Ken Stallings
March 7th, 2010, 18:22
Put the Cessna 310R to its intended purpose for the first time today. Woke up at 0545L and drove to the airport. Needed to fly with my good friend, who is an MEI-I, to satisfy the insurance company's requirement that I log 10 hours of dual in the airplane. Took off at 0815L and flew to El Paso, TX (KELP). Picked up the passenger and flew her non-stop to Houston, TX (KHOU). After my friend and I ate a quick bite for lunch, we hoped back in and flew back to Portales, NM (KPRZ).
I realize in my military career, I performed some pretty important things. But in all honesty, I don't think I've done anything as personally rewarding as flying these Grace Flight missions. I do not ask the passengers about their situation because I figure they may not like talking about it. But my friend did. I am glad he did. Turns out this grandmother has liver cancer and was given 6-months to live when her condition was first diagnosed. The medical treatments she receives in Houston are experimental in nature and she has survived over three years with her present condition!
Her husband and grandson were both at the El Paso airport to meet us. The boy was about 8 years old and wanted to take photos of my 310R. Of course, I told him he could take as many as he wanted! While my friend took all three to see the plane, I finished paying for the fuel and mailing the signed patient release form to Grace Flight.
When I came out the little boy was just so thrilled to see the plane. The C-310R is a fairly large airplane as GA aircraft go. So, it was pretty impressive for him to see. It took only 3.5 hours of flight time to go from El Paso to Houston! And that was at a fairly economical engine setting! Smooth as glass conditions and I know the passenger really enjoyed the flight.
A line of thunderstorms had formed about 20 miles west of Portales, and my XM Weather allowed me to see them shortly after we took off from Houston. So, I decided to "haul the mail" and ended up with a ground speed of 200 knots!
Made the return trip in onlly 3.2 hours! Beat the weather, which fortunately stagnated at the same 20nm distance west. The XM Weather, color radar, and stormscope really came in handy. Total situational awareness for the weather on all three legs. Could not have rationally flown this mission with my Skyhawk. But the 310R ate it up!
Logged about 2.2 hours of actual instrument time also.
Got home about 1900L. Logged a total of 8.2 hours of PIC time, which is a testiment to the speed of the 310R -- Portales, NM to El Paso, TX to Houston, TX back to Portales in just 8.2 hours! As my friend said, that is the equivalent to well over 24 hours of driving! I absolutely can not think of a more personally rewarding way to spend a Sunday.
To top it all off -- this grandmother suffering from cancer, made a dozen cupcakes which I was able to bring home for my two boys and I to enjoy a few together! It's hard for me to put into words what I think of people suffering such a serious medical condition having the frame of mind to make cupcakes for the pilot flying them to their medical treatments. This isn't unique. I still fondly remember another grandmother (out of Salt Lake City, Utah) who made a batch of cookies and gave to me about two years ago!
Cheers,
Ken
I realize in my military career, I performed some pretty important things. But in all honesty, I don't think I've done anything as personally rewarding as flying these Grace Flight missions. I do not ask the passengers about their situation because I figure they may not like talking about it. But my friend did. I am glad he did. Turns out this grandmother has liver cancer and was given 6-months to live when her condition was first diagnosed. The medical treatments she receives in Houston are experimental in nature and she has survived over three years with her present condition!
Her husband and grandson were both at the El Paso airport to meet us. The boy was about 8 years old and wanted to take photos of my 310R. Of course, I told him he could take as many as he wanted! While my friend took all three to see the plane, I finished paying for the fuel and mailing the signed patient release form to Grace Flight.
When I came out the little boy was just so thrilled to see the plane. The C-310R is a fairly large airplane as GA aircraft go. So, it was pretty impressive for him to see. It took only 3.5 hours of flight time to go from El Paso to Houston! And that was at a fairly economical engine setting! Smooth as glass conditions and I know the passenger really enjoyed the flight.
A line of thunderstorms had formed about 20 miles west of Portales, and my XM Weather allowed me to see them shortly after we took off from Houston. So, I decided to "haul the mail" and ended up with a ground speed of 200 knots!
Made the return trip in onlly 3.2 hours! Beat the weather, which fortunately stagnated at the same 20nm distance west. The XM Weather, color radar, and stormscope really came in handy. Total situational awareness for the weather on all three legs. Could not have rationally flown this mission with my Skyhawk. But the 310R ate it up!
Logged about 2.2 hours of actual instrument time also.
Got home about 1900L. Logged a total of 8.2 hours of PIC time, which is a testiment to the speed of the 310R -- Portales, NM to El Paso, TX to Houston, TX back to Portales in just 8.2 hours! As my friend said, that is the equivalent to well over 24 hours of driving! I absolutely can not think of a more personally rewarding way to spend a Sunday.
To top it all off -- this grandmother suffering from cancer, made a dozen cupcakes which I was able to bring home for my two boys and I to enjoy a few together! It's hard for me to put into words what I think of people suffering such a serious medical condition having the frame of mind to make cupcakes for the pilot flying them to their medical treatments. This isn't unique. I still fondly remember another grandmother (out of Salt Lake City, Utah) who made a batch of cookies and gave to me about two years ago!
Cheers,
Ken