Goodbye, Old Friend

On May 24, 2013 we were forced to make an emergency landing while on short final to the Charlotte, NC airport.  Thankfully, Mike and I walked away unharmed. . .but sadly, our airplane was declared a total loss. Goodbye, old friend, and thanks for all the wonderful memories.  Thanks also to the first responders who came to our assistance that day.

P.S.  Although we are retiring the One Yankee Fox blog, our adventure continues at organizedaviator.com We hope to see you there!

Space Shuttle Atlantis Rollby

Once again, while driving into work, I captured this photo, using my iPhone of the Space Shuttle Atlantis as it was moved south along Kennedy Parkway from the VAB to the KSC Visitor Center, with a brief stop for employees to look at it at the Schwartz road intersection.

Last Shuttle KSC Flyby

This morning the retired Space Shuttle Endeavor on top of the NASA 747 carrier aircraft departed the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility on its way to the California Science Center in Los Angeles.  It made several low passes over the space center before leaving. Quickly grabbing the iPhone I captured this video driving into work on Kennedy Pkwy heading north towards the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), the Shuttle is seen flying a final low pass approach to runway 33.

David's Instrument Cross Country

Today Mike flew with his student David on his instrument cross country from Merritt Island to Kissimmee to Sarasota.  Then to St. Pete and back to Merritt Island,  While practicing the ILS over Kissimmee ISM, we were radar vectored over Disney World and Mike took these pictures and video with his iPhone.

Epcot

Epcot

 Animal Kingdom, Expedition Everest

The Magic Kingdom

Epcot looking south

Downtown Disney

Video Flying by Epcot and Magic Kingdom



The link below is to a video of David practicing a LPV approach at Kissimmee FL, (KISM):

 

http://youtu.be/DE9h37H-LLs

New Upgrade for N21YF

It has been a long time since we made an upgrade to the plane.  This week we had installed by Sebastian Communication Inc., at Merritt Island Airport, the latest technology by adding a new Garmin GTN 750 panel mounted GPS.

Flight to Clearwater Airpark and back to Merritt Island

On January 30, 2012 Mike and Don flew to Clearwater Airpark to pick up Tony and bring him home. Below is the link to the video showing the takeoff from Merritt Island, the takeoff from Clearwater Airpark, and the landing at Merritt Island.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70EBW1eGR6o

Shuttle Runway 15 Low Pass Flyover

On Friday December 9, Mike took his friends Don and Gary and brother Stan on a flight to Vero Beach for lunch. On the way home they made a 200 FT low pass flyover of the Shuttle runway 15 at KSC. Don took an 18 minute video of the flight which can be accessed at the link below:

(The KSC tour starts at 8:28 and the SLF flyover at 12:16)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uMDon0NXHM&list=PL9cnwMC2lhoOnprRYX3jSiEYvFZwl8tSj&index=7

I never knew being unemployed could be so much fun!

Taking full advantage of the layoff from KSC, Mike gave a Biennial Flight Review to his friend Don in his SeaRey Ultralight Seaplane.
We made several takeoffs and landings on Lake Poinsett, and went sight seeing low over the swamps looking for gators.

Landing on Lake Poinsett

Takeoff from Lake Pionsett

Here is a link to Don's web site containing information on the construction of this plane:
http://seareybuilder.com/

Halifax Trip Videos

Flying Over New York City



Flying over Connecticut


Flying Over Canada



Flying Over Canada


A little IFR, punching a hole in a cloud


The Bay of Fundy


Vast amount of wilderness

Landing at Halifax

Peggy's Cove


Swiss Air Flight 111 Memorial



Ground Traffic in Halifax



Taxiing for takeoff, leaving Halifax Canada


Landing in Bangor


Taxiing in Bangor Maine and giving way to traffic


Big jets all around in Bangor


Bangor takeoff


Bangor takeoff climb out


Landing in Baltimore



Landing in Charlottesville


Landing at Heavens Landing - Base to Final



Landing at Heavens Landing



Parking N21YF at GE99


Plane parked. Towbot can swivel without harming nose gear.


Towbot



Flying over the Atlanta Hartsfield Airport

KPDK -> KCOI

On our flight home we were radar vectored over downtown Atlanta and the Hartsfield Airport. We had a spectacular view of the city.

Turner Field

Flying through a hole in the sky

KCHO -> GE99 -> KPDK

Leaving Charlottesville we flew to Heavens Landing in Georgia to see the aviation community that is built in the mountains. Heavens landings is a very spectacular place and is a well built airport. We recommend for all pilots to arrange to visit it, if they pass that way. After Heavens Landings we flew on to Atlanta, where we saw our nieces and nephew and went to a Braves game.

Marcie enjoying a veggie hot dog

Udvar Hazy

The next day we went to the National Air and Space Museum Udvar Hazy Center at Dulles Airport. Mike got to say hello again to the Shuttle Enterprise, which once sat in the VAB parking lot outside of his office. One of the hang gliders on display is the same model which Roger owns.

Marcie's self portrait taken using her iPhone 4