Tuesday started at 4:00 am for myself, my instructor (Chris) and Matt Lehmann, another student here who is working on his instructor rating. We departed here at 5:45 after devouring some Tim Hortons that Chris brought for breakfast we jumped in the plane and headed for Baudette Minnesota, where we had to clear customs. Five minutes after landing customs was dealt with, we went inside to file a flight plan for the remainder of our trip to Duluth International. The sun had risen while we were on the ground in Baudette, which was a good thing, as we started to run into some weather as we got closer to Duluth. The ceilings just started forming above us, and basically just kept forcing us down, lower and lower all the way into Duluth. We ended up making the airport, after requesting special VFR ( Visual Flight Rules ) to get in. Upon landing we were marshalled to our parking spot, and had a carpet laid out so step on,upon exiting the plane. We then got on the bus, and they drove us across the apron, maybe 800 ft, to the terminal building!! Upon exiting the bus at the terminal building (FBO as its called) we saw 7 F-16 fighter jets taxi, and take off in front of us. We then went in, and got driving down the apron to the Cirrus factory! We went in, introduced ourselves, and let her know we were ready for the tour, as we were the only three getting a tour, and then she directed us upstairs to the customer lounge, where we helped ourselves to one of the many complimentary drinks in the fridge. We were then met by our tour guide, taken to a board room where he presented a little slide show on the history of the company, and a few specifications on the airplanes, and then took us to the factory, which was across the parking lot. The factory that is based in Duluth, it the final assembly factory, so the raw composite parts are produced at another facility in the U.S. and then shipped to Duluth where they are assembled and sold. We weren't aloud camera's inside the facility, but I do have several pictures of their aircraft from outside. After the tour of the factory, we went back to the FBO and signed our their courtesy car, and headed downtown to the city of Duluth. We were recommended to go try food from Grandma's Saloon. It is the name of a fairly popular chain restaurant in Duluth. We went and ate there, after noticing that there are alot of things name "Grandma's (something)" apparently Grandma was pretty popular. After lunch we headed back to the airport, grabbed a starbucks on the way, because Steinbach doesn't have one, and then went back to our airport. We waited for the weather to clear up to we could get back out of the airport, and headed to sky harbour from there. Sky Harbour ( photo attached) is a small little airport, on what looks to be a sandbar that was made as a wave break to protect the Duluth Harbour! We then headed back home, stopping only in Pinecreek to clear customs, the only ACTUAL international airport. It just so happens to have half the runway in Canada, and the other half in the U.S. Each customs office is also on its respective side of the border. This is only day one, but I have to run, so I will complete this post with the two days following soon.............
That is our plane the closest one to me, and that is about how far we got driven upon arrival to the FBO!!
This is the exterior of the Cirrus Factory, with several new planes sitting on the apron.
Brand New cirrus purchased by a Canadian, being polished up waiting for its new owner to come and pick it up, and fly it home!!
This is Sky Harbour.
This photo shows you how close the runway is to the water!! With a huge crosswind from the left!
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