I though I would share a short flight I routinely make from Corpus Christi to Houston Hobby Texas, today instead of the Chancellor we're taking the Cloudmaster DC-6B, shown here on the West FBO ramp with all the ramp manager items selected:

 

I elected to load 7200 lbs of fuel, much more than needed for the short trip, and we have 17 pax and bags for a gross weight of just under 74,000 lbs. Winds are light out of the North today so departing runway 36 to catch V20 to Houston:

 

Normal procedure is for gear and flaps up and nose down to accelerate at about 75 ft AGL until 140-160 kts for the climb.  Today we are talking to Houston Center on a IFR clearance to follow V20 from CRP to PSX thence HUB, shown here level and cruising at 5000 ft 1100 HP 2010 RPM 155 BMEP 218 KIAS over Copano Bay, you can see Padre Island a few miles further and the Gulf of Mexico beyond.  We basically follow the coast until PSX Palacios where the coast then turns Eastward:

 

Today I am using the GPS to follow the VOR-based airway as opposed to flying the VORs directly, and we have some scattered clouds so we are in and out of IMC:

 

The direction of arrival puts me almost on top of ILS04 and with the Northerly winds today I am give the Sperry A-12 a chance to fly a coupled approach, shown here at about 500 ft AGL crossing over Telegraph Rd for the landing at Hobby:

 

Mission complete, pax are taken care of and it's time for lunch in Houston.

 

Thanks for the write up Dan, I'm really looking forward to this one!

16 hours ago, weeksy said:

Thanks for the write up Dan, I'm really looking forward to this one!

+1, Thanks for the nice pics.

Man, I'm looking forward to this one.  Between this and the Connie, propliners are back!

Something about the DC-6 makes the pilot, a real pilot if you know what I mean.......Can't wait for this beauty to be in my hanger :)