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
It had been a while since I had been to San Carlos' Hiller Aviation Museum, so it was nice to do another visit while I was there after landing from a FOG trip:
I have flown over VCV a few times, always a very cool sight. I went to look for older pictures for history, and finally got lucky enough to get a tour on the ground thanks to San Carlos Flying Club's FOG tour.
2007
Flew to Victorville for the Darpa Urban Challenge (passenger in a 737 ;) ), it was a bit basic back then:
2017
This was my first flight to San Bernardino, and I got some good shots of VCV then
2022/03
My 2nd flight to SBD was still during the 737 Max debacle. Boeing, due to their greed and stupidity, had all their new badly designed planes grounded for close to 1.5 years and lost billions over their terrible decision making. This led to them having so many planes that couldn't fly and be sold, that many were stored at VCV, filling an entire runway and taxiway:
The boneyard was still there of course:
2023/04
This was my 4th time, and the best by far, this time it was with FOG and they SCFC nicely organized a tour of the facilities on the ground, that was very cool. By then, the 737 Max had been removed from runway and taxiway.
First time landing there:
FOG members had a good time in the FBO Million air:
golf, even :)
obligatory group picture
Then it was my group turn's for the van tour of the grounds (it's big). During the tour, I found out that indeed part of the airport is used for scrap, planes that exceeded their safe design limits, and that can be used for spare parts, or recycling of the metal. There are also boeing planes that are being parked there until they can find a new customer (planes that were ordered during covid and then the orders cancelled).
so long Victorvile, it was a very cool visit, thank you to Million Air for the private tour.
Flyout Group organized a trip to Socal for the USAF Airshow at March Air Reserve in Riverside, and I was thankfully able to join last minute.
Even though we had a hotel almost next door, traffic was a complete mess. We left 1h30 early and the van I was in got almost nowhere in 3h and ran out of gas before making it to the entrance. Thankfully I made the call to get out and walk, it was a long walk (30-40mn), but I passed all the cars that were stuck in line, and got it before they nicely decided to close that entrance to pedestrians, so the poor people behind me were sent on a 1h30 walk all the way around the base, ridiculous :(
that was more than 20mn into my walk in, at least by then I was in the base and going towards the visitor entrance
The flight line and displays were interesting:
first time I see a B1 outside of a museum
cool to still see snow in the background
It was definitely warm and sunny, thankfully I found a tent to hide in :)
The airshow was quite good, here are some pictures:
had never seen a B1 fly before
So happy to see a F35 fly for the first time, both an F35B (vtol) and F35C:
short field takeoff
Nice to see this performer again with precision flying, including landing on the top of a van:
And the show ended with the thunderbirds:
All in all, a good show, nice to see some planes I had never seen outside or in flight
It had been almost 10 years since I last went in 2013. My original plan wasn't to go back, but I got stuck at PRB with a low overcast, so that gave me time to go visit it again :)
It had been a while since I had been to Oceano and its sand dunes, and I also wanted to see Field of Lights at Paso Robles, as well as Solvang, the Danish town, a bit more south, so it was a good excuse for an extended weekend flight.
Pao to Oceano
Moffett hangar is being re-skinned
the quary in the hills is definitely making big holes
Santa Cruz
can go for house shopping
hopefully erosion is not a problem :)
whale watching boat going out
Hwy 1 is cool
Was able to fly around Hearst Castle:
Then on the way to Oceano:
had not seen diablo nuclear power plant before, cool sight with cooling pool above and hole in the hill for storage
Oceano ATVs
san dunes to play on
Oceano to Paso Robles
San Luis Obispo
Paso Robles
Paso Robles to Santa Ynes/Solvang
Departure from Paso Robles was delayed until the cloud cover lifted, beautiful flight with a small detour by Carrizo Plains for wildflowers
Santa Ynes back to Palo Alto
After a nice day in Solvang, easy flight back to Palo Alto:
