Marc's Public Blog - Flying


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This is a collection of my blog entries and experiences with flying, and learning to fly. Something I had been wanting to do for quite a while.
You can find all the pictures I've taken here, and read below for my experience.
Specifically, I have a page for my Trips to Oshkosh, the mecca for pilots

Table of Content for flying:

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2012/10/22 Dusk/night flight from Long Beach to Palo Alto
π 2012-10-22 01:01 in Flying, Nflying
After a week in LA and day in Long Beach to visit the quite good Long Beach Aquarium, we left a little late, but headed back to Palo Alto. I elected to go IFR due to the uncertain weather and my not being sure that I could navigate LA airspace while staying clear of clouds. Turns out that I could likely have done without IFR, but it was difficult to know for sure, and I was able to use the recurrent training anyway.





Weather was reasonably good, but I left too late and had too much headwind to make it back by sunset, so we got to enjoy that from the air.



Interestingly, by the time I got to Palo Alto the winds had shifted and I did a GPS 31 approach circle to land 13 which was uneventful.

2012/10/11 AOPA Expo 2012: Palm Springs
π 2012-10-11 01:01 in Flying, Nflying
The flight to Palm Springs turned out to be a lot worse than what I had planned for. My plan for VFR on top didn't quite pan out for the whole flight.

Departure from PAO wasn't bad
Departure from PAO wasn't bad

I brought my foldable bike
I brought my foldable bike

So far so good
So far so good

Trying new flying software :)
Trying new flying software :)

Mmmh, not as nice anymore
Mmmh, not as nice anymore

Doh, this got bad quickly, and from there, I was hosed for VFR
Doh, this got bad quickly, and from there, I was hosed for VFR

Then, if you pay attention to the red track, I didn't quite get lost, but avoiding rising clouds, I got cornered until I ended up IMC and resumed on course, but on IFR rails. Typically I hate that, but considering the weather, I was happy to oblige.

I got stuck at 16,000ft with the plane at the edge of stall and clouds still climbing around me. I ended up having to switch to IFR, and thanks to ATC I was able to go through the clouds on the nevada side after a while, but it was "interesting" for a little while.
(some time passed where I was way too busy flying the plane, transitioning to IFR and making sure I wasn't icing up)

the other side in nevada was much nicer
the other side in nevada was much nicer

VCV, the airplane cemetary
VCV, the airplane cemetary




And finally I made it to Palm Springs, relieved. Few people made it that day.





made it!
made it!

weather was still bad there on the CA side
weather was still bad there on the CA side

barely anyone flew in and crossed with weather like that
barely anyone flew in and crossed with weather like that

Some pictures of the expo:




Harrison Ford was there for one of the keynotes
Harrison Ford was there for one of the keynotes


Brian Shul gave a great talk on his days flying the SR71. Great stuff...







I bought his book and he signed it for me
I bought his book and he signed it for me

More pictures of the expo:






The kings always give a nice safety talk
The kings always give a nice safety talk






Two pilots from Flying Wild Alaska gave a talk
Two pilots from Flying Wild Alaska gave a talk

They had some nice parties. The first one was a pool party with entertainment:










The 2nd night party, was even better, we went to fault line, with nice entertainment, and jeep rides to the nearby views from the fault.














On my way out I went to the air museum before flying out. Nice little Museum.

















After visiting the museum, it was time to fly out towards Long Beach which was my next destination for my trip. I took off a bit before sunset and went to fly to fault line to get a couple of shots before turning back




this is where we had our party
this is where we had our party


and got to Long Beach with my rental car waiting, nice.
and got to Long Beach with my rental car waiting, nice.

See more images for AOPA Expo 2012: Palm Springs

More pages: November 2023 October 2023 April 2023 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 May 2021 November 2020 August 2020 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 June 2019 March 2019 January 2019 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 June 2018 May 2018 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 April 2017 January 2017 December 2016 August 2016 July 2016 May 2016 February 2016 January 2016 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 September 2014 August 2014 June 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 July 2013 June 2013 April 2013 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 January 2012 November 2011 August 2011 July 2011 April 2011 March 2011 November 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 May 2010 March 2010 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 March 2009 November 2008 August 2008 July 2008 May 2008 April 2008 December 2007 October 2007 September 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 December 2004 September 2004 August 2004 May 2004 March 1999

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