After a nice meal and good nights rest today is the day that we take delivery of the aircraft and start my flight back to Minneapolis. I want to say right away that the people at Cessna are all awesome people. They've treated us like royalty and are just normal people who you can have a conversation with.
8:00 am: Cessna picks us up at our hotel to take us to the factory
8:30 am: We begin to inspect our aircraft in the hanger, looking for anything that doesn't meet our expectations. Our aircraft our parked in a hanger with all the other
9:30am: Time for the acceptance flight with one of Cessna's delivery pilots. One more chance to make sure everything works right and nothing needs to be fixed before we leave IDP.
11:35am: We asked if we would be able to be given a tour of the factory and they said yes. So off we go through the factory. Very impressive. They have 2 production lines, one for the Mustang and the other for all the prop aircraft. The factory is cleaner than my room.
1:15pm: Wheels off. I'm IFR IDP direct to OMA. I'm filed for 8,000' with a time en route of around 2 hours 20 minutes.
1:45pm: Cessna 135XX is not hearing center so center asks if I can relay for him. It's a simple message just telling them to contact Kansas City center on 132.9
1:50pm: ATC must be bored. They keep asking me questions about UND and if we are picking up new aircraft. Their last question was they heard a rumor you get a free cake if you buy a new aircraft from Cessna(not true!)
2:20pm: Gotta love the mic input on the C172. I plug in my ipod and turn on a little music in the background. Sure makes time go by faster.
4:00pm: Arrival at OMA. Nice airport, I've never been there. A different UND aircraft arriving after me gets ramp checked by the FAA and passes(Whew).
4:30pm: After a quick fuel, cup of coffee, and bathroom brake I'm back rolling down the runway for departure to ANE.
4:50pm: I'm now level at 9,000 54NM from Fort Dodge VOR. I'm flying the twolf1 arrival into ANE. This takes me from oMA to FOD(fort dodge) then via VOR radials to anoka.
5:15pm: Getting dark!
6:25pm: MSP center vectors me over the top of the international airport. I'm enjoying flying around buildings again. I spot the Metrodome, then the new I35 bridge. I start thinking I must be close to the new TCF Stadium at the UofM and look directly below and there it is, all lit up with the screen on.6:40pm: On the ground at ANE. Time to spend a little time with the family and friends.
I'm planning on staying until Sunday before I head back to Grand Forks.
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