February 10, 2012 - Long Island Beaches, Connecticut Triplanes

It was a frustrating week at work so I took a "mental health holiday" on Friday and went flying.  My plan was to fly the Jersey Coast, make a right at New York City, fly around Long Island, then go north into Connecticut to visit a Fokker Triplane builder, and then fly home. 

First stop was at Ocean City Airport, New Jersey for breakfast.  They have a little on-field restaurant. 

 
My RV was the only plane on the big ramp at Ocean City. 
 
The FBO building also contains the small restaurant.   During beach weather, you can fly here and walk to the beach.  The FBO building even has shower facilities you can use to get the sand off before you get in your plane to go home. 
 
Flying up the Jersey Coast.  Most of the front yards seem to be sand, not grass.
 
Looks like they are trying develop vegetation-covered sand dunes. 
 
Some areas of the coast are undeveloped and in their natural state.   
 
At this time of year, on a weekday, there was not a soul to be seen.  I'm sure it's a different story in the summer.
 
It's easy to tell where the zoning changes! 
 
Since I was in no hurry, and had a great tailwind, I throttled the RV back to 1900 RPM and 21 inches of Manifold Pressure so that I was "only" burning 6 gallons per hour.  I was still making 150 mph over the ground even throttled back. 
 
No pavement in this community, just sand. 
 
Fancy mansions on the seashore.  
 
It's good to be rich!
 
Approaching Sandy Hook.  New York City can be seen in the far right.
 
You can just make out the Verrazano Bridge ahead and t the right. 
 
To avoid JFK International Airport airspace, I had to cut across the water to get to Long Island. 
 
Approaching Jones Beach, Long Island. 
 

Jones Beach State Park.  According to Wikipedia, it is the most popular and heavily visited beach on the East Coast.  But not today.

They have the big New York Air Show here every Memorial Day Weekend.   All the big names fly the show including the Blue Angels and Sean Tucker. 

 

And that must be Jones Beach Water Tower.

 
 
I was down low to stay under the JFK airspace.   This big guy was descending for landing as I passed by. 
 
Another water tower farther east.
 
I guess this isn't Long Island per se, but a barrier island running parallel to Long Island.  Still, I was amazed by how long and how nice the beach is.  Who knew? 
 
I wonder what this is.  It looks more like a church than a private residence.
 
Truck driving down the beach.
 
There were huge parking lots for beachgoers. 
 
Now we are flying by the famous "Hamptons" which is some of the most expensive residential property in the U.S. 
 
Not too shabby!
 
Still the Hamptons.  Long Island Sound just barely be seen on the other side.
 
I wonder what the green fees are for this golf course?
 
Did I mention it's good to be rich?
 
The eastern tip of Long Island is very wooded.
 
The beach has turned to cliffs.  I reach the end, called Montauk Point.
 
Turning the corner.
 
The Montauk harbor is on the north side, a little west of the point.  Some people from my work have been up here a few times to go deep sea fishing.  There is also a nearby airport, seen below.  It's supposed to be a nice place to stop when the weather is good; Lynnette and I will have to fly up here some weekend.
 
This huge golf complex really stood out.  Now I am heading west along the north shore.  
 
Overflying Mattituck and Mattituck Airport.   Only 4912 people live here. 
 
Why do I care about Mattituck?   The TMX-360 engine that powers my plane was assembled here by Mattituck Sevices Inc.  They are one of the best names in the business.  I'm guessing my engine was assembled in one of those buildings down there.  I didn't have time to stop, however. 
 

After Mattituck, I'd seen enough of Long Island  -- the north side isn't nearly as interesting as the south side, plus the sun and glare were now in my eyes.   I turned north and climbed to get across Long Island Sound.  Below, I am just entering the mainland between Groton and New Haven. 

 
Looking back at New Haven although you can't see it because of the glare. 
 
 
I flew inland for 20 miles or so looking for my destination:  Waterbury Airport (N41).   My only experience with Connecticut is driving to and from Maine on a highway so I was surprised at tree-covered hilly terrain.  Visibility was pretty good but I saw nothing ahead that looked like an airport except a big open field on top of a hill.   Soon it became obvious that this must be the airport.  Sure enough it was.  I could see planes parked along the treeline.  I had called the airport manager earlier in the day to make sure the grassfield was in suitable condition for landing.  I really didn't want to land on a muddy field.  But the field was reasonably hard and I had no trouble at all. 
 
Parked outside the only hangar on the field. 
 
 
The hangar contained not one, but two Fokker Triplanes!
 
This is Jim B.'s Triplane project which is nearing completion.  He should fly in a few months. 
 
Ed is the owner of the other Triplane, which is fully operational. 
 
 
Jim took this picture a few days later.  The two Triplanes look awesome sitting outside together.  You would never know it is not 1917. 
 
Jim was nice enough to spend about an hour and a half telling me about his project, and giving me building tips.  The airport manager, Ken, stopped by and I enjoyed talking with him as well.  Both Jim and Ken liked the RV. 
 

I left Waterbury around 3PM.  Even though I still had three hours of daylight left, I didn't feel like sightseeing anymore so I headed for home.  The sun was gone and it was kind of overcast and gloomy.  I transited home at 4500 feet.  The headwind wasn't as bad as I had feared so I made it home in good time, about an hour and a half.  It was a little cool up at 4500 feet.  My heater just wasn't able to cope with the temperature in the high 20s.

Here I'm about to cross the Hudson River north of NYC. 

 
Northeast of Philadelphia, I passed over Kolb Airstrip, which Scott, Bruce and I flew to in a 172 way back in 1995.   We each took an hour lesson with an instructor in a Kolb Mark III ultralight.   
 
About to cross the Susquehanna River.  The RV knows its way home at this point.   All in all, it was a great day of flying.  I didn't think about work at all!
 
 
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