Aviation Love Flow

Hello Fellow Fantastic Flying Friends!

I hope 2015 has started off great for you all and has included some awesome ️flying! Mine has, including a few of my best flights to date this month. WOOHOO! Eager to stay this pattern!:-D

Flying, for me, is an Aviation Love Flow. A winning recipe includes clear planning prior to flight, a great takeoff, turns enroute, adjusting, refining, & a great landing that makes you feel a big YESSS in every cell. Great weather helps, too!:-)

I reflect on why I flying resonates with me so strongly. It's the sense of growth and personal accomplishments in a challenging field most do not partake in. It's all the amazing feelings And memories I gain. It's also fellow pilots I meet that match that extraordinary passion and energy in how they fly & live!

I have yet to meet a pilot who was like, "Meeeeeh..." when I've chatted with them about flying. Regardless if they are active or haven't flown for a while, there is a fire in the eyes and the love for flight palpatable. That Rocks!

In connecting with fellow pilots, I value that passion and enthusiasm we share for this extraodinary field. This type of planning and discipline applies to many facets of a successful path in Life, aviation and beyond.

Aviation to me is a wonderous blend of passion, determination, perseverance and being in tune and nimble to adjust along the way for better performance. Personally, there are few things I have found in Life that demand your best to this degree, to focus everything on these flying moments, to show up giving your best everytime and never want for complacency. Flying is one of those things to me. That is how I'm wired, so I value the alignment of those standards I feel I get in aviation. I celebrate my growing skills/experience and am eager to improve, all while learning more. I love the challenges and learnings I gain. It's making for a better version of me!

Shoutout to great things that support my journey to find my wings --> great FBOs & crews like mine, NKA, CFIs like Jim Oddono & Matt Welch who are setting me up for success, fellow pilots I connect with that inspire and share insights with me that enhance my journey and organizations like AOPA & EAA that support General Aviation efforts/education and safety. 

Life moves fast. I challenge you, like I do myself, to keep doing great things that make the journey an EPIC one!

What is Aviation to you? How does it make you feel when you fly? 

Here are a few pictures & YouTube videos caught on my GoPro from my flights this month. 

This is my flying love face. You'll see it in often in my flight posts! 

I love wearing it.:-)

1/2/2015: W96, New Kent Aviation (NKA), Virginia. 

A little drizzle, but still VFR! My focus in this day was pattern work and finesse my landings. It was great flying! I was very pleased with my TP setups & landings. So was my CFI, Jim Oddono!

Love the patchwork design from up high 

Post flight smiles! 

1/5/2015: W96, New Kent & KRIC, Richmond International Airport Virginia back to W96

My birthday flight rocked! Was a tad windy, but not too terrible. It was my first time flying with NKAs new full time CFI Matt Welch. On a social media plug note, I'm active on it. I actually met Mat through LinkedIn before I met him in person at NKA. That was a cool example of how digital connections can enhance your reach to connect with great contacts!

So this flight we did a XWind take off and landing at W96, then headed to KRICs towered airport. I wanted to observe Matt's radio handlings. There was activity there. We came in behind a jetliner, big guy so he ensured we kept a safe distance. We did 3 touch and gos. Runway 34 seemed like it went on forever (was very long) for our little Cessna 152!:-) I like the added challenges of all the activity happening at this airport. Keeps you on your toes even more than usual! It was a fun flight with new learnings.

Winds

Me getting prepped.  am sporting a Wazoo survival tools parachord bracelet. Love their products! Bringing 'Be Prepared' to a new level. I likie! My favorites are the Adventure bracelet, this Zombie bracelet, & Woodchuck key chains. Check out their site: http://www.wazoosurvivalgear.com

Check out my product review on their survival skills bracelet on my Adventure blog:

Enroute to KRIC

LOVE this view!

We spotted and came in after this big guy! Seeing the passengers de-plane as we climbed out.. They looked like ants!!!

Here's Matt in action!

KRIC

Hard to see, but there are the National Guard helicopters. I LOVE helicopters! 

Working it! Line up for landing runway 34.

Back to W96

I see my car!:-)

Post flight smiles! Check out that sock. Windy!

1/19/2015 - New Kent W96 to West Point KFYJ to Hummel W75 back to W96 

Great flight to 2 different FBOs, KFYJ and my first time landing at W75. Shortest runway I've landed to date (2270x45). 

I planned out the routes to identify key landmarks along the way. I'm very pleased I spotted everything I wanted to get us to and from each location. I'm still working ing in finessing my landings. I was most pleased with my second landing at W75, which I share in a link below.

Here is Stuart, Director of Maintenance (aka the mastermind keeping the planes in tip top shape!) and Matt rolling out this mighty 152 lil' guy who's ready to be flown!:-)

Here's a few pictures: Upper left - Me with Stuart. Shoutout to the crews who ensure the planes are at their best! Upper right: Smiles with the Champ in the background. I must fly him this year. Lower left: High Altitude smile from beautiful Virginia! Lower right: Post flight smile. Another great day of Flying Virginia! 

Taking off w96

On Final KFYJ

Traveling to W75

On Final W75

W75, it's been fun. Time to head back to W96!

Below are two GoPro videos caught on this flight. I added music to this footage, so buckle up and enjoy the view on this virtual ride with me! They were a blast! I hope it leaves a smile on your face and the want to get more air time, fellow pilots. I know I'm ready to get UP again!❤️✈

Takeoff at New Kent #W96 Click here

Landing at Hummel #75 Click here 

Pilots ~ What is your favorite FBO to land at and what are those runway dimensions? I'd love to hear. May inspire a future trip for me!

Happy & Safe Flying, Always!

Emily

First AOPA Air Safety Institute Seminar Accident Case Studies, Richmond, Virginia

I highly encourage fellow aviation enthusiasts and pilots to attend this Free AOPA Air Safety Institute seminar. This was the first one I've ever attended. I have been looking forward to checking it for some time, since receiving notification last month that it was going to be held in Richmond, Virginia, at the Virginia Aviation Museum. 

I received both something in the snail mail and an email about this event. Do keep an eye out for these invites and take advantage of them.

Entering into the venue, there was a sign in area and giveaways <-- Yeay!:-)

This seminar kicked off with some mention of local aviation related efforts. Civil Air Patrol, Angel Flight, Pilot and Paws, and the Ninety-Nines were a few local initiatives mentioned. 

3 cases were reviewed. Discussion about each accident, possible contributing factors, witness recounts and interviews. I defininetly picked up a few food for thought pieces.

Again, I highly recommend anyone in aviation attend these free seminars. Not only did I gain insights through the case studies, I also made new pilot connections. Always enjoy that aspect of meeting other pilots and hearing their passion about where to go and where to fly in and eat. Just never a dull moment and I dig it!!

Happy and Safe Flying, Always!

Here are a few action shots I snapped that evening.

Welcome table. I particularly liked the Sectional Map & the Virginia is for Flying Lovers bag!

Just arrived. I really enjoy this museum. Magnificent aircrafts high & low!

Nice!!

Seminar kicks off!

Freebies!:-)

Talk about Festival of Flight. Sounds like Flying Fun! The big talk is that there will be drones at this event. Check it out!

I likie!!!:-)

Ever attend AOPAs ASI seminars? 

Also, I saw this and it's a good follow up to that ASI seminar I went. Two of the three accidents covered dealt with wx 

Some good info in this post: www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/got_weather 

A few links to a few aviation groups mentioned:

PilotsNPaws http://pilotsnpaws.org/about/

Angel Flight http://www.angelflightsoars.org

Civil Air Patrol http://www.govirginiawingcap.com

Ninety-Nines http://m.ninety-nines.org

Spring into action! Ready to take flight.

Quick post to say I'm excited Spring is here in Virginia. I've got two aviation posts I'm working on so stay tuned for the inspiring action! 

For now, just sharing a couple shots of things that are getting my happy feet ready for take off!:-)

LOVE my AOPA Flight Training magazine. Was starting to wonder where my latest edition was... then waalllllaa this beauty arrives in my mailbox. Now, THIS is what's up.  I have got to make a point to meet just the right skilled pilot who has done and wants to fly somewhere exciting like this spot. So cannot wait for that experience!:-)

Here was me thinking deep thoughts by the James River. Ok, not really deep, more thinking, "hmmm, is that swarm of gnats coming this way or going that way?" Luckily, I moved before they invaded my space.

Fantastic flowers here in Virginia. Full bloom BOOM!

Gorgeous day.

Two upcoming routes I will take on. I'm going to get more Virginia Aviation Ambassador stamps! This route would take me from New Kent Airport to Hampton Executive to Franklin to NKA.

This route would be NKA to Accomack to Tangier to NKA. Really excited about this one!

Looking forward to both!

Have you flown to these airports? 

If so, any must sees?

Any exciting weekend flying plans? 

Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society Auction, Richmond, Virginia

Fellow flying friend Jack, who happens to be my 2nd Featured Pilot Spolight interview (check out his interview in my Aviators Lounge blog!), told me about an aviation auction the Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society (VAHS) was hosting at the Virginia Aviation Museum. I actually blogged, not too long ago, about my very first visit to this museum. This place is a Must See for any aviation enthusiast! It is a blast seeing great planes in various shapes, models & sizes. There's even an Army helicopter, too! I Love the Choppers, too!:-)

Jack said I had to attend this event. Well, I'm happy to report that I went and it was a great time! I plan to attend again. 

I enjoy the things I learn chatting it up with newly introduced pilots. They've seen and experienced more flight in the left seat than I have (so far;-)), so I listen intently when they share "insider details" like where they love to go, where to flyin and eat (3 votes tonight for Cambridge FBO in MD for crab cakes), what to do when approaching or landing at a particular FBOs, and much more. I often leave with new discoveries to explore myself or hear someone's personal experience about a FBO I have my eye on for a future flight. Love when that happens!

I even found out Jack and his fellow flying friend Ray, who I also met there, were the first Dudes to get all stamps as part of the Virginia Aviation Ambassador program. Say what?!!!! YES! Wild! One of my previous blog posts showed a picture I took of my VA Aviation Ambassador passport progress. I am intent on visiting new FBOs to collect my stamps. It is neat to make deeper connections like this one, meeting the first two in Virginia to get all the stamps. Plus, to kick it up a notch I met the original Virginia Aviation Ambassdor poster woman at this event as well, Sara Parmenter. Learn more about the program and Sara here:  http://www.doav.virginia.gov/vaap.htm#Honorary_aviation_ambassador

Attending these types of functions allow you to meet others passionate about flying, learn more, share stories, relate and be a part of efforts to support aviation.

My joy in sharing aviation posts is that I get to share unique interviews, some of my sights and information I come across to promote this Awesomeness called Aviation. One of my mantras: Flying in the sky is when I feel most alive. 

Do you fly? Then your know what I mean!

Here are a few of the action shots I snapped tonight.

Thanks to Bill Lange for taking this picture. I had my eye on this gorgeous plane, looks just right for me!:-)

Shrimp cocktail and planes, oh yes!!

Great set up by VAHS and the museum. Silent auction items were available to bid on, along with a live auction to follow.

More food and auction items.

Live auction items lined up.

Massive chocolate fountain and the fantastic sight of this gorgeous plane.

More auction items. I like this Grumman A2F-1 Intruder poster. There are a few missles covered with blankets and a tag over them saying, "SECRET".

A cheese moment with Jack. Again, glad he recommended this event!

More cheesing with planes!:-D

Auction action in full throttle!

Thanks to Stew Guidry for snagging one of these DVDs for me.

Auction online flyer.

I recommend checking out a future auction, if you love aviation! It was a great time and opportunity to meet new pilots. 

Learn more about VAHS: http://www.vahsonline.org/

Learn more about the Virginia Aviation Museum:  http://www.vam.smv.org/

Do you have any "must see or attend" aviation events that you recommend? Leave a comment and share details!:-)

Happy and Safe Flying, Always!