Overflying the MCI Center, JYO direct to OXB (I always get this confused with the Capital Center!)	Dan Larsen and I flew together, and Dan worked the radios. IAD & DCA actually gave us VFR clearance DIRECT from Leesburg to Ocean City! 3000-3500 feet all the way, but it was a nice day for that, too. It cut about 45 min off our planned course, which meant we got there in time despite my oversleeping. (Sorry, Dan!) I got some more pictures for the Airport Pix webpage...even caught a couple of grass strips on the Eastern Shore, thanks to the GPS database. Very cool, and we just luv GPS. Okay, this is the SECOND time PAX refused me permission to enter the Restricted area across the Bay. I don't wanna hear how easy it is! Of course, they did say the area was hot, but that's not going to stop me from taking it personally! We went under at 3000ft.
No parachutes over the OXB field this time. This was my fourth time flying into Ocean City, and the first time a couple years ago had me at a loss for what to do when I heard a drop announced as I was on the 45deg entry. How long does it take them to come down? They don't actually land on the runway, do they? They're taught to avoid the traffic pattern, right? That couldn't possibly be a chute drifting down off the far end of the runway where my plane was 60 seconds ago?! Everything was fine, but it did make me learn more about skydiving operations. I actually gave 2 seconds' thought to making a jump myself to learn what jumpers are taught...but then I came to my senses. Maybe this would be worth a DCPilots trip? Get an hour of groundschool for everybody who's interested, then gasp in astonishment as the sillier ones go up to do it?	Initial OXB callup from the northwest
Downtown OC, turning on a 45deg for Rwy14	North of the field, here, is the south end of the boardwalk and the center of the beach town. Note the fishing pier at right, and the traffic interchange behind the strut. To the south of the field is Assateague National Seashore, with its semi-protected airspace.
OXB/Ocean City Airport
That's no corporate bigshot; you can get helicopter rides at OXB!	We landed on Rwy14, the first time I didn't have to make the ~mile long taxi to the terminal. Tim & Catherine, Gene & Chris were already there in their planes (and I mean THEIR planes...Gene's Cessna, and Tim's new Mooney), and after making a fuel order, we jumped in a cab and made the 10 min drive to the downtown strip.
After sucking down a cool drink at Old Pro Miniature Gold Center, Cath led us into the indoor course. This is a pretty elaborate minigolf center down around 60th street or so with indoor and outdoor courses, and is a nice stop. There was a 1930's photo behind the counter of a dry cleaners or some such thing, with a sign that said FREE MINIGOLF WITH LAUNDRY ORDER. Tim & I thought we'd ask the airport to look into this idea: TWO STROKE HANDICAP WITH EVERY CROSSWIND LANDING. Whaddya think? The first annual DCPilots MiniGolf Tournament (and I won!)
We cabbed it down to Phillips Crab House on 21st street. The FANTABULOUS buffet opens at 3:30pm, apparently everyday. No kidding, though it's expensive ($23+tip) it's definitely worth it. Just trust us and go sometime. Of course, you're then morally obligated to walk it off (that's my story and I'm sticking to it) on the boardwalk afterwards. It was a gorgeous day, nice breeze, kites in the air, banner towplanes at 500ft, and hoards of bikini-clad...I mean sunworshipping people everywhere. We planned to hop the tram to find the knitting shop for Catherine, the kite shop for me, but we ended up walking the 21 blocks to the end of the boardwalk. I bought a huge kite made in the shape of a biplane for some possible future display.	The entrance to gastronomic nirvana...
Chillin' on the OC boardwalk	The six of us had split up at that point, Gene & Chris having left, and Dan & I taking a cab back to the airport just before Tim & Cath. And I mean TAKING a cab! Turns out we stole the cab Tim & Cath had phoned for. Oops.
Dan & I took off to the north and wandered up to ILG/Wilmington, Delaware, just for fun. Made a full stop landing at ILG's Class D field, and saw a MetLife blimp hanging out on the other side of the field. Leaving there to the south, we planned to do a touch & go at DCA/National, but we were pushing daylight & a healthy haze, so we requested transition & flight following direct to JYO, landing into a smooth dusk. Absolutely great day!	Tim & Cath depart OXB in their new Mooney