LOGBOOK Monday, December 8th, 2010
YouTube - 12-08-2010.wmv
We depart Meadow Lake heading south west across the southern edge of the Colorado Springs Class C airspace (under the outer ring).
Once the Ray Nixon Power Plant is in sight, we aim for the south side of it, to remain clear of Ft Carson's - Butt's Army Airfield, Class Delta airspace.
Just west of I-25 near the Pueblo county line is the Ranch house and main property for the
famous T- Cross Ranch. At one time, T-Cross property was scattered all over El Paso and Pueblo County.
(The southern portion of Meadow Lake Airport property was once owned by Bob Norris and the T-Cross Ranch.)
USC stadium (Pueblo's university of Southern Colorado, now called CSU - Pueblo) is about 4 miles west of the Pueblo airport on the final approach for 8 Right.
As we land in Pueblo, and again when we are ready to depart, we notice the line of USAF Diamond Katana's (Call sign - "Tiger's") waiting for departure.
Between 6 and 10 depart in less than 10 minutes time.
Pueblo airport is a mini USAF training base run by Doss aviation.
The "Tigers" use not only the 3 runways at Pueblo, but several outlying airports too.
They can have as many as 25 aircraft in the air at one time.
Upon departing Pueblo to the North West, on the way to I-25, we see Beacon Hill Speedway lying next to the interstate.
You will notice a hill, with the top flattened. It is here that the "beacon" once stood.
Back in the days before GPS, Before VOR, Before the omni range, airmail pilots needed a way to find their way after dark.
A series of revolving light beacons was installed from Albuquerque to Denver.
These powerful beacons could be seen for 50 miles at night.
One of them stood on Beacon Hill, just north of Pueblo.
.