A Journal, with Pictures

September 27th, Tuesday, we leave Sydney for New Glassgow. Sydney is a funky little municipal airport as we previously described, however the people are very helpful getting us refueled and loaded up. We debated if we needed to refuel for the one hour flight, but in the end why not. We had a perfect VFR day and landed at the Trenton Airport, CYTN. We were met by our friends who we met in the Bahamas in January. We told them, never invite someone with an airplane to visit, because we will come. They were at the airport to greet us and took us to Marc and Shauna’s home for tea and to get re-acquainted. The three couples, Marc and Shauna, Wayne and Carmel and Howie and Marnie were all there. What a treat learning about their lives in New Glassgow, which includes a lot of traveling elsewhere. Marc is a Toyota dealer and loaned us a car and pointed us to our hotel and on to Pitou, Nova Scotia for a little sight seeing. We saw the renovated ship that brought the original Scottish settlers to Nova Scotia, the Hector, and the local fisherman’s museum. After our touring we met at Carmel’s Irish Pub, called the Docks. Carmel is from Ireland and she and Wayne out did themselves with fantastic appetizers and drinks. We then walked to the Bistro that Howie and Wayne formerly owned for dinner. We had a wonderful time with these fun people, who treated us to great food and unbelievable hospitality.

Somehow we found our way back to the hotel, and it was time to check weather for tomorrows flight to Quebec City.

On September 28th. our wonderful hosts in New Glassgow took us to the Trenton airport for our departure to Quebec City. It was a good thing we refueled in Sydney, since they run out of fuel after putting only 5 gallons in our tank. It was clear and beautiful and after we said our goodbyes we lifted off, waggled our wings and headed for Quebec City. Most of the flight was clear, until we got to Quebec City, CYQB, where we did an instrument approach. Our cab driver was direct from the chamber of commerce and took us through the Saint Jeans gate into the walled city of Old Quebec. Old Quebec City is the only remaining walled city in North America. We checked into our quaint Vieux-Quebec (old Quebec) hotel then lunch at a crêpe restaurant then some sight seeing.

The hotel recommended a restaurant for dinner, so I trudged up the hill to check the menu and made a reservation. Trudging up hills is part of the Old Quebec City experience, and at the end of the first day may calves were complaining. That evening we had a superb dinner at restaurant La Cremaillere. We enjoyed French meal with, veal, excellent wine and a desert to die for, oo la la. It turns out the owner is Italian, oh well who cares.

Day Two Quebec City

We signed up for a walking tour that started from our hotel at 9:00 AM. Breakfast basket in the room was more than ample so we were ready for a walk. Sarah our guide, in period costume, did a very nice job of relating the history and pointing out the important sites. This gave an understanding of the history from the fur trading port beginning to the provincial capital of today. Quebec City, particularly the old walled city is very European and as someone said, its Europe without the jet lag. We soaked up history and enjoyed the sites before, guess what, lunch.

Time for lunch at a small French restaurant, then more touring of the city. We passed the giant hotel built by the Canadian Railroad, the Château Frontenac, the fort build to defend Quebec City against the Americans, we never came, and the provincial Parliament, that was flying an American flag, (they must have known we were coming). We made a pass through the old city Irish district, which has a special shopping street.

Outside the walls, Quebec City is a modern bustling place, but the old city has the charm. Dinner on our last evening in Quebec City was at an Italian restaurant near our hotel. Excellent with entertainment and the place was jumping. Back to the hotel, check weather for tomorrow and get ready for Montréal.

On Friday, September 3oth. we left Quebec City for the short one hour flight to Montréal. We climbed into overcast skies and were in and out of the clouds. We did an instrument approach into Saint Hubert airport, CYHU, and were soon on our way into the City. We checked into the nicest hotel of our trip, the Le Place D’Armes. We were off to a recommended lunch at a near by restaurant, which turned out to be delightful. We then did a walking tour of the waterfront area along the Saint Laurent river. We quickly came to realize that Montréal is a city of architectural contrasts of old and new. We visited the History Museum of Montréal which put not only the history but the architecture into perspective. It was cool, but without rain, we spent the afternoon working up an appetite and sight seeing.

We finished off our first day in Montréal with a fine meal at a nearby Mediterranean style restaurant that specialized in lamb.

A cappuccino at the hotel bar, that was really jumping, and we called in a day. Tomorrows weather forecast didn’t look that good, so we signed up for a bus tour of the city.

Day Two Montréal

Saturday dawned blustery and rainy so the bus tour turned out to be the right answer. We lucked out with a great driver/guide with a great sense of humor. He pointed out a McDonald’s as the American embassy and had a giant belly laugh at his own joke. The three hour tour was good and covered all the high lights including the site of the 1976 Olympics, Basilique Notre-Dame, Mount Royal that looks over the city and many other points of interest.

We capped off the day with a great meal at a restaurant called Joe Beef. Fresh oysters on the half shell, great fish and Mike had lobster, all in a place called Joe Beef. Montréal turned out to be a very interesting city with a rich history, a unique combination of old and new architecture and great food.

Time to check the weather and get ready for our flight home tomorrow.

On Sunday, October 2nd. we left Montréal in low overcast and climbed to six thousand feet on top of a cloud layer. The temperature was above freezing and we had a 30 plus knot tail wind. The forecast called for the freezing level to get down to our altitude near Toronto on our way to Detroit. We were in and out of the clouds and rain with temperatures dropping but never down to freezing. We broke out of the clouds about one hundred miles east of Detroit and landed with a gusty wind down the runway. Customs at KDET, Detroit City airport, was a pleasure and we refueled and were in the air within an hour. We experienced a 40 knot tail wind and cruised at around 200 knots over the ground landing in Dayton in less than an hour.

We flew eight legs on our trip, three of which were what we originally planned. We unfortunately had to miss New England this year due to bad weather, however we enjoyed Nova Scotia and Quebec. Although we didn’t get our quota of lobster this year, we know they will be waiting next year and maybe be a little bit bigger. Overall it was a good trip for the the Williamson Family three musketeers, and we are already starting to think about our next flying adventure.

On Monday we flew to Colorado Springs after changing our flight plan to fly north around thunderstorms to Fort Dodge, Iowa. We refueled then continued on to KCOS. We packed a lunch to shorten our ground time but battled headwinds the whole way. We spent eight hours in the air and were happy to see the Rockies looming to the west. We arrived at 2:30 local time, due to the time change, and couldn’t believe the number of Cirrus on the ramp. More than twenty had come for the pre-migration courses or to tour in the area. We went to the Cheyenne Mountain Resort after tying down and immediately started meeting COPA people. After cocktails and dinner we hit the sack having had a long day of flying.

Tuesday morning after the breakfast buffet at the resort, I attended the Mountain Flying course put on by Colorado Pilots Association. The two instructors were seasoned mountain pilots and one was a ATC controller from Denver Center. This was like drinking from the proverbial fire hose. We went back to VFR flight planning which most of us haven’t done for years. The course covered high altitude performance, weather, leaning, operations in the mountains, emergency procedures, survival and a whole lot more. We started the planning for our next days cross country flight and finished it that evening as home work. It was a very full day. The next day we got up to IFR weather when we were going on a VFR mission. I met with my instructor at seven A.M. and declined the opportunity to take off in 300 overcast. At eight A.M. it was up to seven hundred and we took off IFR and cancelled on top then headed west into the mountains that were clear. We flew by pilotage and dead reckoning over rugged terrain, through passes, landing at Kremming, Aspen and Leadville. Leadville is the highest North American Airport at 9927 feet. Fortunately we refueled there then headed back to Colorado Springs. We arrived and it was still IFR so we were number 20 waiting to land and held for 45 minutes before doing the ILS. Four hours of great flying, sight seeing and a lot of learning and relearning.

Both evenings we met at the COPA Hangar for cocktails and had dinner with COPA friends. Its only Wednesday and we feel like we have had three days of M9.

COPA pilots that had not come in early started arriving on Thursday morning. After a work out at the resort I went to the airport for a demo flight in the Eclipse Jet. WOW, what a treat. This is a exciting airplane and must be considered in where I go next in my flying life. When I made my approach for landing there were Cirrus every where coming in to Colorado Spring. This is exciting stuff and I still get a lump in my throat when I see one Cirrus after another land and taxi in. The Colorado Jet Center handled the steady stream of Cirrus perfectly. You taxied up, unloaded, were taken to the Jet Center hangar for registration. After registration you could grab a snack and visit the exhibits that were all set up. Buses then took the arriving attendees to the Cheyenne Mountain Resort. At 6:30 PM everyone gathered for welcome cocktails and very heavy Hors D’ Ouvevres at the traditional COPA Cabana with a Cowboy flavor. There was a real buzz as old friends reconnected and new friends were made. All the exhibitors where there so it was a big party.

Hangar Day was a new idea for Migration with everyone going back to the airport. The Colorado Jet Center main hangar was the site for our exhibitors to display their wares. In front of the hangar air frame vendors had aircraft to fly. Included were Cirrus, Piper, Extra, Lancair, Daher-Socata and Eclipse. There was also a beauty pageant for Cirrus that had been modified. In the hangar every booth space was taken. Buses transported attendees to the airport with the Partners in Command arriving after their class room session at the resort. RJ Siegle CEO of LoPresti announced a new run flat tire for the Cirrus. The keynote speakers for the day were the officers from the Air Force. They flew in the new SR20 trainer and briefed us on this program conducted at the near by Air Force Academy. Lunch was served, door prizes were announced and it was a day to learn about planes, products as well as socialize with fellow COPA members.

We gathered for cocktails and socialized after a full day at the airport. Dennis Haber had a sun burn from working the arrival line the day before. The gala dinner was served perfectly by the Cheyenne Mountain Resort and I must admit our dinners were good which is a miracle based on past experience with banquets for close to 350 people. Last year and this years COPA gala clearly are the exception. After dinner Andy opened the program and introduced a instrumental trio and five faculty, students and alumni from the Colorado Springs Conservatory. They entertained us with extraordinary talent and a show with a flying theme. We then heard from the wife, pilot and ATC controller who were involved in the incredible incapacitated pilot event that had occurred just a few months earlier. COPA awarded hero awards to those involved. We then visited the COPA Hangar for a night cap, which was jumping, and then hit the sack to be ready for a full day Saturday.

Saturday was Seminar Day for the pilots and the spouses went touring to Pike Peak and Garden of the Gods. The large room seminars were video streamed to all of COPA starting with Curt Sanfords “State of COPA” address, the bottom line is we are doing well. Then Cirrus”s Dale K and Brent W gave the “State of Cirrus” and the bottom line was the future is bright, but we had a near death experience. Then Rick Beach put on the annual safety review and presented a compelling case for considering CAPs as an early option verses a last resort. Lives can be saved was the message. Since the mainstream was video archived I attended the NEXRAD presentation by Dr. David Strahle, which caused me to realize how little I really knew. This was excellent stuff. As a foot note, when I returned, I viewed the Cirrus reliability presentation on the web, which means you can be in two places at once with the aid of technology. I will watch the other large room seminars in the next few days. This means I will attend seven presentations, which is about the same number I usually attended in two days at prior Migrations.