As an aside, if you are thinking of coming to Florida to do some flying I believe this is one of the best times of year to come. The weather is, generally, fairly predictable all day long unlike, for example, July/August when it is glorious in the mornings and chucks it down in the afternoons. The summer also tends to be very humid and also increases the chances of it being quite bumpy when you are flying.
This is the C182S I used on a previous trip in July 2005 having just made it back to Executive just as the heavens opened. I was very close to diverting to Kissimmee.
A fairly short days flying today made even shorter by the fact that I have hired C182T N2144V again.
Similar departure to Monday as we head off to Lakeland for lunch. Thirty minutes flying later and we are taxiing on to the main ramp for the terminal. Target for today is 'Tony's' restaurant. This is located on the first floor of the terminal building. The terminal is the large building with the blue roof on the north side of the airport. If in doubt just ask for taxi instructions.
Lakeland is a large airport and is host to the EAA Sun & Fun in April every year. If you feel inclined and have the time there is a Sun & Fun Museum on the south side of the airport and gift shop nearby.
I decide to return to Orlando via Tampa North airfield(X39). As I climb out of Lakeland heading northwest I notice a blimp (airship) heading eastwards at low level. He appears at Executive later in the evening. Ten or so minutes later I have called 'Tampa North Traffic' and am doing a non-standard right downwind join for runway 14. Unless it says otherwise then a standard join at an uncontrolled airport is left-hand. A glance at the appropriate sectional chart will tell you if it is a right-hand join in the details next to the airfield (ie RP 14 - right pattern runway 14).
From downwind everything looks pretty dead at Tampa North so I decide to turn it into a 'touch & go'. There doesn't seem much point taxiing in and shutting down for no reason - these fuel-injected engines can be a bit of a pain to restart when warm as well.
Once airborne I am back at Orlando within 30 minutes.
I decide to stop at the Harley-Davidson store on the way back to the hotel. It is Daytona Bike Week and a large number of Harleys are filling the parking lot. I have a good look around the shop, check out the bikes, buy a t-shirt and go back to my car. The barmaids certainly caught the eye though.
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