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Removing the antenna tuner<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>F5 cockpit<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>F5 jet<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nWe loaded up and taxied across to the FBO on the other side of the airport to drop off the HF radio equipment. Parked up outside were several ex-military F5 fighters and naturally we walked over for a look. The men hanging around near the jets were very welcoming and offered me a chance to sit in the cockpit of one aircraft. The avionics were extremely impressive, all modern glass panel instruments! The little fleet was employed as “aggressor” aircraft for military training and research, playing the part of the bad guys against national militaries in exercises.<\/p>\n\n\n
Departing from Santa Maria<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Coastal hill ranges<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Coastal hill ranges<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nDeparting from Santa Maria we struck out across the coastal hill ranges and the lush central valley of California. This valley covers about 11% of the state’s land, and produces more than half of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts grown in the United States. Much of it is irrigated by a network of canals and ditches, no doubt contributing to the seemingly continuous state of water shortage that the US southwest seems to exist in.<\/p>\n\n\n
It didn’t take long to cross the central valley and we were soon approaching the western slopes of the Sierra mountain range. We climbed into the hills through the valley which leads to Tehachapi, along which the interstate and rail line runs. One of the main reasons for coming this way was to show my father the impressive Tehachapi loop, a full 360 degree loop in the railway, built to keep the rail gradient acceptable, and where trains pass over their own back ends as they climb up into the hills. I entered the traffic pattern at Tehachapi on a left downwind, curving round on base leg to land towards the west.<\/p>\n\n\n
The central valley<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Tehachapi loop<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Parked up in Tehachapi<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nWe refueled at the self-serve pumps before parking up in the visitor parking area and securing Planey. Tehachapi airport has a great campground, and is one of my favourite fly-in destinations, but our lack of camping equipment meant that we’d be walking into town to find a hotel on this occasion. On our way we stopped off at Kohnen’s bakery for a sandwich. The rail museum next door was not open, but we could still enjoy the spectacle of the occasional enormous freight train chugging through town directly behind the bakery. <\/p>\n\n\n
Ostrich burgers available<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Mural in Tehachapi<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Tehachapi antiques<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Hawaiian TV<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nIt was a quiet afternoon, during which I corresponded a little with a Hawaiian TV channel who’d seen news of my flight posted on Facebook by Hilo pilot Scott. They wanted to include a short segment about the trip during the night’s news broadcast. After providing them with some details and photographs Dad and I headed out for dinner. We found a steak restaurant, Jake’s, which turned out to be one of the best I’d ever visited. Well worth a return to Tehachapi just for that!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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It was an early start the following morning. The reason that I had chosen Tehachapi for the overnight was its proximity to the Mojave Air and Space Port. This facility hosts the National Test Pilot School where my friend Jeremy, who I had first met in Brisbane, was now working. He had invited us to fly in for breakfast and a tour of the school. We walked from the hotel through Tehachapi to the airport and launched into a calm, clear morning for the short hop over the hills to Mojave. <\/p>\n\n\n
Morning in Tehachapi<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Tehachapi rail line<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Departing from Tehachapi<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Wind turbines near Mojave<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nJeremy had given me instructions on where to park on arrival – right outside one of the main hangars! As we parked up he strolled out to meet us. It was still very early in the day so we decided to start off with a tour of the aircraft hangars before heading over to the diner for breakfast. Our first destination was the helicopter hangar, which contained a handful of modified and heavily instrumented ex-military and civilian helicopters.<\/p>\n\n\n
Helicopter hangar at NTPS<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Checking out a flight test helicopter<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Autonomous Cessna 152<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Sabreliner<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Sabreliner cockpit<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>The old Rotary Rocket hangar<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nThe National Test Pilot School is one of only a handful major civilian test pilot schools in the world, all modelled after the original Empire Test Pilots’ School in the UK, and is the only civilian test pilot school in the US. The school was established in 1981 and moved to Mojave in 1986. These days they train between 10 and 30 pilots a year on their year long flight test course, along with 200 to 300 students on shorter, more focused courses. Jeremy had come here from Australia to work as an instructor in flight test engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After checking out the helicopters we moved on to the main hangar, hosting a selection of civilian aircraft. These included a Cessna 152, a small two seat version of Planey, which had been set up for autonomous flight. A safety pilot would still ride along but the aircraft could be entirely flown by a remote operator back at the school. Also in the hangar was a North American Sabreliner, a business jet first flown in the late 1950s.<\/p>\n\n\n
Jets at the NTPS<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Jets at the NTPS<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>MIG jet at the NTPS<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nPart of the NTPS complex is a large hangar with the logo of the defunct firm “Rotary Rocket” emblazoned across it. This aerospace firm was formed in the 1990s to commercialise an idea for a re-usable, crewed, single-stage-to-orbit rocket, the Roton. This went through several iterations starting with the idea of using helicopter-style blades with rockets on the tip to lift as high as possible before traditional rockets carried it the rest of the way. The plan evolved to use the helicopter blades for landing only. A single 60 foot tall prototype was constructed and underwent three flight tests in 1999, but the project never continued due to lack of funding. The buildings were absorbed into the NTPS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After touring another hangar, home to a collection of interesting jets, we visited the airport restaurant for a classic American brunch of pancakes and accompaniments. The cafe has excellent views over the runway and we enjoyed the sight of a military fighter jet performing some practice approaches as we ate. On our way back through the NTPS facility we checked out some of their simulators and telemetry stations before returning to Planey, saying our goodbyes and preparing to depart.<\/p>\n\n\n
Simulators at the NTPS<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>With Jeremy at the NTPS<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>With Jeremy at the NTPS<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Stored airliners at Mojave<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nWe launched out of Mojave off of runway 26, making a left turn and heading southeast towards Victorville. The reason for this destination was to see the “Boneyard” at the Southern California Logistics Airport. This aircraft storage facility covers 240 acres and can host over 500 aircraft. At the moment, it seemed quite full, with a wide variety of mothballed airliners from aircraft all around the globe clearly visible as we flew over. The dry climate is ideal for long term preservation of aircraft which may one day be put back into service. <\/p>\n\n\n
Solar panels near Mojave<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>California desert<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Stored airlines at Victorville<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Mining in the California desert<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Desert community<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>California desert<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nFrom Victorville we turned northeast, crossing the southern tip of Nevada. As we flew we could clearly see the solar power plants of the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System. Three facilities host a total of more than 350,000 mirrors that focus sunlight onto centralised towers, generating steam to drive power turbines generating almost 400 MW of electrical power. It didn’t take long to cross Nevada and enter Arizona on our way towards the airport at Grand Canyon West.<\/p>\n\n\n
Water pipeline<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Historic lava flows<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Arizona desert<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Lake Mead<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Overlook at Grand Canyon West<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Approaching Grand Canyon West<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nLas Vegas could barely be seen out of the pilot side window as we passed. Lake Mead, held back by the mighty Hoover Dam, was more obvious and as we continued east the lower reaches of the Grand Canyon came into view. Our destination was the airport at Grand Canyon West. This location exists purely as a base for the commercial activities of the Hualapai tribe, including the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a cantilevered tourist bridge which extends outwards 70 feet from the canyon wall. The airport services tourist transfers from Las Vegas, as well as local aerial tours over the canyon. It seemed like a quiet time as no other aircraft were moving during our approach and landing.<\/p>\n\n\n
Parked at Grand Canyon West<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>The Grand Canyon<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>The Grand Canyon<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nDespite the lack of any other aircraft on the apron, the radio operator was incapable of independent thought and mindlessly insisted that we park in the visiting aircraft section as far from the main building as possible. We took the long walk back to the visitor center which was set up to handle the hordes of tourists that are brought in by buses and mid-size aircraft. The large building was jam packed with tacky merchandise, cheap food, and desks selling tours. Even on a quiet day like this it felt crowded. We didn’t stay long and were happy to make our way back to Planey and take off for a scenic flight over the canyon on our way east.<\/p>\n\n\n
The airspace around the canyon has a lot of flight restrictions in place, to try and ensure minimum noise nuisance for those enjoying it from ground level. Given the huge size of the canyon this doesn’t limit aviation too badly, however. We planned a flight through several of the corridors that are set up through this airspace to allow aircraft to enjoy decent views, while staying away from the most popular tourist spots around the rim.<\/p>\n\n\n
Grand Canyon rim<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Grand Canyon tributary<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nClimbing to 11,500 feet, the minimum altitude for northbound flight through the Grand Canyon corridors, we soaked in the views as we ate up more miles towards Pennsylvania. We monitored the common traffic frequencies but there was very little other traffic around. After passing north of Grand Canyon Village, the main visitor center of Grand Canyon National Park, we turned right to head southwest towards the town of Winslow, Arizona. This was the only location that my father had specifically requested we stop at on our way across the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His reasons for this were classic “Dad”. The Eagles sang the famous song “Take it Easy<\/a><\/strong>“, featuring the lyrics “Standing on the corner in Winslow Arizona” and going on to discuss the passing by of a girl in a flatbed Ford. We would be visiting the famous corner so that he could stand on it himself!<\/p>\n\n\nStanding on the corner in Winslow, AZ<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>The famous flatbed Ford, but no girl to be seen<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Winslow's less famous vehicle<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>