AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 76
sailplanes around the world.) Marfa Gliders
(flygliders.com) offers glider rides, flight training,
tow-pilot training. What's more, Compton's
expansive hangar features vintage sailplanes,
soaring memorabilia, and a Ludwig drum kit.
Compton was a professional musician throughout
the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s-including
opening for Led Zeppelin-and he continues to
play, although he keeps his four Rickenbacker
guitars, an electric drum kit, amplifier, and piano
in his house.
Compton grew up on a gliderport in Miami,
but when he decided to leave the Southeast he
knew he wanted to come to Marfa. Main attractions
are the beautiful weather year-round and
the quality of the water found here-there's no
oil drilling or fracking. The weather makes for
splendid soaring conditions, he said.
" Our air is influenced by the Pacific and
Burt Compton (top), owner of
Marfa Gliders, can demonstrate
the finer points of soaring in
Texas. The rugged but beautiful
terrain (top) is worth an aerial
tour. When flying is finished for
the day, try sotol-spirits distilled
from a cactus-like plant-at The
Marfa Spirit Co. (right).
76
AOPA PILOT / March 2022
Northern Mexico flow and the Marfa dew
point-or Marfa dry line-because that dry air
from the west collides with moist air from the
Gulf of Mexico, 600 miles east of Marfa, " he said.
" That creates a shear line and a line of growing
thunderstorms that goes all the way up into
Indiana. The thermals here-because of the dryness-can
go to 15,000, 16,000, or 17,000 feet. We
do have [mountain] wave off the mountains here
in the Big Bend area and I have a wave window
with ATC up to 28,000 feet. We have to be careful
to making sure we have our oxygen " on board
on those days, he said.
" That's what I love about it, the challenge, "
Compton said. " There's no two landings alike and
no stabilized approach in a glider. You're a slowmoving,
lightly loaded aircraft moving through
a very dynamic atmosphere of ups and downs,
even in the pattern. You're thinking all the time. "
Make a plan
Flying in the mountains means doing your homework
and creating a plan. For exploring Big Bend,
we recommend that you fly first to Marfa or
Alpine, Texas, and set up a base camp here. Each
of these locations has airports with fuel, as well as
lodging and restaurants and stores for stocking up
on water and survival equipment. Transportation
from the airport may be one of the most problematic
things to acquire on this trip, as rental car
agencies are almost nonexistent. The ride-sharing
service Lyft may be available in Marfa, and
Tipsy Taxi operates two cars in Alpine nightly
and " some days " if a driver is available. Call the
FBO where you plan to stop to see if they can
assist in locating a vehicle for you.
Marfa (population 1,625) is the funky little
cousin of Austin, Texas. Here's where you'll find
live music, art installations both indoors and
outdoors, and a slow-paced, walkable town with
some amazing restaurants. We stayed at the
modestly priced and no-frills Riata Inn. Those
craving a bit more atmosphere should head for
the Hotel Paisano, built in 1930 and featuring
exquisite Spanish architecture, or look for an
DESTINATIONS
BIG BEND
http://www.flygliders.com
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022
Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - Intro
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - Cover1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 4
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 10
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 12
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 16
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 18
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 20
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 22
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 24
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 26
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 28
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 30
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 32
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 34
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 36
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 38
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 40
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 42
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 44
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 45
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 47
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 49
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 50
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 52
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 58
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 63
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 64
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 65
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 66
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 68
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 70
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 74
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 76
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 79
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 81
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 82
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 83
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 84
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 85
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 86
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 87
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 88
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 90
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 91
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 92
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 93
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 94
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 95
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 96
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 98
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 99
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 100
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 102
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 104
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 106
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 107
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 108
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - 112
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2022 - Cover4
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