Cross Country Flight KDMW-KESN

Cross Country Flight on 8-29-2016 from Carroll County Regional Airport KDMW to Easton Airport KESN. 

This is the video from the prior post where I was planning so diligently and using Google Earth to pre-fly the route. I was given specific parameters causing me to plan a route avoiding several restricted areas, Class B airspace around BWI Airport  from 2500 ft msl up to 10,000 ft msl, and the SFRA Special Flight Rules Area around Washington DC. 

It was an amazing experience  and the scenery was spectacular. I have driven all over this area but to see it while piloting a small plane at 2000 ft was breathtaking. Due to the heat there was a heavy haze near the ground but overall visibility was good for Visual Flight Rules VFR. 

This cross country trip put all my flight planning skills learned so far to the test. It also forced me to learn to maintain my heading and altitude while reading my chart, flight plan log, and communicating on the radio to the right people at the right time while always thinking what I needed to do next and when; change heading, ascend or descend, put xyz frequency into the radio, and so on. As they say the pilot must stay ahead of the airplane. 

I messed up here and there forgetting to read back ATC directions exactly as given, getting tongue tied here and there, and straying from my required altitude while looking at my chart or searching ahead for a checkpoint, but overall it went real well. Each time you layer on a new skill you can begin to feel overwhelmed; however after a little practice it becomes easy. 

I know many of you may not have the time, patience, or desire to watch the full length of the videos I post. That’s why I try and provide a timeline for the video so you can drag the play point forward to view the desired portions. In this video I also inserted 8 second text titles so you should easily be able to find the locations on the below timeline if you so desire. 

We flew the same course back to KDMW so this video doesn’t include the return trip. 

Flight Video

Departure Carroll County Airport KDMW 100 degrees/14nm/0:09

VIDEO 11:14

1st Checkpoint Prettyboy Res Dam 160 degrees/13.5nm/0:07

VIDEO 18:00

2nd Checkpoint Loch Raven Res Dam 148 degrees/8nm/0:04

VIDEO 22:15

3rd Checkpoint Martin State Airport KMTN  159 degrees/13nm/0:07

VIDEO 28:45

4th Checkpoint Little Neck 178 degrees/11nm/0:06

VIDEO 34:10

5th Checkpoint Kent Narrows Bridge 152 degrees/12nm/0:06

VIDEO 41:00

Destination Easton Airport KESN 

VIDEO 50:20

Takeoff for return to KDMW

End VIDEO 52:43