Radar vectors direct
Pilots smile when they get that clearance from ATC because it means you’ve been cut loose from the rigid airways and navaids. You’re on the shortest path to your destination. It’s rare, because it complicates the controller’s job, but once in awhile you get that clearance.
I once flew almost a thousand miles (904nm), Minneapolis to Norfolk radar vectors direct. The controller even asked, “What kind of airplane are you flying?” because he didn’t believe it was possible with a single-engine airplane.
But I was flying a Mooney Rocket, with the same engine that normally powers a multi-engine Cessna 340. But because the Rocket was smaller and presented less drag than the 340, it was actually faster with one engine than the Cessna with two.
That’s how I feel now with MagneticMatch™. I don’t know whether a VC will bite, and I don’t know where this journey ultimately leads. But just like in sailing, it’s not the destination, it’s about the ride. And right now, I’m having the ride of my life.
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