October 17, 2015 - Flying Pennsylvania
I had some ambitious flying plans for this Saturday.   There was a fly-in at a private grass strip up in Pennsylvania that I wanted to go to.  Then the Golden Age Air Museum was having one of their fly-ins and I wanted to go to that too.  Finally, since I would be up there, I might as well take the opportunity and fly the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon.   Bruce said he would keep me company, since his RV-3 restoration isn't quite done yet.
   
Our first stop was at Benton Airport (PA40) in central eastern Pennsylvania.  Here we are overhead.
   
Benton Airport has a lush 2,200 foot long, 150 foot wide grass runway.  It was a little gusty coming in, complicated by a ridge on the base leg, and compounded by a crosswind.  I'm saying all this to justify the horrible landing I made.  It was smooth enough but I landed way to far down the runway and had to lean on the brakes to stop in time.  I need to practice landing shorter;  no excuse for needing that much runway in an RV-7.
   
The hangar to the right had the check-in area.  Pilots-in-command got a free T-shirt!  The back of the T-shirt was covered with a big ad for Larry's Lumber and Supply Inc., the fly-in's sponsor.
   
Despite the crosswind and somewhat chilly weather, quite a few planes flew in.
   
Quite a few people drove in as well.   The viewing chairs were a nice touch but it was a little too cool for that.
   
More planes including a Kolb ultralight!
   
This hangar was important one.  Yes, it was where the food was.
   
The food line went out the door but we didn't have to wait too long.  It was worth the wait, believe me.  Once inside it was nice and warm.  And the food!  I can say without reservation it is the best fly-in food I've ever had.   There was pulled-ham (like pulled pork, only it was ham), corn chowder, some seriously delicious baked beans, and small baked potatoes.  And then there was the substantial desert table covered with slices of pies of different types and pastries.  I had the sour cherry and it was probably the best cherry pie I've ever had.  All of the food was homemade.  The cost was whatever you chose to donate.
   
Outside was a Zenith CH-750 STOL plane.
   
The interesting thing about the CH-750 was the Viking Honda engine.  The builder/pilot said he had about 50 hours on it and it ran great.
   
Another CH-750 next to a Sonex Waeix.
   
Gotta have a picture of my plane in there somewhere.
   
I was parked next to this sleek black RV-4.
   
We left Benton and headed 50 miles south to Grimes Field, home of the Golden Age Air Museum, in Bethel, PA.   The winds and cool weather had clearly affected the turnout; not too many planes had flown in.
   
It was much too windy to fly the Triplane; it was tucked safely in the back of the hangar.
   
The Sopwith Pup was looking good.
   
There was a pumpkin drop contest and a few brave people went up in the Breezy to drop their pumpkin.
   
 
You don't see too many airplanes painted bright pink like this.
   
Bruce has been interested in Aircoupes lately;  he was checking this jewel out closely.
   
A nice-looking radial-powered Cessna 165 which was produced in the 1930s.  The Cessna 195 was derived from the 165.
   
Andrew King giving rides in the GAAM Waco.
   
The GAAM Sopwith Pup is powered by an O-320 but has a "faux-radial" appearance.
   
We departed Grimes Field and headed east northeast towards Williamsport and the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon.  There was weather off to the southwest, easily avoided.
   
I flew north up the canyon and Bruce flew south.  I took these pictures while Bruce was flying.
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
The sun poked out about halfway through, lighting up the foliage.
   
 
 
   
P31
   
 
 
   
 
   
There's a lot of granite under those trees.
   
 
   
 
   
Once out of the canyon, we crossed a huge area of nothing but trees.
   
A good look at some of Pennsylvania's famous parallel ridges.
   
   
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