| ISSUE 739 - May 17, 2022 • Over 9,000 Total Ads Listed • 1,000+ NEW Ads Per Week |
| Around The Corner |
| Dana Brejakova, Contributing Writer & Photographer |
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Owning an airplane and a pilot's license are definitely two of the best things in life. Among many freedoms that General Aviation in the USA offers, the freedom of escaping (sometimes unbearably busy) life on the ground is priceless. So here is one to celebrate my gratitude to all our short trips we take almost on a weekly basis. Whether those are just spontaneous flights that are results of statements like: "Hey, what a beautiful evening" and "I bet the air is as smooth as glass now" or trips that stem from pure necessity to get from point A to point B while skipping the traffic jams on I-10.
Sometimes it is Aviat Husky that takes us up, other times RV-8 swiftly lifts us above the busy ground and all the problems of the day. Isn't it amazing how gaining a bird's perspective makes everything down on Earth look like a Lego? Suddenly all the worries and problems disappear as one is focusing on flying the aircraft and switches to the dichotomy of absolute joy versus absolute unforgiveness. I stopped counting how many times we were a tiny dot in the sky, however, I have never stopped counting our blessings.
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| Crystal-clear horizons during one of our many quick trips to the agricultural grounds down in the valley. |
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From time to time, Jimmy the Squirrel likes to observe his pecan orchards from the air to spot irregularities or just for a general scan. Remember the article about how agriculture and general aviation in the USA coexist in mutual symbiosis and that many farmers are also pilots? Well, here you have it, Jimmy the Squirrel is a model example. That day the winds were calm, there was no dust, we had a blast.
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| Detail of the red clown noses (functional and color-synchronized addition to the flap hinges that have very very sharp edges) contrasting with the green and brown agricultural patches on the ground. |
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| Different trip around the patch. That day we witnessed a rare moment in nature when the beautiful sky was asking the mirror on the ground, "Mirror mirror on the ground, who has the most wonderful stratus of them all?" |
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| Clouds are even more mesmerizing when they are reflected on the steady body of water, would not you agree? |
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| This was a quick trip to Timberon, NM. The typical flat topography of the local desert biome reaches a point when it starts rising, and that point was right under the Husky's wings, ladies and gentlemen. |
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| Rising hills and dry corridor of what once used to be a river ambiance on the way to Timberon, NM. |
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| Playful bush flying trip. Low and slow can sometimes offer an opportunity for documenting your own shadow. SNAP! |
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| "Almost like in Africa" collection strikes again! This was our other trip to Timberon, NM. The day was beautiful and the sky was dressed in lovely blue color a.k.a. a no brainer for us to go for some fun bush flying just around the corner. |
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| Maybe if I squint a little bit, I could imagine a few giraffes clumsily sprinting across the desert making a dust in the air as their huffs hit the dry ground. Uh-oh, here goes again, Dana got lost in her fantasy world. LOL. |
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| Our big small town divided by the Franklin Mountains. Quite some views every time we fly above it! This time the eastern part was glowing in the morning sun. |
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| The towers on the top of the Franklin Mountains will never stop hypnotizing me. It was an early morning and the rising sun was hitting the eastern side of the mountain dressing it into golden hues. Check the contrast with the darker West. |
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| And how about having our wingman Jerry flying over the mountain with us? Those were the days. Jerry in his yellow Javron Super-Cub joined us for a quick morning flight on one Saturday morning. |
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| Burning sky. I will never forget that flight. |
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We were on our way back from the pecan farm to the airport when the sky decided to throw a mega show! I have never seen the sky like that before. People were standing outside in front of their houses looking at the marvel while we were flying in it! Can you imagine that? We were in it! What did I say about those blessings I count every time?
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| I swear, no filters here. The sky turned that red! I still get goosebumps when I recall the memory on that evening. |
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| This was a different lovely evening when the sky showed her cotton-candy colors. Jimmy the Squirrel was landing on 26 Left and boy, what a view! That southwestern sky, nothing can beat it. |
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| Another beauty to the collection of gorgeous sunsets and sunrises. This was a super early flight in Jimmy's RV-8. Jimmy the Squirrel made several circles so we could enjoy that stunning sunrise as long as possible. |
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| And a last pinkish one. This one was taken above the pecan orchards last year. |
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| Morning flight around the patch. As we got airborne and above the airport, look who was taxiing below! Today is the day, everybody, your packages you ordered online just landed! Your trip to the mailbox will be satisfying. |
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| Other times we simply visit our fellow aviators in NM and park the birds on their airstrips that are a part of their homes. Jimmy's Aviat Husky was chillin' with yellow Javron Super-Cub on our friend's air strip. |
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| Summer day, early morning. Jimmy and I were cruising above pecan orchards and were counting the amounts of pecan nuts on the trees. One, two, three, four … darn, I lost the count. Jimmy, we need to turn and start over again! LOL |
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| The compass rose, rose of the winds or compass star if you will, painted on the ground at the KELP airport. |
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I had no idea there was one and that it was so beautiful. All those take offs and landings and I was not able to spot it. One clear day I only looked down and there it was! It only took me two years to realize it was there. Talking about spatial awareness.
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| And sometimes when we do not fly, we just spend quality time here at the T-hangars. |
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Together with the birds we chill and watch the sky above in awe. Some of the most beautiful evenings and moments happen right here at the maroon-white T-hangars that patiently sit here under the beautiful southwestern skies.
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| By Dana Brejakova, Contributing Writer & Photographer |
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