Day 19 Orlando - Kennedy Space Center

GKNT got a new vacuum pump today. We did not lose anytime as we had planned to stop in Orlando for 2 days and we should be good to go tomorrow. I have a few thoughts about vacuum pumps and instrument flying as the standby vacuum system (which is connected to the intake manifold) that I had installed right after I got my instrument rating was also disabled when the engine driven vacuum pump failed. I'll comment more on this later.

Today Tyler and I went to the Kennedy Space Center. I was really happy to go again as the last time I went, I was with Samantha (23 months at the time) and all I really got to see was the bathrooms...all of them...several times each.


Here is the shuttle Discovery that was moved out today in preparation for an April 5th launch.

Me standing beside a Saturn V rocket.
Standing beside my favorite exhibit... a "space" bathroom from the International Space Station.

The weather for tomorrow is looking good. With luck we'll make it to Austin TX where we will be until Saturday.

Day 18 Orlando Univeral Studios

Today we got up and when to IHOP in our rented white mini-van. Tyler kept commenting on how nice the mini-van was to drive and that his buddy Clint has been looking for one for a while. Tyler is going to recommend a Dodge Caravan to Clint when he gets back to Alberta.



Then we went to Univeral Studios...
Glenn, Tyler and the Simpsons...


The Blues' Brothers drove by.

Day 17 Montego Bay-Kingston-Key West-Orlando *Vacuum Pump Failure*

Today (Monday March 1st) I flew Anne and the kids to Montego Bay, dropped them off and picked up Tyler. While waiting another 10-15 minutes several times (for a total 1.5 hours) for somebody to escort us back to where GKNT was parked, I noticed this sign...
Just another example of why Jamaica is the way it is. Any other government (or company) would probably have a 99% satisfaction objective. They may not reach their target but the "goal" would be high. Note the 75% objective for a clean bathroom... I wonder what the 1 of 4 people trying to use the bathroom end up with.


The Chong family taxiing out to Runway 30 at Norman Manley (Kingston) international airport.

Norman Manley International tower.

Neet terrain in Jamaica.

Base for runway 07 at Sangster (Montego Bay) international

Final 07


I dropped off Anne and the kids, got Tyler and waited the appropriate hour+ for the fuel truck to arrive. It only cost me $171 US for the stop (and no, that does NOT include the price of fuel)...Montego Bay has the well earned reputation for being the most expensive airport in the caribbean.

South coast of Cuba...


Just as we approached Cuba, GKNT's vacuum pump failed.... this is straight and level flight. Note the artifical horizon is anything but straight and level. Considering that I was in the clear when it happened and the amount of IMC (clouds) that I flew in the previous week, it happened at a really good time.

Fortunately, Tyler had some "Post-It"s in his bag, the dying artificial horizon was getting very distracting.

Tyler and I over Cuba.

Right downwind 09 Key West...

Taxiing in in Key West...

The sun going down over the South Western edge of Florida after leaving Key West.

Disney World from the air...

Final for 07 Orlando Executive...

Day 16 Kingston again

As were only in Kingston for a short time, my cousin Sharon kindly had Sunday dinner at her place so that we could see everybody at once.

Here we are with Aunt Elaine.

My cousin Audrey, her daughter Jessica and husband Howard.

Cousin Paul, Sharon, Patrick and my uncle Richard and Aunt Icy.

Thanks again Sharon!!!!

Day 15 Kingston

Today was an easy day in Kingston. Swimming and playing tennis with Auntie Steph.




I climbed an apple tree to get at some apples that the kids could not reach.

Day 14 Montego Bay - Kingston

Anne, Samantha, Phillip and I got in GKNT Friday afternoon for the 30 minute flight into Kingston. Of course, it took over an hour to get an escort to the general aviation ramp in Montego Bay. On climb out, we flew right past our hotel, if you look really closely, you can see Tyler and Michelle doing it in the pool.


Sam and Phillip were really tired.

Final in Kingston ...where it took them over an hour to find somebody to escort me to park GKNT... it probably would have been faster to drive (its only a 3-3.5 hour drive).

We visited my friends Stephanie and Donovan in their stunning house up in the mountains.

Here's a picture of their kids, Benjamin, Jovi (sp?), Shannon along with Phillip and Samantha.

Day 17 Key West - Orlando

I got up early, flew Anne and the kids fron Kingston into Montego Bay and picked up Tyler. Next was Key West and then Orlando. All was good except GKNT had a vacuum pump failure so the artifical horizon/directional gyro stopped working over Cuba. Fortunately, we were in clear weather when it happened so with assistance of my GPS, it was a relatively minor anoyance.

We were planning on being in Orlando for 2 days anyway and we have already spoken to a mechanic who will be looking at it first thing in the morning. Hopefully it is something minor.

I should have time to catch up and post some pictures tonight.

Glenn