Well, that's quite nice

MAKG1

MAKG1

Touchdown! Greaser!
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MAKG
I did a set of CAP cadet "orientation rides" yesterday. The point is to introduce the cadets to light aircraft aviation. We put them in the right seat (usually with another in back), for up to five flights in airplanes, and five more in gliders. The flights are somewhat structured -- airport operations, basic maneuvers, "advanced" maneuvers (not really -- stalls are to "first indication," so I can't figure out what the difference is to slow flight), navigation, and weather. I did two weather flights in the morning, skirting the edge of the marine layer and around Mt Diablo 1000 below the peak (got a subtle but clearly felt wake), and two first flights in the afternoon, with a brother and sister pair of cadets. For first flights, I try to fly between a towered and nontowered airport, so they can see both, and give them as much stick time as they want above 1000 AGL, helping out with the level-off and descent as needed. Weather was real nice after the marine layer backed off, so we went over the mountains from San Jose to Watsonville, switched the cadets, and flew back.

And their mom emailed me this morning asking for a referral to a CFI.

As you might imagine, I'm rather pleased. This is the point.
 
Very cool. Well done! My proudest personal aviation achievements are the handful of people I have gotten involved in flying!

We need new pilots.
 
Nice! I did my first Young Eagles event a couple weeks back. I worked support, helping to chaperone the kids and parents back and forth to the planes. We had 14 pilots and flew 23 kids that morning. It's great to see the ones who are really inspired by flight!!
 
SoCal RV Flyer said:
Nice! I did my first Young Eagles event a couple weeks back. I worked support, helping to chaperone the kids and parents back and forth to the planes. We had 14 pilots and flew 23 kids that morning. It's great to see the ones who are really inspired by flight!!
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That's a lot of pilots to be sharing airspace with!

The biggest event I did was 13 aircraft and 25 pilots, alternating sorties. We flew over 200 cadets in two days. I got 12 of them myself (8 got right seats; the last four only got the back), all back and forth between San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria, with a detour over Morro Rock and Diablo Canyon, 'cause I could. The next day, they all got a ride in an enormous Chinook. I was jealous as heck....

But the really big events are so heavily structured that they aren't as much fun. And, I don't like the idea of having back-seat-only cadets.
 
MAKG1 said:
That's a lot of pilots to be sharing airspace with!

The biggest event I did was 13 aircraft and 25 pilots, alternating sorties. We flew over 200 cadets in two days. I got 12 of them myself (8 got right seats; the last four only got the back), all back and forth between San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria, with a detour over Morro Rock and Diablo Canyon, 'cause I could. The next day, they all got a ride in an enormous Chinook. I was jealous as heck....
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That is monumental. :D

At some point I'd like to give kids a ride myself, but parents can get more than a little nervous when they see the big "EXPERIMENTAL" lettering on the baggage bulkhead!! Probably best to go with certified aircraft here...

Our event was at our nontowered field (Cable in Upland, CA), so the CTAF was alive and cracklin'. It all worked out great. There were a couple of low passes too for the kids' entertainment...a black T-6 and a high-performance aerobatic job...Edge 540 maybe?
 
MAKG1 said:
with a detour over Morro Rock and Diablo Canyon, 'cause I could.
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I've always want to do a low pass near Morro Rock... but I'm always worried that I'll **** off either the TRACON controller or whoever is in the Tower at SBP.
 
ircphoenix said:
I've always want to do a low pass near Morro Rock... but I'm always worried that I'll **** off either the TRACON controller or whoever is in the Tower at SBP.
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Well, there are no structures, vessels, or people on the rock, so you just have to stay 1000 over the town. That's well outside Class D, so SBP won't care. Neither will SB App, unless someone complains.

Not sure I see the attraction, though. There are plenty of places to fly low over terrain.
 
Always fun to fly young people,I enjoy every young eagles flight I do.
 
MAKG1 said:
Well, there are no structures, vessels, or people on the rock, so you just have to stay 1000 over the town. That's well outside Class D, so SBP won't care. Neither will SB App, unless someone complains.

Not sure I see the attraction, though. There are plenty of places to fly low over terrain.
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I have an unnatural attraction to Morro Bay. I love the town and I dunno why.
 
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