1973 Piper Cherokee 180 Ready For Fun!
For more information on renting this aircraft, visit www.desertflying.club
Fee Schedule
Initial Membership Fee - $0
N55167 - 1973 Piper Cherokee PA28-180 -
Rent this plane!
For more information on renting this aircraft, visit www.desertflying.club
Fee Schedule
Initial Membership Fee - $0
N55167 - 1973 Piper Cherokee PA28-180 -
Below Sea Level
It is just something that you shouldn't be able to do. I couldn't even explain quite what it means to my kids, but I landed below sea level today. After searching around for a new place to go, I ran across Furnace Creek, CA, which is in the heart of Death Valley. Cactus Aviation recently had a fly-in there, but I was unable to attend. So, I decided to take two of my kids there, Natali and Noah, for a short trip.
It is pretty much a direct shot from Henderson (HND) to Furnace Creek (L06). When I took off, though, from Henderson there was skydiving in progress over Jean (0L7) airport, so ATC vectored me to the east before allowing me to continue on course. The trip offered alot of interesting scenery to look at, including Mount Potosi, Sandy Valley and Pahrump. The most spectacular thing, though was to come over the mountain ridges and descend quickly down into Death Valley. 
From the ground it is really hard to take in how dramatic the changes are in that area. The Panamint Range boarders on the west side of Death Valley, and the peak is 11,049ft and Mount Whitney, which is the highest peak in the US at 14,505ft. Death Valley's lowest point is -282ft, and has a record temperature of 134 degrees F. All of this becomes visible as you crest over the eastern ridges and start a rapid decent. I had to drop down relatively quick to get down from 8,500ft in the valley. The runway was in very good condition and the airport was really quiet. The most suprising thing, though, was how fast a shuttle came out to get us to take us into town. I called on my phone and within 5 minutes we were picked up and off into the Ranch. My kids enjoyed walking around the general store and eating some treats before we had to head back. 
From the ground it is really hard to take in how dramatic the changes are in that area. The Panamint Range boarders on the west side of Death Valley, and the peak is 11,049ft and Mount Whitney, which is the highest peak in the US at 14,505ft. Death Valley's lowest point is -282ft, and has a record temperature of 134 degrees F. All of this becomes visible as you crest over the eastern ridges and start a rapid decent. I had to drop down relatively quick to get down from 8,500ft in the valley. The runway was in very good condition and the airport was really quiet. The most suprising thing, though, was how fast a shuttle came out to get us to take us into town. I called on my phone and within 5 minutes we were picked up and off into the Ranch. My kids enjoyed walking around the general store and eating some treats before we had to head back. 
I would recommend this trip out to Furnace Creek to anyone (as long as they go before summer). It was just around a 1hr flight and well worth every second of it.
Looking for suggestions
Where have you flown near Las Vegas that is exciting? I am looking for new places to explore that are within 1.5hrs flight of Las Vegas. Please let me know of your experiences there.
Big Bear
For months now, I have wanted to go to Big Bear, CA. Many people have told me that it is wonderful, beautiful, has a great restaurant and cheap fuel. I have felt uncomfortable because the airport is at almost 7,000 feet and it is surrounded by mountains. Lower powered airplanes don't climb that fast at that altitude, so it can get a little hairy getting out of there, especially when it is warm.
I hadn't been flying for a few weeks, mostly because my wife gave birth to our fourth child at the end of January. I had some time this morning and the weather was perfect for a flight. I decided to take my son, Noah, and go to Big Bear. The only worry was the amount of snow that they received recently. The weather briefer told me there was a 6' berm around the airport. She was right! The accumulated snow around the runways from the plowing was higher than my plane at some spots. It was also really cold. When we got there it was around 32F, but it was sunny and clear.
Noah and I enjoyed a nice brunch at Barnstormers, a cafe at the airport. I would recommend the restaurant for any flier looking for a good on-field place to grab a $100 hamburger (or omelet). Noah got to through a few snowballs, which we don't get to do very often in Las Vegas.
Overall, it was a great trip, at just under 1.5hrs each way, it is a great destination for fliers from Las Vegas or Southern Cal.
I hadn't been flying for a few weeks, mostly because my wife gave birth to our fourth child at the end of January. I had some time this morning and the weather was perfect for a flight. I decided to take my son, Noah, and go to Big Bear. The only worry was the amount of snow that they received recently. The weather briefer told me there was a 6' berm around the airport. She was right! The accumulated snow around the runways from the plowing was higher than my plane at some spots. It was also really cold. When we got there it was around 32F, but it was sunny and clear.
Noah and I enjoyed a nice brunch at Barnstormers, a cafe at the airport. I would recommend the restaurant for any flier looking for a good on-field place to grab a $100 hamburger (or omelet). Noah got to through a few snowballs, which we don't get to do very often in Las Vegas.
Overall, it was a great trip, at just under 1.5hrs each way, it is a great destination for fliers from Las Vegas or Southern Cal.
Aviation Nation and Birthday Flight
November 14th was an exciting day for our family. We decided, as we have the last few years, to attend Aviation Nation. It is a great military airshow that is put on every year at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas. We got out there early, but still had to wait awhile to be transported onto the base. The static displays were excellent, showing off alot of surveillance planes used to protect us as a country. I also really enjoyed the war re-enactments. We sat down and watched an re-enactment form the Korean war. What always strikes me each year is that US airman are able to fly planes that they fought against years ago in these re-enactments. I couldn't image what that would feel like to be a war veteran and fly a plane that I fought
against 40-50 years earlier. Whatever it may be, it is exciting to watch as a civilian.After the show, we decided to carry on my new tradition and give my daughter a ride in my plane for her birthday. Katie turned 3 on the 14th and has not been up flying before. We were honestly a little nervous because she can get emotional. Ruth also gets nervous, but she decided to go with us. The flight went really well and Katie really enjoyed it. We just went for a quick trip out to Jean and went back to Henderson. My wife was grateful it was short, but I think deep down, she enjoys flying (at least I want to believe that).
Annual Inspection and Aircraft Movement
I cannot believe that it has been a year since I purchased this airplane. It has been a wonderful year. The joy and freedom of flying is more incredible than I could have ever imagined. It has also brought my family together in many ways, and gives me and my kids a way to bond. I am grateful for the opportunity to have my pilot's license!
A few things have changed recently. I brought in a partner, Ben Tippets, into the business. He has been flying helicopters for over 4,000 hours and decided to get some fixed wing experience. Since he found it easier to take his family traveling in the Cherokee than a $2 million helicopter, he decided to partner up with me and use the airplane for business and pleasure. He will have his fixed wing CFI, CFII and commercial licenses, along with an ATP license for rotary, so he will also be able to train others in the Cherokee.
Additionally, we have made the decision to transition the airplane to Cactus Aviation. Cactus is also based out of Henderson Executive and they have offices in the main terminal. Feel free to drop into their offices anytime. The Cherokee fits really well into their flight line of several other Piper airplanes. It makes for a great IFR platform and is great for those weekend family get-a-ways. It will rent for $119 wet. Visit www.cactuslv.com for more information.
Finally, it is in for its annual inspection. We have a great mechanical giving it an extremely thorough review, fixing some squawks, and making sure it is still one of the best training, business and recreational airplanes in Las Vegas!
A few things have changed recently. I brought in a partner, Ben Tippets, into the business. He has been flying helicopters for over 4,000 hours and decided to get some fixed wing experience. Since he found it easier to take his family traveling in the Cherokee than a $2 million helicopter, he decided to partner up with me and use the airplane for business and pleasure. He will have his fixed wing CFI, CFII and commercial licenses, along with an ATP license for rotary, so he will also be able to train others in the Cherokee.
Additionally, we have made the decision to transition the airplane to Cactus Aviation. Cactus is also based out of Henderson Executive and they have offices in the main terminal. Feel free to drop into their offices anytime. The Cherokee fits really well into their flight line of several other Piper airplanes. It makes for a great IFR platform and is great for those weekend family get-a-ways. It will rent for $119 wet. Visit www.cactuslv.com for more information.
Finally, it is in for its annual inspection. We have a great mechanical giving it an extremely thorough review, fixing some squawks, and making sure it is still one of the best training, business and recreational airplanes in Las Vegas!
Flying for business
One of the primary reasons for getting my pilot's license was to be able to fly for work. I have a lot of clients in California and Utah. My hope was to be able to shorten my trips by flying rather than driving or going commercial.
This last week I was able to take my first trip to visit a client. My client's office is in San Diego, CA. The trip driving would have taken about 5 hours and commercial airlines would have taken about 3.5 hours considering security and travel from the airport. I was able to complete the trip in about 2.5 hours including driving time to a from the airport. It was also alot simpler because I was able to carry all my tools that I needed on the plane rather than checking them into security.
I took off from HND (Henderson, NV) at 2:00pm on Thursday. It was rather hot outside, but the plane performed really well even with the high density altitude. I opened up my flight plan and got flight following by the time I reached Jean, NV. I got my money's worth from the ride with all the thermals going over the mountainous desert terrain through the NV and CA deserts. It was an amazing change, though, when I went through the Palm Springs/Palm Desert Area. What a beautiful part of California that I have never seen before. It was quite a sight. I landed at RNM (Ramona,CA) at 4pm and my client picked me up and we went right to work.
The next morning, I departed at 8am and landed at HND at 10am. It was a nice flight coming into Vegas in the morning. The air was very smooth and the desert looked amazing in the morning sunlight. I got back with a huge smile on my face.
This last week I was able to take my first trip to visit a client. My client's office is in San Diego, CA. The trip driving would have taken about 5 hours and commercial airlines would have taken about 3.5 hours considering security and travel from the airport. I was able to complete the trip in about 2.5 hours including driving time to a from the airport. It was also alot simpler because I was able to carry all my tools that I needed on the plane rather than checking them into security.
I took off from HND (Henderson, NV) at 2:00pm on Thursday. It was rather hot outside, but the plane performed really well even with the high density altitude. I opened up my flight plan and got flight following by the time I reached Jean, NV. I got my money's worth from the ride with all the thermals going over the mountainous desert terrain through the NV and CA deserts. It was an amazing change, though, when I went through the Palm Springs/Palm Desert Area. What a beautiful part of California that I have never seen before. It was quite a sight. I landed at RNM (Ramona,CA) at 4pm and my client picked me up and we went right to work.
The next morning, I departed at 8am and landed at HND at 10am. It was a nice flight coming into Vegas in the morning. The air was very smooth and the desert looked amazing in the morning sunlight. I got back with a huge smile on my face.
Beyond Training
It has now been over two months since I received my pilot's license and I am enjoying every minute of it. One of the things that I enjoy doing most is offering the opportunity to friends and family to experience the excitement of flying that I have. I took my daughter, Natali, up for her birthday and she had a blast. I have taken several friends, including one that is joining the Air Force. I have also explored new airports and look forward to finding new and interesting places to go.Although I really enjoy my time flying, I can't say that my wife, Ruth, likes to fly with me. The first time that we went up, she held onto the seat for her life the whole time -- and it was just one time around the traffic pattern. The second time we went up, I hoped that she would enjoy it more. We ventured a little further out, towards Boulder City, but to no avail. Maybe someday, maybe after we get a larger plane, she will enjoy it more.
As for now, though, I love the freedom of flying and the pleasure of saying "I am a pilot!"
It's official. Stay out of the skies!
When I know that a teenager is about to get his or her driver's license, I always say, "I better stay off the sidewalks!" I am just wondering if the same adage applies to me. My goal was to get my private pilot's license by the end of February, but with some bad weather and canceled lessons, I really didn't think that was going to happen. I was consigned to the fact that it probably would be a little bit longer, just like my first solo, so I set in my mind a new goal for the second week of March.
But there was something in me that just said, "You can do it!" So, when I went up flying with my instructor last Tuesday 2/24, I asked him about his thoughts for completing it by Saturday. I think that I shocked him a little bit, but we sat down, went through what I had left to complete and decided that it would work. I just had to fly every day that week. I planned to go up solo on Wednesday, but the winds picked up beyond my solo capabilities. I was able to get a hold of my instructor at the very last minute and we were able to shift things around to do some work together. It was also a good chance to practice cross-wind take-offs and landings.
Thursday I went out by myself and went through the maneuvers and I also went up again with my instructor for some final practices on short and soft field take off and landings. He signed me off for all the requirements for the checkride and we went through what I needed to be prepared for. The next morning I met with the head CFI to get his opinion of where I was at in the training. He quizzed me on the oral exam part of the test and we also went up and reviewed the maneuvers. He felt comfortable with my performance, so we moved ahead with the plans.
Saturday morning at 6am (after a restless nights sleep) I met Mike Gerlicher, the FAA examiner. He was extremely friendly and calmed my nerves to an extent. We reviewed my flight plan, reviewed my training and he asked me about 1 hr of questions in regards to weather, airspace, general aviation questions, and some other important facts about flying. There were a few questions that I didn't remember exactly, but was able to look them up and give him the answer. The practical test was also straight forward. He did catch me off guard by declaring that our in flight emergency was a fire and I didn't respond exactly correct. It was a good training flight also to get his perspective on things I need to know and do better.
After we were done with the practical test, he told me that he would meet me back at the office and that his decision was easy. As I refueled the plane and secured it, I was left to wonder what that exactly meant. My uneasy mind was quickly rested when I saw him filling out my temporary pilot's license back in the office. I am now a pilot!
LET'S GOING FLYING SOMETIME!
But there was something in me that just said, "You can do it!" So, when I went up flying with my instructor last Tuesday 2/24, I asked him about his thoughts for completing it by Saturday. I think that I shocked him a little bit, but we sat down, went through what I had left to complete and decided that it would work. I just had to fly every day that week. I planned to go up solo on Wednesday, but the winds picked up beyond my solo capabilities. I was able to get a hold of my instructor at the very last minute and we were able to shift things around to do some work together. It was also a good chance to practice cross-wind take-offs and landings.
Thursday I went out by myself and went through the maneuvers and I also went up again with my instructor for some final practices on short and soft field take off and landings. He signed me off for all the requirements for the checkride and we went through what I needed to be prepared for. The next morning I met with the head CFI to get his opinion of where I was at in the training. He quizzed me on the oral exam part of the test and we also went up and reviewed the maneuvers. He felt comfortable with my performance, so we moved ahead with the plans.
Saturday morning at 6am (after a restless nights sleep) I met Mike Gerlicher, the FAA examiner. He was extremely friendly and calmed my nerves to an extent. We reviewed my flight plan, reviewed my training and he asked me about 1 hr of questions in regards to weather, airspace, general aviation questions, and some other important facts about flying. There were a few questions that I didn't remember exactly, but was able to look them up and give him the answer. The practical test was also straight forward. He did catch me off guard by declaring that our in flight emergency was a fire and I didn't respond exactly correct. It was a good training flight also to get his perspective on things I need to know and do better.
After we were done with the practical test, he told me that he would meet me back at the office and that his decision was easy. As I refueled the plane and secured it, I was left to wonder what that exactly meant. My uneasy mind was quickly rested when I saw him filling out my temporary pilot's license back in the office. I am now a pilot!
LET'S GOING FLYING SOMETIME!
Almost There!
Ever been so close to achieving something that you can smell it. I don't know if it is the AV-Gas getting to my brain, but I feel so close to getting my license. The last few weeks have been very exciting. I went on my first cross-country solo on January 31, 2009. It was an absolutely beautiful day for flying. The air was smooth, clear skies, no clouds, just me and my plane. I took off from Henderson early in the morning and flew a familiar route to Lake Havasu, AZ. Even though I hadn't landed at that airport before, we had flown by it twice during the engine break-in and we had gone to Needles, CA a couple of times, which is close by. I flew over the airport to see the traffic flow and easily navigated into a normal traffic pattern for a nice landing. The airport is relatively new and the runway was very nice and long. There were a couple of golf-carts waiting off the taxi-way to guide me to one of the FBO's there. Actually, the carts were competing for my business, and I following the red one, since that is my favorite color. It was a good choice because the fuel was really cheap.
After stretching my legs, refuelling and calling for a weather update, I took off again towards Daggett-Barstow, CA. This leg of the flight was more adventerous because I had not flown that path before. It was pretty easy to navigate because I was able to generally follow I-40 below and followed the VOR navigation that I setup beforehand. It was a really nice leg because of the mountain ranges that I passed by on both sides. That leg was also really smooth and enjoyed every minute of it. I landed in Daggett and again refueled and stretched my legs. After being on the ground for about 20 minutes, I decided to head back. I called for an updated weather breifing and headed out. Again, the last leg was familiar because I had flown this before with my instructor.
I landed safely in Henderson just around lunch time, after about 5 hours flying. It had been one of the most memorable experiences to date that I have had flying. I really enjoyed the trip and loved the experience.
After this solo, we moved on to some more advanced maneuvers in preparation for the practical exam, including short-field landings and takeoffs, turns about a point and departure and landing stalls. We also have done some more intrument training time, but have been prevented by weather to get much more of that in.
We also took our night cross-country trip. We planned this one to Daggett airport again (outside Barstow, CA). Originally we were going to make this trip to Needles, but that airport has alot of issues with the terrain and I honestly didn't feel comfortable with it at night. We made the trip on Tuesday, February 10, taking off about 7pm. We planned it that night because there was a full moon. Unfortunately, the moon wasn't up when we took off, so it was a little hairy getting beyond the ridge to sloan. It was a good experience because I had to trust the charts, planning and instruments to guide us, not being able to see the mountains on each side of us very well. Once we got towars Jean, NV, the moon came up and we could easily make out the landscape. The rest of the trip was uneventful and enjoyable to be able to see the landscape at night.
The final experience of the last few weeks was my second cross-country flight on Valentines Day. The plan was for me to leave early again and fly to Hurricane, UT. The weather didn't exactly cooperate, as a storm moved through the area overnight. First of all, I had to get up at 4:30am to take care of a problem at the office. I was hoping that the weather would cooperate, as it was very clear in Las Vegas; the stormed at moved out. Unfortunately, clouds and mountain obscurations still dominated southern Utah. They were supposed to burn off, but I had to wait to get an update at around 8am. The weather had cleared by that time, so I was able to make the flight.This one was a little more straining on me because I was going somewhere that I had not been before. I had to fly over Lake Mead, head north toward Mesquite, NV and then over the
mountain range to Hurricane. I had driven this route many times, but everything is different by air. More importantly, there was alot of helicopter traffic flying around Boulder City and Hoover Dam, so I had to be very vigilent in that area. Also, I passed over terrain that would have made it difficult to make and emergency landing. Finally, after passing over the mountain range toward St. George, UT, I had to quickly descend to avoid clouds still over the valley. Also, there was alot of airplane traffic around the St. George airport and was didn't know where the Hurricane airport was. After searching for it for a few minutes, I located it. There was another plane inbound for landing, which I let go in first. The airport didn't have a taxiway, so on my first turn around the traffic pattern, I had to abort the approach because he was still on the runway. My second approach was very good, so I went around again. I was able to finally get the plane safely on the ground on a runway half as wide and half as long as the runways I was used to. I called up my friends in Hurricane and went and had lunch with them.
The return trip was relatively uneventful, other than some mild turbulance through the more mountainous areas. I safely landed around 2pm and then enjoyed a nice date out with my wife later that night. It was a long day, but very enjoyable.My instructor has already spoken with the FAA examiner and I am looking forward to the final preparations for the flight test!
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