2014 Maine Winter Flight

Beech Hill Pond

February 15, 2014

First one must burrow into the hanger

Then go around to the other side, and dig out the hanger door

Fortunately Parker Tyler came along in the midst of the proceedings, and applied his snow plow to the effort. As he departed, I took two steps forward to finish cleaning up, slipped on the ice and fell on my ass. With two shots of prime, the plane started right up, in spite of being cold soaked for two weeks. On the way to the runway, I got stuck in clumps of snow twice, had to shut everything down, get out and push the plane free. – Are we having fun yet?

Flying was silky smooth, hands in my lap, watch the scenery go by. That’s the SAPPI paper mill in Skowhegan

My aiming point was Mount Harris in Dixmont. At my 1500 feet ASL, that would keep me out of Bangor airspace

Mount Harris, festooned with aircraft arresting gear.

Approaching the Penobscot River, Bucksport paper mill to the south

Final approach to Beech Hill Pond from the south; I felt I was going too fast, so made a missed approach and circled again, during which they announced a change in landing direction, since there was now a slight southerly breeze

This is better, landing from the north

Down in one piece

After all my shoveling and pushing I was hungry. I made a bee line up the drive to the hanger where all the cooking was going on, and had a hot dog and a bowl of chili

I went back down to the pond for awhile and watched airplanes

The thought of Mama Dunn’s homemade donuts back at the hanger wouldn’t let go. I went back up and had two with a cup of coffee. Life is good.

About a dozen airplanes showed up, and there was steady traffic

Parting shot, heading back northwest, after taking off toward the south

This is Big Hill just east of Lucerne-in-Maine. It also has antennas on it

I need to remember this hill ahead of me with antennas on top as an aiming point, as I sometimes have difficulty locating the right pond, when coming from the other direction.