Lee's Leftovers

Tropical Storm Lee arrived at the Gulf Coast a couple of days ago and has been working its way inland, losing its classic cyclonic form and devolving into a widespread, northeast-bound rain event. The precipitation field encroached on the DC area last evening and this morning N631S and I had some moisture to deal with on our trip north.

All in all it wasn't so bad. In and out of the showers all the way, with some rising to the level of "moderate." No turbulence to speak of, and for most of the trip a healthy tailwind. Just your basic rainy-day IFR flight, including a nice stretch over New Jersey (left) where the sky brightened and the rain stopped.

This pleasant interlude continued to the Coyle VOR (CYN), when McGuire Approach asked for a descent from 7,000 feet to 5,000 which was back in the schmoo...where we stayed until the final New York Approach controller took us down to 3,000 feet east of JFK. The flight ended with an easy ILS approach through a layer of few clouds at about 1,300 feet to BDR's Runway 6.

Having covered and tied down the airplane, I was walking toward the FBO when I saw the lovely machine pictured below, tucked into a hangar and out of the weather. That's Betty Jane, the Collings Foundation's North American P-51C Mustang, s/n 42-103293.

The aircraft has been modified to include a second seat with dual-controls (located where the fuselage fuel tank was). She's here for a few days – and her compatriot B-17G Flying Fortress and B-24J Liberator are also expected – for a few days of tours and warbird rides. It will be unfortunate if the wet weather forecast for the next few days dampens the event.

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