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Starring RV-7A 174RT

Capt Sandy

Well Known Member
Be sure to check out the video at the end of this post for some RV action - starring 174RT.

Roy and I have N174RT with us in Ajo, Arizona this winter. Ajo is a tiny town in southern Arizona that sits in a pocket of mild weather, and far from the busy airspace of Phoenix. However, Ajo airport, P01, Eric Marcus Muni, is just inside the restricted airspace south of Gila Bend Air Force Aux Air-station. To fly North or West from Ajo, Roy obtains permission from Snake-Eyes to transit the corridor between Ajo and Gila Bend, which must be flown 500 AGL when the restricted areas are hot - which they often are these days.

On a recent, particularly calm air day, I was tickled to capture some footage of our flight up the corridor, and even more tickled to capture a couple of lovely photos of rainbows. Breakfast at the Chandler airport was a nice treat too.

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We returned to Eric Marcus Muni to find two rented RV’s (camping buses), various cars and a slew of people at Eric Marcus Muni. I mention that Ajo is a tiny town? I do mean tiny. Usually Roy and I are the only people at the airport, except for occasional gatherings of the remote control airplane guys, and a fellow with an ultra-light and his little dog.

After we shut down, a couple of the people approached us and said they were making a movie and would Roy take one of the actors around the airport, so they could film him getting out of the plane (as if he’d just flown in). “I dunno,” Roy said. “Sure,” I said, “it’ll be fun!” So its is my poor, suffering hubby ends up involved in many adventures.

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N174RT delivered a solid walk-on performance and a speaking part at that - because the director asked the film and sound crew to be sure to capture the lovely roar of the Lycon built 360 before Roy taxied back to parking.
Link to Video
https://sandrathoma.smugmug.com/2022-Ajo/i-5Ww4BmB/A

Roys previous write-up on flying the corridor
https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=170425
 
A Mercedes-Maybach? In Ajo? I assume you spotted cameras on arrival.

Lacking cameras, a Maybach and two camping RVs screams "drug haul", and I'd probably do a 180 on the runway...
 
What a hoot!!
Forget the rainbow, how about that ball cap and headset the star of the show was wearing! :).
 
Dan, We did not see the cameras or the Maybach upon arrival. The producer and director approached us after we landed and shut down, eliminating the need for nosey me to wander over and ask “what are you all doing here?”
After I volunteered Roy to do the flight, we recognized the two main actors in the scene from other films, one a Clint Eastwood film I watched on a recent commercial flight. So we guessed they were legit. And anyway… the border patrol are thick as fleas on a dog here, and the cartels just pass the drugs thru the fence or fly it over using drones. LOL.
 
Scoot, Happy you noticed the ball-cap. The pilot was wearing his awesome Card Machine Works headset - top quality gear. I swapped my CMW headset for the old Lightspeeds for the actor to use. No way would I loan my wonderful headset to some dude - even if he is some well-known actor. Heck, I wouldn’t even swap my headset for the Maybach. Well… hmmm… maybe I’d need to give that further consideration. Tons of legroom in the back seat of that car. Super comfy. And taxied down the runway faster than the RV!
 
Bob, Happy you enjoyed the video. Indeed, the most amazing things happen when we’re out and about in the RV. Best of all - the wonderful fellow RV-iators we befriend along the way. And she’s such a sporty, pretty plane, eh? Worthy of the big screen.
 
After I volunteered Roy to do the flight, we recognized the two main actors in the scene from other films, one a Clint Eastwood film I watched on a recent commercial flight. So we guessed they were legit.

When the movie comes out, $20 says Roy's appearance makes the big screen on Friday night at Petit Jean.
 
Nice video! I am so proud I parked my RV by The Star in Ajo :D

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Snake Eye denied my request for the low level corridor.

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Snake Eyes

Vlad, We set a coordinate SE of the RA for our “go-to” when denied, which has been more frequency lately. LOTS os supersonic exercises, and live ordinance lately. We’re trying to figure out where to take cookies to, for some cookie diplomacy. Roy learned recently that the RA fall under Albuquerque approach (if I recall correctly) and they have the down-low on when the areas are active.
 
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