Yesterday evening I realized with stunning clarity that summer was
over. The kids go back to school Monday, the days are definitely
getting shorter, and our window of opportunity for after-work dinner
flights is closing rapidly.

So, when we at last escaped the hotel Friday night, extremities still
buzzing from the stress of another sell-out crowd, it was with
certainty that I announced that we *were* flying somewhere for dinner,
damn the fatigue.

To my surprise, Mary instantly responded "Amana!" -- so it was off to
the hangar (located a good 400 yards away) for a quick preflight and
launch.

The air was thick, the cicadas were singing, and the winds were light
-- in short, a perfect night for a flight.
With a bit more than 2 hours of light remaining, Mary flew the
quickest departure and approach to Amana's beautifully tailored grass
strip -- a whopping 17 minute flight from Iowa City, under Cedar
Rapids (KCID) class C veil.

Unicom was abuzz with after-dinner pilots all over the Midwest --
apparently we all realized that time was short at the same moment.
With practiced skill Mary set Atlas down on the manicured grass,
watching with a bit of unease as an old pickup truck scurried off the
runway as we approached. He was clearly aware of our presence, but
it's still a bit unnerving to have ground vehicles so close to the
runway when you're in that vulnerable flare...

It turned out that the pickup truck was the airport manager, spending
the evening filling gopher holes. He's one of the best grill-
meisters in the world (he always cooks at QB meetings, and the food is
absolutely the best -- period), and a super nice guy -- and it was
great seeing him taking such wonderful care of the strip. Amana (C11)
truly is a gem of the Midwest, long and wide, with lush green grass so
close to so many fantastic restaurants and shops. We're
extraordinarily lucky to live so close to such a wonderful
destination...

A quick-step 3-block stroll to "The Brick Haus" -- our favorite
restaurant in Amana -- for chicken schnitzel served family style, with
a dozen succulent German side-dishes, including home-made desserts.
To say that we enjoyed a gastronomic panoply of cardiovascular booby
traps would be an understatement -- it was a coronary occlusion on a
platter! But what a way to go....

Waddling back to Atlas, with the sun hanging low on the horizon, we
enjoyed a picture-perfect summer eve. The temperature was perfect,
with lower humidity and light winds, and I preflighted Atlas with
practiced-yet-cautious hands. After a trundling, bouncy takeoff run,
we were soon climbing strongly into a clear sky, hanging on the prop
and marveling at our good fortune. What a way to spend an evening!

Seventeen minutes later, with the runway lights already aglow, I
practiced my favorite pattern -- the overhead break. When the wind is
light and the air is thick (and, best of all, the pattern is empty)
this is absolutely the most fun way to land a plane, and it always
seems to result in one of my best landings. With a gentle chirp we
returned to terra firma, and were soon cleaning off the bugs in the
hangar whilst sipping a cold one...

I'm afraid this will be our swan song for after-work flights till next
summer. We're losing daylight at an alarming rate, and will soon be
locked in the grips of winter's darkness. But in the meantime I will
have this flight to warm my thoughts, and will always cherish the
memories of Amana on a warm summer's night....

Get out there and fly, boys and girls. It's later than you think...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"