From: Tony Texeira tonytex@cox.net

From: "tonytex" <tonytex@cox.net>
Subject: MOHAVE UPDATE #3
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 07:19:21 -0800

Hi Guys,

Twenty-two people in eight planes had a good time for the Fly-In to Mojave (MHV) on Feb 15th. They were:

Dennis Cullum in an RV3 from SDM;
Jeff Picardi in a 172 from RDD (Redding);
Jeff Cary, Bret Strain & Jerry Jackson in a 172 from SEE;
Gary Ghio & Gary Kauffman in a TURBO Arrow from SEE;
Andy Silver, Mike Gretton & Steve & Megan Dari in a Comanche from MYF;
Bob Werve, George Henderson, Bob & Mike Lacroix in a 337 from SEE;
Dave & Betty Kennedy and Tom Cline & friend Janet in a 337 from SEE;
Chris Claborne, Bill Houle & Tony Tex in a 172 from MYF;

The weather cooperated. It was severe clear up to a high, thin 20,000' overcast, but we did encountered 15-20 knot headwinds. But we made up for it coming back.

Flying up to MHV, some planes took the coastal route over the top of LA Bravo airspace while others went around the east side of it over the San Bernardino area.

However, Jeff Picardi didn't go over or around the LA Bravo airspace to get to MHV. He flew south from Redding (RDD) for a 400 mile flight in a 172 and spent the first half of the flight IMC. Now that's a hardcore $100 hamburger pilot.

Doc Kennedy almost didn't make it out of SEE. His 337 had a dead battery. Fortunately his passenger, Tom Cline, was a aircraft mechanic and hustled up some batteries.

We all arrived at MHV around 1045 and within 15 minutes or so of each other.

Voyager Restaurant had decent food. However, the person I talked to at the restaurant at 0800 that morning forgot to tell the owner and cook there were 20+ people coming in around 1030 that day. So the one waitress and one cook were surprised when we showed up and they had a tough time trying to seat and serve us all. But we put five or six table together quickly and worked it out. However, getting our meals wasn't accomplished as quick as putting the tables together. A thirty minute wait was the norm. A couple pilots took pictures at breakfast and they'll be posted on our website as soon as our webmaster, Chris Claborne, receives them.

Besides solving the world problems during the Hangar Flying Session over breakfast, we did some advance planning for the next two Fly-In. Next month, March 14th, we fly to Yucca Valley (L22). Then the following month, April 18th, to Harris Ranch (308). At least four planes and eight people said they were going to each of these Fly-Ins. I hope we can get at least that many. I'll check out the details (like where's the food) at L22 and get back to you on it next month. And the same for 308 in April, the following month.

The people who took the Airport Tour were awed at the many rows of airliners from many different companies sitting in "mothballs". I'm sure the airlines did not appreciate people taking pictures of their idle planes. Again, Chris will be posting those pictures as soon as he gets them.

Flying back to San Diego we got into those winds again, but of course now it's tailwinds. Many of us seen our DMEs and GPSs clicking off 160-180 knots over the ground. So we slid downhill pretty fast on the way back home.

Yep, it was a fun Fly-In with decent food, good friends and a great flying day. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.

Best of clear skies and tailwinds,

Tony Tex

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