Flying - A Great Hop To Saginaw Bay

Today the weather was, yet again, perfect.

How could I resist hopping in a plane under such perfect conditions?

I was even able to get a 3-hour block, rather than a 2, which was enough for the plan I had in mind. After all everyone wants to go to a body of water in summer to hang out, don't they?

I decided to fly to Saginaw Bay.

I did the preflight on Warrior N7930F and had the fuel tanks filled up, as they were under the tabs from the prior user.

I then got my takeoff clearance with a turn to the north approved.

It was a beautiful day to fly.

Simply gorgeous out.

20 miles from Saginaw, I got their ATIS and contacted Saginaw approach and was given a squawk code.

I almost asked if I got the call sign "Magnum" to go with that squawk code.

Sightseeing was in order. Basically I was told to stay at or under 3,500 and let them know when I wanted to come in to land with them. Since I had never landed at Saginaw before I figured I should give it a go.

First the sightseeing.

Saginaw Bay

Bay City with Bay City Airport where I landed the last time I was up here.

A drawbridge, and oh, what's this beside it, well, it is what I came to sight-see.

The USS Edson.

Its always fun flying over the USS Edson, even if the air was rather bumpy, making it difficult to get good shots.

After flying around for a bit more I then contacted Saginaw Approach and said I was ready to come land at Saginaw. KMBS is a Class D with a TRSA, so the procedures are rather similar to landing at a Class C airport. Talk to Approach first, then get passed to Tower, and then get cleared by the Tower to land.

I was heading 230 degrees and I was cleared for a straight-in Approach to Runway 23. Easy-Peasy. Saginaw's Runway 23 is an 8,000 foot runway. This was going to be fun.

Talk about your long runway. I was at a full stop before the first taxiway with a ton and a half more runway in front of me.

It then taxi'd back to Runway 23 to takeoff and head back.

To depart from Saginaw, I was given a VFR clearance from the tower and after I took off I was passed off from the tower and told to contact approach, which I did. Heading Back I received flight following and was passed off to Flint, and then got to pass through Flint's airspace at 4,500, quickly having to descend to 3,500 due to an aircraft that was heading my way and not communicating with Flint. Bad form, that.

As always, Saginaw and Flint's controllers were professional, helpful, and pretty darn cheerful which was nice.

Then, contacting Pontiac, they had me angle in for a right base entry to Runway 27R, and then requested I keep the base in very tight for other traffic. I did a very tight base and practically a power off 90, and did a perfectly smooth landing. They thanked me for my help and sent me over to ground. Then, taxi back to DCT and put the plane away and another simply awesome flight was complete.

2.0 Hours and 2 great landings.