Black Friday flight

Nothing like nice cold dry winter air for a plane ride . We met at the maintenance hangar to check out the software upgrades on the Garmins for the Bonanza.

After a bit we sorted it out and went for a ride in the Decathlon.

180 hp and the 10 degree F air made for a quick departure from Rwy 36 and 30 seconds after receiving clearance we were at 400 ft before we crossed Rwy 11-29. Note the reflection in the window.

A quick view of the Portland peninsula over our shoulder as we leave it behind us . . .

 . . . and do a 180 at pattern altitude over the commercial terminal ramp.

We pass over the old Redbank housing development.

While the throngs of ground bound lemmings fight it out at the Maine Mall for black Friday sales.

Shortly we are over my house (the corner property with the red fence)

And then over the Scarborough marsh looking at Black and Pine points.

I just love the random patterns of the marsh.

A few minutes later we are over the old Biddeford Mill

And 20 minutes later we cross over the Piscataqua river where Maine ends and New Hampshire begins.

And we fly over the old Pease airport in Portsmouth with the KC-135 air tankers on the ramp.

Thanks to the wonders of modern electronics, the Ipad shows us as the blue plane on the moving map display headed south past Pease making our way to Lawrence, Massachusetts.

short final for Rwy 32 at Lawrence.

Where we check out a few aerobatic planes in the spotless hangar.

Then we pop over to Nashua, New Hampshire for a quick lunch at the airport cafe and a visit to the pilot shop where we meet an Argentinian chap, his wife and very gynourmous and friendly Goldendoodle dog that flew in from Connecticut in this neat looking all composite Liberty aircraft.

Next we head back up to Biddeford airport for some fuel where on departure we fly over the cemetery.

Back in the setting sun Old orchard Beach under the right wing.

and again over the Scarborough marsh with Black Point in the distance.

Over the rail yard at Cash Corner in South Portland

The low sun makes for some neat colors.

Base turn to final over cash Corner gives us a view of the south Portland bridge.

The view from the back seat of the Decathlon

The South Portland tank farm with its new paint job and the new Mercy hospital in the background.

Short final for Rwy 36 . . .  a lovely day of winter flying.