My First Trip in my New Airplane

Our inaugural adventure in Big Boy didn't take us far from home. Zack had the idea to explore our surroundings, taking me for a ride in our new plane before we landed at Sky Manor Airport. Despite our hopes to visit the Sky Café restaurant, we arrived late in the afternoon, just as they were closing. Unfortunately, they're only open for breakfast and lunch, so our visit turned into a stopover at the winery next door to Sky Manor Airport instead.

We chose to walk to the winery, opting for the longer route due to a locked gate blocking the direct road connecting the airport and the winery. Calling ahead might be wise for those planning to walk over from the airport (to ensure the gate is open). While Zack had to take a work-related call, I found myself in pleasant company with Penny and Jen in the tasting room. Among the various wines, my favorite was the Row's End dry rosé—a crisp, refreshing delight with light floral notes, perfect for the hot summer day we were experiencing.

Later, as we left, we were treated to the sight of several hot air balloons dotting the sky. Sky Manor Airport hosts a few hot air balloon tour agencies, adding to the picturesque scene. On our return, we opted for a direct route (no detours this time!) and found ourselves back at our home airport, Wings Field (KLOM), in just about 10 minutes. It was a truly splendid day with the expansive blue skies above and airplanes soaring through them!

Zack's Navigational Write-up
Taking off from runway 6 at Wings, we set our sights on a heading of 240° for a bit of sightseeing across towns like Plymouth Meeting, Blue Bell, and East Norrinton—places where Shawn and I reside. Following a pre-defined user-waypoint on the GPS, we turned toward the PTW VOR near Heritage Field and the Pottstown-Limerick Nuclear power plant. After intercepting, we flew outbound on the 060 radial, flying over N40 to assess wind direction and runway conditions. Enjoying the scenery, we performed some descending turns over a picturesque lake atop a hill, then returned inbound to the airport, maneuvering through downwind, base, and final to runway 07.

Heading home, we took off on runway 25, adjusting our course to fly directly using GPS back to Wings Field.