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2014

2014 was a busy year of flying. Cleo got a new engine at the beginning of the year. As part of 50th Anniversary of the Hayward Air Rally, I flew to Oshkosh for the first time. By the end of the year, I had put 180 hours on the engine, and with training flights in other aircraft, 210 in my logbook!

Click image for larger view

KMYF Montgomery Field, San Diego, CA, February 2014 The shiny new engine and cleaned up compartment.

KTUS Tucson, AZ, March 2014 I flew into Tucson this spring to visit Saguaro National Park.

KBVS, Burlington, WA, Apr 2014 No, not North Carolina. That Kitty Hawk will have to wait for another time.

KHIO, Portland-Hillsboro, OR, Apr 2014 The weather is much more intersting up north. Arriving into Portland the day before, I got to log a substantial amount of actual instrument time. On the way south from Hillsboro, I found some light icing in the fluffy cumulus clouds at IFR altitudes. I decided to descend below the clouds and proceed VFR.

KSNA, Santa Ana, CA, Jun 2014 They really pack 'em in on the Atlantic ramp at John Wayne Airport. I stopped in there for an intro aerobatics ride in an Extra 300 at Sunrise Aviation.

KHWD Hayward, CA, July 2014 This year was the 50th Anniversary of the Hayward Air Rally. Instead of the usual single day competition, this year's event spanned three days with the goal of ending up at Oshkosh. Three long and exhausting days. From Hayward, stops included Silver Springs NV (SPZ), Wendover UT (ENV), Lander WY (LND), Rapid City SD (RAP), Montevideo MN (MVE), and Madison WI (MSN).
Photo Credit: Jon Davis Photo Ship Pilot: Michal Koenig
P.S. I took second this year behind long-time Masters Tom Neale and Bob Edwards.
P.P.S. The race number tape from last year held up just fine!

KOSH Oshkosh, WI, July 2014 It was my first time at Oshkosh... so much to see and do. Of course camping with the plane was required. The weather cooperated with this camping lightweight.

KTKX Kennett, MO, August 2014 A random cheap fuel stop on the way home. At the time, before oil prices collapsed at the end of the year, 4.69 was the cheapest around for avgas. Most stops on the trip were in the high $5 range.

- Route of flight: kmyf kprb kcvh khwd kspz kenv klnd krap kmsn kosh kdcy kfym ktkx k88 7co0 kapa 7co0 kmtj kmyf
- The entire trip was flown day VFR.
- 40.4 logbook hours
- 380 gallons of avgas used
- 4888nm flown
- 12.8 nmpg
- Fuel expenses of $1875.50
- 38 cents per nm flown
- Stops in 12 states
- Flew over 16 states
- Highest GPS altitude logged: 15754 ft coming over the Rockies near Aspen.
- Highest groundspeed logged: 160 kts going into the Wind River timing line, and again on descent into MYF.

KNKX Miramar, CA, October 2014 I got to log a couple landings at Miramar while ferrying pilots for the air show. It's a big runway - one of the few times I've landed on a 200' wide runway. Even the larger airports I've been to like Las Vegas McCarran or Phoenix Sky Harbor only have 150' wide runways. On the west coast, apparently only LAX, SFO, and MHV have 200' runways.

KMHV Mojave, CA, October 2014 Speaking of Mojave, I dropped in there for lunch on one of their "Plane Crazy" airport open house days. Dick Rutan was there with his Berkut, which he took up for a spin after the event was over.

KONM Socorro, NM, November 2014 The Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge outside of Socorro is home to thousands of cranes and geese in the winter. It's 11 hours by car... or less than 4 by air!

KLAS Las Vegas, NV, December 2014 My airshow performer friend invited me to the ICAS convention in Las Vegas this year. I got to shake hands with some of the Blue Angels.

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Click image for larger view
KMYF Montgomery Field, San Diego, CA, February 2014	The shiny new engine and cleaned up compartment.
KTUS Tucson, AZ, March 2014	I flew into Tucson this spring to visit Saguaro National Park.
KBVS, Burlington, WA, Apr 2014	No, not North Carolina. That Kitty Hawk will have to wait for another time.
KHIO, Portland-Hillsboro, OR, Apr 2014	The weather is much more intersting up north. Arriving into Portland the day before, I got to log a substantial amount of actual instrument time. On the way south from Hillsboro, I found some light icing in the fluffy cumulus clouds at IFR altitudes. I decided to descend below the clouds and proceed VFR.
KSNA, Santa Ana, CA, Jun 2014	They really pack 'em in on the Atlantic ramp at John Wayne Airport. I stopped in there for an intro aerobatics ride in an Extra 300 at Sunrise Aviation.
KHWD Hayward, CA, July 2014	This year was the 50th Anniversary of the Hayward Air Rally. Instead of the usual single day competition, this year's event spanned three days with the goal of ending up at Oshkosh. Three long and exhausting days. From Hayward, stops included Silver Springs NV (SPZ), Wendover UT (ENV), Lander WY (LND), Rapid City SD (RAP), Montevideo MN (MVE), and Madison WI (MSN). Photo Credit: Jon Davis Photo Ship Pilot: Michal Koenig P.S. I took second this year behind long-time Masters Tom Neale and Bob Edwards. P.P.S. The race number tape from last year held up just fine!
KOSH Oshkosh, WI, July 2014	It was my first time at Oshkosh... so much to see and do. Of course camping with the plane was required. The weather cooperated with this camping lightweight.
KTKX Kennett, MO, August 2014	A random cheap fuel stop on the way home. At the time, before oil prices collapsed at the end of the year, 4.69 was the cheapest around for avgas. Most stops on the trip were in the high $5 range. - Route of flight: kmyf kprb kcvh khwd kspz kenv klnd krap kmsn kosh kdcy kfym ktkx k88 7co0 kapa 7co0 kmtj kmyf - The entire trip was flown day VFR. - 40.4 logbook hours - 380 gallons of avgas used - 4888nm flown - 12.8 nmpg - Fuel expenses of $1875.50 - 38 cents per nm flown - Stops in 12 states - Flew over 16 states - Highest GPS altitude logged: 15754 ft coming over the Rockies near Aspen. - Highest groundspeed logged: 160 kts going into the Wind River timing line, and again on descent into MYF.
KNKX Miramar, CA, October 2014	I got to log a couple landings at Miramar while ferrying pilots for the air show. It's a big runway - one of the few times I've landed on a 200' wide runway. Even the larger airports I've been to like Las Vegas McCarran or Phoenix Sky Harbor only have 150' wide runways. On the west coast, apparently only LAX, SFO, and MHV have 200' runways.
KMHV Mojave, CA, October 2014	Speaking of Mojave, I dropped in there for lunch on one of their "Plane Crazy" airport open house days. Dick Rutan was there with his Berkut, which he took up for a spin after the event was over.
KONM Socorro, NM, November 2014	The Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge outside of Socorro is home to thousands of cranes and geese in the winter. It's 11 hours by car... or less than 4 by air!
KLAS Las Vegas, NV, December 2014	My airshow performer friend invited me to the ICAS convention in Las Vegas this year. I got to shake hands with some of the Blue Angels.