Six Flags Great Adventure Park Fly-Over w/ some Interesting Winds Aloft....

After nearly a month of not flying, I was happy the weather on Sunday, December 17, 2006 cooperated, though the winds aloft were definitely SOMETHING to write home about.

Dad and I arrived at the airport and I did my usual pre-flight, noting that everything was in the "green". We had just filled the fuel tanks before we shutdown the engine after the last flight, so we were good to go. But since the temps that night before Sunday dipped into the lower 30's, and the fact that the engine hadn't run for about a month, we decided to pre-heat the engine. After a quick, 10 minute pre-heat, we stowed our gear and climbed aboard. I pumped the throttle 5 times and commenced cranking. It popped right away, but did not start. I pumped it 2 more times, began cranking and it came to life, ready to carry us thru the skies. Without the pre-heating, it would've been that much more difficult with greater wear and tear on the starter motor.

After a nice warm-up and taxi to the runway, I pointed the nose on Solberg's runway 22 (220 degree heading / Southwest) and applied full throttle. Because of the headwind, we were airborne within a few hundred feet, climbing out at over 1,000 feet/minute. I quickly banked left, did a few clearing turns while climbing to ensure I wasn't going to run into any other aircraft and set the plane on a Southeast heading. We leveled out at over 3,000 feet since I wanted to experience the effects of the high winds aloft (over 3,000 feet) that were forecast that day. As expected, we were taking advantage of a 30 mph tail wind and heading directly toward Great Adventure theme park in Jackson, NJ.

After about 5 minutes flying time, we noticed the oil temperature gauge was reading about 5 degrees higher than normal due to the temperature inversion that day, meaning the temperature at altitude is warmer than temps on the ground, just opposite usually. We decided to land at nearby Trenton-Robbinsville airport to make an adjustment to the plate that controls ram air to the oil cooler so we could get just a bit more cooling effect. Soon, we took-off and were headed directly east along Interstate I-195. Again, with the massive tailwind, I was setting-up the plane for my aerial photo shoot around the park within minutes.

I had a "shoot" list of all attractions at the park in which I wanted to photograph. I began over the entrance to the park, slowed the plane down to about 90 mph and put her into a gentle left bank. Quickly, I began locating landmarks and attractions at the park and snapping away. Dad was my co-pilot that day and of course helped a lot with the flying and checking of traffic while I commenced photographing. Also, because of the weather conditions that day, we were basically IN that fast moving air mass, this time at only 1,500 feet or so. Because of this effect, it was butter smooth, though I had to deal with the massive headwind while flying in one direction and the massive tailwind in the other, making small corrections as needed to keep me near the park. I shot one video as well, as I made my last pass over the parking lot and headed west.

Soon we were climbing to over 3,000 feet once again to clear McGuire AFB's airspace, and this time we were fighting the massive headwind, achieving a dismal 95 mph ground speed. It didn't matter, though, since we weren't in a rush, and within 10 or so minutes, I spotted South Jersey Regional (SJR) airport directly ahead, with a hazy Philadelphia skyline in the distance.

After a neat landing directly into the wind consisting of full flaps and a 1,300 feet per minute descent rate, we taxied to the FBO (fixed base operator)’s apron and shut her down. We like to fly into SJR because the restaurant has great coffee and desserts, and is always booming. I opted for the Pumpkin Spice Cappuccino this time, and Dad simply had a decaf. We both tried their fudge brownies and they were scrumptious as we enjoyed these outside of the restaurant, in the FBO’s lounge.

We then took a short walk around the airport grounds, stopping to look at the Stallion helicopter that the military uses (the one with 2 jet engines – not the behemoth one with 3). Very Impressive. Soon, we were back in the ole girl, cranking the engine and hearing her come to life. Again, after a short take-off roll due to the headwind, we were off like a rocket, so to speak. A right turn toward Philly and then another to the north, we were soon on a bee-line to the Hunterdon County area of New Jersey. This path took us over the Delaware river just south of Trenton, near Levittown, PA, over the mall in Langhorne, PA (near Sesame Place), over the Delaware once again and into NJ.

We then decided to land at Sky Manor airport in Pittstown, NJ, because of the reputation it had with being active and entertaining, plus the fact that the runway was just lengthened to make way for a NEW fly-in/live-in community there. After another gentle landing to the southwest, we parked on the grass this time, right next to the operations/restaurant area. We were treated to an Extra-300 aerobatic airplane that had landed and was waiting to take-off once again. With his missile (aircraft) pointed down the runway and brakes full on, he gunned the engine, the tail lifted and off he went. He pulled back on the stick and was airborne faster than you can say the word “airborne”, climbing near vertical until I assume he was simply bored. Amazing !!!

Well, it was now getting late and I had to be back home for a Christmas concert with my wife that evening. We were soon airborne and heading east once again, this time with a whopping 167 mph ground speed. Needless to say, from take-off at Sky Manor to landing at Solberg airport, it was a FAST 4 minute flight, one that usually takes about 10 minutes. We then taxied to the fuel farm and gassed-up the old girl, getting her ready for the next time we take to the skies in search of a new adventure for the day !!!