Bob Bement
Pattern Altitude
Thinking back on the summer.
I had a great summer of flying. I got to take another trip to Gaston's for the POA fly-in. The weather was very trying as we had rain, wind, and low fog on the trip back to AR. and we had to go by way of Albuquerque, NM. on the way back to OR. I got to spend one night at the farm with Tom and Diana. Kim and Barb showed up to make for an interesting evening. But, the highlight of the trip Had to be the rides I got to give on that Sat. at Gastons. I had found a little landing strip only about 4 miles away from Gastons and I had called and received permission to use it. I started giving rides and the line started to form. First I took Brook on a flight to look the place over and Brook took some pictures. Then I took and airline pilot and found out that I was landing with a pretty good tailwind. Now this strip had some interesting aspects to it. I had to come in slow over the top of a hangar, then between two trees and try to get down on the ground before the runway went down over a hill. The grass was tall as the guys mower had broken down after he had made a couple of passes. I don't remember all of the people I took, I know I had Leah Condon, and Sue Chien. I took Tony Condon when he and I went for fuel. I had so many I can't recall who. I have a hard time with names as 32 years of teaching, 100 names a year I think my memory part of my brain is all used up. I had a couple flights that were people that just came up and asked if I would take them for a ride. One father and his mentally challenged son. He asked if I would take them and I was more than glad to. As the day wore on I was tired from my challenging flight to Gastons from Oregon. But this is why I wanted to come, to give rides I had promised a couple years earlier when I didn't have my plane. The line continued as the story got back to those under the shade canopy. I had one after another come up and ask me if I was still giving rides. I flew close to 4 hours that day and I felt so good at the end of that perfect day at Gastons. I hope I can go back again and do it another year, but if not I have the summers Gaston Flight to remember.~~
__________________
I had a great summer of flying. I got to take another trip to Gaston's for the POA fly-in. The weather was very trying as we had rain, wind, and low fog on the trip back to AR. and we had to go by way of Albuquerque, NM. on the way back to OR. I got to spend one night at the farm with Tom and Diana. Kim and Barb showed up to make for an interesting evening. But, the highlight of the trip Had to be the rides I got to give on that Sat. at Gastons. I had found a little landing strip only about 4 miles away from Gastons and I had called and received permission to use it. I started giving rides and the line started to form. First I took Brook on a flight to look the place over and Brook took some pictures. Then I took and airline pilot and found out that I was landing with a pretty good tailwind. Now this strip had some interesting aspects to it. I had to come in slow over the top of a hangar, then between two trees and try to get down on the ground before the runway went down over a hill. The grass was tall as the guys mower had broken down after he had made a couple of passes. I don't remember all of the people I took, I know I had Leah Condon, and Sue Chien. I took Tony Condon when he and I went for fuel. I had so many I can't recall who. I have a hard time with names as 32 years of teaching, 100 names a year I think my memory part of my brain is all used up. I had a couple flights that were people that just came up and asked if I would take them for a ride. One father and his mentally challenged son. He asked if I would take them and I was more than glad to. As the day wore on I was tired from my challenging flight to Gastons from Oregon. But this is why I wanted to come, to give rides I had promised a couple years earlier when I didn't have my plane. The line continued as the story got back to those under the shade canopy. I had one after another come up and ask me if I was still giving rides. I flew close to 4 hours that day and I felt so good at the end of that perfect day at Gastons. I hope I can go back again and do it another year, but if not I have the summers Gaston Flight to remember.~~
__________________
Attachments
Last edited:
