After looking at the MU-2 (Nice plane!), we got a crew car and drive a few miles to a nice place for a bit of lunch.

Place called Toast. They had sandwiches, burgers and other dishes. I had the steak stroganoff, which was pretty good. While the service was slow, the food was excellent. While waiting,, and while eating, we discussed the Mu-2 and some of the things that would need to happen in order for the sale to go though….and some anecdotes of the type in general. Ron is very knowledgeable about the Mitsubishi planes, and I learned  a thing or three

After lunch, we drove back, turned in the car, and fueled up. Both of us have had experiences with the line jockeys trying to put jet fuel into a piston engined plane (bad things happen), so we both prefer watching as the planes were filled, first his (a really nice, if batttered looking Aerostar 700… fast as hell (like 260 knots) for a piston plane and then my 340. My plane is a minivan, his is a sports car….

After that, we talked a bit more, shook hands and went to our aircraft. I had filed a flight plan on the Ipad with Foreflight while we were talking, so I did a quick preflight, sumped the fuel, got in, started the engines,  listened to the ATIS,, called clearance on the radio got my clearance. switched to Ground, told ’em “Ready for Taxi”. As I was taxiing, Ron in his  Aerostar took off then another plane, then I was at the hold short line. A quick runup (mags, props, fuel flow, etc) and I was ready to go as well.

Once airborne I turned to the assigned heading and climbed to the assigned altitudes, first to 3000, then, just as I reached that, was assigned 5000, then 10, then 16, then told to “Climb and maintain flight level 210”.  (my filed final altitude) The climb was at about 175 knots or so, 800-ish feet per minute, I had to balance my climb performance with my cylinder head temps as I got higher as the decreased cooling effect of the thinner air became an issue…

I leveled off at FL210 and the speed climbed to 210 then 215 and, for a moment, 224 knots….but the engines couldn’t sustain that power level without getting hot at that altitude, even with the cowl vents open…I settled in at 216 knots true airspeed.

The flight back with a tiny bit of tailwind, was at 221 knots ground speed.

Haulin’ ass at FL210

The flight back was a bit faster, and there were some scattered clouds down around 700 feet or so. The view was spectacular.

Totally smooth and uneventful. Along the way I heard ATC dealing with the Airventure bound pilots….I think the controllers were a bit frustrated. Many of the pilots were not good at following ATC instructions  and likely seldom wander far from their home airport except for this once a year pilgrimage…and it showed.

Chicago ATC did a great job descending me (which is a surprise, the generally keep you high then dive bomb you in at the last minute)… again 500-700 feet per minute, They too were dealing with lots of Oshkosh/Airventure VFR traffic…..They brought me in over the EON VOR and turned me north towards my airport.

Before long I was on the ground and at the hangar and getting fuel. 4.7 hours of flying, nearly 850 miles and back for dinner.

And I might just have found my next plane.

Negotiations commence.