| I almost can't believe I did it. I planned a 200+ mile | | | | second time much easier. With this flight, I was flying to |
| cross-country solo flight, all by myself, and actually flew | | | | two brand new airports that I had never been to. I |
| it! It was an amazing feeling. | | | | navigated half way between 3I7 and I95 via VOR |
| This flight is a requirement for my private pilot's license. | | | | which is a radio transmission that allows you to |
| It didn't actually need to be 200 miles, 150+ would have | | | | navigate directly to or directly away from a VOR |
| been OK, but the airport destinations that I was | | | | station. |
| interested in put me at a little over 200 miles, for a total | | | | I literally flew right over the VOR, maintaining a very |
| of 3 hours on the HOBBS meter. (For those that don't | | | | tight heading. I had also calculated the exact radial to |
| know, that is the little meter in the plane that you use | | | | fly on to go directly from the VOR to I95. That enables |
| to track engine time and flight time) I left Phillipsburg | | | | you to navigate and make corrections for wind and |
| (3I7) and headed for Hardin Co. Airport (I95). When I | | | | know that you're headed right for your destination. I |
| filed my flight plan, the operator thought I was saying I | | | | arrived at I95 30 minutes later, exactly on schedule. I |
| would take I-95 to the airport since I95 kinda sounds | | | | landed and took a break for about 5 minutes while I |
| like a freeway. He said he's heard stranger things. | | | | tuned in the next radio and VOR that I would be using |
| Anyhow, it was a 30 minute flight, very similar to | | | | to get to MZZ, my next destination which was 95 |
| Muncie. The difference was, I flew to Muncie with my | | | | miles away. More details on that trip in my next article. |
| instructor the first time. That made going there the | | | | |