Flight Training - November 2019 - 10

FLYING CARPET BY GREG BROWN

GREG BROWN counts amazing

views out the windshield among
his top joys of piloting.
GregBrownFlyingCarpet.com

CONSOLATION PRIZE

Our weekend guests Alex and Sabina arrived to unseasonably
wet and cold autumn weather.
As with previous visitors, I'd promised Alex a Grand Canyon aerial tour. I
mention only Alex because while he and I had flown together before, Sabina had
expressed such fear of airplanes that I'd presumptively invited another friend in
her place. Saturday, rain confined us indoors. Based on forecast improvement, we
designated Monday for hiking and autumn leaf-peeping. That left only Sunday,
weather permitting, for flying.
Sunday morning,
both Flagstaff Pulliam (FLG) and Grand
Canyon (GCN) airports
reported scattered
clouds at 1,700 feet
above ground level,
roughly 8,700 feet above
sea level (msl). While
that was adequate for the
route, the Grand Canyon
Special Flight Rules Area
requires a 10,000-foot
msl minimum altitude to
Sunstruck autumn aspens line Arizona's San Francisco Peaks.
overfly the canyon.
10  FLIGHT TRAINING NOVEMBER 2019

Lacking pilot weather reports, I
explained that we could safely fly to
the Grand Canyon, but depending on
arrival-time conditions we might not
be able to cross. Alex was predictably
game to go. Sabina, however, surprised
everyone by volunteering to join us-
her sister and friends had told her
she'd be nuts to miss the Grand Canyon
from above.
Although apprehensive, Sabina took
the co-pilot seat, usually best for nervous passengers. Noting clenched teeth
and hands while taxiing out, I offered
to turn around, but she insisted we
continue. After takeoff, however, she
began peering out the window.
"This is actually OK, Greg," she
said as we rounded the San Francisco
Peaks northbound. "I could learn to
like it if landing isn't too scary." Clouds
thinned as we approached the Canyon's
South Rim, with bases slightly above
10,000 feet. So we embarked between
scattered cumulus across the Dragon
Corridor. It soon became apparent,
however, that denser clouds blanketed
the 1,000-foot-higher North Rim, with
tops exceeding 12,000 feet. I reversed
course mid-canyon, but "oohs" and
"ahhs" suggested that even our brief
foray had been rewarding.
"What's it like to fly the plane?"
asked Sabina. I briefed her and passed
the controls. "Maybe we could fly
once more before we go home!" she
exclaimed, steering us homeward
around the east side of the San Francisco Peaks.
Suddenly off our wing, sunlight
pierced fearsome clouds shrouding
the snow-slathered peaks, sparking
autumn aspen trees to flaming gold.
Awestruck, we could all but hear
angels sing. Battling turbulence, Jean
and I managed a few haphazard photos
before joining Flagstaff 's traffic pattern. I wrestled bumps and gusts right
down to my landing flare, but not even
Sabina seemed to mind.
"I want one of those aspen shots
you took, if they turn out," said Alex as
we stowed the Flying Carpet. To think
that I'd almost scrubbed the morning's
flight. For once the Grand Canyon had
been upstaged, and what a consolation
prize! FT
http://www.GregBrownFlyingCarpet.com
Flight Training - November 2019

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