So I'm pretty sure I would die a happy man if every day was like today. (Come to think of it, I would also LIVE a happy man if every day was like today!).

Woke up at 8:40. Supposed to meet Van at 9:00-ish. Ok, so I ALSO woke up at 7:23 A.M. Turns out these helicopter medics are havin' to work their tails off! They had another flight this morning...and I still haven't got used to the jet taking off 30 feet from my head feeling yet! It wakes me up every time...

Went over to the FBO about 9:10 and met with Van. We shot the breeze with a couple of other guys at the FBO. That's the fun part...just takin' it easy, doin' what pilots do best...talk! Everything from buyin' new cars to keepin' your old cars to the price of gas to doin' taxes...all of it.

After that, Van asked where I wanted to go. I didn't really care! Just wanted to shoot some more approaches. We decided to stay north, as Oklahoma was gettin' hit with snow and rain below us. We flew several approaches today...we first flew the VOR-A approach to Emporia (and Van was kind enough to shut down the GPS on the way there, so that I flew only in relation to the VOR indicator...thanks, Van!). I opted to land on Runway 19...with a tailwind! Today the winds were only about 5 knots, but you sure do float down the runway! I didn't understand the course reversal again as I was coming in, so we had to go over that after I landed. These course reversal holding patterns are gettin' the best of me! Parallel, direct, teardrops?! Which one for which time?! Aggh! Goin' to have to study that one 'til I'm blue in the face!

We then flew the GPS Runway 35 to Ottawa. I was thinking ahead of the airplane, I went through the checklist, I did everything textbook! I took the Foggles off about 800 feet above the ground, and I was in direct line with Runway 35. So that's what's supposed to happen! That one felt good! Real good.

On the taxi back to Runway 35, we passed several large airplanes off to the side of the airport. Turns out they won't be goin' anywhere anytime soon. It's an airport junkyard! It's pretty sweet...from there we flew over to the "real" junkyard...hundreds of planes in ALL sizes in various pieces. From the sky, it looks great! I think I would have a heyday goin' in and out of all these airplanes! Needless to say, I'll be payin' a visit there sometime!

We then flew to a tiny little airport...no, I take that back...we then flew to a driveway. Ok, picture this. Ol' Vern decides he wants an airport. So he goes out to his plot o' land, throws down some asphalt two inches deep (following the rolling contour of his hills, of course), sets up a windsock, and voila! He's got one! 2870 feet x 35 feet wide. It's tiny and only in fair shape!!! Van actually took this one in (I don't think my rental agreement allows me to land on this type of stuff!). We pass right in front of a car as it's making a turn towards the road by the runway, and we fly about 10 feet over the road as we pass. They probably freaked out. No, I'm sure they did! I guarantee they had no idea a runway was there...I mean, doesn't that driveway lead to ol' Mr. Parker's place? Yup, I think it does...

From there, we flew the GPS Runway 19 approach to Allen County, and to be difficult, Van has me fly the Runway 19 approach Circling to Land Runway 1 course. More or less, I come in for Runway 19, then go around for Runway 1. Might as well throw some kinks in the system, right?! That approach went fine...although I did have to stop at one point and just tell myself, "Think." After that, I was on top of things again. Funny how that works. Just keep your head on straight, and do what you know you need to do!

From there, we took the visual back to Chanute. And, of course, Van wasn't done yet...I mean, I was hittin' things pretty good today. So on left downwind for Runway 36, he pulls my power. Engine failure. 1000 feet. And I've got to put the plane down. But there's a catch. "I want you to exit on the first taxiway." ha! Bring it on! I get configured, put the third notch of flaps on, go for 85 mph, and touch down right at the displaced threshold! Bam! Got it! No problem. Well, sort of. I bounced a little bit...and that caused me to glide just a little bit longer than I wanted to! grr! Still in front of the taxiway, though!

But remember, we have a lil' challenge here! So Van takes the controls, climbs to 1000 feet, then cuts the engine out again...it's his turn. He brings it down, floats a bit along the runway, and touches down after my landing point...but he has just one landing...not two like mine! We both are able to stop before the taxiway...just with two different styles. I'm just tryin' to pad my stats in my logbook, that's all! ha!

Came back to the FBO, then left to go eat. And I see someone walkin' out towards the airplane...an older man and a younger woman. I walk over, ask if they want to see the inside, and a couple of pictures are taken with the woman in the airplane. The dad tells me a bit more about his daughter, and I learn that she is a clothing designer...for The Black-Eyed Peas and Christina Aguilera. Go figure. She hands me her card. haha...sometimes ya gotta fight 'em off with a stick...

I go eat, then Alan, Van, Jarryd, and I all stand around and talk...from flying to Rocky Mountain Oysters. I guess there's a good place to get some real close to here. Count me in! Well, Jarryd has been on the ground for a few days with the twin down, and he's just itchin' to fly. He asks where we should go...we look all around the area, and most of the airports around us he has already flown to! I call up the Cessna plant to see if we could get a tour, and after being told I would get a return phone call shortly, nothin' happens. hmm.

But then I get an idea. I call my mom and get my grandma's number. She lives over in Lake of the Ozarks. "Hey, Grandma, it's your favorite grandson" [you have to work 'em up a little bit, ya know!]. "Hey, I have a question for ya. Let's say your grandson flew in to town with a friend...would you take them out to eat"? And with that, I scored us a free meal! Yay for grandmas!

I was actually excited to get over and see her...I used to vacation in the Ozarks every summer, but it had been a year and a half since I had last been there. And it's just good to see her, too! And flyin' just makes it all better! So I line up a dinner date with my grandma, aunt, and uncle.

Jarryd and I check the weather, and the nasty winter storm is about 30 miles to the south of Camdenton. We take note. But the Terminal Area Forecast shows no precipitation, and the skies look good. So we head off. The airport is 133 miles away.

The flight over was gorgeous. We had minimum winds, and the ride was extra nice. So that's what smooth flying feels like! We had have a surprising question from the flight center, though...

"November 98014, um, are you familiar with this area"? "No, sir, we are not." "Ok, that's what I need to know. Let me know when you are off the 310 radial to Springfield." Springfield was 45 miles away! And then he was gone! Umm...that never happens! Are there new mountains here, low-flying jets, what?! What is goin' on?!

Well, we go on...and about 10 minutes later we hear, "N98014, radar contact, 60 miles west of Camdenton." Jarryd just has to know...so he asks why he had made such a comment earlier. Turns out that radio reception is terrible where we were flying, so for about 10 minutes, we were off of the radar! Just disappeared off of the flight center's screen! I mean, I knew Missouri had some backwoods, but wow, even for radars?! That's unheard of!

We watch an amazing sunset, then make it to Camdenton right after dusk about 6:30 P.M. Jarryd touches down earlier than expected (night does that to you!), and then we make a skidding turn off to a taxiway. I seriously thought we were going to flip! No lie! Brakes, bro, brakes! haha...

The fam is waitin' for us! They take us up to Shoney's for some really delicious food...and lots of it. We eat for about an hour, talk non-stop, then head back to the airport. We had a great time. I'll be sure to take them up on this again! I say good-bye to the fam, Jarryd and I load back up, and we head back to Chanute. Skies clear. Winds calm. Perfect night.

So much so that the plane flew itself. I was under the hood again, but after setting the trim and all, we just cruised. Barely had to hold onto the yoke. And for awhile, I flew with no hands. The airplane flew straight and level. Perfect. We cruised at 6500 feet. On the way over, we averaged about 90 knots. On the way back, we averaged about 107.

I did the GPS approach to Runway 36 in Chanute, and I, too, had a nice bounce on the landing (night does that to you!). All in all, the flight was 3.5 hours. On top of the 3.1 hours from this morning, I was in the airplane for 6.6 hours today! woo hoo! Lots o' fun.

I came back and took the night easy. I'm still wantin' to do my Instrument written test next Friday...only 8 days away now. And I have to get crackin' on those books! But not tonight. That would take away the fun!

Jarryd and I had some good talks on the way over and back...everything from whether we would like to fly the big jets or stay with the little ones. With smooth skies and essentially having auto-pilot on tonight, there's just not much to do. It's a different way of flying...kinda neat but not very challenging. I guess it has its place, but we both didn't think auto-pilot would be fun every day. We also talked about him ending (he's done here in a few weeks), what's next for him, what's next for me, and that good stuff. The world is at our door again. And it's knocking at his. What a fun place to be! I'll miss that guy! It's been a lot of fun in just two weeks!

It was a great day. Went to bed at 1:30 A.M. I have no idea when I fly again! I should probably figure that out.

Oh, and Jarryd and I are plannin' to fly to Dallas over the weekend. You know, Te-jas.