue for a haircut and there was a Sports Clips right by the hotel, so I got that taken care of as well. I probably could've just let it go until I got back home, but I had the time so why not. It did feel a bit weird to be doing regular-type errands, though.

I was surprised to see an F-18 at the small Brainerd airport when I got there. Apparently, it was a test aircraft and the pilot had family in the area, so he was able to fly it in to visit. That's one hell of a commuter aircraft!

Someone asked the pilot if he could do a full afterburner takeoff. After some quick mental calculations he said he didn't have enough fuel but would give us the best he could. I wanted to run out to the car and grab my good camera with a zoom lens, but I would've missed it if I did that. He took off and stayed low then shot almost straight up, even without afterburners. Pretty cool, even from a distance.

I talked with the mechanic about my plane and he said a new muffler was being shipped out today that (supposedly) was going to work better than the one that had been sent before. It would be delivered the next day and he would do the installation, test and then I could be on my way by midday. Basically, the same plan as before - theoretically. ��

Based on this (and ever the optimist) I broke out my planning spreadsheet and determined a course of action. Since I'd be leaving in the early afternoon, I thought I'd just get to Minot, ND, which was just a few hours away. I would've had plenty of daylight to go further, plus I could fly at night if I really needed to, but there was some weather to the west of Minot so I wasn't sure I'd be able to get beyond that.

Having planned things out all different ways, I felt like I'd be OK making the call once I got to Minot. If the weather cooperated I'd push on as far as I felt comfortable. Every bit I could do would be less I'd have to do the following day.

I really didn't like having to approach things this way. It kind of went against everything I was trying to do. But, I'd lost several days at this point and I knew there were some spots coming up further west that I didn't want to miss, so sacrifices had to be made.

Day 45 - Boating in Brainerd

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 22:26:32 GMT

Stuck in Brainerd - Day 3 - July 29, 2019

Original Instagram Post

For today I decided to go back to Gull Lake in a slightly different way.

I rented a pontoon boat and cruised the lake in style! It was a little cloudy and windy, but I had a great time motoring around. I followed the western shore down to the south end of the lake. On the way back north I made a stop at the same location I landed the A5 at a few days ago.

In the afternoon I checked in on the A5 maintenance. Unfortunately, things had gotten more complicated and now it looks like I'll be able to head out on Wednesday afternoon instead of Tuesday morning. So, I'm re-shuffling my stops based on this new timing and see which ones I can still hit as I work my way back to Torrance, CA.

Definitely getting lots of practice with planning on the fly.

��

I was excited to spend some time boating around on Gull Lake. It was a different type of piloting from what I'd been doing.

I'd spent some time on boats growing up, but I wouldn't consider myself an experienced boater, Having gone through the water training for the A5, though, I was pretty confident I could handle it. In some ways, a boat is easier than a seaplane. In a seaplane like the A5 once you start the engine you're moving forward and there's no reverse, so you better be pointed pretty much in the direction you want to go. The boat had forward and reverse and a decent turning radius.

I definitely had more boat than I needed for just me, but it was the smallest one the rental company had. There was a GPS unit that showed water depth around the lake. I wished I had that database built into the GPS of the A5. It would've made choosing a landing area a lot easier. I'd seen some shallow areas on my recon pass, but being able to see the depths on the GPS would really take the guesswork out of it. [Image from the iBoating website]

By around noon the weather clouded up and the wind was making the water choppy, so I set a leisurely course back to port for my 1pm drop off. It was just as well I did a half-day rental - I'd done pretty much everything I wanted to do on the lake at that point.

With the revised maintenance schedule, leaving on Wednesday would've put me 4 days behind where I'd planned to be. I only had two key dates that I needed to worry about by this point. I had a friend coming to Seattle from the UK, so I wanted to ensure some overlap with his schedule. I also had a hard date when I needed to be back at work. I'd built in a buffer so I'd have some time to readjust before jumping back into a 'normal' routine, but this delay was eating into that buffer.

So, I started prioritizing my remaining stops and seeing which ones I'd be willing to sacrifice in order to gain a few days back. I also had to consider what the weather was going to do over the coming week and how far I could realistically fly in a day.

This is where having my planning spreadsheet really helped. I could try a lot of different options and see how each one worked out. Then check if I could realistically pull that off as far as flying times and weather. I'd end up doing this exercise a bunch more times before leaving Brainerd.

Day 44 - Brainerd Exploration

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 22:18:44 GMT

Stuck in Brainerd - Day 2 - July 28, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Had a low-key day today, exploring around the area.

I caught some local powerboat racing at Serpent Lake. Cool to see people pursuing their passion and having fun doing it! After a few heats it started raining, so I packed up and moved on.

I found a place called the Manhattan Beach Lodge, which is on Big Trout Lake. I drove up there and had lunch looking out over the lake.

On the way back to Brainerd I swung by Gull Lake. This is the lake I landed on the other day, so I thought I'd have a look at it from the shore.

It rained for most of the day, and finally cleared up around 8:30, but it was nice to get out and see some of the area beyond Brainerd and the airport. It's a beautiful part of the country with tons of lakes and forest.

Since I'm still grounded for at least one more day, I'm headed back to Gull Lake tomorrow morning to continue exploring.

��

It felt really strange to wake up and know that I would't be flying on this day. I'd gotten so used to the routine.

I went to the airport, picked up the courtesy car and headed out to explore. I didn't have a particular plan in mind, I just started driving and seeing where I ended up.

As I drove along I passed a long line of cars going in the opposite direction. I knew from talking to a few folks that Brainerd was a big weekend destination area, so I figured this was all the city people heading home. It was similar to the I-15 coming back to LA from Vegas on a Sunday, except more trucks and boats on trailers. I hadn't expected to see that kind of traffic in Brainerd.

At one point I crossed over the Mississippi River. Last time I'd done that was flying to New Orleans a few weeks earlier. That river is such a symbolic marker for the East and West 'sides' of the country.

I stumbled on the powerboat racing at Serpent Lake completely by accident. I happened to see a sign and pulled over to check it out. We used to watch the hydroplane races on the Detroit River every year when I lived in that area, so it was fun to watch a scaled-back version of that.

These boats didn't have nearly the power or speed of the big hydroplane racers but, like most racing, it isn't necessarily about pure speed. I was watching one race where a purple boat was leading, even though there was a much faster boat behind it. The driver of the fast boat wasn't slowing up to handle the corners properly, they were just blazing in full throttle and then would be carrying too much speed and run way wide through the turn while the purple boat scooted around the pylons nice and tight. The fast boat would spend the whole next straight building speed and trying to catch up only to overrun the turn again. Maybe that driver should consider switching to drag racing. ��

Sometimes you have to go slow to go fast.

I had seen the town of Manhattan Beach on the map and it seemed like as good a place as any to head towards. I stopped at the Manhattan Beach Lodge for lunch and by the time I finished the weather had cleared up a bit for the drive back to Brainerd airport to return the courtesy car.

The rest of the day was just hanging out, relaxing and trying not to think about the days I was losing on my schedule - and it wasn't over yet...

Day 43 - Brainerd...Get Comfortable

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 22:18:45 GMT

Stuck in Brainerd - Day 1 - July 27, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Well, it was good while it lasted but, like all good things, it had to come to an end. My flying streak of 42 days in a row ends today. ☹️

There were complications with the new muffler install, which means I’m grounded until Tuesday. It was always a possibility that I'd get stuck due to weather or a mechanical issue.

So, a toast to a good run ��

I’m still in the land of 10,000 lakes, though. Gonna get out there and take advantage of them one way or another. I have some plans in the works...and I think I found a good rental car!

I was also introduced to Pull Tabs at a local bar tonight. I'd never seen this before. They're paper cards with three tabs that you pull [hence the name] to reveal a row of symbols. If you get three symbols connected by a green line you win. I played the version called "Keep 'em Flying", which seemed appropriate and sort of ironic. The proceeds go towards helping special needs kids, so it's all for a good cause.

We'll see what tomorrow brings. Unplanned adventure awaits.

��

I spent most of this day at the airport waiting to see what the final result of my muffler issue would be, so I don't have any bonus pics or video. My assumption was that I would be flying out later that day, so I packed my bags, checked out of the hotel and called the one and only taxi company in Brainerd to get to the airport.

The replacement muffler arrived around 11am as planned and after a bit of contemplation and review of the installation procedure ICON had sent over, the mechanic found that he needed to resize the opening of the muffler to mate up with the exhaust manifold according to ICON's specs. Since this was a smaller muffler than what he was used to, he didn't have the right tool for the job. He spent a good part of the early afternoon trying to get the tool, but nothing panned out. There wasn't anyone available at ICON, since it was a Saturday, so we realized we'd have to wait until Monday to figure out plan B. That meant I was staying in Brainerd until at least Tuesday - at best. Definitely not the result I'd hoped for.

Since I'd be sticking around it made sense to get a proper rental car so I could do some exploring outside the city. Problem was, the rental car companies all closed at noon on Saturdays and weren't open at all on Sundays. I'd missed that window of opportunity.

The FBO had a courtesy car, but they wouldn't let me keep it overnight since they had other customers coming in who might need to use it. That was understandable, but I scheduled it for a few hours the next day, just so I'd be able to get out and about. That'd get me through Sunday and then I'd see about getting a car on Monday, if needed.

I also looked into renting a boat on Gull Lake for Monday. I knew I wouldn't be going anywhere and I thought it'd be fun to go back to the same lake I'd landed the A5 on the day before. I was able to get it all set up for a half-day rental starting early Monday morning, so I had that to look forward to.

I was pretty disappointed with being stuck for a few days waiting on the muffler fix - and also the end to my consecutive flying streak. I probably could've arrange a flight lesson or something to keep it going another day, but I felt like it was the right time to just let it go.

I had one other more urgent problem. I'd checked out of the Arrowwood Lodge that morning and they no longer had any rooms available. Fortunately, I was able to get a room at the nearby Days Inn. The hotel was fine, but it was on a VERY busy divided highway and all the restaurants in the area were on the other side with the closest intersection about half a mile away. It was quite an adventure getting across.

I walked over to the Black Bear Lodge & Saloon for dinner and to drown a few sorrows. There was a nice bar area and plenty of people to chat with (the pic is not mine, btw, grabbed off Google). I had a good time playing Pull Tabs with the other folks and, since I knew I wouldn't be getting up early, I had a few extra drinks along the way. That made getting back across the highway even more of an adventure, though!

Day 42 - Brainerd and Gull Lake

Sun, 26 Jul 2020 20:53:44 GMT

Gull Lake and a Muffler Issue - July 26, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Had some ups and downs today. I got to the airport at 7am hoping to get out on the lakes before the winds started up. There was an overcast cloud layer at 500 feet, which meant no flying until it broke up. That didn't happen until around 11am, so I spent some time at the airport diner, which had good coffee and breakfast.

Once things cleared up I went out to Gull Lake, which is just 8 miles from the airport. I spent about an hour on and off the water, doing what the A5 is meant to do. After that the winds were kicking up and the water was getting choppy, so I decided to head back to the airport.

As I was moving the plane back into the hangar I noticed something that didn't look right with the engine exhaust on the right side. After getting the local mechanic and ICON involved, turns out one of the muffler mounts had cracked.

This is the first unscheduled maintenance I've had to do on this trip - after over 100 hours of flying in 6 weeks, and it's fairly minor. They're sending a replacement overnight and the mechanic was willing to come in tomorrow [on a Saturday] to get it installed. I may be a little delayed getting on my way to the next stop, Devil's Lake, ND, but just by a few hours. Maybe I'll sleep in!

��

My intention had been to hit multiple lakes around the Brainerd area, similar to what I'd done in the Adirondacks and Harbor Springs, but having to wait for the overcast layer to clear meant I only had time to do a few landings on Gull Lake. It was a short but nice day of flying once the weather started cooperating.

I didn't know it at the time, but the 'fairly minor' muffler problem would end up being the biggest headache of the entire trip.

There had been a few issues in the past with other A5s developing cracks in the muffler mounts, so ICON had made me aware of that and I'd been checking it with every pre-flight. It's not very obvious from the pic in my original post, but I could tell that the muffler was rotated a little from where it should be. It wasn't centered in the opening like it normally was.

At the time I thought it was fortunate that I happened to notice this as I was putting the plane away instead of when I did my pre-flight the next day. It would've been a Saturday morning with no mechanic at the field and no one at ICON to arrange a replacement part until Monday. In hindsight it actually wouldn't have made that much of a difference due to some other logistical issues that I'll get into later, but I had no way of knowing what was to come.

The problem was basically the way the muffler bracket was designed. It didn't have as much support as it needed, so the engine vibration would eventually cause a crack to develop. ICON was in the process of completely redesigning the way the mufflers are mounted, but it wasn't ready by the time I'd set off on this adventure.

At this point, though, I was still optimistic that I would be back up and running by the next morning. ICON had quickly arranged overnight shipping with Saturday delivery and the mechanic was ready to install the new muffler once it arrived. What could possibly go wrong...

On a more positive, nostalgic note, this ceramic biplane was on the wall in the airport diner in Brainerd. I recognized it immediately. My father had this exact same thing hanging in his office when I was growing up. There was a second one which was blue and white...I think. Funny how some things stick in your brain.

Day 41 - Green Bay to Brainerd

Sun, 26 Jul 2020 00:41:59 GMT

Green Bay, WI (KGRB) to

Brainerd, MN (KBRD) - July 25, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Today was one of those Meat and Potatoes days. The goal was to get to Brainerd, MN but there was the threat of storms moving into the area around around the time I was set to arrive. I left Green Bay at about 8am with good weather but some haze that made the horizon kind of mushy. That would basically be the weather for the whole day.

I had a planned fuel stop in Eau Claire, WI and was hoping that wouldn't give the storms time to move in. Fortunately, there weren't any major storms in the area when I landed in Brainerd - just some gusty winds.

I'm staying at the Arrowwood Lodge, a really nice hotel with a pretty authentic rustic theme. I really like the whole aesthetic!

My reason for choosing Brainerd was the lakes in the area, so I'm planning to get out early tomorrow and spend some time on the water before the winds pick up again.

��

I put together a YouTube video for this flight. It wasn't a particularly exciting flight, but I took the opportunity to talk about the whole experience so far.

I'd hoped to do more videos like this during the trip but it was tough to find the time. I'd also come to realize that my personality didn't mesh well with YouTube's...culture.

I have a lot of respect for folks who create aviation content regularly on YouTube. It's a LOT of work and takes a special kind of tolerance that I just don't have.

I didn't know it at this point, but I was going to be spending a fair amount of time at the Arrowwood Lodge. So much that a few of the critters decorating the place would get names.

Day 40 - Airventure 2019

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 22:28:37 GMT

"Welcome to Oshkosh" - July 24, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Oshkosh...at last!

Today was a good aviation geek day. I got out to the Green Bay airport around 7:30 to head down to Lake Winnebago and the Airventure Seaplane Base.

The skies were clear and there was no wind, so it was perfect conditions on the lake. The controllers are pretty loose, but they're definitely on top of things. Traffic was light, but there were WWII bombers, jets, home builts and all kinds of other aircraft buzzing around Oshkosh airport. It's wild to see so many aircraft all in one area. Usually the goal is to keep far away from other planes. Oshkosh is a form of controlled chaos - and it was glorious ��

I did a few landings on the lake. The water has algae all over the top, so it really does look green [even though I wasn't in Green Bay]. At one point the controller said they wouldn't object to me coming in closer so they could get a better look, so I did a few low fly bys over the base and then landed and taxied into the docks.

I unloaded a few things from the plane and then they moved it over to a mooring ball for the day. I hopped the shuttle bus over to the main airfield and spent a few hours checking out the show. I had to get a shot in front of the Oshkosh Brown Arch and I also picked up a pair of aviation-themed underwear from Duluth Trading. I brought several pieces of Duluth gear on this trip because they're fast-drying, so good for seaplane flying.

I swung by the GoPro booth. ICON has an A5 on display there. I talked with one of the GoPro guys about some of the issues I've been having with my cameras. They didn't have a lot to offer, but I'll try their suggestions. Can't hurt.

I got back on the bus to the seaplane base, got my plane towed out into the lake and headed out for Butte Des Morts. ICON is doing their demo flights there rather than the busy seaplane base, so I did a few landings on the lake then pulled into the ICON dock. I got to meet a few folks who were getting demo flights in the A5 and was able to share my experiences with them.

Tomorrow I'm heading up to Brainerd, MN. There's some weather coming in, so I hope I'm able to make it all the way there.

��

Lots of good video from this day!

I'm p utting it at number 2 on the best water flying days list.

This was my first time flying to Oshkosh. I'd attended the previous year with my father, but we flew on a commercial airline to get to Wisconsin and then drove to the show. Flying a small plane is a very different experience.

I didn't fly the typical arrival procedure into Wittman Regional. It's an absolutely bonkers procedure that, in my opinion, isn't best suited to handle the volume of traffic coming in.

Don't get me wrong, the controllers are amazing and do an incredible job of dealing with the chaos. I don't think some of the pilots have the right attitude to handle it, though. I've seen a few videos of people flying the approach in recent years and seems like there's always some yahoo who basically come bombing in without having studied the procedure, or doesn't respect the planes that are already in line, and makes a mess of things.

I haven't heard of any incidents, but I know there are a few close calls every year and it just seems like a matter of time before the amount of traffic gets to be too much and something happens. I hope not, because flying even in the vicinity of the show is a thrill pilot should get to experience - but you have to do your research!

My goal was Lake Winnebago and the seaplane base, which is far less chaotic and there isn't a specific arrival procedure to follow - but I still studied the notes that the Airventure folks had put out about landing at the seaplane base, so I knew what to expect.

This might get me branded as an infidel or something, but I have to admit that I don't go crazy over airshows. While I do like checking out different planes and watching aerobatic performances, I don't want to do that all day. I'd much rather be flying airplanes than walking around looking at airplanes, if I'm being completely honest.

I had a short list of things I wanted to accomplish at the show and then headed back to the seaplane base and over to Lake Butte de Morts to meet up with the ICON folks.

The lake house that ICON was using as their base of operations was a nice change from the hustle and bustle of Airventure. Plus, they had air conditioning!

I hung out for a couple hours and took advantage of their hospitality then headed back to Green Bay.

This was another day where I felt like I was using the A5 to commute from one place to the other - with some water fun along the way, of course.

There were a few parties happening later in the evening and as much as I would've liked to go to them I had an early start planned for the following day. Maybe if I'd been doing this trip 20 years earlier I could've stuck around and still been OK the next day, but I'm firmly in the 'don't bounce back so fast' age bracket now.

I found a really nice sushi restaurant in Green Bay and got a seat at the sushi bar. There wasn't anyone else sitting at the bar, so I offered to buy the sushi chef a drink. He politely declined saying he didn't want to be using very sharp knives and drinking. It was the first time I'd ever had that happen, but I couldn't argue with his logic.

Day 39 - Harbor Springs to Green Bay

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 23:08:49 GMT

Making my way to

Oshkosh - July 23, 2019

Original Instagram Post

I was a little delayed getting out of Harbor Springs. There were some showers and clouds that came through in the early morning and outstayed their welcome.

Once I was on my way there were some lingering clouds that I climbed over as I passed Beaver Island and after I got across Lake Michigan and into Wisconsin I was able to drop back down and stay under the clouds. I also caught a great tail wind and was doing over 100 knots ground speed, which is about 120 mph. Nice change from all the headwinds and 55 knot ground speeds I've been hitting!

At one point I saw a whole cluster of planes on the nav display. Turned out to be a flight of 12 Piper Cubs that were flying from Oshkosh up to a small airport for a picnic lunch. I was tempted to just merge in with them. Maybe they wouldn't notice I wasn't a Cub?

Shortly after that I did have to make an emergency stop at Cherryland airport. Not because of anything with the plane. I had to use the bathroom. ��

Made the quick pit stop and flew the last 30 minutes to Green Bay airport.

There wasn't a lot of traffic going into Green Bay, so the whole approach and landing were straightforward. Picked up a rental car and got checked into my hotel right next to Lambeau Field. I'm also now on Central Daylight Time, so I got to set my watch back an hour closer to my home time zone.

Had a nice dinner with some ICON folks and tomorrow I'll fly down to the seaplane base and check out the show!

��

This was the first day where I had a consistent tailwind that was strong enough to make a real difference in my flying time. Most days I seemed to have a headwind that was slowing me down, so it was good to feel like I was really moving.

I also liked seeing the group of Piper Cubs flying together. That gave me my first taste of what Oshkosh might be like.

One question I get asked is what if I had to go to the bathroom while flying. I'd considered this and did a few dry runs a while back (pun intended).

Bottom line is the configuration of the seats in the A5 made any sort of...maneuver...pretty much impossible. Plus, I still had to keep flying the plane.

This day was the first time I'd run into this situation, but I was able to quickly find an airport along the way and take care of business. Another great reason to have lots of small airports!!

My hotel in Green Bay was one of the few that I booked in advance. I'd tried to book a hotel in Oshkosh earlier in the year, but those were either sold out months in advance or going for astronomical rates. So, I decided to stay in Green Bay and fly down to the show.

I wanted to choose Marriott properties whenever possible, since I have rewards with them, but in smaller towns I'd have to go with whatever was available.

Since my plans could change at any time, I ended up not booking hotels in advance. I had already eaten the cost of one hotel room when I wasn't able to go to Austin as planned, so I decided to just deal with it as I went along. It's a risk, but worst case I could always sleep in the plane.

But, this room was booked in advance since I knew I would be stopping for Oshkosh. My rewards paid off and got a great upgrade on my hotel room. I'm not too picky, but it was a nice change from some of the placed I'd been staying.

I'd made arrangements to meet up with some folks from ICON for dinner. It was great catching up with people I already knew and meeting some new ones as well.

Full disclosure, ICON did provide some sponsorship funds to help with my trip, which I was incredibly grateful for. But even if they hadn't I've been very happy with the company and their ongoing owner support. Plus, they're just fun people to hang out with.

Day 38 - Around Traverse Bay

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 21:59:07 GMT

Harbor Springs, Lake Charlevoix

and Torch Lake - July 22, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Got some much needed time on the water. I went south from Harbor Springs to #lakecharlevoix . Little Traverse Bay looked promising at first but there was a swell coming in off Lake Michigan, so I just did a low pass.

Conditions at Lake Charlevoix were much better. Got a few landings in and then flew further south to #torchlake. I’d passed over this lake on my way up from Muskegon.

The water near the shore is very turquoise. I was told it’s a deep lake that’s fed by cold springs, which give it the bright color. I dropped in for one landing and immediately had two boats come over to see if I was ok. Always glad that people are concerned and willing to help if it was an emergency.

Met a really nice couple on a pontoon boat who pulled up alongside and wanted to take a picture of the A5 for their son who’s in the Air Force. We talked for a bit then I started up and did a few more landings and splash-n-gos around the lake. I think they got some good pictures.

The wind was starting to pick up, so I headed back north. I did one last landing on Lake Charlevoix and had a couple waves that totally soaked me while I was turning around. Between the wind, waves and wet clothes I decided to call it a day and flew back to Harbor Springs. It was another great day on the water, though.

Tomorrow I’m off to #osh19. I’ll be flying into Green Bay (KGRB) and then going to the seaplane base on Wednesday morning, if all goes as planned.

��

Another Top 5 day on the water doing what the A5 is best at. I was glad to get out early so I had enough time to get around to a few different lakes before the wind picked up. The wind isn't so much a problem for flying but it makes the water really choppy, which is no fun.

But, I had plenty of great water ops on multiple lakes.

The waves I mentioned in my original post were from the wake of a large boat that went by while I was hanging out up on the wing. I climbed down off the wing just in time to grab my camera and get a shot of it. With the side windows out, I was expecting to get really soaked, but it turned out to be not so bad. It was time to head back anyway.

I thought about taking the free limo into Petosky again, but I wanted to get an early start the next day so I walked over to Southwoods Pub & Grill for an early dinner.

Day 37 - Muskegon to Mackinac/Harbor Springs

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 21:41:35 GMT

Muskegon (KMKG) to

Harbor Springs (KMGN) - July 21, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Beautiful day for flying today. Got out of Muskegon and up to Mackinac Island without any issues. There are no cars on Mackinac, it's all horse-drawn carriages and bicycles, which is fun and different. I passed by the Grand Hotel, a very old and very fancy hotel that was used in the 1980 movie 'Somewhere In Time' with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. I will not be staying there. Not just based on price, but 'proper' attire is required for dinner at the hotel. They will supply you with a jacket and tie, but I didn't even bring a pair of dress pants or shoes on this trip, so I'm out.

I poked around the downtown area for a while, had lunch and some fudge, of course. I ended up going with Ryba's instead of Murdick's or Joann's. No real reason other than it was the first one I passed.

It took a little longer than I expected - 90 minutes- to get a taxi back to the airport in the afternoon. Island time, apparently. ��

I flew back down to Harbor Springs, MI rather than stay overnight on Mackinac. We used to fly in to Harbor Springs years ago, but it's completely changed, so I didn't really recognize anything. Still, it brought back some memories and it's a nice airport to fly into. I'd also forgotten how late is stays light here in the summer. Between the higher latitude and being on the western edge of the Eastern time zone, there was still light in the sky well past 10pm. I vote we stay on this time year round!

I'm going to hit some of the local lakes tomorrow and maybe head back towards Traverse City. I saw a few good spots as I flew by there earlier. Then Tuesday morning I head off to #osh19

��

I definitely wanted to get back to some of the lakes I'd seen on the way up to Mackinac Island. They looked amazing, but that would have to wait until tomorrow.

I was looking forward to landing on Mackinac Island. I'd been there a few times years ago and it really hadn't changed much. It felt very frozen in time.

There happened to be a taxi (horse-drawn) at the airport when I landed, so I was able to hop a ride into the downtown area.

I walked up and down the main street and decided on Mary's Bistro for lunch. Sadly, I couldn't have a beer but I sat at the bar and met a few interesting folks.

I grabbed some fudge and explored around for a few hours, then called to arrange a taxi back to the airport. The dispatcher said it might be 30-40 minutes because they had a couple weddings happening and it was tying up all the taxis. This seemed weird because I was standing across the street from a whole line of taxis that were just sitting there. I went up to one of the drivers and asked if they could take me to the airport. They said they couldn't pick up off the street and I had to call the dispatcher. I called the dispatcher again and they said they'd get a taxi to me as soon as possible - which is a very open-ended non-answer.

After about an hour I started to have doubts that I might be able to get back to the airport any time soon. I thought maybe I could walk the 2 miles or so but it'd be all uphill. Not impossible, but I figured I'd give it another 20 minutes.

I was also thinking maybe I would just stay on Mackinac overnight. I checked a few hotels but they were all booked up. Plus, I didn't necessarily want to stay overnight. While Mackinac is cool, it's also very touristy and I'd pretty much seen what I wanted to already.

As I was calling another hotel a taxi finally showed up and took me to the airport.

The flight back to Harbor Springs was short and I was able to get a recommendation from the guy working at the FBO for a hotel in Petosky.

I got settled in at the hotel and walked over to a nearby store to pick up a few beers for later.

The hotel was up on a hill and had a porch with a great view out over Little Traverse Bay, so I knew I'd be having a nightcap there. Everywhere I stopped I always tried to find an interesting place to just sit and enjoy the views. This one was custom-made.

I rested up for a bit and then decided to find somewhere for dinner. I asked at the front desk for a cab and they said they had a deal with a limo company that would shuttle me from the hotel to the downtown area and back for $20. That was too weird and interesting not to accept - and it didn't disappoint. I didn't get a pic of the limo, but it was straight out of the '80s and absolutely perfect.

I ended up at Mitchell Street Pub for dinner. They had a good menu of food and beer.

For the limo ride back I ended up sharing with a family on vacation, so we got to compare notes on how we were spending our summer.

Sunset wasn't until after 9pm, so I was able to catch it from my seat on the porch of the hotel - beer in hand.

While this didn't rank as a top 5 flying day, it was still one of the better days of the whole trip as far as sightseeing, nostalgia and overall hanging out goes.

EDIT: I found a shot of the limo on my phone. Also, it was a FREE limo, didn't cost $20. I didn't remember that correctly.

Also found a shot of the Stroh's beer I had with dinner. Don't see that much outside Michigan.

Added these at the bottom of the photos.

Day 36 - One last day in Muskegon

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 21:12:56 GMT

Muskegon and

Lake Michigan - July 20, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Final maintenance on the A5 was done today. Thanks to the folks at Executive Air for all the great service and support! Sadly, the weather wasn't cooperating nearly as well, so I spent another day in Muskegon.

As luck would have it, a high school friend and his family were in town so I got to take advantage of their hospitality - and awesome lake house - for the day. It was great catching up after all these years. We even managed to sneak in the shortest A5 demo flight ever between storms.

Ironically, it cleared up later in the evening and we got a great sunset. ��

Tomorrow I'm heading out to Mackinac Island as we resume our regularly scheduled broadcast.

��

Even though I was still in Muskegon, it was nice to hang out with other people for a full day. They have a great farmer's market in the downtown area and my friend's lake house was up on a cliff right on the Lake Michigan shore The view was great but we could also see how much erosion was happening. Whole docks were being slowly (or not so slowly) broken down and carried out into the water. So, as we were standing on the shore big, square timbers would float in on the waves. You had to pay attention because some of them were big enough to do some real damage if they hit you.

I was watching the weather during the day and it looked like there was going to be a break in the storms in the late afternoon. By the time we got to the airport and did the pre-flight things were starting to look gloomy again on the horizon. I decided to at least get up and see how close the storms were.

The weather at the time was clear at the airport, so I knew I wasn't purposely taking off into bad weather.

Once we got in the air, though, it was clear we weren't going anywhere. There was a storm front moving in quickly from the north. I basically flew the pattern and landed, taxied back to the hangar and as I was pushing the plane back in it started to rain. So, I kept the streak alive, barely, but I wish I'd been able to give my friend a proper demo flight.

The only bonus pic I have is of a Veteran's memorial that was just off one of the highways. I saw the shape in the trees as I was driving up and briefly thought it was a working helicopter hovering there, which would've been very surprising. Nice memorial, though.

Day 35 - Shakedown and Sand Dunes

Sun, 19 Jul 2020 21:15:15 GMT

Muskegon and

Hoffmaster State Park - July 19, 2019

Original Instagram Post

No more airplane shenanigans. The A5 maintenance is [mostly] complete! There's one last service bulletin that came out just yesterday to replace a bolt. The part was ordered today, will be delivered tomorrow and installed. Meantime, I was able to get up and do a shake-down flight. I had to wait for the winds to die down a bit - they were 12-18 knots almost directly perpendicular to the runway, which was above the crosswind component limit for the A5. By 7pm they were well under the limit, though, so I did a short tour of the Lake Michigan shoreline. I'd walked around #hoffmasterstatepark earlier and was able to get a shot of the terrain from the air. It's a cool environment where the forest helps hold the sand dunes in place.

Once the final fix is done on the A5 tomorrow I may head up toward Traverse City or Mackinac, depending on the weather. I've been in Muskegon for three days, going on four, and I'm ready for a change of scenery. [nothing personal, Muskegon]

I'm hoping to get at least a day at Mackinac Island and maybe land at Harbor Springs, where we used to fly into back in the day. One way or another, I head to Oshkosh, WI for #OSH19 on Tuesday.

��

In addition to the sightseeing and shakedown flight, I accomplished one other important bit of business - laundry.

When I was packing for this trip a lot of what I chose were clothes I could wash in the sink at a hotel. They were lightweight and fast-drying fabrics, so I didn't have to worry about packing up wet clothes in the morning. But, I did have a few t-shirts and a pair of jeans that needed proper washing and drying. I'd been able to take advantage of laundry when staying with friends up to this point, so this was the first time I'd had to go to a laundromat.

I'd also thought about driving over to Ionia, MI and see if I could take a glider flight. Ionia is where I took glider flight lessons back when I was 14. I got as far as soloing and getting my student license before other things in life pulled me away.

I called Benz Aviation, the same flight school from all those years ago to schedule a flight. Turned out the rental glider was down for maintenance (a lot of that going around lately), so I had to scrap that idea.

Instead, I splurged on a fancy dinner at Hearthstone Bistro . I didn't sit at the bar for this one, but the restaurant wasn't crowded so I felt OK about taking up a table by myself.

While I knew in advance I was going to be in Muskegon for a few days while the A5 was in maintenance, it was the longest I'd been in one place since I started, so I was definitely getting antsy to get going again. I did get my daily flight in, even if it was just a short loop around the coastline. 35 days and counting.

Day 34 - More Muskegon

Sat, 18 Jul 2020 22:27:19 GMT

Muskegon and

Fremont, MI - July 18, 2019

Original Instagram Post

The A5 is still in maintenance, so I was scheduled for a 12:30 flight in a Piper Warrior today to keep my 33 day flying streak going, but a big storm rolled in and shut that idea down. With no good local options, I decided to drive 25 miles north to Fremont Municipal Airport [KFFX]. The weather there was showing clearer skies with winds of 15 knots gusting to 20. Not great, but it’d work for a quick flight.

I met John, the airport manager, and he informed me that their training aircraft was down for maintenance. Crap! Probably should’ve called first, but what the heck, I didn’t have anything else to do on a rainy day. I talked with John for a while hoping that maybe he’d think of another option for me to get airborne. Maybe the local EAA folks were around? No dice, so I went to a nearby restaurant and contemplated toasting the end of my streak. Instead, I took a look at the weather back at Muskegon. The skies had cleared but there were still some strong, gusty winds, so I opted for iced tea instead of beer - hoping that maybe there’d be a last-ditch shot at a flight today.

As if on cue, I got a text from Buster, the flight instructor I was scheduled with earlier. He said the winds were workable and we could go up. I scrambled back to the airport and we did a short flight up the coast of Lake Michigan. It was a little bumpy, but clear skies and a great view.

Big thanks to @busterbed for the last-minute, Hail Mary call.

The streak survives another day!

��

Not much to add for this day. I definitely was working every angle to try and get a flight in and keep the streak alive, but I also didn't want to do anything stupid. It's tempting to get focused on one thing and forget about all the reasons NOT to go flying. I never felt like I was pushing the limits and would've called it all off if I had any doubts, though.

I did find another fun spot in Muskegon for dinner, The Handsome Hobo!

Day 33 - Muskegon Maintenance

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 22:43:07 GMT

Muskegon, MI - July 17, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Flew a Cessna 152 with an instructor today, partly to keep my streak alive but it's also good to fly other aircraft every now and then to keep from getting too complacent. It definitely took a moment to get used to the old cluster f**k of instruments, but it came back pretty quickly and I hit a few decent landings.

I stopped in to see how the A5 maintenance was going. So far everything looks good, although it's kind of unnerving to see everything opened up like that.

I also explored Muskegon a little bit. They're gearing up for #rebelroad, a huge motorcycle event that takes over the downtown area. It starts tonight and runs through the weekend. I may check out "Ironsnake" tomorrow night. Looks like an 80s cover band!

I have another short lesson scheduled tomorrow. Friday is still a question mark, but the A5 *may* be back up and running by the evening, so I might be able to do a quick shake-down flight.

��

I knew the A5 would be down for at least 2-3 days, so I made good use of my rental car. I drove down to one of the beaches and hung out in a small main street area nearby to do some sightseeing.

The flight lesson I booked was at West Michigan Regional Airport in Holland, a 45 minute drive south. They had a very fancy main building that looked like the paint was still wet - it was so new.

The flight ended up being just a few laps around the pattern instead of a full instrument lesson, but it was still good to get behind the controls of something different for a change. Makes me appreciate the A5 even more.

After the lesson I drove into downtown Holland looking for a place to have dinner. I found Waverly Stone Gastropub . I typically sit at the bar when I'm by myself. I don't like to tie up a whole table for just one person, but also it's easier to strike up conversations at the bar. Waverly Stone didn't disappoint. The food, drinks, service and conversation were all fantastic. Another successful seat-of-the-pants adventure!

Day 32 - Pontiac to Muskegon

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 21:22:01 GMT

Pontiac, MI (KPTK) to

Muskegon, MI (KMKG) - July 16, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Up at 5am, at the airport by 6 and in the air by 6:45. The sun was just rising as I pulled the plane out. Winds were calm on the ground but 20+ knots once I was up in the air, which meant the 128 mile trip was going to take over 2 hours. Really putting the SLOW in ‘low and slow’ ��

Despite the headwind, the ride was smooth for the first hour but the weather was changing as I got closer to Muskegon so I started getting bumped around. Visibility was still good and the ceiling was high enough that I didn't have to descend, but my destination airport was showing low clouds down to 600 feet, which meant I couldn't land there. I had to divert to Grand Haven (3GM), a small airport just 15 miles south of Muskegon. The conditions there weren't bad at all, so I landed and waited it out.

After about 30-40 minutes things cleared up enough that I was able to make the short hop over to Muskegon and get the A5 in for maintenance at Executive Air. I got checked into the hotel and had a late breakfast @toastnjamsmkg. It's a cool little place stuck in an otherwise empty strip mall. Weird, but the food and service were great!

While the A5 is getting a once-over, I have a flight lesson booked for tomorrow afternoon and another on Thursday. I’ll use the time to get some instrument instruction. Even though I’m not instrument rated, and neither is the A5, it’s always good to get some practice just in case you ever get into a situation where all you have are the instruments.

��

I was up and out very early. The forecast was showing some thunderstorms developing in the late morning along the western coast of Michigan, so I was anticipating having to change my plans as I got closer. I'd say this was the second worst weather day of the trip. It was similar to the Ithaca day as I was racing to get to my destination before the weather turned.

I lost this race as well, thanks to the 20 knot headwinds. It was so bad I was only getting a ground speed of 60 knots and cars were passing me on the freeway below.

Since I diverted, I got to spend a little time at Grand Haven airport talking with the airport manager there. He was dealing with an issue with a construction crew that had put up a crane right on the approach path of one of the runways. He also mentioned there was some pressure for them to close one of the runways at the airport. Coincidentally, it was the runway I'd just landed on. His point was that there are times when the winds favor the other runway and they're the only airport in the vicinity with a runway oriented in that direction. He was going to use my situation as an example in the next meeting.

Coming out of Grand Haven and into Muskegon I barely climbed above 1000 feet. The weather had cleared up just enough for me to make it. There were clouds just above me but it was such a short flight there wouldn't have been any point in going higher even if I could.

I was staying at a motel in an industrial part of town, but I had a rental car so I explored around for places to eat and anything else that looked interesting.

As I said before, I didn't spend a lot of time pre-planning restaurants or sight-seeing. I wanted to figure it out once I was there. There's a risk of missing some 'major' attraction, but I've had pretty good luck with this method in the past. I ended up finding some great spots.

This was actually the halfway point of the trip, although I didn't know it at the time. I'd originally planned for eight weeks but events were coming up in the near future that would change that.

Day 31 - Pontiac

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 20:54:17 GMT

Pontiac and West Bloomfield, MI

- July 15, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Slept in a little later today, for a change. I needed to catch up on some sleep!

I did get up in the air and fly over some old spots from when I used to live here. It's been almost 25 years since I moved away, so combine that with being airborne and my fading memory and it was tough picking things out at first.

After the flight I decided to use the crew car from the FBO and drive around to see things from ground level as well. It was crazy to see how much has changed but still be able to pick out some familiar landmarks. They've been getting a lot of rain here, so everything is VERY green and almost looks overgrown.

Tomorrow I have an early start to get to Muskegon, MI ahead of some weather that's moving in. The A5 will be down for a 100 hour inspection, which means my 31 day flying streak may come to an end. Maybe I'll schedule a few lessons with an instructor over the next few days, just to keep it going and get some valuable learning in.

��

More nostalgia than actual flying on this day. As I cruised around the neighborhoods and towns, it was such a weird sense of familiar but different.

Michigan (or at least the area around Detroit) has a unique driving feature - the Michigan Left. I think it was an experiment in traffic flow without using roundabouts (traffic circles).

At major intersections instead of having a left turn lane/light, you make a right turn and then there's a spot for a quick U-turn. It's definitely more complicated than just being able to make a left at a light, and you run the risk of hitting the same light red as you go back through, but I do think it helps keep traffic flowing. Maybe they should give this a try in LA.

I was able to meet up with a few more old friends for dinner, which led to even more nostalgia. All in all, it was a good day.

Not sure if I'll ever get back to that area, so it was fun to have what might've been a last look around.

Day 30 - Akron to Pontiac

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 21:36:41 GMT

Akron, OH (KCAK) to Pontiac, MI (KPTK)

- July 14, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Started the day with a pancake breakfast at the MAPS Air Museum in Akron, OH. I had the A5 on the ramp next to a bunch of military aircraft and did a 10 minute talk about my trip and why general aviation is important. Lots of folks came by after to see the A5 and ask questions. After about an hour I packed up and headed out.

My first stop was Put In Bay, a small island near Sandusky, OH. We used to go down to Cedar Point amusement park in the summer, so I flew by that on the way.

Put In Bay is a small strip with some challenging trees on the approach end. Good practice for short field landings! I made a quick stop then got back in the air towards Pontiac, MI.

I initially planned to not get flight following for the trip over to Pontiac, but once I got closer to Detroit and saw all the traffic I changed my mind pretty quickly. On the way I flew over Willow Run, the site where the B-24 Liberator was built during WWII. Having just been at the MAPS museum with lots of WWII aircraft, it was a fitting connection.

Once I landed, I got the plane all tucked away and met a few friends from high school. Hard to believe it's been so many years since I've seen some of these guys.

Tomorrow I'm going out exploring and see if I can remember my way around this place.

��

I kept debating with myself on whether to land at Put In Bay or not. The wave height made the water landing decision for me, but I didn't want to just let this small airport slip by, so I skimmed over the trees and dropped it on the runway.

It was another practically unattended airport with a small building that had a vending machine and some chairs. Good to get out of the sun for a few minutes and check out the historical pictures on the walls.

Even though there's not much to it, I still enjoy hanging out at these little out-of-the-way airports and talking with whoever happens to be there. Today it was a father and son on a day trip.

I didn't stick around too long. I wanted to get over to Pontiac airport before it got too late in the day.

Pontiac airport was where we flew out of when my family lived in the area. We'd sometimes fly to New Jersey to visit relatives or I'd fly with my dad up to Ionia for glider lessons. The airport had changed a lot from what I remembered, but it was still great to be back in a place where I'd spent so much time growing up. I really enjoyed seeing old friends from high school, too. It'd been maybe 25 years since I'd seen some of them. Time sure does fly!

Day 29 - Ithaca to Akron

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 22:01:00 GMT

Ithaca, NY (KITH) to Akron, OH (KCAK)

- July 13, 2019

Original Instagram Post

As of today I'm halfway through this two month adventure! Can't believe how much has gone by. Still plenty of good stuff coming up, though.

Since the weather wasn't cooperating yesterday, I didn't get a chance to explore the Finger Lakes as much as I'd hoped. But, this morning it was clear and calm so I flew out to Cayuga Lake to get a few water landings in before heading out. While I was getting set up I met a couple guys who do survey work in a twin engine Tecnam. It's interesting to learn about some aviation jobs I never realized existed. It's not glamorous work, but it's the kind of stuff that needs to get done and lets people build experience towards their next gig.

My first landing on the lake drew a bit of a crowd. I had a couple of rowers come by for a closer look and the State Troopers pulled up to make sure everything was OK - then asked a bunch of questions about the A5. ��

I did a few more water landings and then headed back to the airport to fuel up and get on my way.

The first leg was from Ithaca to Bradford, Pennsylvania. I knew there was going to be a headwind, so I planned a stop about halfway. Plus, it's good to get out and stretch a bit every few hours. Bradford was first class airport. The runways and taxiways were all in excellent condition and well-maintained. There's some small regional airline service that goes in and out of there, so I guess that helps keep it up.

The leg from Bradford to Akron was pretty bumpy, which made for some exhausting flying and slow progress. I think these are the most frustrating types of flights on this trip, where I'm just trying to get to the next stop. But, any time I start getting grumpy I remind myself that I'm FLYING. That never fails to reset my mood.

After a loooong approach into Akron-Canton, I taxied over to the MAPS Air Museum. Wow! They have a LOT of aircraft. I wasn't able to grab pics of anything, since I was dealing with getting the A5 settled in and meeting with the museum director. I'll get a bunch tomorrow.

I have a speaking opportunity at their pancake breakfast in the morning. Looks like they're expecting a good crowd! Guess I better make some notes tonight.

��

The storms all moved through overnight and the weather in the morning was great for some water ops on Cayuga Lake. Ultimately, I didn't have time to get around to all five Finger Lakes, as I'd hoped. One outta five ain't great, but I'll take it.

It's a mixed blessing when the boaters get interested in the A5 on the water. On one hand, it's great that people come over and make sure it wasn't some kind of emergency. It leads to some fun conversations. But, I've also had a few cases where I've aborted a takeoff or landing because a boater gets a little too close for comfort. It's never entirely clear if they see me and if they understand I don't have the same kind of maneuverability on the water that they might expect - especially at higher speeds. Fortunately, I can outrun them if I'm airborne and go land at another spot on the lake.

Not much to add about the flight over to Akron. I am still impressed with how up-to-date everything was at my fuel stop in Bradford. Big difference from some of the other small fields I'd stopped at. Glad to see some airports making good use of their FAA funding.

I went to dinner at El Fogon in Akron, a truly NOT authentic Mexican restaurant across the street from my hotel. Let's just say they were playing it very safe with the spices. But, they had dessert so I guess it was OK.

Day 28 - Ithaca

Sun, 12 Jul 2020 21:42:36 GMT

Ithaca, NY and Cayuga Lake

Original Instagram Post

I woke up to decent looking skies, but the clouds rolled in quickly so by the time I got to the airport the ceiling was pretty low and the wind had picked up.

I did one lap around the pattern at KITH then went out over Cayuga Lake to check the conditions. The waves on the lake were over the one foot maximum allowed for the A5, so I didn't set down but I got to fly around the lake a bit and then headed back as the ceilings were dropping.

So, my streak is intact at 28 days of flying in a row.

As I was landing, a Bombardier Challenger came in ahead of me. Once I was shut down one of the pilots came over to check out the A5 and let me have a look inside the Challenger. Nice to have some mutual appreciation. ��

I'm going to take an hour in the morning tomorrow and head back to the lake. Conditions should be better for a few water landings before I head off to Akron-Canton.

The MAPS Air Museum at Akron-Canton Regional Airport (KCAK) has planned a couple events around my visit for Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. I'm really excited to meet the folks there and check out the museum. If anyone's in the area, please stop by. Here's the landing page the museum put up for the event: https://mapsairmuseum.org/events/icon-a5-to-visit-maps/

I'm also working on a video of highlights from my day in the Adirondacks with fellow A5 owner Brett. Might even get that done tonight ��

��

The plan for this day was to spend it exploring the Finger Lakes. I wanted to at least touch down on each of them. Given the weather I went through the day before to get here, I had a feeling that plan wasn't going to materialize. My feeling was right. I waited about an hour at the FBO for the weather to clear up. It did get better, but the forecast was showing another set of storms coming in, so I used that opening to get up in the air and continue my streak of 28 days of flying in a row.

I hadn't really thought about flying every single day as any kind of a 'streak'. It was just something that I was going to do as part of the trip. But, as I got further along it became something I wanted to keep going - although not at the expense of doing something unsafe, but more on that later.

Since I did get up and out for a short flight, I got to see some of Cayuga Lake and get a lay of the land. It made me wish I'd be able to explore the area more, but I had a commitment to do an event at the MAPS Air Museum in Akron/Canton, so I wasn't able to stick around an extra day, but since I didn't have to be in Akron early, I decided to spend some time the next morning on the lake. The weather forecast was looking much better (of course) so I was confident I'd be able to get a few water landings in.

The first additional pic here is part of the spreadsheet I used to initially plan each leg of the trip and also kept it updated as I went. Dates were calculated automatically based on a few critical stops (highlighted in purple]. This way I was able to plug in the number of days I planned to spend at each location and still hit my target dates. There was a LOT more information in there, but this was the key piece for keeping my timings straight. It would end up being even more critical in a couple weeks.

Second pic is the bar of soap in my hotel. I think the idea was to reduce waste, but the resulting shape was...interesting. Use cases are left to the reader's imagination.

Day 27 - Glens Falls to Ithaca

Sat, 11 Jul 2020 23:24:21 GMT

Glens Falls, NY (KGLF) to

Ithaca, NY (KITH) - July 11, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Today was about as opposite from yesterday as you could get.

I went from hopping between lakes in the Adirondack with another A5 owner to dodging storm clouds trying to get to my next destination, Ithaca, NY.

Glens Falls was a little hazy as I left and I knew there was some weather headed towards Ithaca. It was a short distance but I was fighting a 10-25 knot headwind, which added enough time so that I lost the race and ran right up against some low clouds just 25 miles or so before Ithaca. I reversed course and headed back to an airport I’d passed a few minutes earlier; Hamilton, NY. The weather there was still decent so I landed, refueled and re-evaluated. After about 20-30 minutes it looked like the clouds were moving past, and it was clearer to the north, so I headed out again. The conditions were definitely improving, although just slightly, so I made it the last few miles easy enough.

I was hoping to get out and explore the Finger Lakes, but after the flight in I wasn’t looking to go back out again right away. I did a little exploring around the town instead and ended up at the Moosewood Restaurant, which I recognized from a cookbook we have at the house.

Here’s a few stats on the trip so far: - 27 consecutive days flying

- 4675 miles flown - no autopilot, BTW

- 88.7 hours flown

- 293 gallons of fuel used

- Averaging about 3.3 gal/hr and about 16 miles per gallon

The weather is looking similar for tomorrow, but might clear up in the afternoon, so there’s a chance I’ll get out on the lakes later in the day. Maybe a sunset flight?

��

This was the most challenging weather day of the entire trip and a test of my ability to anticipate what the weather was going to do and have contingency plans ready.

I had access to radar and weather information right on the Garmin GPS in the plane, which let me see which way the storms were moving and roughly how fast. One important detail is that the weather information is delayed by as much as 20 minutes, so if storms are moving fast they aren't necessarily going to be exactly where they show up on the GPS. You have to take that time delay into consideration.

That being said, having access to all that information made it so much easier to get the overall weather conditions. Before this was available I would've had to rely on ATC or Flight Service to provide me with weather information. Those folks are fantastic at helping out pilots, but it's hard to get the full picture when someone is describing it to you over the radio. Since I could see exactly where the line of storms were and where they were going, I was able to figure out my various plans and contingencies.

I'd flown over Hamilton airport and made a mental note that it would be a good alternate to come back to if I couldn't make it all the way through to Ithaca. I did try to push as far as I dared but I could see the visibility decreasing and the cloud level dropping, so it was time to turn around and get outta there.

Being on the ground in Hamilton, it was easier to figure out my next move. I think I've said it before but it's always better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air than the other way around.

I saw that the storm line was moving southeast past Ithaca and it was clear to the north, so I decided to head up and around and come into Ithaca behind the storms. That worked out perfectly, so it was a good end to the day.

Day 26 - Glens Falls and the Adirondacks

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 23:16:28 GMT

Two A5s flying around the Adirondacks

Original Instagram Post

Today wins for best flying day of the trip - hands down.

I've had other great days of flying, but today I got to fly with Brett, another A5 owner, all around the Adirondacks. The weather and water conditions were absolutely perfect and having two identical A5s [they are numbers 36 and 37] added a whole other level of fun.

We started out on Lake George with a formation flyby and a couple water landings. Then we moved on to Friends Lake. That was a pretty small lake with enough boats on it to feel crowded, so we decided to just fly over and move on to Long Lake.

Long Lake is a nice, big lake and it wasn't at all crowded so we were able to do a bunch of water takeoffs and landings and just generally splash around.

Our next stop was Tupper Lake. Not as big as Long Lake, but still had great conditions and not a lot of traffic, so we set down there to check our plan and see what our next move was.

We headed out for Lake Placid, home of the 1980 Winter Olympics and the Miracle on Ice. The landing pattern for Lake Placid airport has you flying right by the ski jump towers, which are almost as high as the pattern altitude! It takes a special kind of talent to launch yourself down something that high and into the air. I'll stick with wings, thank you.

We fueled up at Lake Placid then headed back to Glens Falls. We did one last low-level pass over Lake George and then into the airport. Conditions were getting a little bumpy at this point, so it was a good time to call it a day.

I honestly can't think of a better day of flying than this. Huge thanks to Brett for being the most gracious host anyone could ask for. He cooked up this whole route and flew lead for most of it. Neither of us had ever flown any kind of formation before, but we did an extensive briefing ahead of time and agreed to keep it pretty loose. But, it was still amazing to look out and see another A5 right there. Dunno if I'll ever stop smiling from this.

��

Having the benefit of hindsight, I can say this was the absolute best flying day of the entire trip. There are other special days for different reasons, but this was a perfect day of using the A5 for exactly what it was designed to do.

Meeting up with other A5 owners around the country was something I'd hoped to be able to coordinate. I'd been in touch with maybe 4-5 other owners and a few ICON sales reps before I left on June 15th, but when the time came to meet up something always seemed to screw it up. Either a plane was due for maintenance or the owner was out of town when I was passing through. I didn't know it at the time, but in the end I was only able to actually fly with Brett on this day.

I'd planned to give a few rides to some friends after Brett and I returned, but with the afternoon convection kicking up I didn't think it'd be a fun time for someone's first ride in a small plane. Unfortunate, but I was trying to get people excited about general aviation, not make them sick.

One last thing. I'd mentioned courtesy cars before. When I got to Brett's hangar he asked if I needed to borrow a car. I said yes and he handed me the keys to his gigantic party van. I honestly could've saved the money on a hotel room and just slept in that van. Definitely NOT the typical courtesy car I would've gotten from an FBO, but I was glad to have a way to get around! I did fill it up with gas before I left.

Day 25 - Greenville to Glens Falls

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 23:13:36 GMT

Greenville, ME (8B0) to

Glens Falls, NY (KGFL) - July 9, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Got a later start today than expected. I wanted to grab some shots of an abandoned DC3 sitting at Greenville. Where’s #planesavers when you need them?

It was a little murky passing over #mooselookmegunticlake . The pictures look worse than it actually was, though. I did a quick fuel stop at Mount Washington Regional Airport, but made decent time down to Glens Falls.

As I was approaching Glens Falls, I heard another ICON A5 on the radio. It was Brett, the A5 owner I was planning to meet up with. He’d been out flying and we ended up arriving at the airport at exactly the same time - couldn’t have planned that better if we tried. We landed one after the other and taxied over to Brett’s hangar.

There we met up with John, who had contacted me a while back to let me know about an A5 owner in Glens Falls. That lead to me connecting with Brett. John has been following the trip and was interested in hearing about how it was going. This was my second time meeting up with someone who’d reached out to me with a suggestion that got me to change my itinerary. Thanks, John!

Later, Brett and I compared notes on the A5 and set up a basic plan for our flight tomorrow. This will be the first time I’ve flown with another A5, so I’m really looking forward to it. Brett knows the local spots, so it should be a great day of flying.

I left the hangar and met up with a friend from a previous work life for dinner. She and her family drove down from Montreal for a short holiday and to catch up with me on my trip. I’m looking forward to giving them rides in the A5 tomorrow, if they’re up for it.

��

I'd really hoped to land on Lake Mooselookmeguntic. Another missed opportunity due to a combination of weather and fuel.

I'd planned to fuel up at Greenville before heading out, but there was an issue with the pump. I had a good amount of fuel on board, so I decided to take off and do a fuel stop on my way to Glens Falls. It's not related, and kind of random, but I was reminded of an old saying:

The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

- Anonymous

If I'd had a full tank I might've done at least a splash 'n go on the lake before heading out, but the weather also wasn't great and looked like it might be getting worse in that area. So, once again I made the safer choice and got on my way. I don't regret the decision, but I do wish I hadn't had to make it.

The FBO at Whitefield airport was exactly the kind of operation I mentioned previously. Just a small building with some snacks and drinks (using the honor system), a bathroom and some photos of the airport's history. It was perfect for getting out of the heat and refueling myself along with the plane.

The fact that I got to Glens Falls airport right as Brett was landing made me feel like things were going to work out OK for this leg of the trip. And another great people day between meeting Brett, John and my friend Linda from Montreal.

Day 24 - Stow to Greenville

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 22:55:22 GMT

Stow, MA (6B6) to Greenville, ME (8B0)

- July 8, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Today was an exercise in on-the-fly planning.

I set out from Stow, MA to Rangeley, ME. I did one detour on my way, over to Lake Winnipesaukee. I figured I was so close it'd be a shame not to at least fly over it.

As I got closer to Rangeley airport the automated weather informed me that their runway extension project started today and the one and only runway was now closed. This was posted in a notice that I should have seen during my pre-flight briefing, but somehow I missed it. ��

I had plenty of fuel, and always had the option of landing on the nearby lake if I had to, so - PLAN B.

I plotted a course to the nearest airport - Sugarloaf Regional. This had a really cool approach along a valley to a small but well-maintained airport.

I met Alex, a local A&P mechanic with a hangar right next to the fuel pumps. He was incredibly helpful, pointed me towards a store up the road for a sandwich and suggested I'd be better off heading up to Greenville, since it's a bigger town with more options for hotels etc. So much for PLAN B - on to PLAN C.

I refueled and headed out. On the way I flew over Flagstaff Lake and followed the Kennebec River up to Moosehead Lake. I was itching to get on the water at this point, so I found a nice spot and splashed down. The weather is cooler up here and it was the perfect temperature on the water.

I took off from the water and headed to Greenville airport. There, I met John who organizes the annual seaplane fly-in at Greenville. He'd seen me landing and came over to have a look at the A5.

I borrowed a crew car from the airport and got sorted out with a room at the Greenville Inn, an historic old mansion that's now a Bed and Breakfast.

It's amazing how friendly and helpful everyone is in the aviation community. Multiple times today I had complete strangers offering me the use of their car or making suggestions to help me out. I can't imagine how today would've turned out if it wasn't for all the amazing people I met along the way.

Tomorrow I'm off to Glens Falls, NY. I'll be there for a couple days to meet up with another A5 owner And a few other friends as well.

��

I think it was more difficult leaving on this morning than the first morning of the trip. When I left Torrance I had no idea what was in store. But, now that I was three weeks in I had a better sense of what to expect from the flying parts, but I also knew what it was going to be like to be away from home and Julie for at least five more weeks. So, it was a more emotional goodbye this time around.

My IG post covers the rest of the day pretty well - a good test of on-the-fly thinking/planning and decision making to compensate for my not catching the runway closure. It ended up being better than originally planned. Greenville is a beautiful place.

The whole concept of a courtesy car is something I don't think a lot of people are familiar with, at least with respect to general aviation.

Most airports will have at least one Fixed-base Operator, or FBO. There are a lot of different types of FBOs, from as minimal as a self-serve fuel pump that's owned and run by the city, to private businesses that offer a range of services to pilots flying into the airport. Those services can be very simple or very elaborate, depending on the size of the airport and the type of aircraft coming in and out. Larger FBOs will cater to business jets and can have plush offices with free snacks, drinks, internet, showers, quiet rooms etc. Smaller FBOs may offer some of these services but maybe not quite as...fancy.

It's fairly common for FBOs to have a courtesy car so pilots have a way of getting around while in the area. There's usually no charge for the use of the courtesy car, but it's not like a rental car where you can keep it for several days.

At the smaller FBOs the courtesy car is usually an old junker that's kept running just well enough to get around. Usually it's just for a couple hours to go grab a meal or something nearby, but I did have a few times at smaller airports where they let me take the courtesy car overnight, since there wasn't any other demand for it.

This whole concept is amazing on a couple levels. First, it's FREE. Second, there's a trust that you aren't going to steal the car (also part of the reason they're junkers) or do something stupid. Whenever I had a courtesy car for anything more than a quick drive I'd top up the tank before returning it, just as a thank you.

It's this kind of trust and camaraderie that made me lean towards the smaller airports and FBOs. They're a vital part of the whole National Airspace System that I've talked about and probably the part that has suffered the most with the decline of general aviation.

Day 23 - Stow and New Bedford

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 21:27:08 GMT

Stow. MA to

(almost) Martha's Vineyard

Original Instagram Post

We'd planned to fly down to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket today, but the weather had other plans. We made it to New Bedford but the winds at KMVY and KACK were gusting up higher than I felt comfortable with. So, we did a low pass around West Island and headed back to Stow. We got bounced around all the way back and I ended up going around on my first attempt at Stow. No point in trying to 'save' a crappy approach.

Even though we didn't make it to the Cape, we still saw some great scenery and it was nice to be flying with @la_peeps_ again. We flew over Marlboro airport on our way back, which was recently sold and shut down. I think the owners were retiring and the deal from housing developers was just too good to pass up. Always sad to see a small, historic airport gone forever, though.

My original itinerary had me going all the way to the top of Maine tomorrow - Northern Aroostook - but I decided to head straight to Rangeley, ME instead. That buys me an extra day to explore the Lake Champlain and Finger Lakes areas. I'll be in Rangeley tomorrow and then on to Glens Falls, NY on Tuesday and Wednesday.

��

I didn’t have a day where I had to scrub a flight completely because of weather, but I definitely had a few days where the weather changed my intended plans. This was one of those days.

I’d wanted to fly with Julie to Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket for lunch and then follow the Cape all the way around and back to Stow. That plan relied on getting refueled when we did the lunch stop. Since I wasn’t comfortable landing at KMVY or KACK it meant we couldn’t do the full trip like I’d hoped. It was still a fun flight, even if it was a little bouncy.

Another case of this was the leg I had planned out to Bimini in the Bahamas. Bimini is just 50 miles off the Florida coast, so I figured I could easily fly out, do a little sightseeing and have plenty of fuel to get back (there’s no fuel at the small airport in Bimini). I ended up bypassing that leg completely since there were large thunderstorms in the forecast as I was planning my trip up the East coast of Florida. So, I flew straight from Key West to Jacksonville instead. This put me a day ahead of schedule and ensured I wouldn't get stuck because of the bad weather moving in.

It’s always tough to miss out on a great flying or sightseeing opportunity but, as I’ve said many times, I’d rather make the safer choice and be around to fly another day.

Day 22 - Stow

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 20:17:17 GMT

Rides for friends at Stow

Original Instagram Post

Still keeping my streak alive - 22 straight days of flying.

Stayed local at Minuteman Air Field. Took nine people up for rides in the A5 today! It was a real revolving door of friends and family, but I enjoyed every minute of it. It's great watching people's reactions and letting them see a new perspective on things.

The weather got a little 'exciting' near the end, since there was a big storm system moving in. As one of the local pilots told me "Minuteman is known for its crosswinds". It certainly lived up to that today - I got plenty of crosswind landing practice.

Was great to meet @cassierotates - thanks for the refueling help! ��

Also had Instagram subscriber #500: @mike.sullivan12

Thanks to everyone who's following along!

Tonight we went to a place for proper east coast Chinese food and karaoke for dinner.

[IMAGES REDACTED]

Tomorrow Julie and I head out for a day trip to Cape Cod. Looking forward to checking out all the great scenery down that way.

��

This was another great day of giving rides. I especially liked the repetition of landing, taxiing in, swapping people and going again. It was sort of like pattern work, but with the extra fun of having a different person with me each time.

I don't have any new pics or video to share from the flights. I probably should've rolled a GoPro so I could get everyone's reactions, but I just started going and didn't really stop.

I'm just going to leave this one Karaoke pic here and retreat.

Day 21 - Essex to Stow

Sun, 05 Jul 2020 21:42:44 GMT

Essex, NJ (KCDW) to Stow, MA (6B6)

- July 5, 2019

Original Instagram Post

A little light on pics today. ��

As expected, the departure out of Caldwell was kinda tricky this morning.

The bottom of the cloud layer at 8:30am was around 1800' and topped out at maybe 3000'-ish. It wasn't a solid layer, so there were spots where I could've climbed above it - except - the floor of Newark airport's airspace was at 3000' above me. So, in order to get above the cloud layer I would have to bust into Newark's airspace. To add an extra wrinkle to this, there were Temporary Flight Restrictions in the area that started at 10:45am due to the president's arrival at Bedminster. That meant I had to be clear of those before they became active. I had a few options, but ended up just staying below and away from the clouds until I was out from under the Newark airspace and then climbed through an opening to get on top. Worked out just fine.

At one point I was over the Quabbin Reservoir and decided it was too good to pass up, so I went in for a closer look. It's a beautiful reservoir with lots of small islands and tons of trees all along the shoreline. There were a few fishing boats but not much other traffic. I found out later that it's a main reservoir for the area, so it's a good thing I didn't land. I flew around the reservoir for a few minutes before getting back on track to my destination of Stow, MA. I'll try to get a short video together of this.

The high point of the day was meeting up with my wife, who flew in from LA today. We haven't seen each other in three weeks, since I started this trip. We'll be spending the next couple of days here visiting with family and friends. I have a bunch of people lined up for rides tomorrow!

��

I'd always planned to stop in Stow, MA as one of the key locations. Partly because it's a great small town airport (I highly recommend it) but it's also right near my wife's home town. So, the plan was for her to fly out commercially and we would meet up for a few days.

That meant having the timing work out so I would show up in Stow on the right day. I'd built in some padding in case I ran into any issues, but I'd also been making decisions based on this all the way back to Key West.

As it turned out, the timing was perfect. I got to Stow right around noon and Julie's plane landed later that afternoon. There'd been an earthquake in the LA area just a day or two earlier, so it ended up being a good time for her to get out of there.

My being away from home for two months was something we'd talked about a lot beforehand. One of the questions people always asked was how I managed to get the time to do this trip, and I was lucky that Julie was supportive of taking this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But, talking about being apart for a long time and actually being apart are two different things. I would call every night to give her an update on what happened that day, but it's not the same as being there. So, it was really nice to have this visit partway through the trip and get to reconnect. Plus, we were meeting up with her group of friends in the area, which is always a good time.

Day 20 - Essex and Belleville

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 22:13:14 GMT

Essex, NJ (KCDW) and Belleville, NJ

Original Instagram Post

Today was family fly-with-Tony day.

I got to take two of my cousins, a cousin-in-law and an uncle for rides in the A5. Took them each on a short flight around Essex/Caldwell with the Manhattan skyline in the background. It was great getting to see each of their reactions! By the third flight the Caldwell controller knew the route I was flying and was basically asking me "same thing again?". I can't think of a better way to celebrate this day than by taking advantage of the most open airspace system in the world to joyride over the landscape with family.

Also, I have flown every day for the past 20 days. That's a personal record for me and I'm hoping to keep it going.

After the flights we grabbed lunch at Rutt's Hut in Clifton, NJ. My grandfather loved hot dogs, and this was his favorite place for them. They deep-fry the dogs so the casing splits. Don't knock it till you've tried it. I ended up having three in Gramp's honor.

For tomorrow, there are a couple presidential TFRs around Morristown and Bedminster. I'm hoping the weather is clear enough in the morning for me to get out and on my way to Massachusetts before those kick in around 10:30. Looks like there might be some fog or low-level clouds that'll burn off around 10am, so it might be tight.

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Happy Fourth of July!!

No extra pics or video on this day, so everything I had went into the IG post - another case of wanting to be in the moment , not focused on documenting it.

I did find one pic from a family dinner a few nights earlier that was a lot of fun.

I don't get to see my family in NJ very often, so having these few days to catch up, even briefly, was really special.

Day 19 - Essex and Westchester

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 21:44:32 GMT

Essex, NJ (KCDW) and

Westchester, NY (KHPN) - July 3, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Stayed local today with a short flight from Caldwell, NJ to Westchester, NY to meet with Chris from ICON.

The area between Caldwell and Westchester is some very busy airspace. Definitely had to be sharp on the radio calls with fast-talking controllers that were handling a crazy number of aircraft. Still, it was a good challenge and learning experience.

Chris and I met at the Million Air FBO. Holy Moly, this is a first-class setup. Huge rooms with multiple fire places, high ceilings, lot’s of wood and art accents and a great staff of people.

It was fun having two A5s sitting there on the ramp. We were hoping to take them both out along the river, but Chris’ A5 was due for a 100 hour inspection, so we didn’t get the chance.

On the flight back I had a great view down the Hudson River to Manhattan.

Tomorrow I’m doing a few local flights with my relatives and celebrating the holiday.

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One thing that stood out about this particular day was using my plane for commuting, almost the way you'd use a car.

Sure, I'd had other Point A to Point B days (like the one just before this) but that was leaving one place and flying to another. And I've given people rides, but that's usually taking off and landing back at the same airport.

Back in LA I'd flown from Torrance down to Orange County a few times for business meetings and I liked the feeling of hopping in the plane, starting up and flying away. And when you consider the traffic it can sometimes be a lot quicker than driving.

There were some other days during this trip that were 'commuter' days - more on that when we get there.

Day 18 - Norfolk to Essex

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 22:39:24 GMT

Hampton Roads Executive, VA (KPVG) to Essex, NJ (KCDW) - July 1, 2019

Original Instagram Post

I think this was the first morning of this trip where I woke up and it wasn’t already boiling hot - instead, 67 degrees. So nice!

I got to Hampton Roads airport and happened to meet Isaac Rutan, distant relative of Burt Rutan. He's working his way through his ratings and was interested in checking out the A5. Said he'd heard about my trip from some folks in Williamsburg. I guess maybe word is getting out!

The flight up to Essex/Caldwell airport was pretty straightforward. Stayed down around 1500', with a short fuel stop at Cape May, NJ. After that I had to get clearance through a military alert area around McGuire field where a bunch of C17s were operating and later a quick transition through Morristown and into Essex while staying below the Newark Class B airspace.

I didn't get many photos today, but I did find out that Essex is the airport John F. Kennedy Jr. left from on his fatal flight back in 1999. Not a part of history any airport would want to lay claim to, but an interesting side note, I guess.

I'll be here in NJ for the next couple of days, so the daily summaries might not be as aviation related - probably more about food.

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This was pretty much a Point A to Point B kind of day. The scenery was great as I flew along the coast, and the weather was being cooperative so I could just enjoy the flying - at least for most of the flight.

The airspace around Essex is even more complicated than LAX. Within just a few miles there's Newark, JFK and LaGuardia, which are all Class B and overlap each other. Tucked in next to all that is Teterboro, which is Class D but one of the busiest general aviation airports in the country with a lot of business jet traffic that adds to the controller workload. Then there's Morristown and Essex, two more Class Ds that are right next to each other as well. So, needless to say the flying went from relaxed to busy for the last 15-20 minutes. In one way it was good that the A5 isn't particularly fast. It means things don't happen nearly as quickly as they do in a faster plane, so even though it was busy I wasn't frantic.

Day 17 - Part 2 - First Flight Airport to Norfolk

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 21:21:39 GMT

First Flight Airport (KFFA) to

Hampton Roads Executive, VA (KPVG) - July 1, 2019

Original Instagram Post

First Flight Airport - Part 2

I spent about an hour walking around the monument and the visitor center and just taking it all in. Then it was time to move on. I made a quick fuel stop at a nearby airport, Currituck (KONX), and had a chat with the airport manager there, who came out to check out the A5.

Final stop for the day was Hampton Roads Executive (KPVG). When I'd originally planned my route, I was going to stop at Elizabeth City (KECG) because it was the closest airport to First Flight. But, I got a note through my website from a gent named Bill, who said I should go to Hampton Roads instead. I didn't have any particular preference, so I decided to change to KPVG. What the heck.

When I landed today, the FBO told me over the radio that there was someone waiting to meet up with me. It was Bill.

We spent some time talking about the A5 and flying in general. Bill flies a Cessna 182 he bought on auction from the police department. The same plane he'd flown for years while working for that same police department [or maybe Sheriff? Sorry, Bill I may have been a little dehydrated ��]

He was nice enough to drive me over to my hotel and then give some suggestions for how best to navigate the Norfolk airspace for my flight tomorrow up to New Jersey.

This was exactly the kind of thing I wanted to have happen with this trip - connecting up with cool and interesting people. Thanks, Bill!

Tomorrow it's up to New Jersey to meet up with family for a few days. It'll be a good chance to regroup, recharge and get ready for the next part of this adventure.

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I especially like this picture of the kid walking towards the Wright Brothers monument with a kite in tow. Without getting too philosophical, it made me think about the fascination with anything that flies and inspiring that interest in a younger generation.

I'd say this is another day that ranks in the top 5 of the trip. The combination of being at Kitty Hawk, doing multiple hops around to various airports and meeting a bunch of new people was everything I was hoping for when I dreamt this all up.

Day 17 - Part 1 - Wilmington to First Flight Airport

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 21:20:33 GMT

Wilmington, NC (KILM) to
First Flight Airport (KFFA) - July 1, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Part One - First Flight Airport

This is one of the stops on this trip that was a sure thing. No way I was going to fly up the east coast without stopping at Kitty Hawk!

The airport is a little challenging. It’s not a particularly short runway, but it isn’t exactly long either - and it's lined with tall trees. There’s a pretty steady wind coming off the water from the East that swirls around once you’re below the treeline. The landing definitely got the blood pumping. They have a stamp in the pilot's center, so I had to stamp my logbook for this one!

Met a really nice couple who had flown in just ahead of me and were on a cross-country of their own.

The whole area around the monument is set up really well with a visitor center that has plenty of displays showing all the work the Wright Brothers did to refine their designs and ultimately get a working powered aircraft. I'm sure it's more interesting for an aviation nerd, but seemed to appeal to non-aviation folks as well. It's a great scientific achievement that has completely changed the way the world works.

My original thought for getting from Wilmington to Kitty Hawk was to follow the Outer Banks all the way up and check out some of the lighthouses along the way. The Outer Banks are a string of skinny islands just off the NC mainland and I thought it might be a little reminiscent of the Florida Keys. The weather had some different plans for me, of course. It was pretty windy out there, so I went with a more straight-line path that took me through one Military Operations Area.

Initially, ATC had cleared me directly on my route through the MOA, but when I was about halfway through it they turned me a little more north so I would be clear quicker. Apparently there was a flight of military jets starting some maneuvers and they needed the area clear.

I gave them the best speed I could muster, but it must've been painful for the fighter pilots to be holding while I slooooowly made my way to the edge of the MOA. Once I was clear it was a straight shot to First Flight Airport - KFFA.

I was really excited to land at First Flight Airport and be able to see the place where the Wright Brothers did their work. I kept wondering what they would've thought of something like the A5. I researched it and the A5 is almost the exact same dimensions as the 1903 Wright Flyer but that's pretty much where the similarity ends. Pretty amazing how far things have come.

Day 16 - Hilton Head to Wilmington

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 21:35:17 GMT

Hilton Head (KHXD) to
Wilmington, NC (KILM) - June 30, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Clear skies and sunny for the flight today from Hilton Head to Wilmington, NC.

Had an interesting experience trying to preflight the plane. The area where the plane was parked was totally overrun with ants - to the point where if you stood still for more that a second or two you'd have a couple of the little buggers crawling on your shoes. So, I had to do a sort of weird dance lifting up one foot then the other as I went around the plane. I'm sure anyone watching thought I was nuts and I was itchy for the whole flight.

As I was flying up the coast I'd see rows of houses with REALLY long docks that led out to the water. Better not forget anything once you make that hike.

Once I got closer to Wilmington I dropped down and did a few passes along #fortfisher. At first I thought it was like Daytona beach where they have an area that they let cars cruise back and forth. Turns out it's actually a spot where people can park their car on the beach and hang out.

Spent some quality relaxing time at the #carolinayachtclub and got to put my feet in the Atlantic Ocean. Then went for dinner in downtown Wilmington. There's a lot of history in this town and I only got to see a small bit of it. Great waterfront area with lots of restaurants and shops. The tide was coming in and water was starting to flood part of the street. Happens pretty regularly, so no cause for alarm. ��

Had some great sushi and got a chance to visit with friends. Thanks to @mark.ciarrocca and @thepleasantpalette for their hospitality and showing me around their awesome city!

Tomorrow I’m headed up to Kitty Hawk to check out the First Flight airport and Wright Brothers Memorial.

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It was a relatively short flight up to Wilmington from Hilton Head, which was a nice change from the 4-5 hour days I'd been doing.

When I was planning everything, I knew I couldn't do day after day of long flights. Not only would it be tough to stay focused and fresh, I wouldn't have much time to enjoy each location. I wasn't trying to complete the trip as quickly as possible. I wanted to be able to spend at least a little time exploring each location, even if it was just for one afternoon and evening.

The A5 has an advertised range of about 425 miles, but I'd decided to always have a bit of extra reserve, so I used 375 miles as my maximum. That still worked out to 4-5 hours of flying time on a single tank. Plus, I had some key points I was trying to hit, so sometimes it made more sense to have a shorter flight one day which would set me up better for a location I wanted to visit a day or two later.

This was the kind of iterating I did for months before heading out. Of course, all that planning could go right out the window if I got stuck somewhere due to weather or mechanical issues, but just being familiar with all the options meant it was easier to re-plan if that happened because I'd probably already done it before.

Day 15 - Jacksonville to Hilton Head

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 22:47:20 GMT

Jacksonville, FL (KCRG) to

Hilton Head, SC (KHXD) - June 29, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Woke up this morning, did my daily weather check and saw a line of thunderstorms that had developed right across my planned flight path. The line was moving north-northeast, so I decided to hold off leaving Jacksonville to give the storm time to move up and out of my way. It was a bit of a risk, because another line could build up right behind it, but after about 30 minutes I didn't see anything else popping up so I got fueled up and headed out.

It turned out to be a nice, smooth flight. Climbed up to 3500' so I was above some smaller clouds, got on with Air Traffic Control and cruised the 90 minutes up to Hilton Head.

Once I got close to Hilton Head I cancelled my flight following with ATC. I had time and fuel, so I decided to drop down low and have some fun flying along the coastline for the last 10 miles or so. On my approach to land at Hilton Head there was a commercial airliner holding while I puttered in at 65 knots. Stay where you are, big guy, the runway is mine. ��

I'd forgotten about all the Spanish Moss on the trees down here in the South. It adds a cool but slightly creepy feel to things. And seashells are the paving material of choice, apparently.

Tomorrow it's off to Wilmington, NC. Weather forecast looks clear, so hopefully no surprises in the morning

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I enjoy these shorter flights where I don't have to worry as much about fuel or timing. I don't feel like I'm on a schedule and can fly just for the pure joy of it.

I was able to get a room at the local Red Roof Inn, but it wasn't available right away, so I had a late lunch at a nearby restaurant.

Once my room was ready I took a dip in the hotel pool. This had become a sort of tradition as I flew through the heat wave that was happening at the time. With a big front canopy and no air conditioning in the A5, things could get a bit...spicy at times, so it was nice to be able to cool off. I'd also developed a killer farmer's tan even using SPF50 sun block.

I got all my backups and charging going then headed out to explore the island. Hilton Head appears to be 90% golf courses. I'm surprised they were willing to sacrifice the real estate for an airport, but I guess people have to get to the golfing somehow. ��

I wandered around for a while just relaxing and enjoying the scenery. Found a place for dinner and a few drinks, enjoyed a phenomenal sunset, some ice cream then headed back to the hotel.

Day 14 - Key West to Jacksonville

Sun, 28 Jun 2020 21:00:54 GMT

Key West, FL (KEYW) to
Jacksonville, FL (KCRG) - June 28, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Just a heads up - lots of pictures of clouds today.

It was definitely the right move getting out of Key West today and not waiting another day. The clouds were already starting to build as I got to the airport at 7:30am and it was looking like I’d be bucking a headwind all the way up the Keys.

By the time I made it to Miami there were some major storm clouds sitting along the coastline. That meant going inland and flying around the storm at a safe distance. It probably added another 30 minutes to my flight, which then also changed my planned fuel stop.

After getting fuel, I figured out a new path up to Jacksonville. The coastline was pretty clear and I started picking up a tailwind, so I was able to make good time for the rest of the trip.

I did fly over (well, next to) the Kennedy Space Center. Wish I’d been able to be in the air for the SpaceX launch the other day! I also flew over Daytona airport and the Daytona International Speedway, which are right next to each other. I guess neither one will complain about the noise!

Tomorrow it’ll be a relatively quick flight over to Hilton Head Island, SC then up to Wilmington, NC on Sunday and Kitty Hawk on Monday. I’m excited to land at the First Flight airport. What do you think Orville and Wilbur would make of the ICON A5?

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Departing out of Key West there was a military flight coming into the Naval Air Station so I got sent out and around north of them. As I was cruising along I realized there's a small restricted area northeast of the NAS. It's a surveillance balloon tethered to the ground that goes up to 14,000 feet. I had to quickly navigate around that and then over to the eastern side of the Keys for my flight back up the coast.

I did have a moment during this leg where I went on a rant to no one about the GoPro cameras. I was still fighting to try and get them to record consistently and had missed some great footage due to them failing. At one point I think my plan was to record my rant directly onto one of the cameras and then proceed to throw it in the ocean. If someone found it they'd have the whole story of how it got there. I ended up not doing that and got back to focusing on the weather.

I flew the entire length of Florida's east coast on this day. It was a long day and another example of on-the-fly decision making and re-planning. I had a receiver in the plane that showed weather updates directly onto the GPS navigation display, which made it easier to know what was going on all the way up the coast.

Before this technology was available I would've had to rely on air traffic control or flight service to give me weather updates. While these all work just fine, there's also another way to figure out the weather - look out the window! All the technology in the world can't beat seeing with your own eyes. I used a combination of all of these methods on this flight to dodge around the various storms.

It got a little tricky as I came back through Opa-Locka's airspace. There were a lot of aircraft all trying to maneuver around the storms, so things were getting bunched up and the controllers were even busier than normal. This is where having that previous knowledge of the airspace came in handy again. I was able to figure out a way around the storms, through Opa-Locka's airspace and up to Fort Lauderdale Executive airport (KFXE) all while avoiding the Miami Class B and Fort Lauderdale Class C airspaces. It's good that Florida doesn't have any mountains!

I did my fuel stop at Banyan Air Service at KFXE. I'd seen this FBO before on a few YouTube videos. It's a really nice FBO. I felt kind of underdressed and grubby after sweating it out coming up from Key West, but the office and ramp staff treated me like I'd flow in on a Citation jet and I was quickly on my way with full fuel and a cold water.

My final stop, after a little more cloud-dodging, was Jacksonville Executive Airport at Craig (KCRG). While the FBO wasn't as plush as Banyan, the staff there were every bit as helpful and nice.

I think there were only one or two FBOs I stopped at where I would say the service wasn't excellent - and even then people were always at least helpful.

I'll say again how vital this network of businesses is for general aviation. As I'm writing this recap in June of 2020, the airline industry is trying to get back on its feet after having pretty much shut down for 3 months. With Covid-19 cases still increasing in the US at this time, the thought of cramming onto a commercial plane with a couple hundred other people isn't something I'm comfortable doing yet - social distancing or not. I feel like airline travel needs to move away from the big hub-and-spoke model and back to smaller planes making shorter, more frequent hops. This is where having a strong network of smaller airports is so important, not just for airline travel but for emergency operations and critical response.

I really hope we don't lose this truly unique asset to our country. There's nothing like it anywhere else in the world, but once it's gone we can never get it back.

Day 13 - Miami to Key West

Sun, 28 Jun 2020 00:08:43 GMT

Miami, FL (KOPF) to
Key West, FL (KEYW) - June 27, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Used the experience I got from flying with Tobi yesterday to navigate the Opa-Locka airport departure and flying along the eastern Miami coastline. But this time I just kept going to Key Largo, Marathon and all the way down to Key West. I had to make one slight detour to avoid a big cloud build up, but otherwise it was smooth flying and got there in about 1:45.

Key West has that island feel where everything is a little slower and more laid back. I'm trying the conch fritters every chance I get. Had some for lunch at the Conch Flyer at the airport and again @conchrepublicseafoodcompany in downtown. I'm definitely not an expert, so they're all good to me. ��‍♂️

The sign at the Conch Republic bar reads: IITYWYBTBAR. Took a bit but I think I figured it out - If I Tell You Will You Buy The Bar A Round. Clever.

Met a really interesting couple, Robbie and Debbie, at Conch Republic. They're originally from New York, but retired to the central coast of Florida now. Great folks to pass the time with and compare life in LA vs NYC and Key West.

Also had some fish tacos at BO's Fish Wagon. They put cheese on them, which seems like it'd be wrong but it works! Great little place away from all the tourist stuff. Just my speed. Oh, and it wouldn't be Key West without a chicken. They're everywhere!

Tomorrow I'll head up to Jacksonville, FL. I was hoping to spend an extra day in Key West, but the weather looks like there might be thunderstorms on Saturday, so I'm going to try and get ahead of it. Of course, if I had to get stuck somewhere, Key West would be my first choice, but I have to get up to Massachusetts by July 5th, so I'm not taking any chances.

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Once I was out of the Miami area the flight down to Key West was pretty straightforward as far as the technical stuff, but the views were amazing. It's uncontrolled airspace through most of the Keys, so I was able to check out the islands and the turquoise blue water as I flew along.

As I got closer to KEYW, there's a Naval Air Station to the east, so I had to check in with them before getting handed off to Key West tower. It's a nice approach out over the water and the folks at the FBO were helpful getting me parked and shuttled back to their office. I'd checked ahead and knew there wasn't any kind of wash rack at the airport, so I didn't do any water landings - even though part of me wanted to just say 'screw it' and go for it.

The weather forecast was showing some major thunderstorms brewing in a few days, and as much as I would've liked to get stuck in Key West I did have a schedule I was trying to stick to.

This kind of planning was very different from my normal, local or overnight flights. I had to be thinking several days out and making decisions so I wouldn't put myself in a position where'd I'd be tempted to do something unsafe just to stay on schedule.

Since I'd just have the one night in Key West, I took a quick dip in the hotel pool then headed out for the downtown area. I probably ate and drank way too much, but there were a lot of things I wanted to try. I figured I'd just put one less gallon of gas in the plane the next day :-)

Day 12 - Miami

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 20:27:54 GMT

Miami Intercoastal and
South Beach - June 26, 2019

Original Instagram Post

No Meat and Potatoes today. This was back to using the A5 the way it's meant to be!

I met up with Tobi from @iconaircraft, who’s based here in Miami. We took off from Opa-Locka and headed straight for the Miami shoreline. Did a quick water landing north of the Miami Seaplane base then cruised along the skyline and down to Stiltsville, which is an old prohibition-era community-at-sea out away from the mainland where people went to drink and gamble during the time when that sort of thing was frowned upon. It’s abandoned but still intact. I was amazed that it wasn’t completely destroyed by vandals or something.

We flew up along South Beach, did one more water landing and then headed back to the airport.

The only downside? Had to spend 45 minutes washing the salt water off the plane afterwards. But, a small price to pay for getting a perspective on Miami that few people ever get to see!

After that we dropped by @prestigeimports and @prestige.aviation. I think my head was about to explode seeing that many super cars surrounding an ICON A5. Absolutely amazing place!

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It was great being able to fly with someone who was familiar with the area and could tell me the local best practices and general lay of the land. That would turn out to be more useful than I realized at the time, when I had to come through this area again on my way north.

Salt water flying sure does make for a long day. The A5 is mostly carbon fiber but there are still a lot of metal pieces and cables that will corrode quickly if they aren't cleaned off. I had to keep this in mind when planning my other flying days along the coast, since not all airports have a wash rack.

Oh, and being able to fold up the wings on the A5 makes it easier to find space at crowded FBOs. I had a few times along the way where an FBO said they didn't have hangar space, but once I folded the wings they were able to make it fit.

By the time we were done washing off the plane we had to hurry over to Prestige Imports for a quick meeting with the team there. Great end to another amazing day.

Day 11 - Tampa to Miami

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 20:31:21 GMT

Tampa, FL (KTPF) to
Miami, FL (KOPF) - June 25, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Today had to be some record high temps for Florida. It was already pretty hot when I left Tampa around 10am. I flew to Lake Okeechobee, but just did a fly over and kept on towards my final destination of Opa-Locka airport. In one area there were, I think, orange groves almost as far as you could see. It was agriculture from one horizon to the other!

Ops-Locka was busy when I got there. Lot's of different traffic coming in and out and a few folks doing pattern work and instrument approaches. The controller had me line up for the final to runway 12 but to expect a change to 9L. It certainly wasn't a standard approach. The controller was moving fast but was clear about what he wanted me to do. Flying around L.A. has definitely been good training for dealing with busy airspace and feeling confident in my radio skills.

I'd planned to fly around Miami a bit today, but after getting cooked the whole way down from Tampa I decided to call it a day and find some air conditioning. I parked the A5 next to its sibling for the night. It's surprising the places you can fit into once the wings are folded!

Tomorrow I'll do a flight around Miami with one of the local folks from ICON, so that'll be a good way to learn the lay of the land. Then it's down to Key West on Thursday.

A few stats so far:

- 2500 miles flown

- 36 hours of flying

- 138 gallons of fuel used.

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Looking back, I think the heat and hazy weather really affected my mood on this day. I got a later start departing out of Tampa, so the temperature was way up and humidity was through the roof. I was ranting to myself about the heat and humidity for most of the flight. I flew right over Lake Okeechobee and was thinking about landing, but after checking my fuel level and seeing some afternoon convection starting to build up, I opted to head straight for Opa-Locka.

I hadn't done as much flying in Tampa as I'd hoped. I'd originally planned to meet up with some of the ICON folks and do some rough water training, but they were over in Miami doing an event. I could've stuck around Tampa for another day, but I felt like there'd be more options for good flying in Miami, so I headed over there.

I can understand why some pilots don't like flying into busy airspace. If you've done all your training at uncontrolled fields or maybe flown into one controlled airport that doesn't get a lot of traffic it can be really intimidating. The controllers are busy handing a LOT of different aircraft, so you have to be quick and precise with your radio calls to avoid hogging too much time on the frequency. It's certainly more stressful, but there's a great feeling of satisfaction when you do it well.

I'd thought the pace of the trip would be speeding up at this point, but in a way it kind of slowed down. I was 11 days in and had already traversed the whole country from one coast to the other. It felt like I'd be done way sooner than the eight weeks I'd planned. But, I'd also put in a few long days of flying and had to bypass my stop in Austin, TX.

In the coming days I was going all the way down to Key West and then following the coast up to Maine, so I'd be flying the entire Eastern seaboard - about 2,200 miles. That's roughly as far as I'd flown to get to Miami and I had many more stops planned along the way.

Day 10 - Orlando to Tampa

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 21:39:37 GMT

Orlando, FL (KORL) to
Tampa, FL (KTPF) - June 24, 2019

Original Instagram Post

This is the first part of the trip where the pace really changed. With all the great places to fly (and land) in Florida, I’ve set aside several days to check out Miami, Key West and a bunch of lakes in the area.

It was a quick flight from Orlando to Tampa this morning. I met up with the ICON folks at Peter O Knight airport (KTPF) and had some general maintenance done on the A5.

While that's happening, I went back to the Rusty Pelican, a restaurant I visited when I was in Tampa several years ago. It’s a nice, old-school style place with a good menu and great service. I had my first of what will probably be many conch fritters and key lime pie as I head down into the Keys.

Tomorrow I'll fly to Miami. I may make a slight detour to land on Lake Okeechobee.

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Since the flight over to Tampa was fairly short, I recorded some narration while I flew along. The GoPros were cooperating (mostly) so I figured it was a good chance for a recap. I talked about some of the technical parts of the flight, a bit about my journey so far and just whatever came to mind and cut it into a short video and posted on YouTube. I didn't think much of it, honestly.

A day or so later, ICON Aircraft linked to that video in one of their social media posts and the next thing I knew the view counter was going through the roof. As of right now, one year later, it has over 500,000 views.

This is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, since I was trying to generate interest in general aviation, I wanted to get as much visibility for my trip as I could. But, it also means you get the worst part of social media; know-it-all commenters. I know, I know...don't read the comments. But, I found it discouraging the amount of effort certain people put into finding some small thing to be negative about. This was mostly a YouTube thing. My daily Instagram posts were almost 100% positive.

I was already backing off on the amount of images and video I was capturing each day. I came to the realization early on in the trip that if I tried to really document everything the way I wanted, I would be spending all my time trying to get just the right picture or video shot. The danger with that is you're so involved with the mechanics of documenting everything that you actually miss out on being present in the moment. This is a big deal for me and I decided this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and while I wanted to capture as much of it for posterity as I could, I also wanted to have the memories in my head, not just as video and pictures.

So, based on all that I decided I wouldn't post another YouTube video unless I had something really interesting to show - and I ultimately ended up turning off comments on that one video. I still did some narration while flying and I have that footage if I decide to do something more with it, but I didn't want to spend precious time while I was on the road creating stuff that would just feed the trolls.

Day 9 - Lake Apopka, FL

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 20:25:57 GMT

Taking a first-timer up - June 23, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Spent today locally here in Orlando. I took my friend Eduardo's son, Marcus, for his first flight in a small plane. He was a little nervous at first but I let him get some stick time and the kid was a natural. I think he was holding altitude better than I was. ��

It's experiences like this that are the driving factor for doing this trip, so it was a great day!

Tomorrow is a short flight over to Tampa to meet up with the ICON folks there and plan out some water adventures over the next several days. Can't wait!

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One of my goals for this trip was to get people interested in general aviation, so being able to take someone up for the first time was a lot of fun. My only regret is that due to the flap issue I wasn't able to land on the lake. Probably just as well since you want to leave something for their second flight. �� Still, this was one chance to do some water ops that I was sorry to have to miss.

The rest of the day was spent hanging around, relaxing, having a few drinks and more pool time. With the summer heat going full blast I was taking full advantage of the pools at each stop. I was very aware of not pushing myself too much early on. This was planned as an 8-week trip that ended up being nine weeks by the end, so I needed to rest up when I could. It was a marathon, not a sprint.

Day 8 - New Orleans to Orlando

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 22:33:22 GMT

New Orleans, LA (KNEW) to
Orlando, FL (KORL) - June 22, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Another time zone change today going from New Orleans to Orlando. Last one for a while, thankfully. I'll be on East Coast time for the next few weeks.

The weather was hot and humid for the whole 500 miles I covered today, the longest flying day so far - and I have no air conditioning and no autopilot!

I did hit exactly 100 hours total time on the A5 when I stopped for fuel at Apalachicola, FL. Great little FBO, by the way.

When I got to Orlando I had good friends there to welcome me and help beat the heat. Plus, the A5 got to share a hangar with a cool Cirrus VisionJet.

I also want to give a shout out to all the air traffic controller for providing amazing service. I know a lot of pilots are intimidated to talk to ATC, but it's really nothing to be afraid of. They're great to work with and getting flight following increases the safety of the whole system. The more you do it, the easier it becomes, so use it every chance you get.

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When I was planning all the legs of the trip, I purposely chose smaller airports for some of my fuel and overnight stops. This wasn't just to avoid complex airspace. My home airport is in LA, which has some of the most complex airspace in the country, so I'm comfortable going in and out of Class C and D airports. But I wanted to give the smaller airports some attention. As I mentioned previously, these small airports are the backbone of the general aviation network. There were only a few spots where I had limited options for fuel stops, but I still had options.

On this day I started out at Lakefront airport in New Orleans, which is a Class D that's tucked underneath the New Orleans International Class B. It's a good sized airport and pretty busy. Compare that with my fuel stop at Apalachicola, a small, fairly quiet regional airport with not a lot of traffic and no control tower

When I landed at Apalachicola, the guy driving the fuel truck came up and said "Wow, second one of these I've seen today!" That's not typically the response I get when I show up with the A5, but I knew there was another A5 owner in the process of flying his plane back from ICON headquarters in Vacaville to his home in Miami. I'd hoped we might be able to meet up at some point and fly a few hops together, but he wasn't taking the slow, scenic route like I was and had caught up and passed me. I'd be in Miami in a few days so we decided to catch up there. Apparently, he'd made a fuel stop just an hour before I'd landed. So close...and interesting that we ended up choosing the same airport to stop at.

After Apalachicola I got back on with ATC since I knew I'd be flying into the crowded airspace around Orlando. I was greeted at Orlando Executive airport by my good friend Eduardo and his family. I'd be spending the weekend with them and the plan was to give their son Marcus a ride in the A5 the next day. But for today it was a dip in the pool followed by a few drinks and a home-cooked meal. Eating out at restaurants every day is fun, but it starts to take its toll after a while. This was a really nice way to wrap up my first full week on the road. Only eight more to go!

Day 7 - Dallas to New Orleans

Sun, 21 Jun 2020 20:09:37 GMT

Dallas, TX (KDTO) to
New Orleans, LA (KNEW) - June 21, 2019

Original Instagram Post

I had to make a tough call today. My original plan was to fly from Dallas to Austin and visit with some old friends there. But, the weather was showing really strong winds coming straight out of the south at 30 knots, which is more than I felt comfortable with for landing. So, I decided to fly straight to New Orleans. I'm really disappointed to miss catching up with friends I haven't seen in a long time, but I wasn't comfortable with trying to land in those strong winds.

Denton airport is just north of DFW International, so on my departure I was sliding along in between all the incoming jet traffic. Check out that screenshot! It's like the weirdest game of Frogger ever ��

Once I got above the clouds it was smooth all the way to my fuel stop at Natchitoches [KIER], which I learned is pronounced NAKA-tush - or something thereabout. I met a wonderful guy named Shenandoah who helped me fuel up and then it was on to Lakefront [KNEW] airport in New Orleans.

I was climbing in and around some really big clouds for a bit until I could get on top of them again. I followed the Mississippi River south towards New Orleans and then the approach to Lakeview over Lake Pontchartrain and that seemingly endless causeway.

For dinner I wanted to go back to a small restaurant I went to years ago; Coop's Place. While I was waiting for a space at the bar, I met Phil and Tim - two guys who were staying at a nearby hostel. I ended up sitting next to Phil at the bar and we had a great time talking about all kinds of stuff. It's another case of getting to meet some really interesting and fun people!

For tomorrow, I've changed plans yet again. I'll fly to Orlando Executive [KORL] instead of Tampa. I lost track of days and forgot tomorrow is Saturday, so it didn't make sense to arrive in Tampa until Monday. Gotta be flexible and ready to change plans at any time!

��

Checking the weather the morning of this flight it was clear that I wasn't going to make it to Austin. Winds were 30-50 knots straight out of the south, which meant I'd be bucking a significant headwind the whole way to Austin. It's about 180 nautical miles from Denton to Austin. At normal cruise speeds that'd be a 2.5 hour flight, roughly. But, with a 30 knot headwind that goes up over 3.5 hours, which means I would've had to think about a fuel stop, adding even more time to the flight.

All of that would be manageable but the real challenge is arriving at Austin Executive airport. The runway there was oriented so I would've had about a 25 knot crosswind. The maximum demonstrated crosswind for the A5 is 12 knots. While that's not a specific limitation, clearly double that isn't going to be a good time. So, I opted to skip Austin and head straight to New Orleans.

This was the first location I'd had to skip because of weather and it meant not being able to meet up with old friends who I hadn't seen in many, many years.

The weather wasn't perfect en route to New Orleans, either, but I'd be flying away from the strong winds. This was another opportunity for getting a lot of experience flying through changing weather. It wasn't awful, but there were some areas of bigger cloud buildup that I had to work around and some spots that I had to decide whether to go above or below a cloud layer. It's a great chance to push outside your normal comfort level without taking big risks and once again I was happy with the decisions I made. The weather in New Orleans was gray and windy, so landing on Lake Pontchartrain wouldn't have been an option even if my flaps had been working.

New Orleans was a convenient distance for a stop, plus it's a classic city that seemed a shame to just fly past. One of the advantages of having traveled a lot for work prior to this trip is that I've discovered some really great places over the years. So, when New Orleans became a planned stop I immediately knew I'd be going to Coop's Place. It's definitely high on my recommendation list.

I walked around the French Quarter a little before dinner. It isn't my favorite area. I do like all the live music, but Bourbon Street feels like it's lost some magic. I'll be the first to admit this may be because I'm older, though.

Day 6 - Midland to Dallas

Sat, 20 Jun 2020 21:27:42 GMT

Midland, TX (KMDO) to
Dallas, TX (KDTO) - June 20, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Just a 'short' three hour flight to Dallas today. Not a lot of mountains or canyons to look at, but the landscape turned from brown to green, which was comforting to me.

There was a cloud layer that started around Abilene and I wasn't sure if it would break up by the time I got to Dallas. So, I relied on the best weather source there is, an eye witness on the ground, and got confirmation that skies were clear! Landed just as the winds were starting to get going.

Spent the rest of the day enjoying the hospitality of good friends now living in Dallas and caught up on hotel reservations for the upcoming legs. Tomorrow it's on to New Orleans! Had to abandon plans to go to Austin - I need to get to Tampa sooner than expected.

��

Better scenery going from Midland to Dallas. I was a little worried about the clouds closing in before I could get there, but I only hit one section where I was on top of the cloud layer. I could still see the ground through the holes and as I got closer to Denton airport it was pretty much clear.

The DFW airspace was a little tricky. There are a lot of other small airports around, so I was on with ATC to ensure I didn't bust through some random airport's space.

One of the controllers started asking me questions about my plane over the radio. I thought he'd be too busy to chit-chat, so I kept my answers pretty short. But he just kept peppering me with questions so eventually I told him about the journey I was on and gave him the website address. If I remember right, someone else on the frequency caught it and I got a comment from them at one point, which was kinda neat.

I didn't get a lot of bonus pics on this leg. Not because the scenery wasn't great, I was just a little focused on the flight itself and the weather so I didn't grab the camera. My battle with the GoPros continued also. The process of rebooting them every morning seemed to help, but I was still having issues running the two interior cams off an external battery so I had to be selective with when to hit record.

I had a small mechanical issue after landing at Denton. The A5 doesn't need flaps when landing on a normal runway. They're used for water and short/soft field operations, so I didn't have them down for the landing. The wind on the ground was gusting, though, and sometimes those gusts can bang the spring-loaded flaps around. So, I lowered the flaps while I was taxiing back to the FBO, which keeps them locked in place. But, when I tried to retract them they didn't budge. After some troubleshooting it was clear that the flaps were functional but the flap motor wasn't working. I put a call in to ICON and they verified that I was still OK to fly, just no water or short/soft field operations and they would look at it when I got to the ICON facility in Tampa in a few days.

It wasn't ideal, but at least I wasn't grounded completely. My plans were to go to Austin the next day then New Orleans and then Tampa, so I'd have to stay off the water for a couple days - not the end of the world. Plus, the weather forecast was making it look like I'd have to skip Austin altogether due to strong winds coming out of the south. But, I decided to wait until the morning and see what the weather looked like before making a final decision.

I met up with Dirk, Kristen and Jake, who'd moved to Dallas about a year earlier. It was great being able to see their new place, splash around in the pool and have some awesome food. I hadn't been on the road long enough to feel like I was missing sleeping in a "real" bed, but it was still nice to be in a home and not a hotel. Even got some laundry done!

Day 5 - Truth or Consequences to Midland

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 21:58:24 GMT

T or C, NM (KTCS) to
Midland, TX (KMDO) - June 19, 2019

Original Instagram Post

This was definitely another Meat and Potatoes day.

I have to admit that this part of the journey is less of an adventure and more of a transition.

When I got to the T or C airport around 8am this morning, the wind was already picking up. The A5 had spent the night in the hangar with some interesting company.

I followed the Rio Grande to the south and then headed east at El Paso. The White Sands Missile Range is a huge restricted area just north of El Paso and east of T or C. I couldn't fly through it, so I had to go down and around.

I'd originally planned to go to Midland in one flight, but after checking my fuel it seemed better to make a stop at Winkler airport (KINK ��), fuel up there and fly the last 45 minutes or so to Midland. I've heard too many stories of people running out of fuel because they didn't want to make the extra stop, so I'm not gonna become one of them.

It was 110 degrees in Midland when I arrived and I lost motivation pretty quickly for exploring. The Midland International Air and Space Port had originally caught my attention, but it turns out it was just named that to allow the now defunct XCOR Aerospace to test their spaceship designs. ��

I ended up grabbing dinner at @michaelscharcoalgrill. It's got an aviation theme, so it seemed appropriate enough.

Tomorrow it's over to Dallas to meet up with some friends there and do some laundry.

Oh, also, I've posted a short video on my YouTube channel with a summary of the first five days. Link is in my profile.

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Coming out of T or C and down into El Paso was more of that desert beauty with the mountains and cliffs rising up out of basically flat land. It's always impressive to see from the air.

The area to the west of Midland, however, wins the record for worst scenery of the entire trip - and I mean the WHOLE trip, not just up to this point.

It was nothing but flat, gray/brown land with oil derricks, miles of pipes and vertical vents burning off excess gas. And it was another scorching hot day. It's a real contrast from the previous few days. With no water in sight for miles, the A5 felt a little out of its element, but it was still doing fine getting from A to B. I was pleased with my decision-making skills and not pushing to try and get all the way to Midland without making a fuel stop. It may seem like a simple thing, but there's an aviation disease called "get-there-itis" which causes pilots to make bad decisions. The closer you get to your destination, the stronger the pull of get-there-itis. This can lead to running out of gas or flying into bad weather all in the name of trying to make it to the final destination.

As the saying goes;

It's better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air than the other way around.

Winkler was a perfect example of a small airport that allowed me to fuel up and get on my way. If those were gone I would've had to completely change my plan for today and might've had to divert to an alternate airport instead.

I can't stress enough how important the entire system of local airports is. Not only are they helpful for small aircraft to navigate across the country, they're critical for infrastructure in rural areas and disaster response.

My motel in Midland was kinda rough, but the room was clean and it was within walking distance of food. As I was walking to dinner I went through a section of sidewalk that was completely overrun with huge ants. Everything's bigger in Texas, right? I actually crossed the street rather than walk through them. They probably could've carried me off if they wanted to.

I spent some time after dinner cutting together the video about the first 5 days of the trip. The GoPros seemed to be hanging in there, but I had to abandon my plan of running the cockpit camera for the entire flight. I'd hope to be able to capture the front view and cockpit/radio audio so I would at least have that to cut together, but the wing camera continued to have problems connecting to my phone and the cockpit camera wasn't recharging off my external battery pack. It was tough to troubleshoot because I was busy flying the airplane all the time, but I was able to try a few things and came up with a system that let me run the cameras when something interesting was happening. The wing cam was still hit or miss, but giving it a hard reboot every morning seemed to help. Still wasn't thrilled with the GoPro experience.

On a completely separate note, I should point out that I'm writing this recap as the entire world is several months into the Coronavirus pandemic. It was incredibly fortunate that everything aligned last year and allowed me to do this trip. If I'd put it off one more year I would've most likely had to cancel. Timing really is everything.

Day 4 - Lake Powell to Truth or Consequences

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 19:26:21 GMT

Page, AZ (KPGA) to
T or C, NM (KTCS) - June 18, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Today was what I’m calling a ‘Meat and Potatoes Day’. No meeting people on boats, no canyon flying, and no water landings or takeoffs. Just getting from one place to another. Still had great scenery to look at and met some nice folks along the way.

Started off talking to some pilots who fly scenic tours around the Grand Canyon and Lake Powell. Mental note: see if they are hiring ��.

I could’ve chatted all day, but I had places to go.

The first leg, from Page to St. Johns was pretty straightforward. It's cool when these little pockets of green pop up in the middle of the desert.

I flew over Winslow Arizona and sang a few bars about standing on a corner etc. etc., then landed at St. Johns (KSJN) around 11am - or maybe it was 12pm - the time zones are messing with me around here. Can we all just agree to stay on Daylight Saving Time all year?

St. John’s is a really small airport and I ended up talking with these two guys for a while. But, again, I had to get going because I knew the weather was going to change if it got much later in the day.

After refueling, I took off East towards the town of Socorro, NM then followed the Rio Grande down to Truth or Consequences. I had a 25 knot tail wind and saw a ground speed of 106 knots, so made good time...until I got closer to Socorro, where there was a lot of cloud buildup that I had to dodge around.

Things got better once I was past Socorro, but the wind at T or C was gusting up to 24 knots and changing direction every minute, which was a fun way to end a long day of flying. The staff at T or C airport were great. They had space in a hangar overnight and even let me use the crew car to get to my hotel.

I'm staying at the Sierra Grande spa. You get a complimentary 30 minute soak in a mineral bath with your room. That, along with a great meal at the restaurant, certainly helped to unwind.

Tomorrow I head to Midland, TX. I think they have some space stuff going on there.

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Despite my comment about just trying to get from one place to another, I purposely didn't fly straight from Page to T or C for a few reasons. First, I was thinking I might stop in Winslow, AZ. I learned that there's a park called "Standing on the Corner Park" to commemorate the line from the Eagles song "Take it Easy". Not that I'm a huge Eagles fan, or particularly love that song, but when something is called out so specifically I feel like it's worth stopping to check it out. But, I was more interested in making it to my final destination for the day, so I just flew over instead.

My fuel stop in St. John's took a little longer than expected. There was one guy working the FBO and another who was a local pilot. I was probably their only customer that day, so they had plenty to talk about. Part of me wanted to get going, but I also didn't want to cut the discussion short since hearing the local stories was part of why I was doing this trip after all.

After about 45 minutes I said my goodbyes and got ready for the second leg into Truth or Consequences.

I took a bit of a weird path because I didn't want to cut through the Military area near St. John's. It's not restricted, and I *could* fly through there but I also wanted to fly along the Rio Grande for a while, so heading more due east would give me several miles of tracking the river. A detour like that isn't as time-consuming as landing and going sightseeing, so it was a good trade off for not stopping in Winslow and I hadn't lost too much time talking with the guys at St. John's. As it turned out, a line of thunderstorms were sitting right over that Military area so I had to go around them anyway.

As I was going over Socorro I caught a downdraft that was pushing me down at about 2000 feet/minute. It caught me off guard but I just had to turn a little to the left (away from the big cumulus cloud on my right) and I was out of it in a couple seconds. Having flown gliders when I was younger, I was used to being in and around cumulus clouds. Thankfully those instincts are still rattling around in my head all these years later.

Truth or Consequences is another small town with not a lot going on. I walked around the town in about 15 minutes and it seemed like a lot of places were closed. But, the people were all very nice and it was relaxing to be away from the crowds of LA.

The mineral bath WAS pretty cool and and unexpected perk. I ended up eating at the hotel restaurant, which was really good.

I wonder what will ultimately happen to all these smaller towns. They manage to keep going on tourism or some local industry, but it doesn't feel like they're thriving. I imagine a lot of younger folks are looking for opportunities that will take them away, too.

The United States has the best airspace system in the world, with a network of small airports like St. John's and T or C. For a trip like this, with a plane that isn't designed for long range, the small airports and towns are critical for fuel stops and alternate landing sites in case I run into bad weather. Without them it certainly would've been more difficult to do a trip like this, and would've been a very different experience - not for the better.

Day 3 - Lake Powell and Horseshoe Bend

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 21:10:32 GMT

Lake Powell and Page, AZ - June 17, 2019

Original Instagram Post

No travel today. I got up and out early to take advantage of the (relatively) cooler temps.

It was absolutely surreal to fly in and around all the canyons that make up Lake Powell. I flew up to Rainbow Bridge, which was tucked into a little canyon, so I almost missed it. I was also caught a bit off guard when I crossed the state line into Utah and suddenly the time on the GPS jumped ahead one hour.

I did manage a few landings on the lake, but I was so awe-struck I didn't even stop to take a picture! I did get some video, though. The high density altitude made for some looong takeoff runs!

After returning to Page airport and Classic Aviation (who were nice enough to drive me to my hotel - twice) I hopped a taxi down to Horseshoe Bend. This is a really cool natural formation where the river does a 180 turn and the walls of the canyon are really steep. I was there with about a thousand of my closest friends ��.

Tomorrow it's on to Truth or Consequences, NM and then, because the weather through central Texas is looking especially exciting, I'll most likely be stopping overnight in Odessa before continuing on to Dallas on Thursday.

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This was another amazing day of flying. Being able to fly down below the rim of the canyons and follow the winding paths of the lake never, ever got old.

Looking back, I'd say Lake Mead and Lake Powell are in the top 5 best days of the entire trip. That's mostly because I was doing exactly what the A5 is meant to do. There were plenty of other great flying experiences, but the days on the water really do stand out.

The water takeoff from Lake Powell was interesting because I had a guy on a waverunner who saw me land, cruised over nearby and was sort of hanging around. I started to take off and you can see him racing along next to me in the video from the wing camera. The high temperature and choppy water made it feel like forever before I finally lifted off and climbed away from him.

After a little more splashing around I decided to call it a day and head back to the airport. Even though it was still early, the convection was building up quickly, so I decided not to try and get to Marble Canyon. If this had been later in the trip I might've gone. I definitely built up a lot more confidence as I logged more hours and dealt with different weather. But, three days into the trip I was still taking baby steps.

Horseshoe Bend was kind of interesting. I didn't have a car, so I had to take a taxi. It wasn't too far and the taxi driver said they do it all the time so no big deal. I didn't realize it was such a tourist attraction, but there were a TON of people there. Several tour buses in the parking lot dumping hundreds of people.

It's a short, but not insignificant walk to the overlook area and it was mid-afternoon hot. I was worried some of my fellow trekkers weren't going to make it.

Once I got to the overlook I had to stand at one area of the railing and wait for other people to move out of the way before I was able to get a clean shot of Horseshoe Bend. I walked around for a few minutes trying to get away from the crowd and check out the rest of the view. I really like the desert landscape. It's a different kind of beauty from the green woods that I'd be flying towards over the next few days.

After about 20 minutes I went back to the parking lot and called the taxi again.

Dinner was at a Mexican restaurant, El Tapatio. I haven't been doing a lot of research to find the BEST restaurants at my various stops. I prefer to just wander around and choose something that catches my eye. It's a risk, but usually works out OK. I'm also not very picky.

One question I get asked a lot is how I chose each of my stops. The whole idea started out as a list of places around the country that I thought would be interesting to fly the A5 and also some places around the country where I have friends to visit.

It sort of evolved from that into how I could connect them all up into a single trip. If I'd tried to do everything on my list it would've taken many, many months, so I started prioritizing the locations. I also planned to get an early start and fly just a few hours each day. This meant I was flying during the calmer morning hours and gave me time to explore each location in the afternoon.

I also knew I wouldn't be able to take more than a couple months, realistically, so that further narrowed down where to go. That's when I started having to eliminate some destinations in the middle of the country. It was too time-consuming to try and hit all of them. Even narrowing down and taking two months, I could usually only spend an overnight at each location. I did have some places where I scheduled multiple days so I could explore more and also have some buffer in case I got stuck somewhere (foreshadowing), but for the most part I was on the move every day.

Day 2 - Lake Mead to Lake Powell

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 20:37:54 GMT

Boulder City, NV (KBVU) to
Page, AZ (KPGA) - June 16, 2019

Original Instagram Post

A little slower pace for my second day.

I had clear skies coming out of Lake Mead but saw a few thunderstorms popping up along my route.

Decided to change the plan to avoid those storms, which ended up being a little shorter than my initial scenic route and put me closer to the north rim of the Grand Canyon as well.

The scenery here is just incredible in every direction. I dodged around a couple more storms and got into Page, AZ at noon.

With the weather forecast not looking great, I decided to hold off on any lake flying until tomorrow. Got checked in at the hotel, explored the city a little bit, and had a great burger @state48tavern.

It’ll be an early start tomorrow, since more storms are predicted for the late morning and afternoon.

��

My original plan was to take a more northern route between Boulder City and Page to follow a string of airport that gave me good options in case of an emergency. But, radar was showing thunderstorms building up all along that area, so I opted for a more direct route. It meant climbing a little higher to clear some mountains, but that was better than trying to thread around building storms. I did hit a small blast of rain as I got closer to Page - just some sprinkles, nothing major.

I'd hoped to do a quick refuel and then fly to Marble Canyon (L41) at the north-east end of the Grand Canyon but the afternoon convection was already in full swing so I decided to postpone that and see if I could get there the next day.

This was the beginning of another sort of trend throughout this trip. I had made big plans for all the things I wanted to do at each location, but I had to weigh that against my personal limits dealing with more challenging terrain and weather. I know some of the decisions I made ended up depriving me of amazing flying experiences, but I didn't ever want to do something I didn't feel comfortable with. Better to be around to fly another day.

The folks at the FBO, Classic Aviation, gave me a ride to my hotel. I got checked in and settled into my room. As part of my planning I'd developed a routine for copying and backing up all my video and photo files from the day and making sure all the devices were plugged in and charging. I had it pretty well automated, so I was able to leave it running and went out to the pool for a soak.

The first few days of the trip were REALLY hot. There was a heat wave across most of the southern U.S. The A5 has amazing visibility with a large front windshield, but the downside is I was baking in the sun for several hours a day. There's no air conditioning in the A5 (it'd add too much weight) and I didn't want to remove the side windows because the wind noise gets to be too much on longer flights.

After taking a swim and cooling down I went back to the room, showered and headed out to find some dinner. It had cooled off a bit, so I walked from my hotel into the downtown area and found State 48 Tavern. It's a cool place with some decent bar food and plenty of beers to choose from.

I walked around Page a little after dinner. I like just exploring around and seeing where it takes me. The town is definitely geared towards summer vacationers with a variety of restaurants and bars.

When I got back to the room I checked the file copies and put together my daily Instagram/Facebook post. This became a pretty normal routine throughout the trip. I didn't have many late nights because I was trying to be up and out early each day to beat the heat.

The GoPro saga continued on this leg. When I checked the footage the cockpit camera was a freeze-frame for almost the entire trip from Boulder City to Page. The side camera seemed to be working OK and the wing camera behaved better this time. So frustrating to not be getting the cockpit view, though.

Being only the second day it hadn't fully set in yet what I was doing. While it was important to stay focused and safe on each flight, I had to keep reminding myself to stop and enjoy the moments. I kept repeating the quote from Ferris Bueller;

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

Day 1 - Torrance to Lake Mead

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 01:11:51 GMT

Torrance, CA (KTOA) to
Boulder City, NV (KBVU) - June 15, 2019

Original Instagram Post

Wow! What an amazing first day!

Had a rocky start in the morning waiting for the marine layer to burn off.

Flew east past Palm Springs then on the Laughlin, NV for a quick fuel stop, where it was 108 degrees.

Slow climb out of there following Lake Mohave and the Colorado River north to Lake Mead.

Found the boat full of people I’d planned to meet, landed on the lake and pulled right up alongside. Now THAT’S the way to start off this adventure!

��

Not gonna lie. I was definitely nervous as I got ready to start this massive undertaking. I'd been planning, refining, studying and calculating for months before, but when that day finally came to climb into the plane and take off, knowing that I would't be returning to the same airport for two months, it was a weird mix of anticipation, excitement and a healthy touch of fear - not in my piloting abilities, but just in not knowing what challenges I might face along the way and how I would handle them.

I'd hoped to be wheels up by 8am so I could get to Lake Mead before it got too late. Unfortunately, the marine layer stuck around Torrance until almost 11am.

There were still some clouds when I took off from KTOA, but it was VFR and I was able to stay under them until around Fullerton where there were some breaks in the clouds and I could climb up above the layer. Once I was over Corona the clouds broke up completely and I had clear skies all the way to my fuel stop at Laughlin/Bullhead International.

The big factor was the rising temperature. By the time I reached Laughlin it was 108 degrees. As temperatures rise aircraft performance drops, so you have to be really careful since the plane will require more runway to takeoff and won't have the same performance. Thankfully, they have a nice, long runway at KIFP, so it wasn't a huge factor for me in my small plane.

The heat did affect the GoPro cameras I was using, though. I had 3 cameras set up; one in the back of the cockpit shooting out the front window for a nice panorama, a second inside the cockpit pointed out the right side window and a third out on the left wing shooting the side of the plane. This gave me a few different angles as I flew along. I was recording on all 3 cameras but when I looked at the footage afterwards the forward-pointing camera had a freeze-frame image on it for most of the flight. I also lost communication with the wing camera shortly after takeoff. Since it was mounted out on the wing I had to control it from my phone to stop and start recording. I'd hoped to capture the takeoff out of Laughlin then put it to sleep to reserve battery power and wake it up for my landing at Lake Mead. But, since I lost communication it just kept recording until it ran out of juice.

I'd done a LOT of testing with the cameras before I left, but never anything like 100+ degree heat. Little did I know this would be the beginning of an ongoing fight with the GoPros. More on that in the future, but if you're wondering why I don't have any shots of the Lake Mead landing, that's the reason.

Getting to Lake Mead was pretty straightforward. I had planned to meet up right on the lake with Kevin, who I'd only met through email. I let Kevin know I'd gotten a late start but texted once I was leaving Laughlin and he sent me coordinates for where they were hanging out on the lake, over on the eastern side.

I started out following the river north out of Laughlin but that would've led to the western part of the lake so eventually I broke off and headed directly for where the boat was parked. I was only a couple thousand feet above the ground, so I had to dodge some small mountains on my way but made it up to the lake and found the boat.

I landed nearby and water taxied up closer before shutting down. I figured the boat was way more maneuverable on the water than I was, so I let them come to me, threw them a line and hopped over onto the boat. This was one of the coolest things I'd done with the A5 up to this point.

I hung out for maybe 30 minutes or so and talked with Kevin and the other folks on the boat, but since it was later in the afternoon than planned the wind and waves were starting to pick up, so it was time to get a move on.

My first takeoff attempt I had to abort. It seemed to be taking way too long to get airborne, even factoring in for the higher density altitude, plus I ran through a boat wake that started bouncing me around. After slowing down I re-checked the wind and realized it had shifted 180 degrees from when I'd landed, so I'd been trying to take off with a tailwind. Thankfully I had plenty of lake to work with, but I still cursed myself for not having paid more attention. The second attempt went much smoother and I was able to do a fly-by of my new friends on the boat.

I flew back to Boulder City while Kevin and crew took the boat back to the marina, trailered it up and then he picked me up at the airport so we could all grab dinner. Kevin and his wife had graciously offered for me to stay at their house overnight and get me back to the airport first thing in the morning. We had some pizza and sat around telling stories and joking like we'd known each other for years. What an amazingly welcoming group. It was the perfect way to end the first day!

Re-living the Fly Casual Tour

Wed, 06 May 2020 17:23:00 GMT

Once More, With Feeling!

Hard to believe, but it's been nearly a year since I started my trip around the US.

While I was traveling, I posted daily to my Instagram and Facebook Page , but I didn't have the time to do a blog post every day. So, I thought it would be good timing to re-post the trip here. I have more space to get into the details of each day, post other pics and video, and have the benefit of hindsight for a different perspective on things - all without the pressure of flying every day and managing all the travel logistics.

I'll start posting on June 15th (the same DATE I started last year, although it'll be a Monday instead of a Saturday) and will post daily for the 64-day duration - and probably at least one wrap-up post at the end.

I've updated the Home page of this website to countdown to the start of the re-flight, so check in daily and join me as I look back at a once-in-a-lifetime Fly Casual experience.

Flying the ICON A5 around the United States

Day 64 - Vacaville to Torrance

Vacaville, CA (KVCB) to Torrance, CA (KTOA) - August 17, 2019

Day 63 - Vacaville

Lake Berryessa - August 16, 2019

Day 62 - Vacaville

Vacaville, CA - August 15, 2019

Day 61 - Medford to Vacaville

Medford, OR (KMFR) to Vacaville, CA (KVCB) - August 14, 2019

Day 60 - Eugene to Medford

Eugene, OR (KEUG) to Medford, OR (KMFR) - August 13, 2019

Day 59 - Eugene

Prepping and Planning - August 12, 2019

Day 58 - Eugene and McMinnville

Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum - August 11, 2019

Day 57 - Seattle to Eugene

Paine Field, WA (KPAE) to Eugene, OR (KEUG) - August 10, 2019

Day 56 - Boeing Field

Museum of Flight - August 9, 2019

Day 55 - Seattle and Sanderson

Trying to meet up with other A5 owners in Seattle - August 8, 2019

Day 54 - Seattle and Lake Washington

Lake Washington and Seattle - August 7, 2019

Day 53 - Sandpoint to Seattle

Sandpoint, ID (KSZT) to Paine Field, WA (KPAE) - August 6, 2019

Day 52 - Kalispell to Sandpoint

Kalispell, MT (S27) to Sandpoint, ID (KSZT) - August 5, 2019

Day 51 - Havre to Kalispell

Havre, MT (KHVR) to Kalispell, MT (S27) - August 4, 2019

Day 50 - Devil's Lake to Havre

Devil's Lake, ND (KDVL) to Havre, MT (KHVR) - August 3, 2019

Day 49 - On The Road Again

Brainerd, MN (KBRD) to Devil's Lake, ND (KDVL) - August 2, 2019

Day 48 - Groundhog Day

Stuck in Brainerd - Day 6 - August 1, 2019

Day 47 - More Brainerd

Stuck in Brainerd - Day 5 - July 31, 2019

Day 46 - Brainerd, What now?

Stuck in Brainerd - Day 4 - July 30, 2019

Day 45 - Boating in Brainerd

Stuck in Brainerd - Day 3 - July 29, 2019

Day 44 - Brainerd Exploration

Stuck in Brainerd - Day 2 - July 28, 2019

Day 43 - Brainerd...Get Comfortable

Stuck in Brainerd - Day 1 - July 27, 2019

Day 42 - Brainerd and Gull Lake

Gull Lake and a Muffler Issue - July 26, 2019

Day 41 - Green Bay to Brainerd

Green Bay, WI (KGRB) to Brainerd, MN (KBRD) - July 25, 2019

Day 40 - Airventure 2019

"Welcome to Oshkosh" - July 24, 2019

Day 39 - Harbor Springs to Green Bay

Making my way to Oshkosh - July 23, 2019

Day 38 - Around Traverse Bay

Harbor Springs, Lake Charlevoix and Torch Lake - July 22, 2019

Day 37 - Muskegon to Mackinac/Harbor Springs

Muskegon (KMKG) to Harbor Springs (KMGN) - July 21, 2019

Day 36 - One last day in Muskegon

Muskegon and Lake Michigan - July 20, 2019

Day 35 - Shakedown and Sand Dunes

Muskegon and Hoffmaster State Park - July 19, 2019

Day 34 - More Muskegon

Muskegon and Fremont, MI - July 18, 2019

Day 33 - Muskegon Maintenance

Muskegon, MI - July 17, 2019

Day 32 - Pontiac to Muskegon

Pontiac, MI (KPTK) to Muskegon, MI (KMKG) - July 16, 2019

Day 31 - Pontiac

Pontiac and West Bloomfield, MI - July 15, 2019

Day 30 - Akron to Pontiac

Akron, OH (KCAK) to Pontiac, MI (KPTK) - July 14, 2019

Day 29 - Ithaca to Akron

Ithaca, NY (KITH) to Akron, OH (KCAK) - July 13, 2019

Day 28 - Ithaca

Ithaca, NY and Cayuga Lake

Day 27 - Glens Falls to Ithaca

Glens Falls, NY (KGLF) to Ithaca, NY (KITH) - July 11, 2019

Day 26 - Glens Falls and the Adirondacks

Two A5s flying around the Adirondacks

Day 25 - Greenville to Glens Falls

Vacaville, CA (KVCB) to

Torrance, CA (KTOA) - August 17, 2019

Medford, OR (KMFR) to

Vacaville, CA (KVCB) - August 14, 2019

Eugene, OR (KEUG) to

Medford, OR (KMFR) - August 13, 2019

Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum

- August 11, 2019

Paine Field, WA (KPAE) to

Eugene, OR (KEUG) - August 10, 2019

Trying to meet up with other

A5 owners in Seattle - August 8, 2019

Lake Washington and

Seattle - August 7, 2019

Sandpoint, ID (KSZT) to

Paine Field, WA (KPAE) - August 6, 2019

Kalispell, MT (S27) to

Sandpoint, ID (KSZT) - August 5, 2019

Havre, MT (KHVR) to

Kalispell, MT (S27) - August 4, 2019

Devil's Lake, ND (KDVL) to

Havre, MT (KHVR) - August 3, 2019

Brainerd, MN (KBRD) to

Devil's Lake, ND (KDVL) - August 2, 2019

Green Bay, WI (KGRB) to

Brainerd, MN (KBRD) - July 25, 2019

Making my way to

Oshkosh - July 23, 2019

Harbor Springs, Lake Charlevoix

and Torch Lake - July 22, 2019

Muskegon (KMKG) to

Harbor Springs (KMGN) - July 21, 2019

Muskegon and

Lake Michigan - July 20, 2019

Muskegon and

Hoffmaster State Park - July 19, 2019

Muskegon and

Fremont, MI - July 18, 2019

Pontiac, MI (KPTK) to

Muskegon, MI (KMKG) - July 16, 2019

Pontiac and West Bloomfield, MI

- July 15, 2019

Akron, OH (KCAK) to Pontiac, MI (KPTK)

- July 14, 2019

Ithaca, NY (KITH) to Akron, OH (KCAK)

- July 13, 2019

Glens Falls, NY (KGLF) to

Ithaca, NY (KITH) - July 11, 2019

Greenville, ME (8B0) to

Glens Falls, NY (KGFL) - July 9, 2019

Stow, MA (6B6) to Greenville, ME (8B0)

- July 8, 2019

Stow. MA to

(almost) Martha's Vineyard

Essex, NJ (KCDW) to Stow, MA (6B6)

- July 5, 2019

Essex, NJ (KCDW) and

Westchester, NY (KHPN) - July 3, 2019

First Flight Airport (KFFA) to

Hampton Roads Executive, VA (KPVG) - July 1, 2019

Wilmington, NC (KILM) to
First Flight Airport (KFFA) - July 1, 2019

Hilton Head (KHXD) to
Wilmington, NC (KILM) - June 30, 2019

Jacksonville, FL (KCRG) to

Hilton Head, SC (KHXD) - June 29, 2019

Key West, FL (KEYW) to
Jacksonville, FL (KCRG) - June 28, 2019

Miami, FL (KOPF) to
Key West, FL (KEYW) - June 27, 2019

Miami Intercoastal and
South Beach - June 26, 2019

Tampa, FL (KTPF) to
Miami, FL (KOPF) - June 25, 2019

Orlando, FL (KORL) to
Tampa, FL (KTPF) - June 24, 2019

New Orleans, LA (KNEW) to
Orlando, FL (KORL) - June 22, 2019

Dallas, TX (KDTO) to
New Orleans, LA (KNEW) - June 21, 2019

Midland, TX (KMDO) to
Dallas, TX (KDTO) - June 20, 2019

T or C, NM (KTCS) to
Midland, TX (KMDO) - June 19, 2019

Page, AZ (KPGA) to
T or C, NM (KTCS) - June 18, 2019

Boulder City, NV (KBVU) to
Page, AZ (KPGA) - June 16, 2019

Torrance, CA (KTOA) to
Boulder City, NV (KBVU) - June 15, 2019