Louise Hose
Well Known Member
When I discovered I would be living and working in the D.C. area for at least a year, I wasn?t sure it would be worth bringing my RV along. Hanger space is expensive, if you can even find a place. Thanks to help received through this forum, I did find a hanger ?only? 50 miles from my home for ?only? 3+ times the cost I was used to paying. Then there are the airspace hassles. More money to buy a Garmin 396 and the monthly XM Weather subscription helps me cope with those issues. With all these extra fixed costs expenses, I figure I better fly the heck out of the plane to make keeping it worthwhile.
This last weekend, I headed up to Plattsburgh, NY, to visit good friends and see a part of the country I had never visited. The direct route would have taken me directly over downtown D.C., so I plotted a course around the ADIZ and added three waypoints to the GPS. The next day, the announcement came that Camp David?s P40 restricted zone was expanding for the weekend and another waypoint went into the flight plane. Thank goodness for a GPS that displays the current TFRs, etc.
The fall colors are still near peak in the D.C. area and into Pennsylvania, leading to a beautiful trip up. As I flew along, I recognized some of the areas as prime examples of plunging folds and water gaps. Spectacular geology and a clear day. It was one of those times that I was grateful for the decision to keep the plane, despite the costs. And, the decision to fly the plane as much as I can manage, despite the hassles.
As the trip continued, I flew over the Adirondack Preserve and saw Lake Placid for the first time. Then, a rapid descent into Plattsburgh International. I had posted a request for information on the area airports and received only confusing information. But, the confusion actually proved helpful as it prompted me to call ahead and learn that the Clinton County airport was all but closed and the Plattsburgh International is ramping up. (In fact, a NOTAM appeared over the weekend declaring a ban on transient traffic landing at Clinton County.) By calling ahead, I was promised a hanger for the cost of a tie-down ($7.50/night) as the tie-downs aren?t set up yet. What a bargain!
What a joy to be able to visit friends several states away on a very easy weekend trip, and still have time for a oil change and movie after returning. I?m glad I brought the RV along for the move. It?s certainly expanded my experiences here in the East. I may go through some serious withdrawals next month when the plane is down for a month or two for its panel/interior upgrade.
Photos from the trip are available at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/DrKarst/PlattsburghTripNovember2007
This last weekend, I headed up to Plattsburgh, NY, to visit good friends and see a part of the country I had never visited. The direct route would have taken me directly over downtown D.C., so I plotted a course around the ADIZ and added three waypoints to the GPS. The next day, the announcement came that Camp David?s P40 restricted zone was expanding for the weekend and another waypoint went into the flight plane. Thank goodness for a GPS that displays the current TFRs, etc.
The fall colors are still near peak in the D.C. area and into Pennsylvania, leading to a beautiful trip up. As I flew along, I recognized some of the areas as prime examples of plunging folds and water gaps. Spectacular geology and a clear day. It was one of those times that I was grateful for the decision to keep the plane, despite the costs. And, the decision to fly the plane as much as I can manage, despite the hassles.
As the trip continued, I flew over the Adirondack Preserve and saw Lake Placid for the first time. Then, a rapid descent into Plattsburgh International. I had posted a request for information on the area airports and received only confusing information. But, the confusion actually proved helpful as it prompted me to call ahead and learn that the Clinton County airport was all but closed and the Plattsburgh International is ramping up. (In fact, a NOTAM appeared over the weekend declaring a ban on transient traffic landing at Clinton County.) By calling ahead, I was promised a hanger for the cost of a tie-down ($7.50/night) as the tie-downs aren?t set up yet. What a bargain!
What a joy to be able to visit friends several states away on a very easy weekend trip, and still have time for a oil change and movie after returning. I?m glad I brought the RV along for the move. It?s certainly expanded my experiences here in the East. I may go through some serious withdrawals next month when the plane is down for a month or two for its panel/interior upgrade.
Photos from the trip are available at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/DrKarst/PlattsburghTripNovember2007
