Flying Home Through the Pine Barrens

[Ken Walker]

Hi everyone. I figured since I just started here a staggering....seven minutes ago, I'd do my part and create a post here. I just recently got my pilot's license about a month ago, which around where I live is never heard of, especially at my age (eighteen in two weeks...). I've spent more than a few times cruising through the Pinelands and I couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity to see it from my perspective, I'm fortunate for that. So what better way to show other people who aren't able to see it from the air, than to share it with all of you guys who love the area as much as I do? This shot is from my last trip from my base at Millville Municipal (KMIV) to Miller Air Park in Toms River (KMJX). It's roughly ten miles northeast of Hammonton, and shows one of the many reasons flying gets into your blood and never leaves.

 

[Old Crazy]

Nice picture. Thanks for sharing it, and congratulations on the pilot's license. That's quite an achievement for anybody, but especially so for a 17 year old. Your parents must have nerves of steel letting you take off in an airplane. When I was 17 my parents wouldn't let me buy an MG Midget convertible because they were afraid I'd get killed in it.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...fjOG8yB0AGe-IGoCw&sqi=2&ved=0CEIQ9QEwAQ&dur=0

 

[Teegate]

Very nice! I am sure everyone here appreciates it...I know I do. In future trips can you pick out locations in the pines and take a photo and let us guess the area you were in? That could be interesting. Or pick out a place such as Bamber Lake which is right by Miller and take a photo of that.

BTW...Welcome!

Guy

 

[bobpbx]

That is a very interesting perspective. My investigation tells me your shot is taken about 18 NE miles from Hammonton. That is Goose Pond closest to your camera (on the right), and that is Lake Oswego in the southern distance. You were facing roughly southeast when you took it.

 

[pinelandpaddler]

In future trips can you pick out locations in the pines and take a photo and let us guess the area you were in? That could be interesting.

Ha! I was about to ask him to do the same thing!

 

[Ken Walker]

Guy, that's a great idea, I'll definitely do that the next time I'm up. You guys could probably help me out too, because when I'm flying along I fly visually, with no flight plan or destination I occasionally forget about using maps too (I can only go so far south before I hit the bay, right?) so I dont remember where I took the shot exactly. But Bob is right from what I do remember. I was heading home from KMJX southbound, and remember it being bumpy as HELL. Through that I got that single shot out of at least ten blurry ones. Excellent tracking skills! You even got me as far as pinpointing its exact location.

My instructor always told me, "make sure you triple check everything before you get to Hammonton, because beyond that is trees, trees and more trees. No one wants to land somewhere that has that much emphasis on trees"

 

[Teegate]

I sometimes park in the middle of the road at Hammonton as the planes fly over me. Maybe I will rethink that

How are the photo's taken? It looks to be outside the plane. Then again.. I just realized that is the bottom of the wing.

Guy

 

[fierodoug]

Wow, that is a outstanding picture, look foward to more like that. Wish I could go up in a little plane like that, but with my fear of heights I normally prefer to have my feet grounded.

 

[Ken Walker]

I sometimes park in the middle of the road at Hammonton as the planes fly over me. Maybe I will rethink that

How are the photo's taken? It looks to be outside the plane. Then again.. I just realized that is the bottom of the wing.

Guy

The plane is a Cessna 172, which is a high-wing airplane in which the wing is over top of the cabin. This permits better ground clearance and a better look around at scenery. It's a tiny little plane, but it gets the job done and it's a great plane to fly all around.

Hammonton is a great airport to fly into. It's quiet, and seen as a gateway to the Pinelands by many pilots, whom I've seen take camping gear, inflatable kayaks, folding bikes, you name it, into their planes for a night up there. I'll keep a look out for a car parked on the road next time I'm over there I'll fly a little lower for you, just to say hi you know

Oh, and I simply snapped a picture with my iPhone while I was flying. The weather was extremely turbulent that day, and it was impossible to consistently maintain altitude so I switched on the autopilot until I got to Hammonton, where I figured the bumpiness would calm down, which it did. Almost like some sort of flying creature was shaking my plane until I got to the edge of the trees, then it stopped... The side window is a single piece of glass, not like the front window where it's sort of warped into a wrap-around window. This creates a perfect place for picture taking. I have been known to have a suction-cup mount on the wing when I fly too. If you watch most flying shows, their outside shots are gotten this way, just not with their sister's digital camera...

 

[manumuskin]

I'm about five minutes from Millville airport.Is this your home base down this way?

 

[Ken Walker]

I'm about five minutes from Millville airport.Is this your home base down this way?

Yep! I learned to fly/rent the planes from Big Sky Aviation on the field. It's a great place to fly in and out of. I feel for you guys though, those Army Chinooks landing and taking off make a ton of noise!

 

[manumuskin]

The airport does not irritate me in the least.The Motorsports park on the other hand I would like to see blasted into oblivion.If I wanted to live next to Indianapolis I'd of moved there.This state looks less attractive to me every year,not that the rest of the country is much better.I can't understand with the price of gas how there are people who have money to waste on it racing in circles at high speed getting absolutely nowhere and creating unacceptable noise levels for the southern half of Millville and where i live in Laurel Lake just so some rich turds can get even richer and benefitting no one but themselves.The only up side to this is perhaps I will be able to sell my house for money when I finally get a chance to leave.I understand there are people that will pay good money for an opportunity to listen to this crap seven days a week and go blow their money watching people drive in circles as well.I f your gonna waste gas a plane ride over or a truck ride through the Barrens is a much better choice in my estimate.

 

[Gibby]

Ken, thanks for sharing a different view! Your photograph captures the vastness and snaking waterways perfectly for the area you are flying over.

Would you happen to know where the B-25 I see frequently over the Forked River Mountains is based? I have seen the bomber several times and was just curious.

 

[Ken Walker]

Ken, thanks for sharing a different view! Your photograph captures the vastness and snaking waterways perfectly for the area you are flying over.

Would you happen to know where the B-25 I see frequently over the Forked River Mountains is based? I have seen the bomber several times and was just curious.

There are quite a few B-25s still operational in the US. The ones that I can think of that are close to here I think are based in Delaware, one is in Stow, Mass., and one is at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in Pennsylvania. I know which aircraft you're talking about though, but I can't remember the name of it. The ones in Delaware are named Miss Happ and Take Off Time, and Briefing Time is in PA. I cant remember the one's name that in MA. My guess is it could be any of them!

 

[Gibby]

I know which aircraft you're talking about though

I always hear the unique roar of the twin radials before I see the polished aircraft. I completely forgot that there may be a name on the nose. I will have to pay closer attention to the nose art of the aircraft next time I see it.

 

[1Jerseydevil]

Thank you for sharing your perspective of the Pines.
Perhaps one of those Hero camera's mounted in a good spot. You can shoot video and sound.

 

[Ken Walker]

I always hear the unique roar of the twin radials before I see the polished aircraft.

Polished aluminum you say? If the aircraft is completely polished aluminum then she is Miss Hap for sure!

The sound of the radials sends chills through the spine. Like beautiful music from a bygone era