Page 34 - Dec22T

WThe $1,000 BBQ Sandwich
hen I was growing up, it was called the $100 hamburger. That was
the approximate cost of flying your Cessna 172 a hundred miles and back for an airport lunch. It was simply a reason to go flying.
In the turbine world, things have changed. I figure it costs at least a hundred dollars just to go look at the Mustang in the hangar nowadays.
With a jet, I like to fly
once a week, but that is often not possible. So, how often
is enough to maintain the skillset necessary in the ATC environment? I start looking for an excuse to fly around the two-week point.
Late August found me looking for an excuse.
Dallas had just experienced over nine inches of rain in 24 hours, with lots of residual moisture and IFR conditions east of town. Perfect for a morning flight to Shreveport, LA.
The morning METARS showed VFR weather in Dallas and overcast ceilings of 500 to 700 feet with 10-mile visibilities in Louisiana. Ideal conditions for an IFR exercise.
Clearance in hand, it was a left turn off Addison (KADS) and a climb to 2,000 feet. Frequencies were quiet on the early morning departure. “November three nine six delta mike, climb and maintain flight level two one zero,” said Fort Worth Center.
Above the overcast, I ran the checklist, checked the weather and prepared for the approach. I reprogrammed the ILS as Shreveport changed the active runway during the short 40-minute flight. Descending into the overcast at 4,000 feet, all was stable, and it stayed that way as I broke out at 700 feet on the ILS.
“Six delta mike, say destination on the airport,” said the tower. “Delta mike would just like to taxi back to the active and pick up an IFR back to Addison,” I replied.
On Final
by David Miller
I calculated that the $1,000 hamburger would be $1,200 if I purchased fuel from the single source FBO at over $7.00 per gallon. In the 1970s, I remember buying car gas at under $2.00 a gallon and receiving a free Dallas Cowboys drinking glass with each fill-up. Eight tanks later, Patty and I had a set of glassware for the early years of our marriage.
Turbine pilots may be cheap, but we are not stupid.
Clearance loaded into the Garmin NXi and takeoff checklist complete, I headed back to Addison and cheaper fuel. After cleaning up the airplane, I drove next door to the barbeque joint and ordered a sliced beef sandwich and fries for $12. And that was $5 too much.
Fly safe.
David Miller has owned and flown a variety of air- craft from light twins to midsize jets for more than 50 years. With 6,000 plus hours in his logbook, David is the Director of Programs and Safety Education for the Citation Jet Pilot’s Safety Foundation. You can contact David at davidmiller1@sbcglobal.net.
32 • TWIN & TURBINE / December 2022