August 25, 2012 - Young Eagle Flights at
Massey Aerodrome

My EAA Chapter was giving rides to Young Eagles over at Massey Aerodrome today at 11AM.  The plan was to pick up Phil -- EAA Chapter member who coordinates the Young Eagle program at Lee Airport in Annapolis at 10AM.  I got an early start and fueling my plane ahead of schedule when the cell phone range.  It was "Chef" who was at Martin State airport in his RV-4 with a flat tire.  He needed to borrow an inner tube.  No problemo!  I hopped over to Martin State in the RV -- the first time I have landed there in my RV, ironical since it is so close -- tossed Chef the tube, then was on my way to Annapolis. 

Lee Airport is within the SFRA -- which is the acronym for double-secret probabtion zone or something like that.  Anyways you have to file a flight plan beforehand, then talk with air traffic control before flying into the area.  I know how to do it -- have done it many times over the years -- but it's just a pain.   Plus I feel silly being on the same frequency as jet airliners.   Really, is it smart to distract air traffic controllers with the trivia of dealing with little general-aviation airplanes?  The air traffic contollers dislike the SFRA procedures it as much as the pilots do.  It's the politicians and Secret Service/DHS/TSA/DHS/CBP/ETC bureacracies that insist on this security masquerade. 

I flew by the Naval Academy golf course and sports complex which includes an ice rink. 

 

  
Flying by the Naval Academy. 
  
Overhead Lee Airport which is gradually being surrounded by houses and stores. 
  
On final for runway 12 at Lee. 
  
I picked up Phil, then we headed northeast across the bay to Massey Aerodrome. 
  
My first passenger:  MJ.   I forgot to bring a cushion so I had to do a lot of banking to the right so MJ could see. 
  
My second passenger had never been in a plane before.  She loved it!  I let her fly the plane and she really did well; a natural pilot. 
  
My third passenger was a big country boy.  But the RV jumped off the ground quickly, as always. 
  
My fourth passenger lived by the end of the Chester River so he got to see his house from the air.   Dan was flying his sister in the Challenger so he got to see his sister in flight.  Mugsy came up alongside a minute.   
  
We had four planes giving rides, three pictured here.  My RV, Mugsy in his RV8, Mark in his Cherokee, and Dan in his Challenger.  Mark was able to carry three young eagles at a time which took the load off us two-seaters.  About 20 young eagles ended up getting rides.
 
Hey, what happend to my gear fairings and wheel pants?  They were on the plane when I left Essex!  Actually, the gear fairings are in my basement getting overhauled.  Some rivets had pulled through the fiberglass.  That's one of the advantages to building a plane.  When something needs attention, you just take care of it yourself. 
  
Dan's Challenger.
  

Phil and Paul did the administrative stuff in the hangar.  The Massey Aerodrome folks had a grill going for food. 

A Sukoi and a couple of Pitts were doing aerobatics just to the east of the field which the crowd enjoyed. 

It was just a nice aviation day at Massey Aerodrome.

  

Phil and I headed back to Lee Airport.  As we approached Annapolis, we started getting rained on.  Plus we could see worse weather to the south. 

I landed, dropped Phil off, called ATC to get my squawk code, and got out of there before the heavy rain hit. 

  
The rain stopped altogether by the time I crossed the Bay Bridge heading north.   Soon I was safe on deck at Essex Skypark.  Another good flying day in the books. 
  
 
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