Florida, Bahamas

A 15-day adventure by GUFY trips Read more

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Trip start
April 1, 2017
Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
Weyman Preparations
April 1, 2017 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 2 °C
Got the skis on so I can get out of the snow covered strip.
Will fly to Fredericton airport tomorrow to remove the skis and load up for the trip proper.

Don Macaulay helped me drag the plane out and up on the snow the next day. He took tha picture of me just before I got in to leave for Fredericton. It highlights my confident pose.Read more
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
Fredericton Airport
April 2, 2017 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 0 °C
Landed here and spent the next few hours removing the skis and reinstalling my wheel pants. Pics to come.
Tomorrow's planned stops are Houlton (KHUL) for customs, Sanford, ME for fuel, Pottstown, PA to dump ballast. Final planned destination is Front Royal, VA, west of DC. Predicted cloud ceiling is very low for there at that time so might have to change plans.
The weather up to there should be fine though.Read more
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
Lake Mactaquac
April 3, 2017 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 2 °C
Ice covered lake. The circled area is Weyman Airpark.
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
Houlton Airport (KHUL)
April 3, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 1 °C
Cleared customs.

The only difficulty I had was because of some prescribed vitamin B12 pills. They came in a large bottle of which they occupied a small part. To save space I had transferred them to a much smaller capsule. Apparently all meds are to be in their original containers. I received a 'stern' warning.

Snow here too.Read more
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport (KSFM)
April 3, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C
Had a chocolate milk and lemon meringue pie at the Airport Cafe. Yum.
I picked this airport because it said it had mogas (car gas). But it was out. So got avgas.

Still some snow
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
Westover MA
April 3, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Snow finally gone.
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
Succasunna, NY
April 3, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
Near New York City. Air traffic control keeping us planes apart, including the big guy in the upper right.

This pic illustrates the haziness that always seems to be present (at least when I fly) down the eastern seaboard from Massachusetts through Florida.Read more
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
Pottstown, PA (N47)
April 3, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Ah,,, the welcoming cooling towers of a nuclear power plant.

Pee break. Got enough avgas to reach next destination where I will fill up on the more Rotax engine friendy mogas.

Visited friends here to drop off some maple syrup.

No snow. Yay.Read more
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
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(KFRR) Front Royal, VA
April 3, 2017 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 14 °C
Just arrived a the beginning of some nasty weather, It is to worsen overnight and clear out to the north on the early morning. The crappy weather will then continue up the Atlantic seaboard to annoy the maritimes.

Got a drive from a local pilot to the Super 8.

This airport just outside the Washington high security zone. The impressive Skyline Caverns are here.

The weather for tomorrow looks pretty good if I leave after 9 am. That should work fine.
I should be able to make it to Sun N Fun tomorrow evening before dark. Planned stops are (KBNL) Barnwell SC, (KGIF) Winterhaven FL, and (KLAL) Lakeland, home of Sun N Fun.

Low visibility delayed departure until after 11:30. Used the time to take pics.Read more
GUFY trips Museum like pilot lounge
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GUFY trips Hot air balloon basket
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GUFY trips Cold war sabre
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GUFY trips Bovine residents across the road,
4/16/17Reply
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
Carolina Motorsports
April 4, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
The first of three motor road racing tracks encounter on this trip
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
(KBNL) Barnwell, SC
April 4, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Long leg, over 3 and a half hours. Headwinds over 20 knots. Rough air near the first part through the Appalachians. I was well cinched on my seat.

Two planes with 3 people from Ottawa were at the mogas pumps when I arrived. They were heading to Boca Raton, FL.

Weather was good here but a hot 29 C. Snow was a distant (literally) memory for me.

When I checked the weather, there was a long nasty line of thunderstorms across the entire top of Florida. Jacksonville was as far as I would be able to go. So there I went.Read more
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
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(KCRG) Jacksonville, FL
April 4, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
Tied down at Sky Harbor. They drove me to the Marble Waters Hotel.

Saw my first palm trees of the trip. Definitely no snow here. I adapted.

Next morn: Good thing I got this far. There are extreme tornado warnings in Georgia today. I have to contend with low visibility around here which is predicted to delay departure till this pm.Read more
GUFY trips In the hotel lobby
4/16/17Reply
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
(KDED) Deland , FL
April 5, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
Was trying to get to Winter Haven to fill up on mogas but the fuel gage suggested otherwise. So got some avgas here.
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
(KGIF) Winter Haven Airport, FL
April 5, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C
Last stop before Sun N Fun. Filling up with mogas.
Temperature was 30 C (whimper).

Looking forward to get to Lakeland and out of the trong, gusty headwinds (>20 knots) for last two days to enjoy and Sun N Fun.Read more
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
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Sun N Fun, Lakeland, FL
April 5, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C
I was concerned about the expected air traffic when I arrived. But I heard nothing on the radio and no responses to my transmissions. Oh, oh. Was I on the right frequency. Then I landed.

No one else was flying. A red flag was up, i.e.no flying other than arrivals. Apparently I was the only one who had arrived today. Later in the afternoon the crosswind lessened and flying restarted.

Hot.

Many things were nice. Isolated incidents of extreme disorganization were unfortunate and taxing. It took one and a half hours for someone who knew to know the right someone to call and find out how I can get my plane int the campsite, then to get the plane to the campsite. The Florida Pipistrel dealer, Rand, helped me physically move it there.

The hardboiled egg and orange from breakfast was running out of supplied energy. Brain becoming more stupid.
It took 2 hours to put up the tent. Hot. Thirsty. A neighboring camper offered a spot in his big trailer with his family if I gave up. And he meant it. Air mattress too. Nice guy, Sam was.
Eventually I went down to his site and he and his son Ben (?) came back to help. Once we lifted the tent into the 3D shape it was supposed to become, the tent poling labyrinth solution became obvious.
Hot, tired.
Got drink and food and sat in shade. Got better.
Hot sleeping at night. Slept on sleeping bag.
There was a weather alert for thunderstorms and small hail for the early am. Much widespread concern about the possible wind and hail.Read more
GUFY trips Had to wear 3 bands.The one on the right granted me entry to the grounds for a particular day. The left one allows me to be on the flight line. The middle one lets me on the flight line unaccompanied. Yes that makes the left one redundant but it is still required.
4/23/17Reply
GUFY trips Darwin non selection #1 from the 1950s. Only one ever flew.
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GUFY trips Darwin nonselection #2 from the 1950s. Only 1 flew.
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GUFY trips Successful Darwin selection feeding at local pond.
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
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Sun N Fun, Thursday
April 6, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Got some wind, rain but no hail.
Did some heavy duty booth visiting. Spent over an hour at Bahamas booth where they convinced me where to go, where to stay, and what to avoid.
Less hot, and dryer. Slept in sleeping bag.Read more
GUFY trips Big plane
4/27/17Reply
GUFY trips Not GA or empire friendly
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GUFY trips Two blue planes
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GUFY trips Nosy plane
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
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Sun N Fun, Friday
April 7, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Have done much walking while here, seeing what there is to see and buying more than I should. Feet are tired at the end of the day but I can feel my gluteus becoming less maximus.

Temperature dropped down a lot at night. Slept in sleeping bag with a hoodie sweater on.

The plane pics are of the one that impressed me the most. It uses two model airplane engines. It flew surprisingly well.Read more
GUFY trips Some of the many kinds of carts that swarm.
4/27/17Reply
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
Sun N Fun, Saturday
April 8, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
Balloon day.

When I got back to my tent after seeing the balloons off, there was a card with a note from David Berelsman saying he would like to meet. I called him to say that I was leaving in about 30 minutes. Since he lived 'nearby', we decided to meet at Winter Haven on my return from The Bahamas. He wanted to meet to talk about long cross country trips.Read more
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
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(KSEF) Sebring, FL
April 8, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
It was to be a 2:40 min flight to the Bahamas. This is an unplanned stop.

After getting everything set up for my international flight to The Bahamas, and after I took off. I noticed my transponder was not working.

Landed here to troubleshoot the problem. When this happened before the solution was to remove then replace connector. I did not have my tiny screwdriver to fit the connector, The FBO (FIxed Based Operator), leant me their Lincoln town car to go to Dollar Center to pickup an eyeglass repair kit. They had the screwdriver but I was too hot and tired to proceed today.

Got a room at Chateau Elan. It was on the third floor with a balcony overlooking a turn at the Sebring racetrack, Glad there was no big race on so I could get a room at a 'typical' motel rate.

Tomorrow will see if the new screwdriver will save the day/trip.

The next day, after eliminating other possibilities, I ended up opening the connector to the transponder panel unit. Found a pin was not fully seated. Sat it back down, reconnected, enjoyed the feeling of success.

The trip continues.Read more
GUFY trips View from my balcony
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GUFY trips Another view from my balcony.
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GUFY trips Fortunately my non-racetime rate was much, much less.
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GUFY trips Complementary car used to go to dollar store.
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
North Palm Beach, FL
April 9, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
Staying out of restricted flight area around "White House South". east to Bahamas.
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
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West End, Grand Bahama, Bahamas
April 9, 2017 on the Bahamas ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Fly by
GUFY trips Looking north.
4/28/17Reply
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
Underwater Ghost Approaching Bahamas?
April 9, 2017 on the Bahamas ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
Wilderness Fires
April 9, 2017 on the Bahamas ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Common in uninhabited areas in Bahamas this time of year. Generally left to burn themselves out.
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
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Northeast Tip of Grand Bahama
April 9, 2017 on the Bahamas ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Heading for Abaco
GUFY tripsLooking south
4/28/17Reply
GUFY trips Looking north
4/28/17Reply
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Florida, Bahamas GUFY trips
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Approaching Treasure Cay, Abaco
April 9, 2017 on the Bahamas ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
Airport is beyond fire. While approaching I could only see the smoke and was worried that the fire might have closed the airport.. a concern since that was my declared customs arrival point. But not a problem although I decide to go around the smoke instead of through to reach te runway.

The east side view was typical Bahama serenity.Read more
GUFY trips East view.
4/29/17Reply
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