On December 3 2006 Dyke Delta N11XD and I were both ready to return home to Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN) in CT. The sky was clear, the temps were chilly and the wind of the previous days had subsided. I was fortunate to have a good friend willing to fly me up to Westfield MA (BAF), where my airplane has spent the past 4-1/2 months, in his Long EZ. We left HVN mid morning and arrived at BAF 32 minutes later. The trip goes by fast at 200MPH. After a very through preflight inspection of my Delta, in the hangar, I pulled the Delta out of the hangar for the last time. I will miss being able to preflight indoors.

I was quite anxious because this would be the first time leaving the comfort of the airport’s airspace. The anxiety was somewhat lessened because I already flew several flights that were longer than this one would be, over the airport. The checklists were gone through one by one, from pre-engine start all the way to pre-takeoff until the only thing left to do was to push the throttle and go. There I was in the middle of the main runway, for an intersection takeoff, with another airplane on short final. So, in went the throttle and down the runway we went with ‘no delay’. My friend with the Long EZ was still waiting back on taxiway Alpha for two more aircraft to land before he could takeoff and chase me home. I knew that he would have no trouble catching me as I was only planning on flying 130-140MPH, still in the middle of the flight envelope. I skirted wide to the west to avoid Bradley International airport directly to the south. Once clear of BAF airspace my friend and I both began looking for each other and giving position reports on the air-to-air channel, to try to locate each other. It was comical actually, two practically stealth aircraft trying to find each other in all that BIG sky, without any radar guidance. Finally about half way back I managed to locate my friend who was about 5 miles west of my position at the same altitude. I told him to turn 90 degrees left and he would see me. He did, and then he flew over and formed up ½ mile behind and followed me all the rest of the way back. I called New Haven tower 10 miles out and told them I wanted a downwind entry for 20. My friend called shortly after and informed the tower that he was flying chasing for me. They just told him to follow me in. After calling the downwind I was cleared to land. Speed was reduced to 120 MPH in the pattern and the approach was begun. Descending at 500 fpm and 120 MPH, it was beginning to feel comfortable. I slowed the plane down to 110MPH on short final. Touch down was in the first 1/3 of the runway and I exited easily 3200 feet down the 5600-foot runway with conservative braking. The total flight time from BAF to HVN was about 48 minutes. It felt great to finally have my flying aircraft back home.

Jim Maher

Dyke Delta N11XD