AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2016 - 16

WAYPOINTS

Logic: So overrated

BY THOMAS B. HAINES
Editor in Chief

Setting practicality aside in favor of adventure
CAN WE ALL AGREE that at least some of the time, our
general aviation missions don't make the most sense
from an economic or time standpoint?
I love recreational flying, but I also get a real charge
out of the time efficiencies of flying my Bonanza for
business purposes. It helps that many of the places I
need to visit happen to be on GA airports, simplifying
the ground transportation issues we face upon arrival.
Every once in a while, an opportunity comes up to fly
to a location where logic suggests driving might be the
more sensible choice. Sometimes logic wins. But other
times, the sense of challenge and adventure prevails.
I'm flying because I want that in my logbook. Period.

Tour the world's most famous airplane and land
at a military-only airfield-how hard could it be?
Plenty hard, as it turns out.

Editor in Chief
TOM HAINES has
flown general
aviation
airplanes in
47 states and
15 countries.

16 | AOPA PILOT October 2016

I think the statute of limitations has expired on this
one, so I can tell you about one such bucket-list flight I
made where driving would have been much more practical. The drive from our headquarters in Frederick,
Maryland, to Joint Base Andrews is about an hour and
15 minutes. Flight time there is about 17 minutes. So
15 years ago when a chance to tour Air Force One at
Andrews came up, the idea of flying there and making
this a twofer-tour the world's most famous airplane and
land at a military-only airfield-was irresistible. How
hard could it be? Plenty hard, as it turns out.
My host for the Air Force One visit, who asked at the
time that we not write about the tour, was skeptical of
my chances, but he put me contact with the right people
at what was then known as Andrews Air Force Base and
I started dialing...and then faxing. They wanted proof
of citizenship, ownership, and insurance, among other
things. But after many hours and phone calls, I got the
green light and we were off for our 17-minute flight.
Plus, of course, the time to preflight and taxi out.
Minutes after taking off from Frederick, I contacted
Andrews Approach (now a part of Potomac Approach)
and was set up for Runway 19L, the Navy side of the
field; the parallel Air Force runway was closed for
repairs. With only 9,800 feet of runway to work with,
I managed to get the Bonanza down just beyond the
numbers and exited to the left-the east side of the field.

Because of the runway closure, I was then instructed to
taxi all the way to the end on the parallel taxiway and,
after waiting for a bunch of departures, to cross over
the southern end of the airport and taxi half up the Air
Force side. Taxi time: about 30 minutes.
I was directed to a parking spot amid a bunch of blue
and white Learjets and King Airs used for VIP transport.
As I went to lock the Bonanza door there in the shadow
of the Air Force One hangar, I asked the young airman
how security was there. "Your airplane will be secure,"
he said without a smile. That was a joke, son....
So about an hour and 15 minutes after we took off,
I had my Andrews logbook entry and we were in a
van passing through the incredibly tight security that
surrounds the president's airplane. Bucket list item
Number 2 of the day.
I was reminded of that trip recently when I was
invited to Maryland's Patuxent River Naval Air Station
to fly an F/A-18 Hornet simulator as part of a demonstration of a new carrier-based augmented approach
system. Hmmm. Two-and-a-half-hour drive each way
or a 40-minute flight and a chance to add another military-only field to my logbook? Again, much skepticism
surfaced on my chances of getting the paperwork done
in time. But helpful hosts at Pax River lowered as many
hurdles as possible, and I jumped in with my insurance company to get the appropriate forms completed.
Within a few days, the paperwork was in order and we
set off on another military adventure.
The Pax River approach controller assured us the
arresting gear was stowed (thank you very much) and
we were cleared for Runway 24. Again, I managed to
eke the Bonanza onto the 11,800 feet of concrete, and
we began another marathon taxi to the farthest corner
of the airport, where we were being hosted by the military flying club.
A few minutes later I managed to nab the Number
3 wire on the simulated carrier deck, even without the
Hornet's augmented approach system. You'll read more
about that in an upcoming issue.
A couple of hours later I taxied onto Runway 6 for
a quick flight home, another memorable logbook entry
complete.
AOPA
EMAIL thomas.haines@aopa.org

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2016