June 8, 2013 - AOPA Be a Pilot Day
It had rained hard the day before so there was a lake in front of my hangar.  I slipped and almost went down into the puddle pulling my plane out of the hangar.
   
Today, I was flying over to Frederick Airport, Maryland for AOPA's Be a Pilot Day.  Dave Hirschman had asked me and some other RV drivers to fly a four-ship formation flyby for the event.
   
We briefed the flight, then taxiied out.  Dave was lead, Clogs was #2, I was #3, and Jolly was #4.  All experienced formation pilots.
   
Jolly getting ready to start his engine.   Mike B. -- fellow RV-7 builder and pilot -- was in Jolly's plane as passenger.
 
 
   

 Photo from Jolly's plane by Mike B.
   
We just did a couple of passes over the event, then an overhead break to landing.
   
Finger-four formation.
   

Then we walked over to the event to check it out.  They had a variety of airplanes on static display including this little Pitts, and a Cessna 172 on amphibious floats.

 
   
A bunch of pilots swapping flying stories.
   
This Christian Eagle's owner was the guy who bought Bruce B.'s Cub.
   
A Super Cub with nice paint job.
   
The event had a pretty good crowd.
   
Carlo flew over from Essex Skypark in the AirCam.
   
 
   
AOPA was giving free airplane rides.  Lots of people took advantage.
   
The airplanes in which rides were given.
   
A little single-seat helicopter.
   

Aeronautical engineers discussing exhaust pipe setup or something.

 
   
Mike B's RV-7.
   
Taking off at Frederick.  The AOPA event is dead center of the picture.
   

Rather than heading east for home, I headed west to have some fun.  Since I was over here, I might as well take advantage.

Here is a big golf community development.
   
 
This is a road near Brunswick, Virginia I used to travel many times, heading to the Flying Cow airfield to fly gliders.  That housing in the middle is all new.  The Potomac River runs left to right across the picture.
   
A closer look at the Potomac River near Harper's Ferry.  It looks like Butts Tubes changed locations.  Now they are right on the river.  When the kids were little, we used to come up here all the time and float down the river on the tubes.  I googled Butts Tubes; now they are Harpers Ferry Adventure Center.
   
Approaching Harper's Ferry from the east.
   
You can see some tubers down below in their blue innertubes.
   
I followed the Potomac River through the big valley west of Harper's Ferry.  It really twists and turns.
   
Flying back to Essex Skypark, I flew over Henderson's Farm airfield.  I flew the Kolb Ultrastar -- our Ultralight -- here back in 1996-97.   They used to have a big ultralight fly-in here back in those days.
   
I noticed an airplane below on someone's farm, but I don't see an airstrip?
   
A big, manicured horse farm.
   
Approaching the Baltimore Ravens -- World Champs! -- team and practice facility.
   
Not too many Ravens working today.  Check out the Raven logo to the right of the picture.
   
 
   
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