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It’s rare that my wife and I have the time to take a flight together.
It is a very rare occurrence when both my wife and I have an open slot in our schedules that allow just the two of us to do something together. We live very busy lives with demanding careers and the responsibilities of being parents of two boys and a German Shepherd always seem to get in the way. Plus, me being an independent CFI-I seems to use up a lot of good flying days.
Well, the stars seemed to be in alignment this particular day. Our oldest, Hunter, was away at college and our youngest, Chase, a sophomore in high school, was scheduled to work at his part time job. And no clients to fly with this weekend. We were excited to spend the day together!
When my wife and I were a little younger, we always loved the Sunday drives, no destination in mind, just exploring the countryside and taking in the sights along the way. Sometimes stopping off at a local orchard to pick apples, or a farm for a hayride and some pumpkin picking and a hike through a corn maze with the boys.
This particular Sunday, the weather was forecasted to be a gem of a day. Autumn weather in the Northeast is the best time to fly in my opinion; cool crisp mornings usually followed by temperatures in the mid 70’s with low humidity.
Instead of a Sunday Drive, we opted for a Sunday Flight.
Instead of a “Sunday Drive”, we elected to do some exploring from the sky—a “Sunday Flight”. The mission was to go up and see the beginning of the season change from lush green leaves of summer to the multitude of oranges autumn has to bring. On top of the list were some corn mazes to circle, ending with landing at one of the local grass strips for a picnic lunch. We wanted to break free from the hustle and bustle and just enjoy the freedom that flying has to offer.
Northwest New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania is such a beautiful area filled with rolling hills, farms, rivers, and lakes. Unfortunately, most people, not from the area, don’t even realize what New Jersey has to offer as they usually arrive into the area via Newark airport only seeing the ports of Elizabeth, the Turnpike and the busy metropolis of New York. New Jersey is named the “Garden State” for very good reasons.
We are very fortunate to own a 1947 Piper PA-11 Cub Special.
We are very fortunate to own a 1947 Piper PA-11 Cub Special. The perfect “machine” for this mission. It is a high wing, tube and fabric aircraft that is great for low and slow flying. It’s so simple, no GPS or glass panel to distract you. I love flying with the clam shell door and windows open with just the stick in my right hand, throttle in my left, and feet dancing on the rudders, taking in the sights and smells of the world below. The ability to share this with my wife makes it that much more enjoyable.
We dropped my youngest son off at his job at a local garden shop and high tailed it to our hangar at Sky Manor Airport (N40) located in Pittstown, New Jersey.
We loaded up the Cub with a cooler filled with our lunch and launched, flying north towards Hackettstown. We admired the horse farms and houses below. On the way, my wife pointed out sights below and the occasional bird enjoying the early thermals of the day. We circled over the many corn mazes scattered below admiring the intricate rows cut into the corn. Some were words, others were cool designs that I’m sure the parents and kids below trying to find the exit to this maze had no idea of the work of art they were in.
After admiring the corn mazes, our next stop was Lake Hopatcong.
Our next destination was over top of Lake Hopatcong where my wife’s aunt and uncle live for a quick wave and then to check out the speed boat race that was happening in the calm waters below. We admired watching the boats race around the oval racetrack lined by spectators on their pontoon and bow-rider boats. They looked like little remote control toys that I used to play with as a boy.
We then decided to head east towards our home, located under the southwest portion of Morristown Airport’s Class Delta (KMMU). My wife has never seen our neighborhood from the air, and I thought it would be a nice treat for her. I called Morristown Tower, informed them of my intentions and requested to transition their airspace. “Granted as requested” the controller said, and we proceeded over our home. My wife was clicking away, taking pictures excitedly and pointing out the well-known places she and Dakota run through in the early mornings.
I then pointed the Cub southwest towards Solberg airport (N51) where we saw the Goodyear blimp soaring above on its way to some sports event I assumed. I pushed the throttle forward a little more to get a little more speed out of the C90 engine sitting in front of me to catch this fun surprise off in the distance.
I parked next to the many vintage aircrafts that were there that day.
After a short time observing the blimp from a safe distance, we aimed for Vansant airport (9N1). This is the airport where I first flew a J3 cub and got my tailwheel endorsement. I frequent this airport often to practice my three point and wheel landings or to just relax and step back in time watching the taildraggers take off and land. This visit was no different. I slipped my cub down on final and parked next to the many vintage aircrafts that were there that day.
We sat on the picnic tables under the shade trees and enjoyed our lunch while watching a Stearman, a Travel Air and a J3 fly around the patch giving lessons and rides. We socialized with the other pilots that flew in that day learning of their adventures before they arrived at this resting spot.
Back at my hangar, I wiped the bugs off the wings and fuselage of my “bird” while my wife drove home to pick up our son from work and grab our dog to return for an impromptu BBQ dinner with our good friends, Don and Karen, at their hangar just a few doors down from ours.
Days like these are the reasons I learned to fly. If you are on the fence about learning to fly, stop thinking about it and just go for it. It’s the best thing you’ll ever do.
Days like these are the reasons I learned to fly.
- An A-Maze-ing Day of Flying! - October 9, 2024
- A father and son non-Oshkosh adventure - May 23, 2022
Beautiful flight Jim! I’m from the area so I can attest to your comment about New Jersey being the “Garden State” – we have a lot of scenic areas (and you didn’t even talk about going south toward the Pine Barrens and the Jersey Shore).
Maybe next time breakfast at KWWD? Or maybe check out the diner over at Sussex while watching people sky dive in?
Beautiful article. I got the bug in the early 40’s when my dad used to take me to LaGuardia to watch the planes land and take off. I soloed on my 40th birthday, got my private in 1976, then IFR, Basic Ground Instructor & Commercial. Quit a couple of years ago because hubby thought it was time. I miss it every day!