Cool flight

I have had my private ticket for just over three years. I still get a
thrill out of taking off and landing. I have owned a Cessna 172rg for
around two years now. I recently had a great flight that to many of you
experienced pilots may not be a big deal. To me it was a very unique
experience.

A friend (seasoned pilot with thousands of hours, compared to my 270+)
used to live in L.A. and had a home in Baja, Mexico that he had not seen
in three years. His grandson was graduating from the Navy Seals in San
Diego. So we planned a trip from Atlanta to his house in Baja for a few
days then north to SD.

A few high points.

The first day we hoped to make it to El Paso, Texas the first day but a
stiff 25+ kt headwind put us in Odessa, Tx around dark including flying
thru a rain storm around Waco that nearly put us into the restricted zone
over President Bushs house. Met a wonderful lady at the FBO that could not
have been nicer. We merely bought $125 worth of fuel but were treated
like million dollar customers (she even offered her personal car to drive
to a store for goods if needed).

Second day we flew across the Mexican border. It's a different world.
When I could not find my airworthy cert. my friend slid a $5 bill across
the table to the guy. He stuck it in his pocket and determined we didnt
need the certificate after all.
Flying to his house in Baja we flew 100+ miles over the ocean. That was
interesting. We had some life vests I use with my jetskis just in case.

Flying over the mountains in Arizona was very interesting. We were 2k+
over the highest mt with my nose pointed up yet the winds were pushing us
down at 500ft per minute. Then when I crossed the peak I would shoot back
up.

Flying home from SD was interesting also. Flying into El Paso after dark
with three airports within ten miles. We were headed to the one in Mexico
before I noticed the line on the GPS and turned north. Beautiful sight
coming in from nowhere to see all the city lights.

Had to spend the next night in Shreveport, La due to bad weather in ATL.
The next day we barely got off to fly 4.5 hours at 9500 above the clouds
with no sight of land. Luckily as we got within a few miles of ATL it
became broken and we were able to drop down between the clouds. Glad to
see home again.

Great flight.

Royce Brown wrote:

Had to spend the next night in Shreveport, La due to bad weather in ATL.
The next day we barely got off to fly 4.5 hours at 9500 above the clouds
with no sight of land. Luckily as we got within a few miles of ATL it
became broken and we were able to drop down between the clouds. Glad to
see home again.

Great flight.

Sounds like fun Royce. Welcome home.
--
Jeff 'The Wizard of Draws' Bucchino

"Cartoons with a Touch of Magic"
http://www.wizardofdraws.com
http://www.cartoonclipart.com

Royce Brown wrote:

Nice story. But...

I have owned a Cessna 172rg for
around two years now. [...]
When I could not find my airworthy cert.

How did you do your preflight? Does a.r.(r.)o.w. ring a bell? Did you
carry a Radio Station License in your Plane? Did you carry a restricted
Radio Operators Permit next to your Certificate and Medical? Both are
required on flights outside domestic US Airspace.

Don't want to be overly critical, but the fact that you include that in
your story just bothers me. Especially with the notion that people in
Mexico don't care about the rules. Because you didn't either.

Cheers,
Jens
ATP, CFII, MEI

Great flight.


--
I don't accept any emails right now. Usenet replys only.

(jens krueger) writes:
How did you do your preflight? Does a.r.(r.)o.w. ring a bell? Did you
carry a Radio Station License in your Plane? Did you carry a restricted
Radio Operators Permit next to your Certificate and Medical? Both are
required on flights outside domestic US Airspace.

Actually the airworthy cert was in the back of the pouch and I had it when
I planned and left on the trip. But upon landing in Mx I could not find
it. When I got back home it turned up.

I also did my planning on the RSL and found that although it says on the
AOPA website it is needed we found by calling airports on teh border it is
no longer asked for. We crossed the border six times coming and going and
were never once asked for one.

Don't want to be overly critical, but the fact that you include that in
your story just bothers me. Especially with the notion that people in
Mexico don't care about the rules. Because you didn't either.

Unfortunately I found by watching that many in Mx do not care about the
rules if you pass a few bucks. Sad to say.

So we planned a trip from Atlanta to his house in Baja for a few
days then north to SD.


What airport around ATL?

(bob martin) writes:
So we planned a trip from Atlanta to his house in Baja for a few
days then north to SD.


What airport around ATL?


RYY. McCullum field up north of ATL. My home base.