October 19, 2023 - Annual Foliage Flight
Day Three - Part Two
Wales to Home
 

Leaving Wales grass-strip public airport, I headed southwest and soon came to Lewiston, Maine.    At this point I was only about 10 miles from the Atlantic Ocean coast.

Lewiston is the second most populous city in Maine, with the city's population at 37,000.    The Androscoggin River runs through the town and continues on to Brunswick.

 
   
Southwest of town is the Auburn/Lewiston Municipal Airport (KLEW).
   
Continuing southwest, there are lots of lakes and ponds to the west.
   
The sun has finally emerged and is lighting things up.
   
I believe that is big Sebago Lake out to the southeast.
   
Long Lake stretches out to the northwest.
   
 
   
 
   
Foliage Flightseeing at its best.
   
 
   
Eastern Slopes Regional Airport (KIZG) of Fryeburg, Maine dead ahead.
   
A rare treat; the town name of Fryeburg, Maine painted on top of a hangar.
   
At this point, I was flying in the general direction of Claremont Municipal Airport (KCNH) in New Hampshire 72 nm ahead because they had the lowest avgas prices around.  Of course, if I saw anything interesting or an area of awesome color, I would divert and check it out.
   
 
   
Part of Ossipee Lake in New Hampshire.
   
Some nice red maples near the lake.
   
Chickville private airstrip near Ossipee Lake.
   

 
   
Looking up at a 3,000 foot tree-covered mountain.
   
Lots of lakes ahead.
   
Looking northwest.
   
A little lake-front resort.
   
I head across a huge lake.   It looks familiar.  Then I realize I've flown it before.  But not in the warmer months.  It's Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire.   At the southeastern tip is the famous Alton Bay where you can land on its ice runway.
   
Flashback!  This is what Lake Winnipesaukee looked like the last time I saw it, back in  February 2019.
   
Looking northwest.
   
Heading west southwest.
   
Passing Parlin Field (2B3).  Nice airport with a 3,500 foot asphalt runway and a perpendicular 2,000 foot grass strip.  Gas prices are excellent as well, although just slightly higher than Claremont Muni.
   
Claremont Muni (KCNH) is dead ahead on th eother side of Claremont town.
   
A good look at Claremont.
   
Nice self-service fuel pump area.  The pilot shack looks like a nice facility but was locked up for some reason.  I got my gas and left without talking to anybody.
   
Just to the west was Connecticut River which runs north-south.  So I followed it south.
   
Wow, what a great river.  I'll have to fly the entire thing on a future trip.
   
I saw traffic approaching head-on on the ADS-B.  Soon they came into sight.  Not what I expected.  Two army helicopters.  A big H-47 followed by a Blackhawk.
   
Interstate 91 parallels the Connecticut River on the west side.   Connecticut is on the left, Vermont is on the right.
   
Looking down at Brattleboro, Vermont.
   
And then suddenly, I had had enough.  I had get-home-itis.  It was time to get high and go fast.  I started climbing.
   
I got on top the broken layer where the air was nice and smooth.
   
Looking down at the Hudson River through a hole.
   
Looking down at big New York Stewart International Airport, 60 miles north of New York City   The long runway running left-right is 11,800 feet long!  Interestingly enough, a big four-engine 747 is using the shorter 6,000 foot runway.  Maybe he is just taxiing on it?
 
It was developed in the 1930s as a military base to allow cadets at the nearby United States Military Academy at West Point to learn aviation.  It then became an Air Force Base but that closed in the 70's.   In the early 80's it became a public airport.  In 1983 it also became Stewart Air National Guard Base.
 
The Space Shuttle could have landed at Stewart's long runway in an emergency.
   
Zooming in on the 747.  The three C-17s at left actually look small compared to the 747.
   
One problem with flying outside of New York's Class B airspace, along the western edge, is that you are still in the flight path of commercial jets coming in from the west.  You can see them coming in on ADS-B.  Air Traffic Control can also see you so they vector the jets around you.  Still, it's kind of unnerving to know the big, fast jets are coming in.
 
Here's a jet flying parallel to me to the west.
   
Then he passes in front of me.
   
Now looking down at the Delaware River.  It seems like a million years ago that I flew it although it was only two days ago.
   
Some interesting contrails up high.
   
 
   
Passing the Susquehanna River as it flows into the Chesapeake Bay.  Almost home.
   
A big corn-maze.
   
The big waste-water treatment center on the Back River.
   
Turning final for landing at home base:  Essex Skypark.
   
Mission accomplished.  My track for the last three days. Have plane, will travel.  Good times.
   
 
   
Previous
Home
Next