----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, December 05, 2006 5:01
PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] N11XD First Cross
Country flight report
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 ˝ 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