So after the exciting trip to Iqualuit, we continued on our way to Grand Riviere followed by Toronto International. It was in Toronto that my companion for this part of the trip would be leaving me to return to the UK. My plan was to continue to Cincinnati where I would enter the US followed by making my way to Vero Beach for the end of this part of the trip.
When we arrived in Iqualuit the wind was strong and the approach quite bumpy. While this was uncomfortable, it made it very pleasant on the ground. When we returned the next day, there was no wind – but there were mosquitos. The biggest I have ever seen in my life.
As we loaded the car to go to the airport, they were swarming around the exhaust of the truck. As the truck took us to the aircraft ,they were still swarming. We needed to jump on board and shut the doors before we were inundated. Apparently the proximity of lots of fresh water in this part of Canada makes them especially potent. It looked like a swarm of bees.
So our plan was to fly to Grand Riviere in Northern Quebec. now this is Canada right? English should be fairly common. Think of arriving in rural France, sounding English and having no-one understand a word you were saying. That is what the Grand Riviere airport was like. More French than France.
We left there after a brief refuelling stop and proceeded on to Toronto. Fortunately, I had managed to activate Nexrad and XM Radio. You can see on the US East coast why we had chosen to come inland.
Lots of convective weather on the arrival and approach. Very high intensity IFR flying with a lot of CAT traffic and was asked to maintain high speed for a lot of it. This places a lot of pressure on the balance between the turbulence and the desire to fit in as far as possible. Anyway, the aircraft was good and the controllers seemed happy.
On the ramp at Toronto (cheap as chips to land there). Fantastic GA terminal.
My friend left and I continued on to Cincinnati in pretty rough convective weather. Lots of heading changes on the climb out but I eventually got on top and proceeded south.
Here I am crossing the border over Lake Erie.
Overhead Cleveland I was listening to the BBC World Service on XM Radio. Was surreal.
Landing in Cincinnati is not in fact in Ohio, but northern Kentucky. I was slightly concerned about reports of how tough some of the border entry people can be in the US. My chap met me at the FBO, looked at my passport and said have a good trip. Welcome to private flying.
The not great photo of the bridge into Cincinnati.
I stayed overnight here before heading to Sporty’s (I69) in the morning. This is a very short flight (only 23nm). And Sporty’s was great but is much smaller than you expect. Fortunately, they helped me get a good iPad mount on my yoke – the Piper yoke is too big for the standard RAM mount system. We played with every single RAM component until it worked.
I left there for DeKalb-Peachtree Airport in Atlanta. This is like landing at a far busier Farnborough. Parallel runways and lots of traffic. The ramp looked like a Cessna Jet sales center. Very, very busy and the airspace in a bit nerve wracking as it is so close to Atlanta’s main airport.
After a great lunch there with a chap from MMOPA, I left for the final part of this leg of the trip – Vero Beach. The home of Piper. The flight was straightforward but I would get some idea of the convective weather that this part of Florida gets every day through the summer.
Passing the Shuttle Landing Station
On the ground in Vero.
This part of the trip was 2479nm and took 11.9 hours of flying.
Cool! How was the customs / immigration thing in the US? I’ve heard all sort sort of horror stories from US pilots about this, although they mostly seem to pertain to smaller airports.
Overlapped, I already wrote about it by amending the article. Was a non event.
Was a non event.
Good to hear! You met the guy INSIDE the FBO? This is exactly what got another pilot into trouble recently, also coming from Canada. Albeit at some small field where the INS guy has to drive to from his station.
No, he was at the FBO and walked out to my aircraft with a coffee. The thing you have to remember is that in the US as well as filing an eAPIS form you MUST call them in advance for permission to land. I spoke to him on the phone then the arrival was straightforward.
Thanks, Jason, clear now. I am aware of the eAPIS and the mandatory call. Never done this myself (i.e. flown out of and back into the US in a GA airplane), but intend to do it in the not-too-distant future.
