FRG to New Bedford, MA and back

Not really a trip report as much as just two pictures to share. Went flying last night with a friend to New Bedford, aka EWB (just east of Providence) for dinner at the Airport Grille, which was a busy, hip restaurant attached to an old, abandoned airport terminal on the field.

We departed Republic just after 7pm for points north and east; first BDR, then MAD and along V475 to the CARLD intersection, then via V188 to GON and V374 to MINNK.

While level at 7,000 and passing over Bridgeport/BDR, I snapped this:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/...3c41e49fd2.jpg

We shot the ILS for runway 5, landed at about 8:40pm - 20 minutes before the kitchen was due to close - and waited for Sandpiper FBO to top off the tanks before hurrying over to the Grille. I had a great pasta dish with some of the most tender chicken I've ever stabbed with a fork. Definitely recommended. Most dishes were between $15 and $30.

About an hour later we headed back to the airplane for the preflight routine. We called for our IFR clearance back to Republic a few minutes before the tower was due to close at 10:00pm: "Standby...I just threw it away" replies the controller. Co-pilot set up the radios as I taxied out to runway 5. At 9:59 we were wheels up. At 10:00, as I was turning left to 230 and climbing out of 500ft, New Bedford tower closed and the airport was now officially untowered. Perfect timing!

Our initial clearance would have taken us over Block Island's Sandy Point SEY VOR and down to an intersection just south of the South Fork before turning east for Farmingdale, but that was amended once we were airborne. The route back was a direct line to HTO, then DPK, and vectors to FRG.

About 15nm west of Deer Park I snapped the shot below. You can't make out the skyline specifically, but the dome of artificial daylight that is New York City is unmistakable, even from the easterly tip of Long Island.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/...bbf45b122a.jpg

We landed on runway 19 at Farmingdale.

3.1 hours, round trip. Great flight!

Hope you enjoyed.

Brian

Wonderful Pictures!!! do you have more? Great stuff!!! :borat:

Nice trip, Brian. A hundred years ago :wink: one of my solo cross-country flights for my PPL was FRG - EWB. It was strictly VFR, in a Tomahawk. Those were the days!

Good stuff Brian. Is that an LF airplane I spy?