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Thread ID: 124223	2012-04-13 01:47:00	VIDEO - Landing at Santa Catalina's "Airport in the Sky".	WalOne (4202)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1269808	2012-04-13 01:47:00	Doing a spot of "hangar flying" with a mate the other night (fueled with appropriate single malts of course), the conversation turned to unusual places we'd individually flown into. My contribution to this game of aviation one upmanship was of flying into the "Airport in the Sky" at Santa Catalina Island. Off the coast of Southern California, it's a great place to escape the concrete jungle of L.A. if only because most of the island is really only accessible to the public by boat, or flying. Hence the great unwashed were kept at bay. The airport was created by the Wrigley family (of chewing gum fame) because they wanted somewhere to keep the family DC3. It was constructed at 1,600 ft amsl by slicing the top off a couple of mountains. With cliffs at each end, and an almost vertical drop to the sea at the south end, you could imagine landing and taking off on a aircraft carrier. Hope you enjoy this CLIP HERE (www.youtube.com) :thumbs:	WalOne (4202)
1269809	2012-04-13 02:53:00	Thanks WalOne. Bought back some memories.	tut (12033)
1269810	2012-04-13 03:16:00	Interesting to watch.	Bobh (5192)
1269811	2012-04-13 16:42:00	My first really tough landing was at Catalina . I had made some STOLs at Fullerton where you had to hot glide almost straight down over the approach chain link fence by about a foot, smash down to the tarmac, shut off the engine and simultaneously slam the brakes on to keep from hitting the chain link on the other end of the runway . My buddy Jerry Wheeler - half owner of the Cessna and very good friend - and I circled Catalina for about 15 minutes just visually taking it all in and trying to plan how I was going to do it . All the while I also had a Mooney circling with me as he was waiting for me to see how I was gonna do it . He had landed there a few dozen times, and it was MY turn now to prolly kill us both . It wasn't a confidence builder for me to see all the oleo parts, steering linkage, rubber shards and prop gouges at the beginning of the 'hump' where most aircraft would first touch down . Colored stripes of paint from engine cowls and/or wheel pants made my stomach churn a little . There were not a paltry few oil splotches there too . Maybe it was brake fluid - or human blood and/or feces - more on that later . Then there was the Gooney Bird sitting on top of what looked like the end of the runway that gave me a lot of consternation too . It had jacks holding up the left wing, as the gear was totally ripped out of the wing nacelle --- prolly from a botched landing . 50% flaps, 2/3 power, dancing on the boomers rising from the cliff just under the leading edge of the approach I figgered and then when the lift got cut off, goto 100% throttle and 100% flaps and then ease off the power and just float down at the same time cutting the flaps to 75-80% or so . Then hit the brakes hard since the runway LOOKED to be about 1/4 mile long - but that's a misconception since the runway rolls OVER the top and out to the NNW for at least a full 3/4 mile or so . Obviously I made it as I am here . It was 100% pucker/Pampers time though . The Mooney never even tried it . The buffalo burgers at the cafe were a treat, and they were the sole reason why we went there - for lunch . Or so Jerry said . I, at that time was relearning to walk from my DOA motorcycle accident, and this was 'therapy' for me . I was never gonna get my final unlimited pylon license now, since I needed to be able to withstand 6 Gs in the air races, and my spine was for all intents, never going to be able to take that treatment again . I was 50% owner of that little 152, and I was thinking that motorcycles were safer --- somehow . My wife had given me THE ultimatum: "Me (her) or the motorcycles and airplanes" she said . I chose her, since - well, I had my reasons . BTW: to take off from Catalina - just throttle up, zero flaps and if your trim was OK before you landed, just keep your hands off the wheel . Take offs are automatic there .	SurferJoe46 (51)
1269812	2012-04-14 03:13:00	My first really tough landing was at Catalina . I had made some STOLs at Fullerton where you had to hot glide almost straight down over the approach chain link fence by about a foot, smash down to the tarmac, shut off the engine and simultaneously slam the brakes on to keep from hitting the chain link on the other end of the runway . What on earth for? Runways at both Fullerton and Catalina are around 3000ft, and a C152 isn't a runway hog . Normal power approach I recall is about 70, flare 60, touch down 55 . Without trying you should be able to touch down on the piano keys and with only moderate braking stop well before the 1000 ft markers . If you really have to impress with STOL capabilities, power in at 55, touch down, and stop within 300 - 350ft . No smashing down or slamming of brakes required . Required power management for a C152 is nothing like you describe "50% flaps, 2/3 power" ~ "goto 100% throttle and 100% flaps and then ease off the power and just float down at the same time cutting the flaps to 75-80% or so" . That's air transport stuff, lots of noise and smoke . And a high incidence of breakages, maintenance, not to mention tyre replacement . "BTW: to take off from Catalina - just throttle up, zero flaps and if your trim was OK before you landed, just keep your hands off the wheel . Take offs are automatic there . " :thumbs: Best way (and the most spectacular from both on board and the ground) is to get airborne, gear up, trim for level flight at about 10ft . Fly off the end, then cut power and glide down 1500ft and do a beat up of the boaties at Twin Harbours before retreating to the (literal) big smoke . :D	WalOne (4202)
1269813	2012-04-14 03:38:00	What on earth for? Runways at both Fullerton and Catalina are around 3000ft, and a C152 isn't a runway hog . Normal power approach I recall is about 70, flare 60, touch down 55 . Without trying you should be able to touch down on the piano keys and with only moderate braking stop well before the 1000 ft markers . If you really have to impress with STOL capabilities, power in at 55, touch down, and stop within 300 - 350ft . No smashing down or slamming of brakes required . There was a lot of apartment construction in about 1977-78 or so, and we had to drop like a brick into the 20-foot high fenced arena at Fullerton . It was nasty and there was a lot of damage to the top of the fences at both ends of the runway there . Required power management for a C152 is nothing like you describe "50% flaps, 2/3 power" ~ "goto 100% throttle and 100% flaps and then ease off the power and just float down at the same time cutting the flaps to 75-80% or so" . That's air transport stuff, lots of noise and smoke . And a high incidence of breakages, maintenance, not to mention tyre replacement . Catalina just faked me out - that's all . I tried to out-psych it, but it got me nervous and that was the game plan I made and it worked . I know I had boomers rising from the lee side of the island with a heavy off shore from the mainland -so there was that to worry about too . "BTW: to take off from Catalina - just throttle up, zero flaps and if your trim was OK before you landed, just keep your hands off the wheel . Take offs are automatic there . " :thumbs: Best way (and the most spectacular from both on board and the ground) is to get airborne, gear up, trim for level flight at about 10ft . Fly off the end, then cut power and glide down 1500ft and do a beat up of the boaties at Twin Harbours (sic) before retreating to the (literal) big smoke . :D No 'gear-up' on a trike! But yeah - that would be kewl . Yeah - Jerry did that the first time we went there . It's OK if you've got some headwind to play in - but with an offshore Santana 30 MPH tailwind from LA, it's not gonna work that well . Ya know - watching that vid - it didn't look that flat to me the last time I landed there . I couldda sworn that the runway was built on the top of a giant inverted salad bowl . :) Needless to say - I retired before I got too deep into flying . One can die in three dimensions that way instead of in two on the ground . I woulda killed myself fer sure if I stayed with it any longer . That was a lo-o-ng time ago - and whole 'nuther lifetime for me .	SurferJoe46 (51)
1269814	2012-04-14 04:07:00	My bad - Two Harbors, not Twin Harbours! :badpc: Re your comments about construction at Fullerton, landing over a 20 ft obstacle would definitely displace the threshold . I should have realised you were using 04 and not 22, which in a strong Santana you would have to . Apart from unpleasant flying conditions in a Santana, the approach for 04 is by far the more difficult - and deceptive - than 22 . Under those circumstances, the Mooney pilot was wise not to try landing . They can be a slippery beast at the best times :horrified But you survived to demolish a dead buffalo, which is the main thing . :lol:	WalOne (4202)
1269815	2012-04-14 04:15:00	Did you ever drop in to Ryan or Flabob?	SurferJoe46 (51)
1269816	2012-04-14 04:31:00	I've visited Flabob once, but by road. We were thinking to put in a tender for a resource management scheme for Riverside's airports, and I dropped in for a quick recce. Cute little airport. Ryan? Got me there.	WalOne (4202)
1269817	2012-04-14 04:47:00	I've visited Flabob once, but by road . We were thinking to put in a tender for a resource management scheme for Riverside's airports, and I dropped in for a quick recce . Cute little airport . Ryan? Got me there . Ryan ( . wikipedia . org/wiki/Hemet-Ryan_Airport" target="_blank">en . wikipedia . org)'s in Hemet ( . wikipedia . org/wiki/Hemet,_California" target="_blank">en . wikipedia . org) . Another one of those end-of-the-runway tall fences . I was sitting at a four-way stop sign with the end of the runway to my left shoulder, and the end fence was about 50 feet from the edge of the road . All of a sudden I saw 'FIRESTONE' as in THE LOGO on the wheel of an aircraft setting up for the runway as it passed right over the hood of the truck I was driving! Anyway - Flabob ( . wikipedia . org/wiki/Flabob_Airport" target="_blank">en . wikipedia . org) (EAA Site #! ( . flabob . com/)) is an interesting downwind left turn around the mountain and final as you then fly alongside and under (Mount Ribudoux (http://en . wikipedia . org/wiki/Mount_Rubidoux" target="_blank">www . flabob . com/)) is an interesting downwind left turn around the mountain and final as you then fly alongside and under (Mount Ribudoux (http:)), where people are sitting eating lunch in a campground above you, looking down on top of your wing! Drop in to Hamilton Airport and I'll bring a six pack of beer!	SurferJoe46 (51)
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