Jul 2010 Diane Wieman’s San Antonio to Middletown, Ohio Flight to the National Aeronca Association’s Fly-in
Flying a Champ from San Antonio Texas to Middletown Ohio!
If the Champ had a memory it would not have a problem finding its way on this trip as it has made the trip 5 times so far!  Most folks would think this would be a daunting task, but a friend of mine said——“just think of it as a group of cross country flights put into a somewhat of a straight lineâ€.
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Next comment always heard:  “what about the weather?â€Â  Of course the weather would be the most difficult part of either direction of travel.  The trip usually takes two days, it can take one day and it has also taken three days.
Looks like an antler sculpture in green (obviously a farming need to stop erosion!)
Weather helped in the one day trip with a push from the North and the three day was due to a stalled front draped across the path.  When you fly a Champ you know that you are in trouble with head winds when the eighteen wheelers are going faster than you are.  Average speed on the way to Middletown this year was 88 knots and on the way back home 78 knots.   The weather folks called for “pop up†thunderstorms through Arkansas although they forgot to tell mother nature they were not suppose to form a line.  One mad dash to Warren Arkansas found us waiting under the wings in an empty  hanger for the rains to go away!  Being flexible in your travel plans is absolutely necessary.
The best part of the trip cannot be explained nor do any one of the many pictures I have taken do the views justice.   Views include such things as: miles of pine trees, heartland fields, drilling pads, strip mines, wide rivers, natural and not so natural ground patterns.
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Traveling less than 1500 feet above the Mississippi river will make you hope and pray the engine does not quit until you get to the other side.  Of course you had to have survived the trip over all of the tall pine trees of East Texas and part of Arkansas.  Logging roads and a few cut spots in an ocean of trees would be the only place to land when looking at this number of trees.
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If you have gone to very many safety meetings you have heard the comment, “set your personal minimums and stick with themâ€.  The trip in 2006 took three days and my personal minimums were challenged several times.  Knowing weather in probably the most important part of a trip of this kind!
Steven Fieg
Posted at 18:32h, 16 JulyDianne,
So glad TDA is a Champ!! Hardy congradulations!! Being paid for something you love to do is the ultimate!!
Blue Skies
Steven Fieg
Ray Johnson
Posted at 00:31h, 03 JulyI have known Diane Wieman for several years now. This was her 5th trip to Middletown, Ohio from San Antonio, Texas in her 85 H.P. Champ. Ask her what TDA means !! The one thing I have learned about Diane is don’t say you can’t do that……… she will tell you “Watch me !!” What she didn’t tell you in this story is that she is a FAA Cerified Mechanic and she restored this Champ herself…… She is now restoring a Pre-war Stick control Chief. Very accomplished Lady……. Oh I forgot to mention she is a Electical Engineer along with a PE License. You go Girl !!
Ray Johnson
Marion, Indiana
http://www.FlyInCruiseIn.com
Rick Carpenter
Posted at 21:43h, 02 JulyHopefully sometime you have an event in Toronto and I can film the whole thing. Yours would be a wonderful story to tell.
Susan
Posted at 14:19h, 02 JulyDiane,
Fantastic photos and story!!! Thanks for sharing with us! I know you had a blast toodling along in the Champ — even if you were fighting head winds! Like I say when everyone blows by me and the RNF — we get to REALLY see the scenery!
Glad you made it both ways safely with no mishaps!!!! Sorry we didn’t make it to Middletown this year — timing is everything and I was behind the 8-ball all the way!
Cheers!
Susan