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JULY Business Meeting Wednesday, July 9, 2008, Auburn-Lewiston Airport (LEW) Auburn, ME, 6:30-8:30 |
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Links Section
Fly-Outs
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How The Ninety-Nines, Katahdin Wings make the best of winter flying in Maine!
For 3 years now, a group of pilots have been getting together on the weekends from the Limington Harmon Airport (63B) to fly to unknown destinations for brunch, lunch or even dinner! Over the years, our group of pilots has grown from three to up to eleven. Of the eleven planes and one helicopter, four of the pilots are Ninety-Nine members.
Twyla Rogers, Mary Build, Jenny Jorgensen standing in front of Jenny’s Luscombe
For example, one beautiful weekday in January, four members of the Katahdin Wings got together to take a fly! We met at and left 63B, Limington Harmon Airport, for Central Maine Airport where we stopped for coffee. One member of the Ninety-Nines has unofficially named us the “Winter Wanderers”. Another member had to return to 63B due to her work schedule, and the other 3 members continued on to Greenville for lunch. From there, they flew east toward Old Town and due to the late hour of the day decided to return to their home base.
Mary Build and Twyla Rogers leaving Central Maine for Greenville
Another day in January, six planes left from 63B, Limington Harmon Airport, for a fly to Rangeley, again for brunch. There were 2 PA- 18 Super Cubs on skis, 2 PA-12 Super Cruiser, one on skis the other on tundra tires, an L-19 Birddog on skis and a C-150 on wheels. On the trip to Rangeley, we talked on 122.75 and we all had each other in sight. Our trip to Rangeley was direct as we had one thing in mind, filling our hungry bellies. It was as if time stood still, watching all planes fly together and enjoying the passing of the earth below.
Arriving at Rangeley Seaplane Base with very little snow on the ice, all 6 planes landed on the ice but only after having to make sure we landed beyond the pressure ridge! It was an exciting day for the folks in Rangeley as they watched the planes landing, one after the other, on the ice.
Landing conditions at Rangeley Seaplane Base
Needless to say, braking was poor but the food at Moose Landing was fabulous! With full bellies, we were off to follow the leader once again.
Rangeley Lake and 6 Beautiful Planes
The return trip took us in valley passes within the Western Mountains of Maine. The flight took us over Mooselookmeguntic Lake, Upper Damn, to Upper and Lower Richardson Lakes, over Middle Damn, Pond in the River and on to Rapid River where there was an abandon covered bridge, over Harriet Beecher Stow’s place. From there we flew on to B Pond and C Pond and through the pass to follow the Sawyer Brook which leads into the town of Andover. From there we followed the Ellis River to the Androscoggin River to beyond Bethel. It was spectacular as we flew with mountains on each side of us! One member mentioned that it looked very much like flying in Alaska!
When we came out of the mountain pass beyond Rumford, we continued on to Eagle Landing, a private grass field in Yarmouth, ME. There, we helped a gentleman take off the wings of his C-172 XP so that he could fit the plane in his garage for an upgrade for floats. After a coffee and snacks, unfortunately, the day was coming to an end, so it was back to 63B to put our babies to bed.
PA-18 Super Cub over Rangeley Lake and headed for Mooslookmeguntic Lake
On July 6th, Lori Plourd and Twyla Rogers were fortunate to join Mary Build in her Cessna 172 XP for or a Fly-Out to Block Island, RI. The day was overcast, but promising to be clear at The Island. This gave Mary the opportunity to show Twyla and Lori some actual IFR conditions, as the rated craft and crew headed into the clouds. The forecast proved to be true, and Block Island was bathed in sunshine. Once there, the trio met up with three more 99s from upstate New York for a lunch in the quaint seaside town. They then took in some shopping, and a tour of the beautiful shoreline, lighthouses, and weathered cottages aboard rented mo-peds.
Tywla, Lori & Mary trade wings for wheels as they explore Block Island, R.I.'s South Lighthouse (left) and North Lighthouse (right)
Following up on plans first envisioned after our Spring Section Meeting, Mary Build and Linda Coffi headed efforts to provide local 99s and their guests destinations to fly to. The first fly-out adventure was to tour the Hudson River Corridor and circle around the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor.
April 25th was the proposed date, and the morning dawned clear and promising. Weather forecasters did predict a front to be moving through the NY area, but promised it wouldn't arrive until evening. Four aircraft carrying eleven 99s and guests launched from Lewiston-Auburn Airport and followed a pre-planned route carrying us safely to Poughkeepie Dutchess County Airport, where we met up with Linda and other 99 counterparts from upstate New York.
Everyone enjoyed their $100 hamburgers (salads, soups, or sandwiches) at a nearby restaurant, while eagerly planning the next exciting leg of the trip.
As pilots often do encounter, a curve-ball was thrown as us, with the playing of a baseball game, causing a TFR on the Hudson River Corridor leg of the journey. When the alternate route was finally settled, it was time to check the weather. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other ideas for the majority of VFR pilots, as the front moved in much more quickly than forecasted, cancelling our aerial tour of "The Lady."
One lucky Katahdin Wings member, Shadow Gorill and her guests, did get to complete the mission, which resulted in some spectacular photographs of our symbol of freedom.
The rest of us thoroughly enjoyed our fly-out adventure nonetheless, with everyone coming away from the endeavour with a few more cross-country hours in our logbooks, and a lot more experience and confidence under our headsets.
