Ron Gullickson

 

 

           

Photo by Sue Gullickson

 

Another Cinco de Mayo drawing winner has taken flight.  After much smoke from the fires this summer, and my being gone, I was able to connect with Henrietta Lopez and set up her flight.  It was a hot day in September, and her first flight in a small plane.

 

            Photo by Ron Gullickson

 

 We first flew to Orland to get fuel; on the way I showed her a few basics, and then let her fly...she’s a natural!  Henrietta did great, she kept us straight and level all the way to Orland.  After we fueled, we headed for Black Butte Reservoir; she made a few 360 degree turns and changed altitude as seen in the next photo.  We then headed toward Red Bluff, and then back to the Ranch to look for their home, but no luck...things look different from the air.  I think Henrietta had as much fun on her first flight as I did taking her.

 

                October 18 was a thankful day for a glider pilot that had lost the lift necessary to stay aloft.  He was thankful that Rancho Tehama Airport was there for an emergency landing. We shared a soda and stories while waiting for another aircraft to come and tow him back to Williams Glider port.

 

                This past weekend, Sue and I and Bill and Ali Massey, flew to Casa Grande, Arizona where we met up with Doug and Lori Dugger at the EAA Copperstate Fly in.  Bill and Ali’s Zenith 601  HDS won first place for best Light Sport category, congratulations!

 

                “To invent an airplane is nothing. To build one is something.  To fly one is everything.”

Otto Lilienthal (1848-1896) early inventor of mono-plane and bi-plane gliders.