Spring Break '07 - Part 3 of 6: KHQU-KISM
After lunch with my folks, we returned to the airport (sans dog) for the final leg to Orlando, FL. The plane was fueled and ready to go - still wih the red carpet laid out for us - and after a quick check of the weather, we loaded up the plane. .bmp "Flight track: KHQU-KISM")
Thomson has a GCO, but it wasn't working for me and when I heard another plane trying to activate it, I decided to just take off VFR and pick up my filed IFR clearance in the air. Takeoff from Thomson, GA (KHQU) was uneventful and I was quickly able to get in touch with Augusta approach to activate my clearance (pretty much as filed). As I've mentioned before, I tend to file airways even though we have the Garmin GNS430 and today was a good demonstration of why that's generally a good idea as the airways usually keep you clear of restricted areas and MOAs - and the Coastal MOA was quite "hot." Still, the controllers did offer me a few shortcuts I quickly accepted.
The flight down was uneventful and we picked up some fair weather cumulus just about the time we crossed the St. Marys River. Soon thereafter the Atlantic coast came into view and we turned south to parallel the beach. It was pretty cool seeing a couple airliners lining up below me for the approach into Jacksonville.
I have family in Florida and I've been down that way many, many times over the years, but always by car or commercial carrier and I must admit Florida has much more undeveloped land than a drive down I-95 may lead one to believe.
Soon enough we were talking (OK, I was talking) to Daytona Beach who gave me a much appreciated shortcut to Kissimmee. The Orlando controller was also quite accommodating and gave me a nice arcing vector to a long final for KISM.
The video attachment shows my landing at Kissimmee, FL (KISM).