Concerning Runways
When it comes to runways, size matters. Runways facilitate safe operations by providing enough distance for airplanes to accelerate for take-off and decelerate on landing without destroying brakes and tires. By way of example, a Boeing Turbine-Powered-Anything will not be able to operate from the 2,355 foot length of Cedar Key, which is why commercial hub airports have longer runways than typical municipal airports. Denver boasts a 16,000 foot slab of pavement (16R/34L), the longest commercial runway in the United States. High elevation is clearly a factor driving that length in Denver.
With respect to non-traditional aircraft, consider a gliding brick plummeting to Earth from orbit with a forward airspeed of 360 mph on a two mile final approach at a steep 18-20° glide slope. This is exactly the performance envelope of the space shuttle. To successfully recover and reuse something with this flight profile, a long runway is going to be absolutely necessary, even when that red hot brick has a drag chute.
The NASA Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF, identifier: KTTS) on Merritt Island was purpose built to recover shuttles from orbit. The runway is 300 feet wide by 15,000 feet long, making it one of the longest runways in the world. However, given the mission profile, some additional length would have probably been appreciated by shuttle pilots.
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| Sectional chart showing the SLF and surrounding area. |
The facility is currently used for commercial purposes and is frequently blanketed by temporary flight restrictions. However, when no restrictions are in place, NASA Tower is happy to accommodate general aviation pilots in a low pass or two. Internet accounts of minimum descent altitudes vary from 100 to 500 feet. Regardless of how low one goes, landings are not permitted.
With the SLF so close to Ocala, an excursion there for Warrior 481 (or should I say "STS-481"?) became an imperative.
An Unlikely Gathering
We were two airplanes and seven people. Nate and The Bear were aboard Warrior 481. We followed Skyhawk 41H piloted by Darrell, a good friend and former Le Roy pilot now living in DeLand, FL. Darrell and I trained for our instrument ratings together with Tom at Le Roy and often rode back seat during each other's lessons (so-called "ballast duty"). Accompanying Darrell were his two sons and Zach, a Williamson Flying Club member and Embry Riddle student currently based at nearby Daytona Beach. Zach and Darrell met for the first time when Zach climbed into 41H for the flight.
Playing by the Rules
Darrell called NASA Tower by phone and spoke with a very enthusiastic and accommodating controller there about overflight limitations. We decided to fly after 5:00 pm once both the heat of the day and the ubiquitous Embry Riddle training planes had largely dissipated from the air. NASA Tower is strictly a Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm gig, meaning that the tower would be closed when we arrived. That was acceptable, we would simply self-announce our intentions as though at a non-towered airport like Le Roy or Sodus. Beyond that, the controller laid out two critical rules for us.
First, he was adamant that we not descend below 500 feet. It might be tempting to clarify whether that limitation was 500 feet above the ground or 500 feet above sea level, but the SLF field elevation of nine feet makes that distinction an academic one. For my part, I was disappointed that the tower would be closed. It would have been super cool to communicate with NASA Tower in flight. Second, we were not to go east of the runway, which would place us in restricted airspace.
Pinecastle Impact Range
Our goal was to depart Ocala, fly to DeLand, connect with Darrel and Zach, then leave together to overfly the SLF. On return to DeLand, we planned for dinner at the on-field restaurant Gin Mill before returning to Ocala. I was not night current, so I had a limitation of landing at Ocala within an hour of sunset.
| Date | Aircraft | Route of Flight | Time (hrs) | Total (hrs) |
| 15 Jul 2021 | N21481 | OCF (Ocala, FL) - DED (DeLand, FL) - [TTS (Titusville, FL)] - DED - OCF | 2.2 | 2295.3 |
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| Central Florida terrain following departure from Ocala |
Our first obstacle was the massive zone of restricted airspace R-2910 that overlies the Navy's Pinecastle Impact (Bombing) Range. Here, Naval F-18s from Jacksonville Naval Air Station zip low over the terrain and practice dropping bombs on targets in the middle of nowhere. According to web sources, Pincecastle is the only place on the east coast where the Navy can perform live impact training, reportedly dropping some 20,000 bombs a year, a few hundred of them live. This has been going on for 50 years.
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| Sectional chart showing the route from Ocala to DeLand through R-2910 A. |
While planning, I was unable to find any notices that the restricted airspace would be in use ("hot") at the time of our flight, but nonetheless verified that with Jacksonville Approach while checking in after departure from Ocala. "Confirmed cold," responded the Jacksonville controller crisply. We went right on through, the shortest path to DeLand. Otherwise, we would have needed to negotiate the congested pinch point between R-2910 C and Orlando International's Bravo airspace.
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| Pinecastle Impact Range, photo by The Bear |
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| Pinecastle Impact Range, photo by The Bear |
Before entering restricted airspace, my ship's electronic navigator strenuously objected. I cleared the error, but the device promptly objected again once we actually entered R-2910. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Pinecastle Impact Range resembled a moonscape surrounded by the forests of north-central Florida. Flying through that airspace was more than a little spooky.
Warrior 481 Returns To the Scene of the Crime
We touched down at DeLand -- my 227th airport -- behind a yellow T-34 Mentor practicing pattern work. Though it was my first landing at DeLand, it was not the first for Warrior 481. My airplane was originally owned by Daytona Beach-based Nova Flight Center, a subsidiary of Lambright's T.V. (I'm not sure what kind of business model readily accommodates T.V. sales and flight instruction, but maybe that explains why the outfit no longer exists.) On January 31, 1982 a student pilot landed Warrior 481 short of runway 18 (now closed) at DeLand. This is the only accident involving Warrior 481 in the FAA database. I am certain that the instructor accompanying that student got quite a talking-to for letting the situation get out of hand.
We negotiated a labyrinth of taxiways to Darrell's hangar and reunited Warrior 481 and Skyhawk 41H. (And it was nice to see Darrell, too.) We agreed on a plan, then started the airplanes for our trip to the SLF.
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| Zach, Neil, and Darrell aboard 41H. Photo by Darrell. |
After a quick stop on the main ramp to pick up Zach, who had just gotten out of class for the day, we were ready to go. But Zach was not done for the day yet. He still had a check ride for his CFII (certified flight instructor, instrument) rating that evening at 10:30. I was reminded of my first year of grad school where one of my classes featured Friday evening oral exams.
Flying the Approach
Despite the ridiculously convoluted airspace depicted on our charts, the short flight from DeLand to the SLF occurred over relatively sparse countryside. Two miles ahead of us, Darrell's airplane formed a tiny T-shaped dot in the sky.
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| Photo of the SLF from 41H. Photo by Darrell. |
I actually hand flew the GPS-based instrument approach procedure to runway 15. The Bear noticed the navigational fixes displayed on the Garmin 430W and was amused by the choices made by the FAA. In order, the fixes are: EARTH, ROCIT, and STARS. The approach for the reciprocal runway uses COMET, MOONS, ORRBT, SPACS ("space?"), and LEUNA as waypoints. Both are wonderful examples of bureaucratic humor.
The massive runway below was breathtaking, an effect intensified by its role in the space program. For a moment, I thought to myself, this is the same view a shuttle pilot would have had returning from Earth orbit. But I realized that thought was foolish; Warrior 481 is a better glider than the space shuttle and a shuttle pilot's perspective would be from a much steeper approach angle.
Still...pretty cool.
The iconic, 525 foot tall NASA Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) loomed in the distance, situated deeper in restricted airspace. NASA Tower stands about midfield along with a realistic shuttle mockup called Inspiration.
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| A closer look at Inspiration. |
The VAB and Kennedy Space Center are just east of the southern end of the SLF runway.
Along the Atlantic ocean, various other launch pads could be seen but not visited due to restricted airspace.
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| Photo by The Bear |
Climbing off the departure end of runway 15, we announced a turnback and second low pass over runway 33 going northbound. As we curved around, I pointed out the "two track" causeway once traversed by NASA's massive crawler-transporters that bore assembled rockets and space shuttles from the VAB to the launch complex.
We swooped along the runway again, this time on a northwest heading and never lower than 500 feet.
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| ForeFlight screen capture of 481 chasing 41H through congested airspace |
After the second pass, we climbed back to a suitable cruise altitude and chased Darrel and 41H back to DeLand.
The Wrong Oil
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| Photo by Darrell |
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| Photo by Darrell |
We parked at Darrell's hangar, sending Ray D (owner of the Le Roy Airport) a couple of photos from the southern meeting of the Le Roy Pilots Alumni Association.
Gin Mill was busily hopping, but we were able to crowd around a pair of tables hastily pushed together. Outside was a large stage for live music, the background featuring a hand-painted Hellcat that provided airport-appropriate ambiance. Dinnertime chatter had a decidedly aeronautical bent to it. (Sorry, Nate.) Our burgers were delicious, but when a platter with her burger and fries was placed in front of The Bear, we realized that we neglected to ask about the oil type used to cook the fries. Most places do not use peanut oil any more because the allergy is so widespread in The Bear's generation, but we always ask. We were stunned when the waitress confirmed that they actually used peanut oil, but she was happy to provide some potato chips in lieu of the fries. Close call.
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| A trio of New York pilots in Florida with their kids (where applicable). Photo by Nate. |
Understaffed restaurants were a consistent theme on this trip and Gin Mill was no exception. We waited a long time for our checks, fully aware that we had a hard stop of returning to Ocala by 9:00 pm due to SheltAir closing. Eventually and with regret, I pestered our beleaguered waitress for the bill, and we hustled back to the Warrior to launch into a darkening sky. We would land well within my allowed hour after sunset, but 15 minutes after SheltAir's 9:00 pm closing time. I radioed ahead to SheltAir and begged for patience. Because Ocala Tower closes at 8:00 pm, the field had reverted to uncontrolled and it felt strange to treat the airport like a non-towered field. True to their word, the SheltAir line crew were waiting for us when we landed. They were pleasant and efficient, but as soon as we exited the FBO, the lights were extinguished and the door locked. Sorry to have kept you past closing, folks.
Nate summed up the whole experience the best. "That was really cool."
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| ForeFlight ground track from Ocala (OCF) to DeLand (DED) |
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| ForeFlight ground track from DeLand (OCF) to the SLF (TTS) and back. |
Post Script: Success
A day later, I sent Zach a message asking if he passed his CFII check ride the previous evening after dinner. Not surprisingly, he had. Congratulations to Zach for earning his CFII rating!
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