April 6, 2024 - Fly to Jackson, Mississippi
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Heading southwest to Jackson, Mississippi this morning. My Uncle Parham died a few days ago and I'm flying down for the funeral. I'll be stopping at Johnson City, Tennessee to pick up my sister Susan.
As you can see, the weather is excellent.
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| My first look at what is left of the Key Bridge. The container ship that caused the bridge collapse is still there. What a mess. (As of early May, the latest estimate is that it will cost $2 Billion dollars, and it will take four years, to rebuild the bridge. Then there is the untold cost of all the manhours wasted by people sitting in traffic trying to get through the Baltimore tunnels. |
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Close-up. This picture brings home just how big that ship was. It's about the same size as the collapsed portion of the bridge.
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Visibility was phenominal. How clear Baltimore looks in this city.
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| Too bad the city is an urban jungle; I only go into the city when I absolutely have to. |
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| The sky is so clear that in the distance you can see Washington DC which is very rare. |
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| I encountered a broken layer around Frederick; climbed on top. Knew it would break up down the road. |
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Loving the nice tailwind!
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| Looking down through a big hole somewhere around Winchester. |
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Traveling down the Shenandoah Valley; Interstate 81 heads south-southwest through the valley.
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| The clouds have pretty much broken up by the Shenandoah Lower Valley. |
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Looking down at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington, Virginia. Washington and Lee University is down there also, to the right of VMI.
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| Close-up of VMI. |
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High over big Roanoke Airport, staying out of their Class C airspace.
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| Passing by Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Virginia. VA Tech has their own airport. |
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| The New River winds its way to the northwest. |
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| Looking down at one of my favorite airports: Mountain Empire (KMKJ). Very friendly airport. |
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Descending now into Johnson City. Ahead is South Holston Lake.
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| South Holston Lake is always pretty. |
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| Johnson City Airport dead ahead! It's that green area at center. |
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| A much better look. I have landed at this airport many times. |
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| Safe on deck. I would usually tie down to the right of my plane but today it's a quick stop and go. |
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Sister Susan is ready for her first ever ride in my plane. Her husband Tony has flown with me many times.
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| Only 15 miles or so from Johnson City, on the downwind at Greeneville Muni (KGCY). I'm stopping for fuel; they have a good price here. Johnson City Airport has no fuel. |
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| On the ramp at Greeneville. Nice FBO building with friendly staff. |
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| Soon I'm on my way again, approaching sidewinding Douglas Lake. But I've lost my passenger! The nausia-causing turbulence, noise, and claustrophic small plane were all just too much for Susan. Facing a three hour flight, she called up Tony and asked him to drive down and get her. |
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Looking down at Gatlinburg-Pidgeon Ford Airport (KGKT)/
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| At center is Pigeon-Forge, a big vacationtown. Dollywood is at upper left somewhere. |
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Approaching Chattanooga. and the Tennessee River.
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The Tennessee River is dammed up into a big lake. There's an airport named Guntersville Muni at center.
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There wasn't much between Guntersville, Alabama and Jackson, Mississippi so I didn't take a lot of pictures. Well, I didn't take any pictures, actually.
This is big Ross Barnnett Reservoir, northeast of Jackson. But I'm landing at Madison Airport, which is on the northeast corner of Jackson, and just to the right of this picture.
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On downwind leg for landing at Madison Airport, Mississippi.
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| On final for runway 17. In the distnace, at upper left, you can see a big open area that is Jackson International Airport. |
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| Safe on deck at Madison. |
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