Flight Training - January 2012 - 23

between Arizona and Iowa, and the shocking gray-to-emerald transition between drought-stricken western Kansas and miles-wide Missouri River flooding inundating the eastern side of the state. We’d alighted for down-home hospitality on an Iowa farm, reunited with rarely seen family at an Illinois wedding, and wandered Chicago’s Miracle Mile and Oak Street Beach from my brother’s downtown condo. Yes, this had been quite a journey. After lunch, we savored frosty drinks on Mike and Julie’s screened-in back porch. With an unobstructed view of the runway, we ogled Bonanzas and Cirruses and Skyhawks taking off, followed by half of the field’s 10 namesake Stearman biplanes and an Extra 300 soon to practice aerobatics overhead. It seemed so lofty, judging everyone’s landings from the comfort of our friends’ porch. “The lot next door is for sale,” offered Mike, noting the glee on my face. Not sure how that would fit our plans right now, but I could learn to like this airpark lifestyle. “I’d like to play tennis this afternoon,” said Jean over breakfast the next morning. “Hopefully we’ll make it home nonstop.” “That’s unlikely,” said Julie. “It’s too far.” She should know, routinely flying shiny new Cessnas all across the country. But whisked along by yet another tailwind, conserving fuel through low power settings, and moderating fluid refreshments until late in the trip, we indeed flew nonstop all the way from Wichita to Flagstaff. It took six hours, but thanks to two time zone changes, we landed in time for lunch. Here we were, home again less than a week after launching, having absorbed half a continent’s worth of rural and urban and airpark hospitality plus innumerable aerial sights. Perhaps most amazing of all, we’d encountered hardly a cloud on this long journey, and had benefited from tailwinds almost the entire way. Jean even made her tennis game. What a trip!
Greg Brown is author of numerous aviation books and former National Flight Instructor of the Year. Visit his website (www.gregbrownflyingcarpet.com).

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JANUARY 2012 FLIGHT TRAINING

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Flight Training - January 2012

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