Here's a snap of me next
to my brand new Cessna 172 S Millenium edition. (This photo was taken just
moments before my check for $130,000 bounced. I had to settle for
just renting it a couple of times.)
Here are a few
photos of the aerial adventures as I bounce around the skies
(Slow loading,
but we think it's worth it.)
What I Fly.....
Here's a snap of me next
to my brand new Cessna 172 S Millenium edition. (This photo was taken just
moments before my check for $130,000 bounced. I had to settle for
just renting it a couple of times.)
So, here's what I bought
instead. This is a 1964 Cessna 172 E.
At the controls cruising
at 5,500 feet msl over north Spokane County.
Shawn is taking
a photography class. This is our propeller.
Where I Fly from: Felts Field in Spokane, Washington USA. (KSFF)
OnTaxiway
Delta at Spokane Felts Field with the control tower straight ahead.
Final approach to Runway 3 Left in the winter.
Turning final for Runway 21 Left.
Almost on the ground. Runway
21 Right at Felts Field.
A look at the field from
a right downwind leg to Runway 21 Right.
Shawn is
taking a photography class.
Here is a black and white telephoto shot when we are on short final
for runway 3 right at SFF.
This also shows that Shawn is now keeping his eyes open during the
landing process.
It's no fun flying alone.....
My favorite
passengers. Sons Chris and Shawn at the hanger
(The Big Picture)
Chris in the front.
Here's Katie
(Chris' girlfriend) in the back on her first small plane flight since she
was about 3.
Shawn trying out the left
seat.
(The big picture)
We're not lost. My friend
Mikey has the little GPS!
(The big picture)
Co-pilot Paul on his flight.
(The big picture)
Former co-worker Wayne.
(The big picture)
This is
Kyle, a friend of my son Chris. This is his first airplane flight
in Feb. 2003. About a week before he reported to basic training in
the US Air Force.
(The Big Picture)
This is Ted,
my plane partner. (Yes, that is my arm on the left reaching to the
windscreen to take the photo.) Out the window you can see the Pend
Oreille River.
(The Big Picture)
My sister
Diana on her flight in September 2003.
and..my brother
Bill in October 2003
I took Mom for a flight
in my instructors plane for her 82nd birthday.
(The big picture)
Where do we go?
We fly over our house
all the time. Click on the big picture to see which one is ours.
(The big picture)
About 25 miles west of
Spokane is Grandpa and Grandmas farm.
(The big picture)
On 4/19/03,
we flew to Sandpoint, Idaho.
(the big picture)
On 5/10/03, I flew
to Ione, Wa with my plane partner, Ted.
(the big picture)
In Wilbur, Wa.
on 6/8/03
Just above the housing development, you can see the grass runway at
Seven Bays. I've made a couple of landings and three takeoffs from
this field. This is on the Columbia River. We take our motorhome
to the Two Rivers Resort a couple of miles upstream.
In Kellogg, Idaho
In St. Maries Idaho/September 2003
Shawn and I went to Moses Lake on Sept. 21, 2003 to mix it up with
the big stuff. Yep, that's a Boeing 777 behind us.
And we parked right next to a NASA Boeing 737.
The most incredible 90 minutes of my flying career so far!
My flying partner and I went to a Mountain Flying Clinic in the Cascade Range just west of Wenatchee, Wa. in Sept. 2002. After a couple of hours of ground lessons, I was at the controls with an instructor as he took me through the paces of getting around in mountainous terrain. Narrow canyons, ridges, passes, steep and quick turns were part of the action.
The mountain
canyons and valley lakes
(The Big Picture)
Flying
around the ridges
(The Big Picture)
With instructor
Alan Hunter in the right seat, I am now aiming for a small canyon under
the clouds. Not a whole lot of room here. If we weren't with
the instructor who knew what was on the other side, we would not be doing
this!
(The Big Picture)
Looking
back at what I flew thru. About 100 ft. x 300 ft. Wow!
(The Big Picture)
Cruising
a couple hundred feet from the canyon wall.
(The Big Picture)
Aiming for
a peak in the Cascades.
(The Big Picture)
The early flights.....
My first solo was on March 10, 2000. Because the rental plane and instructor was booked, it was just one takeoff and one landing. Kind of anti-climatic. So.....on April 7th, I did 5 solo takeoffs and landings, with an audience and some photos.
On the downwind leg at
Felts Field. I'm the little speck above the hill.
On approach. I'm the guy
on the left above the runway.
A successful landing!
Taxiing back to my parking
spot after five succesful touch and go's.
Well. That's all we have for now. We have been several places but forget
to take pictures. We'll post more as we go.