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I made it back from SNF today. I got airborne at 0830, made one stop for lunch in Martinsville, VA, and landed at Smiths Falls at 1710. 1072 nm flight plan distance in 6.6 hours of flying time to come home, with one fuel stop. 22.2 statute miles per US gallon, at an average speed from take off to touch down of 163 kt, or 187 mph, or 302 km/h (not including the time on the ground for the fuel stop). It sure is a great way to cross a lot of country pretty quickly.

I’ll post more later about the time at SNF. The short version is it is very different from Oshkosh. Much smaller. Not as well organized. But, I’d definitely do it again.

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I made it to Brunswick, GA as planned on Monday, and into SNF first thing Tuesday morning. SNF is much more different from Oshkosh than I had expected, but I'm having a great time.

Internet access is hard to find down here, so I won't update again until after getting home.

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Word to the wise - avoid clearing Customs in Syracuse, NY.

You must talk to US Customs before leaving Canada, to get permission to clear Customs at their facility. The official info published in the FAA Airport and Facilities Directory for Syracuse says that they only accept such phone calls starting at 0800. So, I called at 0800, and they tell me to call back at 0830. I call at 0830, and they tell me that there won't be any Customs officers on duty until 0900, and that I must speak with a Customs officer to get permission to come there. Arrgh!!

So, here I sit, watching the clock slowly spin towards 0900.

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Weather permitting, I'm planning to launch for Sun n' Fun first thing Monday morning. I'll do a short hop to Watertown, NY to clear Customs, then fly about 480 nm to Blue Ridge Airport in Martinsville, VA for lunch. I chose Blue Ridge Airport because it gets good reviews, has cheap fuel, and has an airport restaurant in case US Customs conviscates the lunch I'll bring.

I'll stop for the night in Brunswick, GA, then rip into SNF first thing Tuesday AM. I could make it to SNF shortly before the airport closes Monday night, but that would mean setting up the camp site and finding food after dark. It'll be much more civilized to arrive Tuesday AM.

The original plan was that Terry would come down with me, but her work schedule got fouled up and she can't get away. So, I'll be solo.

The weather forecast for Monday looks OK. A cold front will go through Ottawa later today, and rapidly sweep south. Tomorrow should be clearing and cold, with a strong wind from the north - a welcome tailwind of 20 to 30 kt is forecast.

Update - 26 Mar 2012 - The Customs stop will be in Syracuse, as the 30 kt winds are about 60 degrees off the runway axis in Watertown, but quite well aligned with one of Syracuse's runways.

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Spring has really hit, with record high temperatures this weekend. Terry and I decided to take full advantage by flying to Mont-Laurier for lunch today. It would be her first trip in the aircraft since our lunch in Lake Placid in October.

There were patches of fog in low lying areas north of the Ottawa river, but I was expecting that they would burn off as the day heated up.

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A big box of pubs arrived today from Calgary Pilot Supply, to support the flight of the RV-1 and its escort aircraft from NB to ON. Another box should be enroute to CT, to cover the flight of the RV-1 and its US escort aircraft from the US to NB. And later, another box will go to Van’s, to handle the Langley Fly-In.

Thanks Mike!