Trip to KLAW Lawton

Tallying up hours for insurance renewal and FAA survey, I was looking at my own data and was surprised that my logs showed giving 20 different people rides during the last 12 months. The youngest was 9, the oldest was +75. 15 are pilots, at least five are ATP's (two retired).  Three +500 mile trips and one short flight were with 3 on board.

Today was a good day to not give a ride since there was a turbulence SIGMET up higher and wind (per KLAW Lawton OK tower) was 250@18G27 across RWY 17 (150' wide). The Sheppard MOA above me had a few targets on ADS-B, one coming right at me but 1500 feet higher. The METAR wasn't showing as much wind as the tower reported. Despite carrying 85 knots on final, the wind gusts picked up the right wing a couple of times and there were a few moments of excitement after touching down.

Karl Riley & his wife met me at the FBO where he was bestowed Eureka canard core foam.  Karl insisted on paying for some fuel.  I had the lineman put the fuel in the right (upwind) tank. We chatted a bit, watching the wind socks sticking straight out and the linemen were taking photos of the Cozy.  Major construction on a new terminal was going on next door.

I taxied for take off and asked the tower to repeat the wind again.  Gusting 28 at almost 90 degrees.  The guy in the Tower seemed to be using his Dad voice.  Angling into the wind on the 150' wide runway, the rudders were starting to do their job at about 40 knots at about the time I was intersecting the center line.  On departure, the AP wasn't wanting to track very well until the wind direction was more stable at 5500'. The Tower reminded me to use caution exiting Class D and transiting under the MOA ahead.

Radio chatter from a few students when approaching T67 had students making pattern calls for RWY 14.  There was a batch of helos flying patterns at 4T2 (Copeland), so I followed Hwy 287 at 1500' to stay clear of them, KAFW Alliance and KFTW Meacham traffic.  On upwind for 14, the windsocks were showing a comparatively meager crosswind.  A student and instructor along the taxiway had their cameras out as I touched down. Glad I didn't repeat the previous landing and become Internet famous.

One of the FAA survey questions had tickled my memory about a puzzling stat I recalled from my earlier student pilot/CAP days.  Pilots that file flight plans have a lower accident rate.  Today I'd easily filed and activated flight plans for two "short for a Cozy" flights using the EFB on my phone.  Hey...if it helps...why not?  There's still a lot of nothing for miles in parts of OK and TX.