This is why I own my 170!
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 4:36 am
This is why I own my 170!
I flew with the family into Half Moon Bay to meet up with my sister and her husband. It was a beautiful February day in California with 70 degree temps, smooth air, and no marine layer to get in our way. My wife was smiling because I actually had my radio, transponder, interphone, and everything else working perfectly. As we got into the Bay area we flew right over the top of the Golden Gate at the same time a flight of two Stearmans were transiting from the other direction. As we went down the coast we flew right over my brother in law and sister as they were catching some waves just north of Half Moon Bay. I greased on the landing (my wife said there was still room for improvement) taxied to park and shortly after I watched Aryana cross the fence in his beautiful 170.
We unpacked, and went directly to the bar right out the back gate of the airport! After plenty of PBR’s at the Silver Star we hit the beach and got some take out at Sams Chowder House. We stayed at kind of a run down ocean side motel but it served the purpose and actually had availability on Valentines Day and conveniently was right across the road from the airport.
After a romantic evening (yeah right) sleeping in a small motel room with two kids under 4 we were more than ready in the morning to pack up and head on to Monterey. The flight down the coast was beautiful! Getting into Monterey and dodging all the jets arriving and departing to pick up the golfers and celebs playing at Pebble Beach was a challenge. We parked at the Monterey Jet Center which was hilarious. We were pretty much the only non shiny jet and felt a little bit out of place. They squeezed us in somewhere between about 50 jets, and got a kick out of how we rolled into parking with the engine shut down. My wife rolled her eyes as all the line guys kept coming over to have a look at our old antique when they could have been looking at the million dollar jets. I can’t say enough about the staff at the Jet Center who were more than accommodating to us. The gave us a curtesy car to go the the acquarium, fed my kids, gave them toys, and treated my airplane with respect. I felt bad when my fuel bill came in for only 15 gallons for which I actually apologized. They all said I was being crazy, and stressed that they are friendly to the little guys just like they are for the big jets. They have my business again if I ever go back.
Smooth flight home and I didn’t even mind the 15 knot headwind as the boys slept in the back and my 65 year old engine purred up front! What a weekend!
This is why I own my 170! I was hoping to start a thread so more of you can share the experiences that make you feel so lucky for owning such an amazing little airplane.
I flew with the family into Half Moon Bay to meet up with my sister and her husband. It was a beautiful February day in California with 70 degree temps, smooth air, and no marine layer to get in our way. My wife was smiling because I actually had my radio, transponder, interphone, and everything else working perfectly. As we got into the Bay area we flew right over the top of the Golden Gate at the same time a flight of two Stearmans were transiting from the other direction. As we went down the coast we flew right over my brother in law and sister as they were catching some waves just north of Half Moon Bay. I greased on the landing (my wife said there was still room for improvement) taxied to park and shortly after I watched Aryana cross the fence in his beautiful 170.
We unpacked, and went directly to the bar right out the back gate of the airport! After plenty of PBR’s at the Silver Star we hit the beach and got some take out at Sams Chowder House. We stayed at kind of a run down ocean side motel but it served the purpose and actually had availability on Valentines Day and conveniently was right across the road from the airport.
After a romantic evening (yeah right) sleeping in a small motel room with two kids under 4 we were more than ready in the morning to pack up and head on to Monterey. The flight down the coast was beautiful! Getting into Monterey and dodging all the jets arriving and departing to pick up the golfers and celebs playing at Pebble Beach was a challenge. We parked at the Monterey Jet Center which was hilarious. We were pretty much the only non shiny jet and felt a little bit out of place. They squeezed us in somewhere between about 50 jets, and got a kick out of how we rolled into parking with the engine shut down. My wife rolled her eyes as all the line guys kept coming over to have a look at our old antique when they could have been looking at the million dollar jets. I can’t say enough about the staff at the Jet Center who were more than accommodating to us. The gave us a curtesy car to go the the acquarium, fed my kids, gave them toys, and treated my airplane with respect. I felt bad when my fuel bill came in for only 15 gallons for which I actually apologized. They all said I was being crazy, and stressed that they are friendly to the little guys just like they are for the big jets. They have my business again if I ever go back.
Smooth flight home and I didn’t even mind the 15 knot headwind as the boys slept in the back and my 65 year old engine purred up front! What a weekend!
This is why I own my 170! I was hoping to start a thread so more of you can share the experiences that make you feel so lucky for owning such an amazing little airplane.
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