1st $100 Hamburger trip

[Windchill]

So I've had my private cert. for about a year and a half now, and just now made that first $100 Hamburger trip.

I've found a good number of airports that have restaurants/cafes w/in 125nm that have pretty good reviews, at least worth checking out.

Today Amy and I flew from Winchester, VA (KOKV) to Shenandoah Valley Regional (KSHD). We have family going to school near there and family friends that live in the area. Well we went to fly down for lunch at the Fly Away cafe. It was okay, nothing to write home about.

They were nice to let us borrow the courtesy car so we could go visit and we were back in about a half hour.


Well, the flight down was incredibly turbulent. One of those flights where you climb above the turbulence, only to dread the descent, all the while desiring to be on the ground. Needless to say the flight took away my hunger.

When asking Amy how the flight was, her response: "YOU AWOKE THE BABY!" Apparently the child isn't a fan of turbulence either, and kept kicking mommy all over the place.

The return flight was surprisingly smooth. Which of course I commented on after the fact, didn't want to jinx ourselves


If nothing else, I began the adventures of the $100 Hamburger, logged some more cross-country, enjoying the priveleges of having the ability to get into an airplane, and pilot the aircraft to a destination of my choosing, seeing God's green (or brown as it was since the grass is still dormant) earth from above.

Edit: And despite the fact that I replied to the post he made about looking for CFIs at this flight school, I just realized Tiger 815 was a CFI there--doh !

[Phil2016]

Ahhh, brings back memories of the Outer Marker Cafe at KTIX. Hit there the first time when I was a 17 year old getting my pvt and ended up there during my first flight when I got to ATA 6 years later. Great, greasy food!

[jknight8907]

I haven't had too many $100 hamburger trips, unfortunately.

However, at LBF (North Platte, NB), they give you great steaks when you buy gas. And they always have hot cookies on the counter.

[flyguy]

For my long cross country for my commercial-multi I had a $1200 club sandwich in Santa Barbara.

[tonyw]

Man, you got a $100 hamburger?

For me they're more like $200 sodas.

But I love it. I really do!

[Jayrock]

Congratulations!!! I know I've had my fair share!!! Just last weekend I had $225 Chinese. A few months earlier while doing my commerical x/c I had a $550 bag of Famous Amos cookies from the vending machine.

[FO_SHIZZLE]

[ QUOTE ]
Ahhh, brings back memories of the Outer Marker Cafe at KTIX. Hit there the first time when I was a 17 year old getting my pvt and ended up there during my first flight when I got to ATA 6 years later. Great, greasy food!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yesssss! Did they still have the themed names for all the food? I remember ELT Eggs, Touchdown Zone Tea or something of the sort and there were many others but I can't really recall. Kinda hokey names but the menu was entertaining. Great breakfast. Try to get over there every now and then if I have an early morning flight.

[Barlow]

[ QUOTE ]
For my long cross country for my commercial-multi I had a $1200 club sandwich in Santa Barbara.

[/ QUOTE ]

1200? What type of aircraft were you flying?

[flyguy]

BE-76 Duchess with instructor.

[tonyw]

[ QUOTE ]
Congratulations!!! I know I've had my fair share!!! Just last weekend I had $225 Chinese. A few months earlier while doing my commerical x/c I had a $550 bag of Famous Amos cookies from the vending machine.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's fun, though, isn't it?

My 250 nm xc will be to Cleveland. I figure it's at least two hours of tach time each way, at $72 an hour, which means it's a $288 cup of coffee!

But it will be fun!

[Mariano]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Congratulations!!! I know I've had my fair share!!! Just last weekend I had $225 Chinese. A few months earlier while doing my commerical x/c I had a $550 bag of Famous Amos cookies from the vending machine.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's fun, though, isn't it?

My 250 nm xc will be to Cleveland. I figure it's at least two hours of tach time each way, at $72 an hour, which means it's a $288 cup of coffee!

But it will be fun!

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey Tony, why don't you come to Lake Placid, I think it may be about the same distance, plus there is some good ski at Whiteface. You know, is the biggest vertical drop in the Eastern US.

[tonyw]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey Tony, why don't you come to Lake Placid, I think it may be about the same distance, plus there is some good ski at Whiteface. You know, is the biggest vertical drop in the Eastern US.

[/ QUOTE ]

That might not be a bad idea. Am I allowed to over night on my 250 NM xc?

Fly up, get a day of skiing in, sleep, and fly back.

[Mariano]

Hey Tony, I'm glad you like the idea. Lake Placid is just north of the High Peaks area of the Adirondack Park (really beautiful region), the peaks average around 5.000 feet, there is a couple of passes coming from the south (I think their names are Cascade pass, and Indian pass). And I guess if you don't want to fly an unfamiliar pass, you could always clear the mountains ( weather permitting ) with a good height margin and then descend closer to the airport, or you could also fly the nearby Adirondack Regional,KSLK, VOR and then fly the radial to KLKP, around 8 nm, the terrain is flatter that way. I'm sure though that there are fellow JC members who flew here before and would have good advice.
As for lodging there is plenty in the area, and it will be cheaper now because is low season. Of course you are more than welcome to stay in my place, my wife just left to Mexico for a 5 week Yoga instructor course, so I wouldn't mind the company, and the chance to meet a fellow JC'er. I have a hyper-active Miniature Bull Terrier, Balboa, who will be very happy to have a guest, so if you decide to fly here and stay at my house, I really hope that you like dogs.

Peace.

[Sprint100]

$100 Hamburger......good lawd I'd get a combo at Sonic and have $95 to play with. I still don't see any joy or benefit in the $100 hamburger trips

[tonyw]

Well, you gotta get those cross countries in somehow, don't you?

Since I've got to get 50 xc hours in for the instrument rating as well as the long xcs for the commercial, I figure I may as well have some fun with 'em.

They're gonna cost me just as much either way. It'll be a lot less painful if I enjoy them.

[Sprint100]

My bad, I thought of it as going out of your way or an excuse to fly somewhere just for that.
Making the most of a trip you gotta do anyway is something I can understand

[Windchill]

I'm working on my 50 hours of cross-country toward the instrument as well.

However, where's the harm in picking an airport somewhere with a restaurant and flying to it for lunch or dinner.

Up in Latrobe, PA I hear there's an italian restaurant with pretty good food. Nothing like bringing the romance back into flying and simply enjoying the priveleges attached by getting in the plane and flying up north for some italian.

In AOPA Flight Training, I always enjoy reading Greg Brown's "Flying Carpet" columns about flying off to here and there in what equates to aviation's "roadtrips."

I fly not just to build hours, but to enjoy the experience that is general aviation as a hobby as well.

[flyguy]

[Sprint100]

[ QUOTE ]
I fly not just to build hours, but to enjoy the experience that is general aviation as a hobby as well.


[/ QUOTE ]

An expensive hobby at that.

[Screaming_Emu]

I had $1,200 Lasagna in STP last week. WAs damn good.

[tonyw]

Yeah, and if I do the LOOOOONG xc to Grand Forks you keep on trying to talk me into doing, it will be ah, uh.....sheesh, probably a $2000 beer.

[triple7]

I am flying a 182 to GFK this spring. when does icing season end up there? how aboout crosswind season?