142kts in a 172!
Dec. 18th, 2007 06:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
slipstreamsurfrWow!
What a day to go flying in the 172. I decided to go see Craig for lunch today. So out to the 172 I went this morning. After dealing with someone changing the code on the padlock to the hanger I was soon off and flying.
My proposed trip to Lancaster for breakfast was stymied by the fact that while GPM was clear this morning, Lancaster was still sitting under a 100 foot broken cloud layer. No matter, I turned and headed west.
Now this morning I called for a briefing, and after holding a goodly 15 minutes I got a Fort Worth briefer. He hadn't had his coffee this morning yet and so wasn't at the top of his game in a lot of areas. One of the things I got from him was that there was a notice for turbulence at 1500 feet and the wind would shift to 270 at 38 kts. 38kts hrmm.. this could be interesting...
He wasn't kidding, west I turned from Lancaster to head towards Spinks and the ground speed on the GPS fell to 68kts with about 105 indicated.
After crawling my way westward I finally turned to the northwest over lake Benbrook and watched a beautiful C130 just pulling away to the west. The ground speed crept up to about 78 kts now as I enjoyed the scenery along the way. They are building some windmills just southeast of Graham now, just east of lake Possum Kingdom. None of them are turning yet, but my, are those some huge structures. I'm looking forward to going back and seeing those big wings turn when they are operational. A tour around the lake, looking at some of the HUGE houses out there, the really cool dam, and cliffs they have at Possum Kingdom before I head to RPH.
Winds 11 kts gusting to 15 down the 21 runway and I am soon down and pulling up for some fuel. A quick call to Craig and he comes by and we head off for a good lunch. (Note: I recommend the BBQ place just off the field, good food there!)
Returing to the field, waving bye to Craig, I taxi out. A much stiffer crosswind now, I am soon airborne and heading back towards Spinks. The ground speed starts moving up even in the climb. I'm indicating 80 kts in the climb yet the ground speed is showing 100. By the time I level out at altitude and come to cruise speed, the same 105 indicated I had before is now giving me up to 142 kts ground speed. Checkpoints really come up MUCH faster now on the way home.
I've never flown in a 172 at that speed before. That's fun, I see why folks like the fast birds now. I feel like I'm cruseing in an RV with the wing in the right place! Before I know it I'm crossing over Spinks on my way back home to GPM.
Putting the plane away I do the numbers. I took me 2 hours in order to depart GPM this morning, fly southeast a little bit to find LNC wasn't going to work, then head to RPH. The way back home, took 1 hour.
142 kts in a 172. Who'd have thunk it! What a fun flight today was. wheeeeeeeee!!!
What a day to go flying in the 172. I decided to go see Craig for lunch today. So out to the 172 I went this morning. After dealing with someone changing the code on the padlock to the hanger I was soon off and flying.
My proposed trip to Lancaster for breakfast was stymied by the fact that while GPM was clear this morning, Lancaster was still sitting under a 100 foot broken cloud layer. No matter, I turned and headed west.
Now this morning I called for a briefing, and after holding a goodly 15 minutes I got a Fort Worth briefer. He hadn't had his coffee this morning yet and so wasn't at the top of his game in a lot of areas. One of the things I got from him was that there was a notice for turbulence at 1500 feet and the wind would shift to 270 at 38 kts. 38kts hrmm.. this could be interesting...
He wasn't kidding, west I turned from Lancaster to head towards Spinks and the ground speed on the GPS fell to 68kts with about 105 indicated.
After crawling my way westward I finally turned to the northwest over lake Benbrook and watched a beautiful C130 just pulling away to the west. The ground speed crept up to about 78 kts now as I enjoyed the scenery along the way. They are building some windmills just southeast of Graham now, just east of lake Possum Kingdom. None of them are turning yet, but my, are those some huge structures. I'm looking forward to going back and seeing those big wings turn when they are operational. A tour around the lake, looking at some of the HUGE houses out there, the really cool dam, and cliffs they have at Possum Kingdom before I head to RPH.
Winds 11 kts gusting to 15 down the 21 runway and I am soon down and pulling up for some fuel. A quick call to Craig and he comes by and we head off for a good lunch. (Note: I recommend the BBQ place just off the field, good food there!)
Returing to the field, waving bye to Craig, I taxi out. A much stiffer crosswind now, I am soon airborne and heading back towards Spinks. The ground speed starts moving up even in the climb. I'm indicating 80 kts in the climb yet the ground speed is showing 100. By the time I level out at altitude and come to cruise speed, the same 105 indicated I had before is now giving me up to 142 kts ground speed. Checkpoints really come up MUCH faster now on the way home.
I've never flown in a 172 at that speed before. That's fun, I see why folks like the fast birds now. I feel like I'm cruseing in an RV with the wing in the right place! Before I know it I'm crossing over Spinks on my way back home to GPM.
Putting the plane away I do the numbers. I took me 2 hours in order to depart GPM this morning, fly southeast a little bit to find LNC wasn't going to work, then head to RPH. The way back home, took 1 hour.
142 kts in a 172. Who'd have thunk it! What a fun flight today was. wheeeeeeeee!!!