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Sedona flight

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pennington(at)q.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 8:13 am Post subject: Sedona flight

<?xml:namespace prefix="v" /><?xml:namespace prefix="o" /><![endif]--> Good morning everyone.

  

 My flight yesterday morning was memorable and I would like to share it with  those who are interested. I live in Tucson, Arizona and fly out of Marana  Regional Airport....about a 30 minute drive from my home. Marana is a small town  some 10 miles or so North of Tucson. It has a very well maintained airport  within Class "E" airspace.

  

 When departing, sky conditions were clear and sunny with a temp about 50  degrees Fahrenheit. Wind was Northeast at 6. The air was bumpy below 4000' but  very smooth above that. On course, I performed a gradual climb to 11000' for  clearance above the mountain range 80 miles North of Marana. Overflying the  mountains, I could see Apache Lake and Roosevelt Lake below. They are nestled  in deep canyons formed by the Salt River. Nary a soul on the water.

  

 Roosevelt Dam was my first waypoint and is a massive structure several  hundred feet tall and spans the canyon a quarter mile or so. It was built during  the early 1900's from massive stone blocks and later encased in concrete. The  adjoining bridge is a cable supported structure stretching out a half  mile or more over the water. 

  

 At the dam, I changed course for the town of Payson, a small but  very scenic community situated at the base of the Mogollon Rim.  The "Rim" as we call it,  is a mountain range that  extends approximately 100 miles in an Easterly/Westerly fashion and tops  out around 8000'. Covered in pine trees and dusted with snow, it is a prominent  landmark and a very pleasant drive by car if you are so inclined.

  

 At Payson, my course changed for Sedona. On this leg, I traversed two  impressive geological formations, the "Fossil Springs Wilderness Area" and the  "West Clear Creek Wilderness Area". They are well known to hikers as some of the  most beautiful natural areas in the country. Someday, I'll have to hike it, but  for now, it feels pretty darn good the fly overhead in my Lightning.

  

 With Sedona some 10 miles ahead, I could see Flagstaff and Humphreys Peak  to the North. Humphreys Peak reaches skyward 12633' and is blanketed  in snow. It is visible for 100 miles or more. 

  

 By now I could clearly see Sedona. It is unmistakable. If you have never  been there, you are missing a very special treat. It is famous for it's "red  dirt" and multi colored mountains and rock formations. Colors vary from red to  orange to yellow and every color in between. The locals claim Sedona is the  center for some sort of earthly energy source....or something to that effect.  None-the-less, by car, it is breathtaking. By air, it is extraordinary! Sedona  is an artsy community with many art galleries. I have wished I could live there  but real estate is pricey. 

  

 The airport is unique. It is situated on top a Mesa and consumes the entire  flat area. The runway begins and ends abruptly at the edge of the cliff. The  airport is surrounded by mountains which requires some tricky maneuvering in  order to descend and enter the pattern at 6000'. When the wind is blowing,  severe updrafts and downdrafts at the edge of the Mesa are common. But for now,  it is perfect. My flight time was about one hour ten minutes which allowed me  to land in the early morning while the sun backlit monolithic rock  formations and cast shadows across the valleys. Mother earth provides us with  incredible scenery. I brought my camera to photograph the adventure but the  batteries were dead. Bummer.

  

 At the airport, I topped off the fuel and readied for my return flight.  >From Marana to Sedona is 180 air miles. I burned 5.8 gallons. Pretty good fuel  economy. The engine seems to attain better economy from Premium auto  fuel than from AvGas and I only burn AvGas when necessary. I've always used  auto fuel in my planes and never had a problem. The Jabiru loves it.

  

 All flight systems were good and I rolled down runway 3. I had climbed to  around 500' AGL by the end of the runway and the ground suddenly plunged  downward 1000'. The illusion was weird! It was like the bottom  fell out of my world. It was such an unusual experience, I want to return and do  it again. My return flight traversed the same flight path. The entire flight  was fantastic.

  

 I hope you all enjoy flying. I do. 

  

 Have a great day.

  

 Gary Pennington

   [quote][b]

N1BZRich(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 9:22 am Post subject: Sedona flight

Gary,

     Great description of a great flight.  Having  flown out of Luke AFB for many years and having flown my Pitts all over  Arizona, it brought back some good memories of a very beautiful area.  Too  bad your camera didn't work.  So when you make the flight again, or a  similar one, do take some photos and send them to me, along with your write up,  for a future issue of the newsletter.  I think every one would enjoy  it.

 Blue Skies,

 Buz



A Good Credit Score013x1201028747/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=62%26bcd=DecemailfooterNO62"> See yours in just 2 easy steps!

  [quote][b]

wb2ssj(at)frontiernet.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 12:07 pm Post subject: Sedona flight

I think we should chip in and buy Gary a camera. If he is  going to make us jealous at lest he could show us pictures.

  

 Here I sit looking out at four feet snow.   Tex

 [quote]   ---

Wayne Lenox

Joined: 07 Jan 2008
Posts: 75
Location: Arizona in the winter

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 3:12 pm Post subject: Sedona flight

Tex 

I will help Gary out with a picture or two taken of Sadona February 08.  One of my favorite spots for lunch is Sadona airport, with a nice restaurant on site.   If you ever in Arizona it is the place to see and by air even better. 

Wayne L 

Lightning N123WL 

-- "Tex Mantell" <wb2ssj(at)frontiernet.net> wrote:

 I think we should chip in and buy Gary a camera. If he is going to make us jealous at lest he could show us pictures.

  

 Here I sit looking out at four feet snow.  Tex

  	  Quote: 	
		    

	
  



____________________________________________________________ 

[url=_blank]Click for discounts on jewelry for your mother.[/url]

  [quote][b]

pete(at)flylightning.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 3:27 pm Post subject: Sedona flight

We just delivered a Jabiru through there last week.  Some photos attached  

   

Pete  

     

From: owner-lightning-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-lightning-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Wayne Lenox

 Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 5:12 PM

 To: lightning-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Re: Sedona flight  

  

   

Tex  

I will help Gary out with a picture or two taken of Sadona February 08.  One of my favorite spots for lunch is Sadona airport, with a nice restaurant on site.   If you ever in Arizona it is the place to see and by air even better.  

Wayne L  

Lightning N123WL  



 

 -- "Tex Mantell" <wb2ssj(at)frontiernet.net> wrote:    

I think we should chip in and buy Gary a camera. If he is going to make us jealous at lest he could show us pictures.  

    

   

    

Here I sit looking out at four feet snow.  Tex  

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Wayne Lenox

Joined: 07 Jan 2008
Posts: 75
Location: Arizona in the winter

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 6:00 pm Post subject: Sedona flight

DA!!! 

I forgot to attach the photos of Sadona,AZ 

Wayne L



-- "Wayne Lenox" <waynelenox(at)juno.com> wrote:

 

Tex 

I will help Gary out with a picture or two taken of Sadona February 08.  One of my favorite spots for lunch is Sadona airport, with a nice restaurant on site.   If you ever in Arizona it is the place to see and by air even better. 

Wayne L 

Lightning N123WL 

-- "Tex Mantell" <wb2ssj(at)frontiernet.net> wrote:

 I think we should chip in and buy Gary a camera. If he is going to make us jealous at lest he could show us pictures.

  

 Here I sit looking out at four feet snow.  Tex

  	  Quote: 	
		    

	




____________________________________________________________ 

Click for discounts on jewelry for your mother.

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pjdisher(at)bigpond.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:54 am Post subject: Sedona flight

Hi Gary, enjoyed reading about you trip and just wished  you had photos to show us, maybe next time, amassing how high your terrain is  there , we have nothing like that here in OZ. I have always had an Rand McNally  and is interesting to be able to follow your trip.

 I have just about 10hrs to fly off and I hopefully will be  off tripping around.

 thanks 

 Pete D

 VH-PDI

 Kit 30 

  

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pennington(at)q.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 3:46 am Post subject: Sedona flight

<?xml:namespace prefix="v" /><?xml:namespace prefix="o" /><![endif]-->  Yes!

 Thank you Wayne. Great photos. I noticed on the  second one it shows Humphreys Peak in the background.

  

 Thanks again.

  

 Gary Pennington

  

 [quote]   ---

pennington(at)q.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 3:48 am Post subject: Sedona flight

<?xml:namespace prefix="v" /><?xml:namespace prefix="o" /><![endif]-->  Sorry Tex.

  

 Gary

 [quote]   ---

pennington(at)q.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 4:09 am Post subject: Sedona flight

<?xml:namespace prefix="v" /><?xml:namespace prefix="o" /><![endif]-->  Hello Pete

 Thanks for the photos. I really like the photo of the airport. Very  cool!

  

 Thanks again.

 Gary

 [quote]   ---

pennington(at)q.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 4:10 am Post subject: Sedona flight

<?xml:namespace prefix="v" /><?xml:namespace prefix="o" /><![endif]-->  Roger that! I'll be going that way again soon and I'll be sure to charge  the battery.

  

 Gary

 [quote]   ---

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