The Wandering Minstrel

The Better Half and I took our dogs to the dog park today which is adjacent to the airport. I saw this nice Cessna 195 out on the ramp so I asked the FBO if I could walk out to it and get a picture. This airplane might be here a week ahead of the fly-in and classic auto show at this airport next Saturday. Clickable image.

I happened to come across this Garmin GPS video at Gulf Coast Avionics. This is a high-end integrated avionics package with a multi-functional display for general aviation aircraft. This system is reminiscent of some of the military avionics packages that I worked on at the aerospace mill about fifteen years ago.

This system virtually replaces everything in your avionics COM/NAV stack. You can have one installed in your aircraft for only $18K.

Here’s a blurb from the Gulf Coast website:

The New Garmin GTN 750 from Gulf Coast Avionics is the pilots choice for affordable, feature rich, and quality GPS/NAV/COMM multifunction display systems. The GTN 750 has huge 6 inch tall touchscreen display that allows for large, easy access menu options, quick and effortless navigation, and high detailed graphics. With features such as terrain mapping, graphical flight planning, in depth geo-referenced charting, air traffic display, satellite weather and tons more this system is perfect for any aircraft.

The Better Half photographed what appears to be an old classic airplane headed eastbound just to the north of town. It’s powered with four radial engines, probably Pratt and Whitney, but I could be wrong. The radial engine sound was unmistakeable though. Sorry for the poor quality of the picture, but it was up above 8500 feet MSL or so. No larger image available.

At first, I thought it was a Douglas DC-6 but looking at pictures on-line, I don’t think so. I also don’t recognize the blue on white markings on the aircraft. Anyone know what kind of aircraft this is?

UPDATE: Thanks for the comments, guys. We will have to visit Sentimental Journey sometime when she is on display.

There’s a first time for everything. The Better Half and I were walking the dogs this afternoon when an airplane towing a glider flew directly overhead. We have seen sailplanes in the distance as they soar over the desert, but this is the first overflight of one under tow.

Clickable image by The Better Half

It’s been many years since I took my one and only lesson in a sailplane at El Mirage Field in the California High Desert. I remember the instructor pilot was Gus Briegleb, the flight school owner and a well-known pilot among soaring enthusiasts. When we released the tow cable, the thing I remember most about the experience was how quiet it was aloft without the engine and propeller noise. The flight was over in about 20 minutes but I am glad I took the lesson even though I had no inclination to continue getting a sailplane rating.

I ran across this by accident while I searched for something entirely unrelated. It’s been years since I flew helicopters, but it still got the old juices flowing when I watched this 2½ minute video of scenes taken during a flight from Wickenburg to Phoenix. Play the video, although I recommend you mute the annoying music track.

The Better Half and I were out and about today visiting family. On our drive back to the Cal House we passed the Hawthorne Airport. The Better Half took this (clickable) image of the control tower as we passed.

I enjoyed my days of piloting and flight instruction and have nostalgic memories of the hours of boredom and moments of terror that are the essence of aviation. I don’t really miss flying now that I’m retired, but I still enjoy ‘hangar flying’ with other pilots when I have the chance.

Speaking of Air Traffic Controllers, one of my fond memories was when President Reagan fired them all when they threatened to strike. What do you think the Obamination would do? He’d probably bow and kiss the ring of the union president like he was a Saudi King.

Passing the Bermuda Dunes airport near Palm Desert, CA along Interstate 10, The Better Half took a picture of this biplane offering rides climbing out on the upwind leg. I don’t recognize the type for sure, but it might be a Kinner radial powered Waco Biplane. Does anyone know what it is? Clickable image.

DrJim found this very aircraft on the web. Thanks, Jim!

I became interested in the local airport in Wickenburg yesterday. As a retired, inactive pilot, I won’t be using the airport, but I wanted to know a little about it from an aviation point of view. I did a web search on the airport and one of the links returned was FltPlan.com. It turned out to be a treasure trove of aviation information. One very useful feature is an interactive VFR Sectional Aeronautical Chart. In a matter of a few minutes I found out about terrain, nearby airports, controlled airspace, military operational areas and the names of mountain ranges, wildlife refuges and more. Sectional charts can be very handy for more than just aviation things.

Taken from the site’s tutorial and main page:

FltPlan.com is a FREE service which assists you in creating/filing IFR flight plans, obtaining a weather briefing and provides you with a navigation log for flights in the U.S., Bahamas, Bermuda, and flights to/from many Canadian/Mexican airports. While this website is geared towards the IFR Pilot it can still be used by VFR Pilots or Instrument Pilots going VFR.

Professional Full-Service Flight Planning:

• Flight Plan Filing. Over 4.3 million flight plans created in 2009.
• FAA Certified Weather. Over 4.2 million weather briefings requested in 2009.
• Flight Tracking. We handle more Blocked N#s than any other service.
• CBP Certified eAPIS. Full featured and secure eAPIS manifest filing.
• FAA CDM Participant. Flight Plans submitted 20 hours in advance to TFMS.
• ICAO/FAA SMS (AC 120-92a Safety Management System) Now Available