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A Flying Sojourn at Low Levels

Connecting with the past via a Piper Arrow.

[Photo illustration: Amy Jo Sledge, Images: iStock, Les Abend]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • An aviator and his wife embarked on a month-long journey in their Piper Arrow, flying from Florida to attend a wedding in Virginia and subsequently touring the Northeast to visit friends, family, and historic sites.
  • The author managed all flight logistics, from dispatch to meteorology, navigating various airport and weather challenges with his wife providing proficient assistance as a copilot and navigator.
  • Despite the logistical complexities and diverse conditions encountered, the extensive aerial "sojourn" successfully facilitated reconnections with their past and created lasting memories.
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When we received the invitation for the October wedding of our friends’ daughter in Charlottesville, Virginia, the decision to fly our Piper Arrow to the event from Florida was easy. Asking my wife also to ponder a month-long sojourn—connecting with old friends and historic sites before and after the wedding—required further consideration. Despite the Beverly-Hillbillies-with-wings aspect in terms of the bags we’d need, the journey would take us through leaf-peeping season, something we missed after moving out of the northeast.

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

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Les Abend

Les Abend is a retired, 34-year veteran of American Airlines, attempting to readjust his passion for flying airplanes in the lower flight levels—without the assistance of a copilot.

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