METAR CYND 091300Z 30004KT 15SM SKC M18/M21 A3024 RMK SLP245=

There were no photos to take today as I forgot the camera but imagine the most perfect day you’ve seen with sun shining and the air clear yet cold as all get out!  It was a very special day for me as it would be my 100th flight!  The flight began last night as Rica and I went over to the airport to look over an aircraft that we might be purchasing a 1/2 share in.  We spent a good hour or two shoveling off months of snow and clearing a path around the Piper Cherokee 140D that’s parked at Rockliffe.  We worked hard at clearing the airplane then sat inside for a good 15 minutes getting a feel for what it might be like to own an aircraft.  We left elated and on my way home I had a revelation.

All of the flying that I have done so far is “training” and not really going anywhere!  I had no real practical purpose to fly except to do it for the sake of doing it.  That didn’t bode well for me as a prospective aircraft owner.  Would we actually USE an airplane?  Something more than a trip to the practice area and back?  So I decided that if an aircraft was available today, we’d book and fly it!

I got home to find a nice 2.5 hour slot available for Jan 09 at 9:30 am.  I booked it then began digging up my flight plan paperwork for Maniwaki.  I ran the numbers to have them fresh in my mind and expected to use the aircraft’s ADF to get me there.  I slept poorly excited at the prospect of going somewhere new.  When I awoke and looked outside all I saw was glorious blue skies with mega cold temps!

When we arrived at the airport there was bad news, they were not going to allow rentals due to the runway being 90% ice and with a CRFI of .3.  Simon was near the dispatch and offered to me that since he knew my flying he would release the aircraft to me as long as he got a decent pirep form the first instructor out that day.  He also graciously moved me to C-GQUO which has a wonderful Garmin 430 GPS.  I pre flighted and filed my flight plan awaiting Kathy’s pirep.  Soon she called it in as “okay” and we were good to go!

I used a soft field technique to take off and soon we were climbing away from Rockliffe and heading up the Gatineau river.  I noticed that the AI had a slight tilt of about 5 degrees when we were wings level.  I opted to not cancel the flight as it would clearly not be required on this CAVU day!   As we leveled off in cruise I tested the carb heat and was surprised at how stiff it was to move.   Ahh well this was the 100th flight, it had to go on!

We flew up the river and I tuned in the Otttawa VOR to the 9 degree radial and followed it as well as the GPS’ magenta line up to Maniwaki.  As I got close I called for unicom field advisory.  No answer.  Tons of radio chatter from Carp which shares the frequency but Maniwaki was silent!  I found the airstrip and we flew the pattern for a nice low and over of their long but icy runway.  The total time from engine start was 1.0 hours.  There was a brisk headwind!  I opted to skip the landing as there was quite a stiff x-wind and we had no business at CYMW.

I used the DRCO at Mt Laurier to contact Quebec radio.  It was the first time I ever did that so it was interesting to hear a phone call over the radio.  I updated my ETA to Rockliffe and proceeded to climb up to 4500 and head South.  Once level we were hitting groundspeeds of 150 KT!  Rica asked if she could hold the controls so I granted her control as I got comfortable and tried to close off a major draft with my toque.  She did a marvelous job of keeping us over the river and soon we had to descend down to 1700 in prep for landing at Rockliffe.

Over the chelsea dam I took control and descended to 1200′.  There was another aircraft in the near vicinity so after some conflict resolution I was number 1 for the icy x-wind landing on 27.  I flew a picture perfect pattern and slipped down to a short final over the numbers.  I assumed the correct flare attitude and was given the sweet siren sound of a full stall landing.  As we rolled out I felt elated!

So 100 flights, a possible aircraft buy and a wonderful trip.  Thank to all my supporters so far and here’s to another 100!

Total Times

Time on Type

Rica and I finally made it to Lachute and back!  We had breakfast there, it was great.  Flying back we had to keep low but the scenery was good and my landing was okay, well the first one was anyways…..