AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2021 - 64

I dropped down amid the lush Ozark landscape and
lost Johnson and the strip. I slowed, configured, and
pointed in the direction Johnson was headed. I saw a
clearing that looked right, and, working large control
inputs through gusty crosswinds, bent around a tree on
short final, dropped in, and stopped several hundred
feet before the dropoff, exhilarated.
Our second strip at Banks proved more challenging:
a 1,500-foot-long, 50-foot-wide strip with a dogleg
700 feet down. We flew overhead, and descended amid
moderate turbulence in a left turn, dropping deep into
a valley, following a river up to the airfield. It took
some discipline to focus on my approach and not the
spectacular surrounding scenery. Once again, trying to
make sure I had spacing to land, I lost Nunley, who'd
moved in front of me to lead the way. I kept following
the river, spotted the airfield, flew down to the flare,
just above landing speed, continued through the dogleg
a few feet off the ground then chopped power and
landed as the strip straightened. I was thankful for all
of those " drift " exercises I'd practiced and taught, flying
in a similar position, moving side to side on larger
runways to practice low, slow control. It was thrilling
to use my Super Cub for exactly why I bought it: using
demanding flying skills to explore amazing places.
Our final stop for the morning was Trigger Gap
Airport (17A), Fly Oz's flagship airfield. Its 3,000-footlong
runway is routinely accessed by Beechcraft
Bonanzas and Cirruses. The only challenges are it's on
a bluff, and winds can get tricky. On our approach, the
wind sock was almost straight at nearly a direct crosswind.
It took full aileron deflection at times to keep
the PA-18's upwind wing down and rudder to align the
fuselage with the runway. I was relieved to taxi to a
stop. We shut down and paused to take in the views in
all directions. Trigger Gap exposes a beautiful view of
the Ozarks. Fly Oz has set up picnic tables and campsites
that make it a pleasant picnicking spot for visitors.
We endured a bumpy 30-minute flight back to
Bentonville and debriefed in Louise, the airport café
named after Louise Thaden, a Bentonville native and
the first woman to win the prestigious Bendix Trophy.
All of that before noon. Some simply spectacular, challenging
flying with a great group of CFIs who delight
in exposing the " secret " of flying the Ozarks. I spent
the afternoon with a tour of the Walmart museum a
couple of miles from the airport and then used part of
Bentonville's extensive mountain bike trail network to
walk around the Crystal Bridges Art museum with collections
spanning five centuries of American artworks.
I found the surprise, as the Summit people knew
I would. You can't help but find it. A welcoming airport
community, spectacular backcountry flying,
world-class mountain bike trails, and internationally
recognized art museums. Bentonville's got secrets,
and the residents are thrilled to share them with you.
richard.mcspadden@aopa.org
64
AOPA PILOT / September 2021
Sugar Creek is a favorite gathering spot among OZ1 Flying Club members (top).
Preflight briefing with Steve Johnson reviewing airfields and landing scenarios
(below). The hangar retreat at Sugar Creek is available to all OZ1 Flying Club
members (top right). The Fly Oz crew at blustery Trigger Gap (bottom right).
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2021

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