High Altitude Cruise

 So, just how good is the Phoenix performance under power at high altitude?  Take a look at the Dynon photo with the comments added.  In short, it is almost impossible for any aircraft in this category to outperform the Phoenix!

Minden Wave Flight

Wave flight to over 17,000'msl with Dennis Yeomans

Eclipse

 We flew from Minden, NV (MEV) to John Day, OR (GCD) to watch the total eclipse.  Due to our last minute plans, the special glasses couldn't be obtained, nor could I find the right welder lenses.  Cecil came through with some extra pairs for us.

We first flew to Lakeview, OR (LKV) for a short break and to time our arrival over GCD so that we would not have to mix it up with the crowd in the air for very long.

 As totality neared, we kept close tabs on the other aircraft around us using the Dynon Skyview and the iPad with Stratus 2 ADSB weather and traffic.  We also relied on the old fashioned Mark 2 eyeballs.

 Totality was awesome!  We didn't need the glasses during the black out and oohhed and awed over the amazing sight.  It got really dark out in the 70 mile wide swath we were in the middle of.  But we could see sunlight on the ground 35 miles away on each side of us.  So it wasn't completely dark, more like evening twilight.

 We closed all of the vents because it was suddenly cold.  Then in an instant the sun peeked out again and brought with it immediate warmth and light.  Good ole Sun!

 When totality was over, the fleet headed back to where they came from.

Several of us returned to Lakeview for fuel and lunch.  Here we are flying next to the Abert Rim on the way to the airport.  We talked about what we had seen from our aerial vantage point.  Can't wait to do it again but I think it will be a long time and we will have to make a longer trip to see it.

Yosemite tour with Jorge

 El Capitan

 Waterfall

 Halfdome

 Almost 18,000'

 Sierras looking south

El Capitan

MLB to MEV

Kathy and I flew from Melbourne FL to Minden NV from September 17 to September 20.  We typically flew 5-6 hours per day and finished up the last day with a 2.8 hour flight into Minden from Las Vegas.  Trip average speed was 112kts, total time was 20.2 hours, and we burned just under 80 gallons over the 2270nm trip.  Hammond (HDC) and Odessa (ODO) were excellent stops with hangars and superb service.  The track log can be seen at https://share.delorme.com/JamesLee

Mississippi River

I love flying around towering cu, Kathy not so much.

There's always Sudoku if the scenery isn't interesting.

OK, just as long as there isn't any ethanol in that stuff.

Gotta love hangar cats

Texas oil fields

Comfy digs in Odessa

Guadalupe Mountains

Prescribed burn on the Mogollon Rim.  Really?  I mean really?  We have to breathe that air.

Grand Canyon.  Hazy air due to smoke, but impressive nevertheless.

Hoover Dam and Lake Mead

Perfect weather the whole way with light winds.  Then we faced incoming rain from a Pacific hurricane so we reserved an Uber car for 7am.  Uber cancelled us at 7:15.  No taxis in Boulder City, no buses, no airport shuttle.  The FBO drove out and rescued us and we were on our way in light drizzle for a few minutes until we got north of the Vegas Class B.  

Great trip, great plane, great First Officer.  I can't teach Kathy everything or she won't need me anymore.

Rick leaves Phoenix Flight Ops bound for Punta Gorda and then Minnesota

Sky Candy