Leg 41: Ocala KOCF - Tegucigalpa MHTG

[needles 1,013]

HI Guys,

I completed my flight to Honduras last night....very very late last night/this morning in fact.

I am, unfortunately extremely busy today but will try and get my pics up as soon as possible either later today or this evening. I therefore hand the baton over to CaptHill.

Have a good flight.

:great:

[mutley 4,498]

Good news needles, Thanks for getting us underway

[needles 1,013]

Hi Guys, At last here are my shots from Leg 41.

Hope you enjoy them.

I was going to do this flight in my cessna citation but for some reason the throttle just wouldn't work properly so here I am in my Beech Baron 58. Cold and Dark at Ocala on the Florida peninsula. Having to take my wife on a trip for once so it might be a rather ear-aching journey for me.

Prepping the little lovely before wifey decides to join me.

Ah well! At least she has brought the all important piece of cargo with her.

All seated and belted, I try the first engine. Great shouts from Wifey as she has never been this close to an aircraft before. (She hates to fly)

Engine one is a goer.

'Be quiet!' , I ask as I steal myself to start engine two. 'I need to concentrate'.

Great! Engine two is a goer also. This means we may be on our way at last.

Permission from the tower to proceed and taxy to runway 18. Hold short and await further permissions. Is that TRB waving us off?

And we're away at last.

Wifey is all too excited now as we taxi to the hold short marker for runway 18. 'I still need to concentrate dear' I daringly say.

Holding short and waiting for my radio to burst into action. 'Why have we stopped' She bellows. 'I'M NOT DEAF' I shout. 'But I need permission to proceed for takeoff. So PLEASE, just sit, be quiet and all will be ok'. I'm getting braver by the minute as the radio crackles into action and gives me my permission to proceed. It feels like I have an ally on the other end of the radio and wifey can't hear him.

And we're off. No noise from her now....this for her is the scary bit. he! he! he!

Have a nice day, Ocala and see you when we return.

Good rate of climb, so gear up and relax a little. 'STOP SHOUTING AT ME!!! I can hear you LOUD and clear without bellowing at me'. This is going to be a fun day for sure.

Turning now for correct heading.This is where I get my own back. Banking without making it look obvious that I'm trying to scare her a little.

OK! I admit that wasn't very nice but I have to have my fun. I tell her we are going to descend a little because I have a few things I want to show her.

We are going to fly fairly low for a while and hopefully she will be as amazed as I will when we get to where I'm actually going.

'Now you can open your eyes and you will see Orlando in the distance'. NO NOT BLOOM. Orlando the city. Jeez! What have I let myself in for.

I'd been given prior consent to fly low to take in the sites we are going to see, but I forgot to tell wifey that, and now she thinks I'm going to get reprimanded by the authorities.

'Flying this low it's like looking at a lego village' she remarks. Hmmm! I think to myself.

No clouds about today is making this a pleasant trip if I could just switch the headphones off.

No clouds aloft either.

Here we go now, I know that that's the Space Coast ahead. Wifey has only ever seen it on TV. This is going to be an eye opener for her.

I got the required permissions ages ago to fly at such a low level over the space centre down here but have managed to keep it a secret until now. So let's see what she thinks.

'There you are dear. What do you think that place is down there?. 'Is it a nuclear power station' she asks. 'No dear one, it's not'. ' Is it a concrete making facility then'? 'NO IT'S THE SPACE CENTRE' I shout in disbelief at wifeys ignorance.

I continue on the course given to me by The Kennedy Space Centre. Trying to answer the barage of questions being hurled at me about the centre.

and thrice

OK! enough of that. We have a job to do with thecargo we have on board.

I decide though, that not too far away is another eye popper for her. So I head back inland a little.

What's that big golf ball over there she asks. 'Well' I said, It's a nuclear plant' I tell her. 'Sarcasm has never been your strong point has it darling' She comes back with.

As we aproach it she realizes it's the Epcot centre. 'Yeah! I've seen that on the Discovery Channel' she says.

'Ok!' I said 'That's all the site seeing we are doing today, because we need to get going now' So I head off to find the Keys which will lead me down the next leg of our journey.

They are down this way somewhere, I think to myself trying not to make out that I'm a little off course. Because if wifey gets a whiff of incompetence, she will grab it like a rotweiller and not let go until you admit defeat.

Just in time, I pick up the trail. Good weather you really can't go wrong down here.

Just follow the Keys.

Back on course now and everything is looking great. And she seems to have quietened down a little.

Appearing to seem in a happy mood. I try to ignore the relentless questions being hurled down my headphones. Plus the odd comment about the fact that my aircraft doesn't have a toilet. :nea:

After some time she just can't hold on any longer and I seek permission to land at Boca Chica Naval Air Base for an emergency. Granted, I descend and face the music.

Sir! A bathroom stop is NOT what we would call an emergency. Pull that one again and you will face a hefty fine and maybe chance 3 points on your liscence.

So we take off again after wifey relieves herself of what appeared to be several pints of fluid. At least that's how long she was in the bathroom. :blush:

Not long after taking off, I get a call from my new buddies on the Naval Air Base. Bad weather aproaching from the South so keep a lookout.

We make the Cuban coastline without too much fuss. But in the distance I can make out a weather front.

'It's still sunny' She says. ' How can you possibly know that we are going into some bad weather'? 'I JUST KNOW!' I reply. 'Just tighten your belt a little it may get bumpy'.

The clouds are getting denser so I decide to climb aloft them and try to get round them. Anything for a peaceful flight.

Climbing further now, but it doesn't look that bad to me.

Well we've made the Honduran coast now and things look a little better. And sound better too, as wifey get's a little nervous and clams up.

I bring the bird down a little so that wifey can enjoy the view again. If I get over that ridge we are sailing.

Made it. 'It should be all downhill from here' I tell her.

Someones got their eye on us.

I have heard about Toncontin before so decide to come in fairly low to avoid wifey being ill in the cabin. Turning for finals.

'There's where we are landing' I tell her. 'Oh good' she says. I need the loo again soon.

Almost down. 'Brace yourself sweetheart' I ask her

'Look over there, you can see the guys in the Tower keeping an eye on us'. 'Oh yeah, she says. Can I wave at them'. I'd rather you didn't darling' I say.

Touchdown was a bit of a slam really because I was paying more attention to what wifey was doing and saying. :blush:

Taxiing now to the terminal and hopefully Capt Hill is waiting there for me.

Here comes the baton.

Long shadows now after a bit of a staggered journey. But at least wifey is down safely and off tothe bathroom again. Too much coffee I suspect.

That's my job done. The Baton is now in the hands of Capt Hill. Bon Voyage Capt'. PS. Do you want a companion? Otherwise I have to fly back with her.

I think Capt' declined my offer of a female companion so I am left to Refuel and head off back to Ocala with wifey.

Here endeth Leg 41

Cheers Guys. Sorry for the waiting but she was in the loo and I couldn't go without her.

[mutley 4,498]

Superb post as always Needles.

I really enjoyed the scenic tour of Orlando, Space Coast and the Keys, it brings back some fine memories of being there visiting John last year.

Nice scenery for Ocala too, I guess that is Dree's creation? it does look good.

Now I feel that you may have been a bit to harsh on Wifey though, you would have been bored without a companion?

Thanks for getting us underway in such fine style, great picture editing and great commentary.

Cheers

[hurricanemk1c 195]

Great shots, great flight, great story!

[needles 1,013]

Superb post as always Needles.

I really enjoyed the scenic tour of Orlando, Space Coast and the Keys, it brings back some fine memories of being there visiting John last year.

Nice scenery for Ocala too, I guess that is Dree's creation? it does look good.

Now I feel that you may have been a bit to harsh on Wifey though, you would have been bored without a companion?

Thanks for getting us underway in such fine style, great picture editing and great commentary.

Cheers

Hi Mut', I did get prior permission to use wifey's name in vain. She has a great sense of humour and thought it was funny. So don't be afraid for me, I'm fine and still breathing

Thanks for your comments also. Much appreciated.

[needles 1,013]

Great shots, great flight, great story!

Thanks for that Hurricanemk1c.

[CaptHill 0]

Great shots and an equally great story line,

I will let you take wifey back with you however i was thinking of using the eurofighter for the next flight so that might have been.......interesting to see her reaction!

Great leg again, i ve got the baton and will have it on its way to the famous Princess Julianna airport today or tommorro, where photographers will line the beach for our approach.

CaptHill

[wisemanp 0]

What a leg Needles! Everything from the tour of Florida, the Wifey story, to that shot of the baton inside the aircraft, and even Needl35 on the dashboard, this must have taken a lot of effort!

Well done Sir!

[rob16584 42]

Great shots and the perfect way to get us underway again!

[needles 1,013]

Thanks for all the comments guys, much appreciated. My back had me up all night last night as I was in a lot of pain so decided to get the editing done. Glad you enjoyed it. Here's to the final section of ATWC hope it's a good one for all concerned.

PS Wifey has wet herself laughing.

[Axel 0]

It's getting closer and closer to my turn

[allardjd 1,853]

Mr. Needles, sir,

That was one fine job of documenting a very interesting flight leg. You did well. That was certainly not the most direct route, but you hit some of the high points in the area. Flying along the keys is always a spectacle. I recognized the 7 mile bridge in one shot. That's a great looking Baron, too and your edits to get the baton into the screen shots was excellent.

Dree's Ocala scenery looks good too. I (and others) had the privilege of helping him by taking local photos, annotating them and sending them to him in the Netherlands. For never having been here in person he's captured the place quite well. Thanks for a great flight.

John

[stu7708 244]

It's been said by others, and I can only agree.

Great shots and good commentry that was great fun to read.

The ATWC posts was actually what got me hooked on this forum in the first place.

I was actually considering bidding for a leg on this section, but I somehow missed the bidding

I had plans to use a hot air balloon as a part of the leg from St Maarten to Saba that was in the original plan but now seems to have been scratched.

In hind sight, and after looking at the geography in the area, getting down with anything outside the airport at Saba and continuing on with a HAB might have been a difficult task.....

[fighterpilot 0]

Really Good shots there!

You just gave me an idea of my ATWC flight....

[needles 1,013]

Really Good shots there!

You just gave me an idea of my ATWC flight....

:biggrin: + I'm intigued.

[needles 1,013]

Mr. Needles, sir,

That was one fine job of documenting a very interesting flight leg. You did well. That was certainly not the most direct route, but you hit some of the high points in the area. Flying along the keys is always a spectacle. I recognized the 7 mile bridge in one shot. That's a great looking Baron, too and your edits to get the baton into the screen shots was excellent.

Dree's Ocala scenery looks good too. I (and others) had the privilege of helping him by taking local photos, annotating them and sending them to him in the Netherlands. For never having been here in person he's captured the place quite well. Thanks for a great flight.

John

Thanks for your comments John, much appreciated. Once I had my bid in the bag I got straight onto the internet to look for any scenery for my 2 airports/airfields, I found Drees and bought it. I also remember seeing the 7mile bridge in one of the missions on FSX. I have aso got Adobe Creative Suite3 which is a must for editing photos.

Thanks again.

Regards

Brian

[needles 1,013]

It's been said by others, and I can only agree.

Great shots and good commentry that was great fun to read. :biggrin:

The ATWC posts was actually what got me hooked on this forum in the first place.

I was actually considering bidding for a leg on this section, but I somehow missed the bidding

I had plans to use a hot air balloon as a part of the leg from St Maarten to Saba that was in the original plan but now seems to have been scratched.

In hind sight, and after looking at the geography in the area, getting down with anything outside the airport at Saba and continuing on with a HAB might have been a difficult task..... :blush:

Thanks a lot Stu. My advice for bidding in any future events is to have your bid set up in a draft email, then when bidding opens fire it off straight away. I actually lost out to 2 bids but managed to get the first leg of section 5. So in future be ready. (I'm sure that's been said by the boy scouts before or words to that effect)

[stu7708 244]

Thanks a lot Stu. My advice for bidding in any future events is to have your bid set up in a draft email, then when bidding opens fire it off straight away. I actually lost out to 2 bids but managed to get the first leg of section 5. So in future be ready. (I'm sure that's been said by the boy scouts before or words to that effect) :biggrin:

Don't mention it.

Good advise on the bidding, even if it wouldn't have helped this time around. With far from perfect timing I was stuck with work issues in a location without internet connection for the duration of the bidding process...