May 21, 2021 - Day Two
Transit to Natchez, Mississippi
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The long cross-country really begins today. My original plan was to fly to South Lafourche Airport, south of New Orleans. However, the winds looked very strong down there this afternoon, and they were perpendicular to the runway, so I decided to head for Natchez instead. Regardless, this would be a transit flight; high and fast, as opposed to down low, yanking and banking and sightseeing.
I started by flying over to Hawkins County airport to top off on avgas.
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Departing Hawkins County Airport, I jumped right on the Holston River heading southwest.
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| It soon turned into the big Cherokee Reservoir. |
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The Holston River runs to Knoxville where it combines with the French Broad River coming in from the east to become the mighty Tennessee River.
Here, I'm looking down at the University of Tennessee. in Knoxville At lower left is Neyland Stadium, home of the Tennessee Volunteers football team. Constructed in 1921, the stadium's official capacity is 102,455, making it fifth largest in the nation. The stadium is named for Robert Neyland, who served three stints as head football coach at the University of Tennessee between 1926 and 1952.
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| A look at the entire city of Knoxville. I've never been here. |
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| Knoxville's airport, McGhee-Tyson (KTYS). It's a towered airport with Class C airspace and a 9,000 foot runway. |
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| Now I'm looking down at Chattanooga. Lynnette and I had spent the night here in February and did a little sightseeing, so I knew what I was looking at on the ground. |
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Looking down through the haze at Lookout Mountain, which overlooks downtown Chattanooga and where a civil war battle took place.
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Looking down at the Jackson International Airport on the outskirts of Jackson, Mississippi.
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| Downtown Jackson. The State Capital building, the Old State Capital building and Governor's Mansion are visible if you know where to look. Millsaps College -- where my mother went to college -- is just out of the picture at the bottom. |
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| Hawkins Field Airport (KHKS), is practically in downtown Jackson. (It's on the west side) |
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Approaching Natchez, I spot the Natchez Trace, which Lynnette and I drove in February.
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Yep, that's it. A pretty, but not spectacular drive.
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| Arriving at Natchez Airport (KHEZ) which is about five miles northeast from town. This would conclude my flying for the day. |
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The FBO was attended and friendly. They do have a courtesy car but unfortunately another pilot had arrived just before me and grabbed it. Bad luck! The FBO recommended a taxi service which I used, but I ended up paying $40 in taxi fare to go to and from a cheap motel on the east side of town as opposed to putting $10 of gas into the courtesy car. Oh well, I was supporting the local economy. I had dinner at a Popeye's next to the motel.
I flew 4 hours today in two flights: one short flight to refuel and then a long transit to Natchez.
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