Subtitle: Mike and I headed home in his Mooney, on Wednesday afternoon, July 31, 2013.  We departed VFR.  It all ran quite smoothly, with most of the communication involving hand-signals from the volunteers and the FAA ATC personnel.  <br/><br/> Because of bad weather in Michigan, we had decided to take the southern route, flying past Chicago, Gary and South Bend, Indiana, then by Toledo and Cleveland, Ohio, Erie, Pennsylvania, and then going direct to Ithaca.  Our original plan was to fly down the western shore of Lake Michigan, flying the shoreline flyway by Milwaukee and Chicago, which would provide me with amble opportunity for good city photos.  Unfortunately, the clouds were way too low.  <br/><br/>Once past Oshkosh, we found a break in the clouds and climbed on top, ranging from 8500 to 10,500 feet.  At points it was clear above and at other times there was a thin, hazy stratus layer that forced us a little lower.  We knew the clouds would be breaking up around Cleveland or Erie, and using engine leaning techniques Mike learned at a seminiar at Oshkosh, we had 7+ hours of endurance.  We were pretty comfortable that we could get to good weather.  And the cloud ceilings were at 4 or 5 thousand feet, so even in a pinch, we could get an IFR clearance and descend through them and fly VFR underneath.  But the clouds did break up around Erie, and south of Buffalo we started our descent.  It took about 4.5 hours to get home. <br/><br/> <font size="-1">Other Oshkosh 2013 pages: <ul><li><a href="http://frank.notfrank.com/cgi-bin/gallery-thumb.py?id=KOSH-AR">Arrival</a></li> <li><a href="http://frank.notfrank.com/cgi-bin/gallery-thumb.py?id=KOSH-PL">Airplanes</a></li> <li><a href="http://frank.notfrank.com/cgi-bin/gallery-thumb.py?id=KOSH-WB">Warbirds</a></li> <li><a href="http://frank.notfrank.com/cgi-bin/gallery-thumb.py?id=KOSH-AS">Airshow</a></li> <li><a href="http://frank.notfrank.com/cgi-bin/gallery-thumb.py?id=KOSH-MI">Miscellaneous</a></li> <li>Departure</font></li></ul>



001-DSC_5000: We taxied towards Runway 27, guided by EAA volunteers.  The EAA volunteer indicates for us to wait.
002-DSC_5001: A V-tailed Beach Bonanza is in front of us at the edge of the runway.  FAA personnel all wear pink shirts.
003-DSC_5002: Off to our right, two more FAA controllers watch from a raised platform.
004-DSC_5003: The Bonanza taxies onto the runway, and we are now number 1 for takeoff.  Note that we were directed to the right side of the taxiway.
005-DSC_5004:
006-DSC_5005: The ground controller has us taxi up, switching to the left side of the taxiway.  He then pointed to the sign, to indicate for us to monitor the tower frequency.  We already had it up.  We gave him a thumbs up and he acknowledged that.  He is wearing a headset with a portable radio and is monitoring the tower frequency as well.
007-DSC_5008: The tower asked us if we'd mind letting the P-51 Mustang across the runway from us depart ahead of us, since "he's burning a lot of gas." Mike says he'd be honored to have them go first.  The ground controller nods and smiles as he hears that through his radio.  The P-51 takes the runway.  Note the pink-shirted FAA ground controller on the taxiway on the far side of the runway.
008-DSC_5009: A P-51 prior to takeoff (his canopy is still open).
009-DSC_5011: The tower then calls us, by tail number, and clears us for takeoff.  We line up with the runway on the orange dot...and go.  As we were rolling, the tower told the P-51 that the people at the Fond Du Lac airport nearby would appreciate a low flyby of the runway.  
010-DSC_5012: Looking south (out Mike's window) to the parked planes.
011-DSC_5013: 
012-DSC_5014: Crossing Highway 41, looking soutbound.  On the horizon, towards the left, a helicopter is visible.
013-DSC_5015: Looking back at the runway.  Must be a quiet time, I don't see anyone on any of the taxiways.
014-DSC_5018: 
015-DSC_5019: We turned to the north.  The departure procedure for Runway 27 is to fly on a heading between west and north until clear of the airport's airspace and then proceed on course.
016-DSC_5020: As we headed north, I took a picture looking east, of Lake Winebago.
017-DSC_5024: Above a deck of clouds.
018-DSC_5025: Another view from above.
019-DSC_5029: Somewhere in New York state, probably 60 miles or so west of Ithaca.
020-DSC_5031: Wind turbines at a more reasonable altitude (probably around 5500).
021-DSC_5033: Farmland in western New York state.
022-DSC_5036: Looking out Mike's window to the north, at Kayuta Lake forking in two.
023-DSC_5038: Cayuga Lake with the Ithaca airport in the distance.
024-DSC_5039: 
025-DSC_5040: Looking at the south end of Cayuga Lake.
026-DSC_5042: Approaching the Ithaca airport.
027-DSC_5043: Looking out at the southeast end of Cayuga Lake, as we're on final approach to Runway 14.
028-DSC_5045: On short final to Runway 14 in Ithaca.