Sometimes what is inside is just as nice as what is outside or the destination.







A New Year day family flight to Centennial. The Perfect Landing was closed (their recorded message said they were open) so the Jet Center lent us a car. A great start to the new year.

My sister Lori was my first passenger for 2010! We flew from Fullerton, CA to Avalon/Catalina for lunch. After lunch, we flew over Avalon and around the east part of the island then back north to the mainland. We flew up over Torrence, LAX via the Mini Route to Pacific Palisades, west along the shoreline to Malibu, back to Santa Monica then over the Getty Center, over Beverly Hills, checked out the Hollywood sign, back over Santa Monica, southbound over LAX via the Mini Route, then back to Fullerton. Perfect day for flying!!

Since the Sidney guys were fogged in and it was beautiful in Colorado I decided to head down to Pueblo for some food. A couple days ago I was kidding with Grant from Flower Aviation that I was upset that the million dollar jets were the only ones that got the red carpet service. Anyhow, they marshalled me in today and I shut down the engine. As I'm getting unbuckled and ready to get out I notice Grant crouched down by my wheel, figured he was chocking the plane. When I open the door, low and behold he has rolled out the red carpet for me. Talk about service, those guys rock!


Skywagon get's Red Carpet service at Flower Aviation at KPUB.

Is the scenery still decent down at flower aviation? If you know what I mean.

mountainmatt wrote:Is the scenery still decent down at flower aviation? If you know what I mean.

Not that I've seen in quite awhile.

On the 28th of Dec, I took my step mom and sister up flying in the mountains. Flew around the Leadville area, Royal Gorge bridge, the normal tourist route I've been doing lately. My sister shot some video, new thing for me, only ever had stills before. Here's the video...and yes, the song doesn't match, but it's what I had at the time.

Tried to meet bmurrish & mtnmatt at APA this morning...got about 10 miles west of Ft Morgan CO and it started closing in. Turned around, met Ed breaking in a new engine in the Warrior over Stoneham CO, flew to STK for a T&G, and then back to SNY. Went back home for breakfast. At least I got to fly. HC

Weather was beautiful for us. 6 people showed up including Mt Matt. The food at the Perfect Landing was ahh, perfect. Don't worry, my wife was the one snapping the formation photos.

Very nice bmurrish!!

Nice video Tadpole (I liked the B17 one too).

I was nice to see you today Bill and friends. Next time Ernie.

Another warm beautiful day in the southland. My friend Seth and I flew from Fullerton, then over southern Corona, buzzed the Supercross test tracks, flew around the eastern side of the Santa Ana Mtns, over to Dana Point, up the shoreline at 1.5 to the Queen Mary, then back to Fullerton. Weather was perfect.

Oh, this was fun!! Going back into Fullerton, tower told me to report right downwind for Rwy 6. Another plane coming in for right downwind didn't know where the airport was and was supposed to follow me. The other pilot was speaking broken English and the tower was getting pretty pissed because traffic was busy at this time. I'm 3-4 miles to the southwest not even to Knotts Berry Farm yet and tower hollers at me to start my right base and speed up and land as quick as possible if I'm able I was still at 2.5 and I thought for 2 seconds and said "Roger that, 36D right base, dive bombing for 6!!!" 1 mile final I was still over 100 mph indicated and still high!! I said "I'm not sure if I can get er down but trying hard". Tower said I can do a go around if I need, but short short final I got the speed down to 80, full flaps, landed just passed the numbers and still made the second turn off The broken English pilot coming in behind me was in an RV4 and when he landed, he bounced pretty good 3 times Not sure what his deal was.

Might be off topic but while I'm kind of on the subject. I can not imagine flying into an area like the Los Angeles and not knowing where your going and not knowing where the airport is tat your flying into. My Garmin 396 makes it stupid simple to navigate this area. It's awesome having a good idea where your at in relation to all the different parts of LAX Class B, and all the other Class C, D, landmarks and even intersections. I've found that when you get all your airports, landmarks, and intersections planned out and the route setup on the GPS and ask for VFR Flight Following through the LA area, ATC seams to be very helpful and makes navigating this area very simple.

58Skylane wrote:...Oh, this was fun!! Going back into Fullerton, tower told me to report right downwind for Rwy 6. Another plane coming in for right downwind didn't know where the airport was and was supposed to follow me. The other pilot was speaking broken English and the tower was getting pretty pissed because traffic was busy at this time...The broken English pilot coming in behind me was in an RV4 and when he landed, he bounced pretty good 3 times Not sure what his deal was...

My God, did they scramble fighters?

gb

gbflyer wrote:

58Skylane wrote:...Oh, this was fun!! Going back into Fullerton, tower told me to report right downwind for Rwy 6. Another plane coming in for right downwind didn't know where the airport was and was supposed to follow me. The other pilot was speaking broken English and the tower was getting pretty pissed because traffic was busy at this time...The broken English pilot coming in behind me was in an RV4 and when he landed, he bounced pretty good 3 times Not sure what his deal was...

My God, did they scramble fighters?

gb

I think the tower was more pissed at the pilot because the pilot didn't seem to know where he was and didn't know where the airport was until he was within 3-4 miles of the airport (it was a crystal clear day). But, the only thing in the pilots defense, is that Fullerton is hard to make out from five miles out in about any direction. Fullerton Airport blends in quit well with all the other buildings, homes and business parks. But easy to find if you look at your GPS position in relation the the airport. Anyway, that's it because I'm well off topic for this thread. I don't want to get yelled at again!!

Out in front of the mining shack atHappy Canyon


Parking area at Caveman Ranch


Shooting the notch, heading for the Green River and Mineral Canyon


A spectacular day to be out getting first tracks.
Gary

Gary:

Great shot of you at the notch!! Thanks for sharing them.

Regards, Larry

Nice photos Gary...thanks for sharing. What do you think of Happy Canyon??? People have told me its sketchy. Ive flown over it a bunch and I cant tell. Do you ever hit Dirty Devil?? That area is second to none.

Thanks Larry

62L
Yes, we made it into DD yesterday. Fresh tracks there also. I like Happy Canyon a lot. Pretty spot, great place to camp, lots of otherstrips near by, interesting hiking, crosswind runway,windsock(thanks to UBCP). I only go there on nice days, like any of this canyon flying.
Like any of these strips, if you are uncomfortable with it, probably should go in with someone else first and build that comfort level, but that's tust my thought.

Gary

Here's a video from yesterday of a buddy landing at Mineral. Little more snow than we expected, with a layer of crust underneath. No big deal, but took a couple passes to get out. Ended up being better to take of going uphill and taking advantage of some headwind.



Gary

shortfielder wrote:Here's a video from yesterday of a buddy landing at Mineral. Little more snow than we expected, with a layer of crust underneath. No big deal, but took a couple passes to get out. Ended up being better to take of going uphill and taking advantage of some headwind.

Gary

Gary,
Have you tried pulling one tire out of the snow on take off to lessen the drag? I was told just yesterday that it helps.

STC
No, I haven't. Don't have that much experience in snow. Good idea, and I understand the theory, just like on floats. The hardpart was getting enough speed to get above the crust, pretty normal/easy after that. But I will try and remeber that(CRS), and try it next time.
Thanks Gary