Great Afternoon for flying...

Posted By: Slim "D"
Date: Dec 4, 2003; 6:11 p.m.

Just got home from a fabulous afternoon of flying. I found a nice area a little North of the Cave Creek & Jomax Road LZ and got set up just before 4PM. I took off in calm conditions and headed North. I was trying out a new Suunto Altimax watch I just got (early Xmas Gift) so I took it up to 1000ft to see what the view was like (Neat). I checked out my normal flying altitude and found it to be around 300-350 ft. I crossed over a busy road and turned West and headed towards 19th Avenue. I noticed a fixed wing trike passing to my right several hundred feet higher than I was and moving alot faster than I was. Just before I reached 19th avenue I decided to head back in a South/Easternly direction eventually crossing over the concrete dams at Cave Buttes I continued on over the National Cemetery (lowering my altitude to about 250ft) to avoid any GA traffic that might be lining up for the Deer Valley runway. I crossed over the Loop 101 freeway right where the 51 freeway splits off and then headed East for a short time before turning back to the North to head back in the general direction of my LZ. Just after I crossed over the shopping center I noticed a Cessna passing over me about 400 ft higher, I was glad that I had remembered to turn my strobe on before launching (It's gotta help!)The sun was now starting to go down behind the hills and I was still 10 minutes away when I looked to my left and saw the Fox 10 news helicopter hovering to my left about 400 yards away. He slowly did complete circles around me while I did some turns for him and managed a wave or two as well. I assume he might be videotaping me because he stayed with me for 2-3 minutes, he then dropped his nose and took off towards the South. By the time I reached the LZ it was time to land. I have never flown this late in the day before as darkness wasn;t far off but I can tell you one thing "I really enjoyed it!" I didn't want to land, I still had plenty of fuel but darkness was closing in so I made one pass to check wind direction (which there was none) so came around to land in the direction I took off from. A nice glide and a just right flare produced one of the smoothest landings to date for me. I was back down after a hour and 45 minute flight, I shut the motor off and sat there just grining about the enjoyment I just experienced! Buy the time I was packed up it was dark enough to need headlights to see my way out. The ONLY way this day could have been better.... if there were another pilot there to share the flight with! Maybe next time...
Slim "D"

A Dream Come True

Messages In This Thread

Great Afternoon for flying... -- 1390 views -- Slim "D" -- Dec 4, 2003; 6:11 p.m.

Re: Great Afternoon for flying... -- 809 views -- craig -- Dec 4, 2003; 7:06 p.m.

Re: Great Afternoon for flying... -- 770 views -- Mo -- Dec 5, 2003; 12:04 a.m.