First XC flight - Texas to California

[chipchap42]

One thing the gyroplane lacks is a place to mount the camera like a trike can out at the wing strut/leading edge junction or on a extended boom in front of the wing's nose. Its such a nice perspective that simply cannot be done in a gyroplane. Did you do any video on your trip? Would be awesome to see.

Abid,
yes you're right about the wing strut/boom missing. This is the best video I think I did in the trike - only time I really used two cameras and intercut the videos (video editing just takes soooo much time). It was a flight taking up a friend of my son's and that effect of having the 3rd person view on the wing is really good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQKttepux6Q

As far as the recent XC goes, I did take a few segments but just with an iPhone, so they're not great and I didn't do any real editing. The best bit I think is to show how desolate the SoCal desert is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8RWMz7b0pc

Cheers,
Paul.

 

[chipchap42]

You can send it to me or Roy as you wish... Thank you!!

John,
I have finished editing this and rounding it out a bit as an article. What's the email address to send it to?
Cheers,
Paul.

 

[All_In]

[email protected]

Thank you Bro = You Rock.

 

[WaspAir]

Saw the ship, and met Paul & Jim on Sunday at E16. Nice folks!

 

[Monarchist]

Enjoyed your journey!

Enjoyed your journey!

After posting my own lengthy journal of my MTO trip over much of the same route last year (including many of the same stops!) It was like re-living my own adventure. I knew exactly what you were describing at the gap near Deming, and the desolation of Twentynine Palms.

Sorry you couldn't get fuel at Dell City...I could not have made it to El Paso, no way, so I *had* to get get fuel there. Fortunately a local cropduster came out and topped me off, and wouldn't take a nickel from me for it. He only made me promise to call him when I reached California to let him know I made it.

Man...what a mix of emotions coming back to the forum from so long an absence. Losing Farmer Jim, and reliving my own "trip of a lifetime".

I'm gonna get another machine and do this again ASAP!

-John

 

[chipchap42]

After posting my own lengthy journal of my MTO trip over much of the same route last year (including many of the same stops!) It was like re-living my own adventure. I knew exactly what you were describing at the gap near Deming, and the desolation of Twentynine Palms.

Sorry you couldn't get fuel at Dell City...I could not have made it to El Paso, no way, so I *had* to get get fuel there. Fortunately a local cropduster came out and topped me off, and wouldn't take a nickel from me for it. He only made me promise to call him when I reached California to let him know I made it.

Man...what a mix of emotions coming back to the forum from so long an absence. Losing Farmer Jim, and reliving my own "trip of a lifetime".

I'm gonna get another machine and do this again ASAP!

-John

Hi John,
thanks for the comments. Deming was quite an experience. If I try that again one day, it will be a lot higher! That's great about the cropduster helping out - just often true of the aviation community. I'm sure you found the same thing that I did too - that everyone was very interested in the gyro and wanted to stop and chat. Great stuff and I'm looking forward to my next long flight!

Hope you get another gyro soon.
Cheers,
Paul.

 

[Monarchist]

I'm sure you found the same thing that I did too - that everyone was very interested in the gyro and wanted to stop and chat.

Absolutely! With ONE exception, which was very strange to me. At Safford, my last stop before landing at Phoenix Mesa, there were several people there milling about doing whatever they were doing. People drove past, people talking with each other, etc. No one even said hello. It was like I didn't exist. Which I was thankful for, I really wanted to get to Phoenix and call it a day.

Yes, hoping to get a Cavalon before too long. We'll see!

-John

 

[Resasi]

Great read Paul, for some of us temporarily grounded, it takes us up and lets us come along for the ride. Vance is great for that.

Always like riding along, particularly when the love of flight comes though.

it is a passion, that one/some can never get enough of.

 

[chipchap42]

Great read Paul, for some of us temporarily grounded, it takes us up and lets us come along for the ride. Vance is great for that.

Always like riding along, particularly when the love of flight comes though.

it is a passion, that one/some can never get enough of.

Thanks Leigh, and sorry to hear you're grounded at the moment. Reading Vance's posts was part of what inspired me to try to write about the experience, so I'm with you on that one!

Where are you based?
Cheers,
Paul

 

[kolibri282]

Flying Adventures is a section of the forum I really should check out much more regularly, it definitely helps to maintain a high zeal factor....;-)
Great write up of a great trip and some really beautiful images, Paul, thanks for sharing!

 

[chipchap42]

After posting my own lengthy journal of my MTO trip over much of the same route last year (including many of the same stops!) It was like re-living my own adventure. I knew exactly what you were describing at the gap near Deming, and the desolation of Twentynine Palms.

Sorry you couldn't get fuel at Dell City...I could not have made it to El Paso, no way, so I *had* to get get fuel there. Fortunately a local cropduster came out and topped me off, and wouldn't take a nickel from me for it. He only made me promise to call him when I reached California to let him know I made it.

Man...what a mix of emotions coming back to the forum from so long an absence. Losing Farmer Jim, and reliving my own "trip of a lifetime".

I'm gonna get another machine and do this again ASAP!

-John

John,

we met in Taylor when I was getting my checkride from Dayton. After reading this comment from you last year, I always meant to get around to reading your story, but then I forgot about looking for it and until now I hadn't. I just found it and read the whole thing - extraordinary! I loved the fact that we went to so many of the same places. (And if I'd read yours first, we would never have bothered landing at Dell bloody City...). I suppose it isn't that surprising in some ways - makes sense to choose a good route, after all - but that we went to so many of the same airports is funny. And some of our experiences were the same too - like really enjoying General Fox and P33 at Willcox. Plus your flying around the Bay Area is very familiar to me, being based here.

Having said that, you went a lot further and had some experiences I'd really love, like flying into Van Nuys. Made me want to do another long XC, so thanks for that.

Cheers,
Paul.