A coast to coast excision, part two...

To say it is difficult to find time to write this blog while on the road would be an understatement. It is 7a on Wednesday and Graham and I are waiting on Wayne Handley to pick us up for the two-block ride to the Pine Mountain Lake Airport near Groveland, California. Today, Graham completes his sixth Agrobatics session with Wayne in the Extra 300L. 

We left the Phoenix area on Monday morning and made the easy flight up through the valleys of California to Pine Mountain Lake airport. Landing at this airport is a bit intimidating for a flat lander. There is plenty of runway, about 3,000 feet at 3,000 MSL, however there’s a huge canyon drop off of about 3,000 feet deep on the downwind leg for runway 27. You’d have to fly it to appreciate the illusion. It is comforting to have two engines! (However, most of the aircraft flying in and out of E45 are single engine aircraft and they seem to be doing just fine). 

Monday afternoon I left Graham in the capable hands of Wayne for the beginning of his agrobatic training, while I flew down the mountain to an ag operator’s strip southeast of Oakdale, California to visit with the Hawke Ag Aviation; Steve, Shane and Rosalyn Sperry. This family-run operation, in addition to its flying service, also farms nearly 400 acres of almonds. Needless to say, I left with a gift of about 10 pounds of premium, shelled almonds! 

Tuesday, again while Graham was training with Wayne, I flew south about 100 miles to Tulare to visit with Valley Air Crafts, the California Air Tractor dealer and service center and Johnston Aircraft, a Cascade Aircraft Conversions dealer, Thrush service center and parts sales, along with new Thrush and used aircraft. 

Mike Schoenau, owner of Valley Air Crafts, took a few hours out of his day to visit with me that included a lunch treat at what used to be Aero Dog; a converted Convair aircraft fuselage that several years ago Mike turned into a popular hot dog stand (sold over $50,000 worth of hot dogs the first month in business). Mike has since sold the unique restaurant and it has been turned into a bar-b-q place. Great lunch! 

Afterwards, I taxied the aircraft south on the west taxiway of runways 13-31 to Johnston Aircraft to visit with old friends Dave and Joy Johnston. The Johnston family has been selling ag-aircraft parts and aircraft around the world for over 65 years. Dave’s father, Elmo, started the business. On one of my trips to Australia, over 15 years ago, Dave and Joy accompanied me during part of the visit. Joy is a native Aussie. 

Late in the afternoon, I returned to E45 just as Graham and Wayne were finishing their fifth Agrobatics session. The smile on Graham’s face when he exited the aircraft was priceless. Wayne’s course is invaluable training for any pilot, especially ag-pilots. Graham had brought along his Go-Pro video camera, as did Wayne bring his. This made for great entertainment after the dinner Wayne’s wife, Karen, had prepared at their home. Just to show you how hospitable the Handley’s are, Monday night was their wedding anniversary, and yet, they entertained Graham and I as if it were any other night, sitting by the fire pit drinking Mother’s Milk (some kind of adult beverage Wayne served). 

Today is the last Agrobatics session for Graham. I’ll try to catch up on some work, digitizing my poorly handwritten notes of my visits this week. After lunch we’ll depart for Santa Fe, New Mexico, about a 3-4 hour flight, depending on whether we launch direct VFR over the mountains or follow a more traditional IFR route of airways. That decision has yet to be made...