Date: Friday, July 20, 2001, 12:08:54 AM Subject: Flying around Oklahoma Howdy Y'all, Today, as a respite from working fields in a John Deere 4630 during our "vacation" on the farm here in the Oklahoma panhandle, we flew from Woodward to Enid, back to Woodward, and then to Buffalo. The weather was clear, with winds generally from the south (150 - 183) at about 17-22 kts, with occasional gusts to 28. The temperature was hot! On the way back, I climbed 2000 ft. higher than needed just to get into the cooler air for even a small trip. Both the Woodward (WWR) and Enid (WDG - Woodring) airports are nice little ones, with prompt, courteous service. Flights to and from the west of WDG can only occur through an interesting VFR "tunnel" over Enid and through Vance AFB's airspace. The VFR tunnel is about a mile wide, and a thousand feet high -- from 3000 ft. to 4000 ft, and it is about 6 miles long. With a GPS, flying the Vance AFB MOA VFR tunnel is easy -- just create two waypoints at the midpoints of the tunnel, and have it guide you, or, even better, let it direct the auto-pilot to fly the route. Without a GPS, it is also relatively easy: you just follow I60 through Enid, remaining between 3000 and 4000 ft. I fly through at 3500 both ways, just to remain as clear as possible. While we were in the tunnel, my 5-year old son was first to spot the trainer jets passing below us on their return flight to Vance. Listing to Vance Approach/Arrival, there were also trainer jets above us. After returning from our visit with the relatives in Enid, I dropped off the wife and kids in Woodward, and then flew the plane to Buffalo while they drove there. I took this opportunity to practise some steep turns and MCA slow flying, which I normally do not do while the family is in the plane. Turns about a point in a 17-22 kt. wind require good variation in bank to keep the circle from being misshapen. I also "buzzed" our friends' farmhouse, where we are staying, before finally landing at BFK, and tieing down for the night. I really like flying over the wide-open spaces here in the Oklahoma panhandle -- I feel like I can land just about anywhere (it's so flat) so I feel very comfortable flying slow and low, which enables a much closer view to everything. Our friend, the owner of the farm, told me that one of the local residents, also a pilot, once landed his piper cub on the road in front of their property, and taxied it up their driveway, just for a visit! Tomorrow, we go on our next leg to Garden City, KS, for another overnighter with yet more relatives, after which we start for Oshkosh! -- Best regards, Alan K. Stebbens , N4184R, PA32-300, SBA