Just wanted to pass along the events of my first real trip as a 170 owner and private pilot. This passed weekend looked as to be a good opportunity to visit my buddy in new Hampshire, the weather showed nice vfr weather for sat and sun so a trip from Andover NJ to Hampton NH seemed a perfect short ( 230 mi.) trip to break in me and the 170. So at 0700 hours sat morning I was wiping the morning dew ( cool! ) off the airplane, then a preflight, a call to my friendly Fss I was wheels up, or at least not spinning at 0745. It was a beautiful morning so I figured while it was still smooth I'll fly low to enjoy the country side. At first I planned on not talking to anyone but my course at first took me over some class D and later some class C which I planned to fly over being as the day heated things up I'd probably be going for some higher alt for a smoother ride.
So as things go I get clearance to over fly the two class D airports ( Stewart and Poughkeepsie ) the air was still, the 170 was hanging as if on a string. As I progressed I decided to climb to my original planned enroute alt of 5500, I could see forever it was that clear. At this point I decided to monitor Bradley Approach just to keep tabs of what’s going on, this is when I heard the controller during the course of 45 mins referring to a aircraft heading northeast squawking VFR at 5.5 appears to be SLOW MOVING not once, not twice, not trice but a dozen or so times, hey were they talking about me ??? Well he hurt my feelings so I tuned to Boston approach, I was getting close to Manchester and I was planning to fly over the class C so I wanted to listen in. Well wouldn't you know they were talking about VFR traffic moving northeast and appears to be SLOW MOVING, then to top it off a US airways 737 going into Manchester says " It appears to be some sort of Cessna" . That’s it I said I'm going to call in, I stayed quiet long enough, I'll show them that this SLOW MOVING aircraft be like the pro-fessionals. So in my best voice I said " Boston center, good morning Cessna N2609V" reply is " Cessna 2971v Boston center" I say " Boston center N2609v is Cessna 170 20 miles south west of Manchester at 5500 VFR enroute 7B3 direct mht vor" they say " Cessna 2690V Boston center What type a Cessna... 17? " I said " Boston center CESSNA 2609V is a Cessna 170". they say " Cessna 2961V squawk 5172" I said " roger squawk 5172 for Cessna 2609v" okay now that were all straighten out I turn my knobs on the transponder, hmm let see, 5 okay , 1 okay, 7 okay and 2.... where’s the 2 I’m turning the knob but the 0 stays in the window, just then " Cessna 61V verify 5172" I said " Boston roger 5172 for 09v" okay think quick, it looks as if the number wheel broke on the knob, this can be worked out, so I turn the knob one detent, no sooner " Cessna 61V repeat verify 5172" ...one more turn of the knob one click, I say " roger Boston center 5172 for 09V" see at this point I figure there's a one and seven chance of getting this right so I continue on, they say " Is it Cessna 61V or Is it 09V?" I say " Boston it's ZEERROOWW NIINNEE VICtor" then " okay SEVEN NINE victor SQWAUK 5172" I go one more click " okay 79v Boston center we have you SLOW MOVING at 5.5 alt 3010"
Okay, I say to myself what did I accomplish? They still don't know who I really am, I'm still SLOW moving and now I have better odds at an Atlantic City casino than hitting the right transponder code. And to top it All off I request to start a VFR descent to Hampton being I'm in the system I get "stay at present course and altitude" okay looking at the gps I'll be clear of the class C which I planned at going under at 1800 feet, but here I am at 5500 15 miles to my destination. Once clear of the airspace I get “Cessna 79V cleared VFR descent at your disgression, radar services terminated Squawk 1200" Ohh I said this is to good to be true “Boston Center was that squawk WHAT for 09V?" “Cessna 79V that was squawk 1200" " Boston center was that Squawk 1200 for 09V or 79V?" " Cessna SEEVVEEN NIINNE VIctor SQUAAWWKK OONNEE TWOOO ZEERROO ZEERROW" I said "Ohh sorry thought that was for ZEERROOW NIIINNE Victor" at that point I turned my transponder off and started my eight mile 5500 foot descent, I tell you I wasn't slow moving then.
I closing I was able to repair the transponder, and on the return trip I figure I try the flight following again, I made sure they new I was 2609V and I was a 1948 Cessna 170 that’s pedaling as fast as it can. I had a very enjoyable return flight and even had some short conversations with different controller, which ended in “a 48 Cessna 170.. COOL " and when I was being referred to other traffic I was no longer SLOW MOVING, I was a VINTAGE CESSNA 170, it sounded nice to hear " American 530 your traffic is a VINTAGE CESSNA 170 at 4500 heading south west, not a factor"
