n5lp
fugio ergo sum
I was on a typical mission today. The plan was for photography at a newly found WWII crash site in the Guadalupe Mountains then over to check on the "Secret Salt Flat Airport." This is pretty desolate country and I never see anyone out here.
Earlier I had not been able to spot the newly found wreckage but today it was obvious, so I orbited a couple of times while taking photos. That will be a hike in the near future to try to find out the aircraft type (maybe an AT-11 from the Carlsbad Army Base).
After this I set up a course for the secret airfield which took me right along the Guadalupe Mountains escarpment at 7,500 feet (below 3,000 AGL). So I'm cruising along fat dumb and happy, enjoying the scenery when I spot traffic at 12 o'clock high. WHAT? It is a weight shift aircraft, up above me by at least 500 feet in the middle of nowhere. I had already capped the camera or I could have taken a good photo as I passed underneath.
To understand some of my amazement be aware that I know of the problems of flying a J-3 or similar aircraft between Carlsbad and El Paso, it is just too far. I was thinking where could it be out of? Maybe a local ranch, I thought.
I continued the 40 nautical miles to the "secret airport" took my photos then headed back to the home base of Carlsbad. As I was approaching I heard the radio calls of not one, but three aircraft approaching for landing. We landed at about the same time.
These were not ultralights, but were small, open, weight shift aircraft and I had to go talk to them. They were on a tour out of Albuquerque down to Cielo Dorado near Santa Teresa then to Carlsbad then back to Albuquerque via a fly-in at Dexter, NM. They had ground crew. When I flew past they were flying at between 8,000 and 9,500 MSL.
We talked about who had seen whom. There was mention of MCAS? I said TCAS, and they said no, MCAS. Not as good but still good for collision avoidance. I just googled and still don't know about MCAS. Anyway these small aircraft seemed to be better equipped than my old RV and they seemed to be having plenty of fun.
Earlier I had not been able to spot the newly found wreckage but today it was obvious, so I orbited a couple of times while taking photos. That will be a hike in the near future to try to find out the aircraft type (maybe an AT-11 from the Carlsbad Army Base).
After this I set up a course for the secret airfield which took me right along the Guadalupe Mountains escarpment at 7,500 feet (below 3,000 AGL). So I'm cruising along fat dumb and happy, enjoying the scenery when I spot traffic at 12 o'clock high. WHAT? It is a weight shift aircraft, up above me by at least 500 feet in the middle of nowhere. I had already capped the camera or I could have taken a good photo as I passed underneath.
To understand some of my amazement be aware that I know of the problems of flying a J-3 or similar aircraft between Carlsbad and El Paso, it is just too far. I was thinking where could it be out of? Maybe a local ranch, I thought.
I continued the 40 nautical miles to the "secret airport" took my photos then headed back to the home base of Carlsbad. As I was approaching I heard the radio calls of not one, but three aircraft approaching for landing. We landed at about the same time.
These were not ultralights, but were small, open, weight shift aircraft and I had to go talk to them. They were on a tour out of Albuquerque down to Cielo Dorado near Santa Teresa then to Carlsbad then back to Albuquerque via a fly-in at Dexter, NM. They had ground crew. When I flew past they were flying at between 8,000 and 9,500 MSL.
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