December 2, 2012 - Massey Aerodrome Hangar Party

Massey Aerodrome has two fly-ins a year.  One of them is the December Hangar Party and it was today.  Most fly-ins are scheduled in the spring and fall when the weather is llikely to be good.  No one has their fly-in in December.  Except Massey.  The amazing thing is, though, the weather is usually good enough for the fly-in to take place.  And they get a good turnout with airplanes.  A lot of people drive in as well. 

The fly-in was from 1PM to 4 PM.  But people arrive at Massey fly-ins early, and then leave early.  So I was planning on arriving around noon.  On this day the weather was calling the shots.  Like yesterday, it was foggy when I woke up.  A low overcast hung over the entire mid-atlantic region.  I wasn't flying anywhere in the morning.  I raked up the leaves in my backyard instead, a fate worse than death. 

Just as I finished raking, the overcast started breaking up, so I headed to the airport.  By the time I was on the highway, there wasn't a cloud in the sky.  But as I crossed the Key Bridge, I drove under the overcast again.  At Essex Skypark, I messed around for awhile until the overcast started breaking up there around 1PM. 

I finally took off around 1:30.  Even though I transited to Massey at a relatively low 1500 feet, I enjoyed a monster tailwind and cruised at a little over 200 mph.  It was about a ten minute flight.    During the transit, I listened to a bunch of planes land at Massey, but when I got there the pattern was clear.  As you can see, the turnout wasn't the most I've ever seen at Massey but it was pretty good for early December.  Apparantly the overcast had burnt off here around 11AM. 

Because all the fields looked the same, it wasn't easy to pick out the runway.  If I hadn't known from experience where the runway should be, it might have been a problem.   Later on, I saw an airplane land in the bean field next to the runway! 

 
Inside the main hangar where all the food is. 
 
 
Classy-looking RV-8.
 
I know this RV-8 which is based out of Clearview but hangs out at Essex Skypark a lot.
 
There's always a gyro-copter or two at every fly-in these days.
 
Polished Waiex, which is basically a Sonex with a V-tail.
 
My RV overlooks Massey Aerodrome.   On arrival, I made a nice wheel-landing in front of all the people on the grassy knoll.
 
I've seen this RV-4 quite a few times over the years.  It was built long ago by the DAR who inspected my RV-7.
 
I saw this Fairchild PT-23 at the Smoketown fly-in during the summer.  It takes a tough pilot to fly an open cockpit airplane in Maryland in December.   Tommy's CJ is to the right. 
 
Anice-looking De Havilland DHC1 Chipmunk.  Mark in my EAA Chapter is restoring one of these, but its an open cockpit Super Chipmunk. 
 
A 1943 Stinson V-77 Reliant.  I like the gull wings. 
 
 
This CJ was flying a few feet off my left side a few weeks ago. 
 
A neat little 1956 Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer (converted to taildragger configuration).
 
A beautifully restored Schweizer SGU 2-22 training glider.
 
Although this picture doesn't really show it, I can tell the Massey regulars have been working on this DC-3.  It's in much better shape than what I remember it being. 
 
A Sonex with tri-cycle landing gear.
 
 
An Aero Commander 100-180 Lark that has seen better days.  They are actually fairly rare.      
 
Many Massey attendees -- including me -- like to stand on the grassy knoll and watch planes takeoff and land. 
 
It's just fun to watch the planes.
 
The Chipmunk taxiing to the runway.
 
And the little Sonex.
 
There's the Chipmunk again.
 
The Stinson Reliant flys overhead. 
 
Tommy taxiing his CJ to the runway.
 
Another Red Star pilot -- "Postal" -- taxiis his Marquart MA-5 Charger to the runway.   The Marquart is a plans-built aerobatic biplane. 
 
A Rans S-6 Coyote II taxiis to the runway.  The Coyote is a kitplane. 
 
A Rans S-12 (red) and Titan Tornado  (white) taxi by.  They look very similar.  They look like fun!
 
 
Heading for home.  The weather never did get very good.  But I was only in the air maybe 30 minutes the entire day.  The fly-in was fun, though.  I'm glad I went. 
 
 
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