With only a limited number of flying opportunities remaining this season, I am trying not to let any pass. The lingering clouds and haze over Central NY in the morning surprised me, but forecast was calling for better weather to the west. That would be the direction to head. Plus with winds forecast to be from the NW at 20 knots the return leg would be with a tailwind.
Heading out I stayed low rather than on top to avoid the stronger winds higher up. This paid off by giving me a 10 knot tailwind for the first half of the leg out.
Too much haze for any aerial photos on the way out. Passing Cayuga Lake the sunlight reflecting off the lake as it fades into the haze was interesting.
Beyond Seneca Lake I entered the new airmass moving in from the NW. My tailwind was gone, but so was much of the haze. Passing Canandaigua Lake you can see the difference from the previous shot.
On the ground at Geneseo for a quick stop.
I was greeted by and museum member who had the keys in his pocket for W99 and offered me a look inside this C47 that took part in the Normandy Invasion. I couldn't pass that up.
First class seating! Look at all the legroom...
Beautiful...
If money were no object, this would be the plane I'd like to use for cross-country flights, making round engine music at 150 knots all day
Mount Morris Dam on the northern end of the park. Every time I've been here the water has been this low. Back in the 70's, remnants of a hurricane had the canyon full and this dam at its limit.
Upstream from the dam the meandering Genesee River
Middle Falls and the Glen Iris
Upper Falls and the rail road trestle
On the way back from my 5,500 cruising altitude I spotted at plane in the distance below me. I could'nt quite make it out. At first I thought it was closer and moving about the same as me. Then it made some turns before heading south along Seneca Lake. I used my phone and FlightRadar24 app to get its ADS-B information which indicated it was at 3,100 and 275 knots. None of the other information usually displayed on the aircraft was available.
Note the two domes along the upper fuselage.
I'd been putting off purchasing a Stratus or GDL39 ADS-B "In" for a while, but I'm beginning to think that by next spring it will be time for the upgrade.
Currently I am using a Dual XGPS150 to bluetooth accurate GPS data to my iPad for use with Garmin Pilot. With my phone as a Wifi hotspot weather information is delivered to the iPad as well. I then use an app on the phone to display other aircraft in the vicinity. I would like the other aircraft displayed on the iPad, as well as keeping data flowing when at altitude or over more remote areas where cell signals are out of range.
Passing south of Montezuma Wildlife Refuge on the way home. North-sound scars on the landscape left by the last glacier that gave us the beautiful Finger Lakes are visible below.
