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Frank Gets a Ride on a Cessna Citation (March 2019)

Someone I know from the flying club now flies business jets. One of the planes he flies is based at the Cortland airport and had a flight the next day. The weather forecast was for snow, and since the Cortland runway is about half as long as Ithaca, it would have insufficient length for takeoff if it was not dry. So they needed to move the plane to Ithaca in order to leave on schedule regardless of the the forecast snow.

However there is the logistics problem of retrieving the pilots' cars that would be at the Cortland airport once the plane is parked at Ithaca. That's where I came in. Actually, earlier than that—I got to get a ride on the Citation from Cortland to Ithaca! While they were up, they did a practice instrument approach at Cortland (N03)to test out some new avionics and then headed to Ithaca (KITH) and did a second approach there. To be clear, it's 12 miles from the Cortland Airport to Ithaca and about 20 minutes by car. We spent about 30 minutes given all the testing they did and the 2 approaches. I think my Prius was cheaper.

It was cool. I've never been in a jet and been able to see the pilots flying. I was sitting just behind the cockpit and was watching and taking some pictures. Here are some highlights. I was using my wide angle lens, which is good for small spaces, but the image quality isn't great. Some of the details on the cockpit instrument panels are pretty fuzzy. 48 pictures, March 2, 2019.

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The hanger is pristine.

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The Citation with the electric tug attached.

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David by the Citation. Both pilots were named David, I guess it keeps things...(more)

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The hangar door opens.

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The hangar door has some big hydraulic rams.

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The Citation ready to be pulled from the hangar.

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The tug is attached.

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I'm inside the Citation which is outside of its hangar.

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Looking down the cabin.

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THe view into the cockpit. The panel is dark, everything is still turned off.

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David (in the left seat) is joined by David (in the right seat, the owner of...(more)

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A panel in the passenger cabin that has some information on it. I didn't really...(more)

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A wider view of the little information display in the passener cabin.

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Another view of the cockpit as they are setting up the flight plan.

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Also, on the ceiling of the cockpit is a satellite cell phone in case they need...(more)

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The cockpit instruments with a flight plan programmed into the new $750,000...(more)

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We're taxiing in Cortland, leaving the ramp and about to turn on the taxiway...(more)

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Lined up on Runway 24 at Cortland.

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Ready for takeoff.

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Part of the runway numbers (24) are visible.

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David begins to advance the throttles to takeoff power.

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The view out the cabin door window after takoff from Cortland.

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David initiates a left turn after a Runway 24 departure from Cortland.

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Hey, we're banking to the left.

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The backup Attitude Indicator (AI) agrees we're banking left.

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Some of the other cockpit instruments as we're in the bank. We're at 3500 feet...(more)

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At 4000 feet, we're in the clouds.

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The engines are throttled back quite a bit as we're going to be flying a...(more)

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A view out the right-side window by my seat.

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A view out the left-side again, as we bank to intercept the Initial Approach...(more)

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The Cortland 24 runway is several miles out, straight ahead.

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Cortland, as we banked and climbed out after the low approach.

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More Cortland looking to the east.

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Hey,I can see I-81 through the window (divided 2-lane road and if you look at...(more)

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David and David confer on the cruise power settings for the current...(more)

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On final approach to Runway 32 in Ithaca on the LPV GPS 32 approach.

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A view of the panel as we're on final approach to RUnway 32.

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A couple miles out from Ithaca on final approach to Runway 32.

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Short final, Runway 32 Ithaca in a Citation.

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About to cross the threshold, Runway 32.

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Both engines shut down, parked at the FBO at Ithaca.

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Frank in the left seat of the Citation. Once everthing has been shut down and...(more)

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The Citation at Ithaca.

This page last modified Mar 04, 2019.
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