Desert Pilot Podcast

The other day I was trying to fullfil my commercial solo cross country for an airport over 250nm away, well I didn't realize that the airport only had to be 250nm not that I had to fly there non-stop. So my plan was to fly from Chandler, AZ to Cedar City, UT in a 152. Which is a little 2 seat plane. After taking off and in cruse for awhile, like any good pilot I started to check my flight with the flight plan I had made I noticed I was flying at 80kts when I had planned on going at 100kts. With only 4 hours of fuel I did a few time/distance problems and I found out I wasn't going to make it to Cedar City so I landed short of my 250nm airport by 8 miles. and not knowing at the time that if I could have just stopped, fueled and continued a little and landed I would have completed the requirement that's what I get for not reading the regs all the way. Good thing I'm not going to become a lawyer. View 1L8 in a larger map Early morning in Chandler, AZ over the Grand Canyon ...

Flying in the early morning for some breakfast. At the tail is Quentin (Q) and Nick is taking the pic. We flew from Chandler to Eloy and tried there little cafe down there. View to eloy in a larger map Leaving Chandler Q is in the pink head set. Looking over Chandler to the San Tan mountains Later that day Nick another friend Ed and I drove out to Lake Pleasant to do so Scuba diving it was really fun. I don't have any more pic of there I don't have an underwater camera yet.

So the last time that my sister Kevra was in a small airplane lets just say that is didn't end well I remember lot of throw-up smell and hearing her in the back while seeing my uncle trying to land the plane as fast as possible. I as remembering her getting out of the plane and asking what that design on her pants was... it was barf. Since then about 6 or so years ago she has been very reluctant to fly in anything small. I've been talking with her and set a date for last Wednesday morning. She wasn't too happy about me picking her up at 5am but I wanted the time that would be the clamest and coolest. not to mention the prettiest as well here is some from the trip. View kevr a 1s t flight in a larger map Sunrise at the Chandler Municipal Airport Kevra in Jessica's cool pink head set Sky Divers landing in Coolidge just as we were. the cool old WWII hanger at Coolidge On the ramp in Casa Grande Flying Home. as you can see she did great didn't even think about getting ...

View solo night flight in a larger map. Last night I had to build 3 hours of solo (meaning me only) time at night toward my commercial license. I like flying at night. The air is very calm and there are not too many people flying then, which makes it very pleasant and relaxing. I wanted to go to a few airports around here that I've just not been able to get to. Like Eloy has a really nice field but every time I wanted to check it out they were doing too much parachute jumping so I couldn't land. Also I had never landed at the Buckeye airport I've been over just never stopped. So as you can see from my map above I just made a big 3 hour circle. It was one of the funnest flying I've done in a long time. I really don't know how to describe it just that is was a blast and the perfect night to go flying. I almost didn't land at Buckeye because I couldn't see it. Most airports after the tower closes or if there is no tower has what is called "pilot controlle...

View CHD-GEU in a larger map So I thought I would try out some thing new, this a map of roughly where I flew today. It was just a quick flight to Glendale Airport. As you can see I can't fly straight there because of the airspace over Phoenix it is just easier to fly around it all. In the last few weeks I've joined the Civil Air Patrol . There is a squadron (305) out of Falcon Field in Mesa . I joined because they do a lot of cool "missions" like search and rescue, homeland security, and in AZ help out with things on the border. You don't have to be a pilot to join and there are lots of different things people do on the ground and in the air that don't require a pilots license. But if you are a pilot the deal is even better because you can get the government to pay for your flying, in other words free flight hours. and for a pilot like me just starting out that is as good as money. The Civil Air Patrol or CAP is funded partly by the Air Force and they overse...