June 2019 - June, sweet June, is FLYING by

Around here, June is for turning the page on another year of life and for long, warm, summer days filled with the smell of new-mown grass and FLYING, neighbor, FLYING !

The CallAir Cadet comes to life with a flick of the prop and goes exploring, usually in search of savory breakfasts or lunches but sometimes just for the love of going up and looking down. We live on a plateau at a little over 2000' above sea level that is ringed with some of the world's oldest mountains. A dodge through the mountain gaps south and east brings me over flatlands a thousand feet lower in elevation that slope gently to the sea, a little over 230 miles to  somewhere around Georgetown SC, the closest Atlantic coast. If you measure to the extent of North Carolina, Kitty Hawk, where all this flying stuff started, is just under 400 miles. There's plenty to do between here and there, whichever there you want to count as your destination.

Fortunately, there's lots to look down on. The folds of these mountains present an endless variety of views. That's the northwest arm of Lake Lure below, where part of the movie, Dirty Dancing, was filmed. My father was born in the bottom of where Lake Lure is now, well before the dam was built across Broad River. His first job was at the Lake Lure Inn. You could say my connection to this area runs deep.

More doings: 

A FIRST FLIGHT!

A long time project reaches the test phase - Dennis and his prized RV-8 took to the air on June 15! A former Air Force pilot (7 years) followed by a 30-ish year airline career with Northwest and Delta, Capt Dennis is running his test flights like the pro he is, chasing the gremlins that always seem to come out of hiding. Paint will follow, as will many hours of pure fun. CONGRATULATIONS. DENNIS!

Then there is the Great East-West-East RV Adventure!

Four of our intrepid aeronauts launched an optimistic round-trip flight to dip their toes in the Pacific Ocean and succeeded beyond anyone's wild imagining ... nobody makes a VFR trip like that on schedule, but they did!

Mike, Mike, Jon and Simon at Carlsbad CA

For a rundown of their trip, take a look at https://eaa1016.org/

Fairweather Flyers, indeed!