(A Little More) Freedom to Fly

A little over a month ago, my husband and I relocated our family to Fort Mill, South Carolina so I could pursue a new job opportunity.  I had hoped to get my BFR done before I left KGAI, but time was not on my side.  Fortunately, my former flight instructor is a good friend, so when he arranged to fly down with his family to visit us over Labor Day Weekend, I was all out of excuses.

It was incredibly refreshing after all my years based at an airport within the SFRA surrounding Washington, D.C. to not have to file an out-bound and in-bound flight plan or be squawking a discrete code before departing the Rock Hill airport (KUZA) and heading Southeast in the Cessna 182 Rich had rented from the Congressional Flying Club (awesome flight club based at KGAI).  

Our first destination was a developing gold mine, which looked very impressive from ~1100 feet.  

It was a beautiful day to fly.  Not too hot, and just enough white, puffy clouds in the sky to look pretty.  Although it was my first time in a Cessna 182, in flight it felt fairly similar to the 172, and we worked through various in flight maneuvers and procedures.  

Of course, at the end of my check ride,  I had to snap one "who's flying this plane anyhow?" photograph, just for old times sake.

On our way back to Rock Hill, Rich spotted the next house he is going to buy, complete with private air strip and hangar.

We arrived back ten minutes ahead of when we had told our spouses to expect us, and had just enough time to buy a couple of bottles of water before a small, but very enthusiastic flight crew descended upon the FBO.  

Can you tell that they are just a little bit excited to be going flying?

Just sitting in the plane would have been enough for them, but with no flight plans to file, it was easy to pop up for a quick flight or two.

These two have been BFFs since the moment they met, and both share a love of flying already.

Although not his first time in a GA plane, this is the first flight that Taven may actually remember.  He certainly remembered it the next day (and the day after that) as he has repeatedly been asking me "how many sleeps" until he can going flying again with Mummy.  I never considered the possibility that although I have flown less the past five years because of my children, they may also be the ones who ultimately encourage (or badger) me into flying regularly again!

Once back at KUZA, we taxied to the self-serve fueling station.  Taven took advantage of the opportunity to climb into the front seat and try the yoke out for himself.  He looked pretty grown up sitting in there (sniff, sniff).

Looking at the eldest members of our little squadron sitting in the shade of the wing while we re-fueled the plane, it was clear that they are well on their way to being the next generation of airport bums!

And, as every GA pilot knows, one of the best things about hanging out at a small airport is that you never know who is going to show up behind you.  Or, in the case of this plane, just ahead of you.   

It was a memorable day of flying, to be sure!